Your mind is one of your greatest assets as an athlete. This week, I sit down with Ben Fanelli, the Founder of Heroic Minds, a brand new self-help tool right at your fingertips. Following a major injury in his early game career that changed the trajectory of his life, Ben has shifted to the world of psychotherapy for high performance players. We speak about the surprising gifts of injury he gained from his incident and the powerful lesson of finding meaning in suffering. We also dig into the men...
Jun 30, 2025•40 min•Ep. 93
Are you ready for the off-season? Today, I sit down for a solo episode where I go over some recent lessons I’ve learned & updates we’ve made to our program as we move into summer. I also highlight some frequently asked intern questions and dive into details about my new lecture series, Jump Training for Ice Hockey: A Complimentary Approach—who it’s for and why it’s important. From integral takeaways for young strength & conditioning coaches to deficient-based vs. performance-based models...
Jun 16, 2025•30 min•Ep. 92
What does player development look like at the top levels of play? Today’s guest is Dallas Stars Skill Coach, Stan Tugolukov, who works closely with players in skill development and individual on-ice post-injury conditioning roles. We speak about everything a skill coach needs to know, from game patterns to player development and designing skill sessions for both the high performance and youth levels. Stan shares his fundamentals for development at younger ages (6-8, 8-10, 10-12), and the must-ha...
May 26, 2025•56 min•Ep. 91
What does the day to day of a high performance skill coach look like? Joining me once again is Troy Smith, the owner of Hockey IQ! With his extensive experience as a player and a coach at both the amateur and professional levels, he’s sharing his must-haves for coaches to take their players to the elite level. Our conversation will cover everything you need to know about the life of a skill coach, including Troy’s approach to skill training, his recommended do’s and don’ts for the off-season, th...
May 12, 2025•48 min•Ep. 90
Get ready to geek out on everything from stride mechanics to off-ice training strategies. In this episode, I sit down with Joel Becker, lead performance coach of GameChangers. Joel brings an incredible background from speed skating and hockey. We break down the nuanced world of speed development, discussing how understanding force application, time, and direction can transform an athlete's performance. Joel shares some killer insights on off-ice imitation exercises that'll revolutionize how stre...
Apr 21, 2025•59 min•Ep. 88
As we wrap up the season, it’s time we highlight the importance of programming. Today, I unpack the 3-day rollover programming — AKA, the Gain, Go, and Grow model — we use at Donskov Conditioning to train and prepare our athletes. I’ll walk through the main pillars and foundational principles of the model, what to expect from the program, and how it benefits hockey players of all demographics (young or advanced levels). Most of all, I share how we instill important skills all athletes need to ke...
Apr 07, 2025•20 min•Ep. 88
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mal McHugh, a legend in sports science, to dive deep into the world of metrics and performance. We're talking about the good, the bad, and the ugly of measuring athletes – from force plates to jump profiles. Dr. McHugh breaks down why not all metrics are created equal, and how teams can actually use data to prevent injuries and understand player performance. We'll explore everything from how young hockey players should tie their skates to the complex world of...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 87
Today I’m joined by Dr. Alicia Naser, a board-certified behavior analyst who's revolutionizing mental performance in hockey. She's not your typical sports psychologist - she uses applied behavioral analysis to help NHL players optimize their game, focusing on everything from confidence to self-talk. We dive into how environment shapes behavior, the importance of mental resilience, and why understanding your own psychological patterns can be a game-changer. If you want to learn how top athletes b...
Mar 10, 2025•53 min•Ep. 86
It’s one thing to bring out the full potential of your athletes, but another thing to develop that potential for future success. Our guest today is Will Morlock, Director of Hockey Performance from Michigan State University, where his primary role has been training the hockey program since he joined the Athletic Performance staff in 2022. We go in-depth about developing collegiate hockey players, and what it takes to maximize athletic development in an applied sports science setting. Will walks ...
Feb 24, 2025•40 min•Ep. 85
In order to be an Olympic level coach, you need the right methods to back you up. In this episode, I sit down with the man, the myth, the mad scientist Cal Dietz, Head Olympic Strength Coach of the University of Minnesota. He walks us through his triphasic training method, including the foundational principles he uses to turn on, train, and transfer the system. We unpack the pros and cons of free thinking versus thinking inside the box before deep diving into the physiology behind Cal’s go-to dr...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 84
What do young coaches need to know about working with high performing athletes in the private versus college sectors? In today’s episode, I sit down with Rob Dombrowski, the Director of Hockey Performance at Sacred Heart University. Prior to working in the college sector, Rob served at Prentiss Hockey Performance as a Director of Performance for nine years. Our conversation covers his unique experiences in both the private sector developing pro athletes & in the collegiate sector with the me...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 83
Want a deeper understanding of a coach's approach to training high performing, professional athletes in the private sector? We've got the right guy. In today’s episode, I speak with Curt Truhe, the Director of Performance for Excel Sports Management. Curt has over 13 years of experience training athletes across multiple professional sports leagues – including NHL, NFL, MLB, PGA, and more. We dig into everything you need to know about developing and working with elite athletes at the highest leve...
Jan 13, 2025•48 min•Ep. 82
What were the biggest lessons I learned over the past year? Today’s episode is a reflection and contemplation of 2024. It’s now the second year of the HPH podcast, so let’s take the opportunity to look back on what has been a year full of growth – both personally and professionally. I share my favorite nuggets of wisdom from previous guests of the podcast, including some of the most impactful quotes that have stuck with me. I also highlight practical advice for coaches, young or seasoned, who ar...
Dec 30, 2024•26 min•Ep. 81
What does a lifetime pursuit of high performance look like? Today’s guest is the President of Strength Tek Fitness and Wellness, Lorne Goldenberg. As a strength & conditioning OG, Lorne brings extensive experience in high performance sports and has worked with thousands of pro hockey stars over the years. We dive into his career high points, including his early days in the NHL during the 80’s and 90’s and how the landscape has changed in present-day. We also explore his aerobic training conc...
Dec 16, 2024•46 min•Ep. 80
We’re answering an important question all coaches ask: How can we leave our profession in a better place? Today’s guest is a friend and mentor of mine, Mike Robertson. Mike is the Founder and President of Robertson Training Systems with over 20 years of coaching experience. In this episode, we talk extensively about coaching in the private sector. Mike shares the biggest changes and mistakes young coaches can make, as well as unpack his current business model and training philosophy. From step b...
Nov 25, 2024•58 min•Ep. 79
Get ready to level up your strength training know-how for high performance hockey! Kevin Neeld and Brijesh Patel return to the podcast to discuss Strength Training for Hockey, an important resource for hockey players and coaches alike. We’ll dive into the core aspects of the book, who it’s for, and the gap it fills in the ice hockey performance world. As we go, our guests share advice for young strength coaches to get ahead of the game and equip themselves with higher knowledge of strength train...
Nov 11, 2024•50 min•Ep. 78
As coaches, how can we instill our team with one of the most important skills in the game: hockey IQ? Joining us today is Troy Smith, the owner of Hockey IQ – an outstanding, elite video breakdown resource for hockey players and coaches alike. Our conversation is all about hockey IQ + how we can teach and improve it. We’ll dive deep into the X’s and O’s of the game, breaking down game patterns and principles with Troy’s expert eye. Whether you’re training the next generation of athletes or worki...
Oct 28, 2024•54 min•Ep. 77
What is the best way to set up the next generation of high performing athletes for success? Joining me today is Mark Fitzgerald, head coach for Kelowna High Performance + founder of Elite Training Systems in Ontario, who has spent the last 15 years working with athletes from a variety of sports at every level. We have an educational hour diving into long-term athletic development for youth hockey. We’ll unpack everything there is about coaching young hockey players, from the pitfalls of the “mor...
Oct 14, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 76
What is the secret formula for building a high performing team? This week’s special guest is Steve Spott, the Assistant Coach of the Dallas Stars. During his three years in Dallas, Steve has guided the club to back-to-back Western Conference final appearances over the past two seasons. Today, we’re diving into lessons from the coaches corner to talk life, hockey, coaching, and more. We’ll unpack the X’s and O’s of the game to see how they’ve evolved and what it takes to coach elite players towar...
Sep 30, 2024•48 min•Ep. 75
Let's talk about the global growth of Hockey. Hassan Saeed is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for CSKA Moscow in the KHL, Russia's top professional hockey league. With over 12 years of experience working in the Russian hockey system, Hassan provides a unique perspective on the cultural differences, training methodologies, and coaching philosophies between North America and Europe. In this episode, we dive into Hassan’s transition from Canada to Russia as a strength coach, managing langu...
Sep 16, 2024•41 min•Ep. 74
What are some of the biggest lessons we learn while in pursuit of high performance excellence? Today’s special guest is a good friend of mine, Andrew Hauser, who has worked in a variety of roles in the past 14 years as an Athletic Trainer and Strength & Conditioning Coach, before switching to the private setting with Continuum Performance. In this episode, we’ll dive into his years of experience, including the main takeaways from his most recent role as the Director of Performance Rehab for ...
Sep 02, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 73
If you want to develop your players to the high performance level, we’ve got your guy. Today’s guest is the Development Coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Tommy Cross. Tommy played 12 seasons of professional hockey before retiring following the ‘22-’23 season, and now works with drafted prospects through the transition from college to pro. We’ll speak about development at the National Hockey League level, and his philosophies and coachings that help his athletes reach the ultimate goal of the ...
Aug 19, 2024•53 min•Ep. 72
How do you become a teacher that ensures the future success of your players? Today, class is in session with Ben Eaves, the strength & conditioning coach for the Cleveland Monsters. Ben is here to share experiences from his background as both an elite player and development coach for high performing athletes. Our conversation will focus on his position and role as a strength & conditioning coach, from the important aspects like connection and development to his philosophy of the game and...
Aug 05, 2024•52 min•Ep. 71
What is the secret to assessing, training, and integrating technology with performance? Here to dive into the deep physiology of ice hockey is Brian Kozak, a respiratory & performance coach. Brian has dedicated decades to experimenting with cutting edge technology in pursuit of real time insights into each system’s limiters, compensators, and their implications for training, rehab, and recovery. Today, we have a fantastic conversation all about the technology and physiology behind high perfo...
Jul 15, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 70
If you’ve ever wondered how to approach coaching from an applied sports science POV, then you’re in the right place. Joining me on the podcast today is Dr. Josh Secomb, lecturer in Exercise & Sports Science at the University of Newcastle, and strength & conditioning coach for Ice Hockey Australia National Men’s team! We’ll be deep diving into the world of applied sports science to discover how an elite-level coach maximizes + optimizes his research. We speak on Josh’s teachings, duties, ...
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 69
How far has strength & conditioning gone in the past 20 years? Here with me today is Sean Skahan, owner of Skahan Sport Conditioning with 20+ years of high performance under his belt! We’ll speak about Sean’s 2 decades worth of experience within the NHL and the strength & conditioning landscape as a whole. Sean reflects on his journey, going from an elite college setting to now owning + running a sport conditioning company working with young athletes. We’ll discuss coaching changes in th...
Jun 17, 2024•55 min•Ep. 68
In This Episode, You Will Learn: The impact of A Coach’s Guide to Strength Development on coaches. Expert advice for young practitioners and coaches. The deeper fundamentals behind strength & conditioning. How to build a coaching culture for long term growth. Resources + Links: Follow Stu on Instagram | @fingermash Follow Jordan on Instagram | @jordanstrength Learn more at https://www.jordanstrength.com/ Check out ALTIS - https://altis.world/ Check out Anthony’s Masterclass - The High Perfor...
Jun 03, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 67
What does it take to build a sports performance department out of bare-bones? Our guest this week is Coach Doug Davidson. Doug is the Associate Director of Sports Performance and Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, being with the organization since the team’s inaugural season in 2017-2018. We will explore the foundational work + early years of slowly building up a sports performance department, starting from the ground level. You’ll get a closer look at the organizatio...
May 20, 2024•51 min•Ep. 66
In This Episode, You Will Learn: Differences between North America and the KHL in terms of culture, game play, structure, performance, and schedule. The current strength & conditioning scene in Europe compared to North America. Advice for young strength coaches considering going abroad. The importance of communication, consistency, and simplicity as a coach. Resources + Links: Check out Anthony’s Masterclass - The High Performance Hockey Masterclass Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydons...
May 06, 2024•41 min•Ep. 65
In This Episode, You Will Learn: Textbook skating mechanics and skating efficiency. The difference between coaching young athletes versus elite level professionals. Biomechanics and anatomical landmarks for idealized, efficient skating. The most common equipment and modifications. Resources + Links: Follow Luke on Instagram | @chilcottskating Check out Anthony’s Masterclass - The High Performance Hockey Masterclass Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony...
Apr 22, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 64
