In episode #289, we're joined Cognitive Behavioural Sports Specialist Larissa Mills for a very important conversation.

Whether it’s social media, sports betting, pornography or any number of other apps designed to highjack the focus of your players, smart phones have become an opponent we’re all grappling with.

Mills holds a BA in Sociology, Psychology, and a Masters of Science in Education, specializing in brain functionality and learning mechanisms. She is the Founder of the Mental Game Academy, an organization committed to empowering athletes, specifically by helping them overcome addiction to their phones.

She also gave a talk last year's at TCS Live on How Phones and Social Media Impact Athlete's Brains and Hockey IQ.

Listen as she shares why confidence is directly linked to phone usage, why gambling and porn have become a major issue for today's youth, and solutions for coaches on handling these many issues.

In episode #288, we welcome former NHL Head Coach Don Granato.

He is of course a member of possibly the most accomplished hockey family to come out of United States.

He got his start coaching in 1993 with the Wisconsin Capitals of the USHL, and since then has been getting his reps in across a multiple of leagues and levels, most recently as the Head Coach of the Buffalo Sabres.

And as you'll hear, there may not be a better person to have a conversation about player development with. His story of how he positioned himself to enhance world class talent is fascinating. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, and I sense you’re going to leave with pages of notes.

Listen as he shares why experimenting in practice is key for team growth, why coaching less should be the objective, and the incredible story of switching from goalie to player.

In episode #287, Head Coach of the Coachella Valley Firebirds Derek Laxdal stops by.

His coaching career has seen him climb from the now defunct Western Professional Hockey League, to the Central Hockey League, the East Coast Hockey League, to the Western Hockey League, the American League and finally, to the show.

During that time, he's successfully navigated the ebbs and flows of his coaching journey with his trademark optimism and enthusiam.

Today, Laxdal is the Head Coach of the AHL affiliate to the Seattle Kraken. No different than any other team he’s coached, he has the ‘Birds in contention as they make their way towards another playoff run.

Listen as he shares why the skill of defending is lacking in today's young player, how to change the narritive after a tough loss, and how to stay optimistic through the challenges of a coaching career.

In episode #286, we're joined by John Weisbrod, former NHL executive, scout and NBA GM. Yes, you read that correctly.

After a playing career that saw Weisbrod win a National Championship at Harvard and attend the San Jose Sharks first training camp, he pivoted to a career in team building at just 25 years-ols.

After getting his start in Albany of the AHL, he would travel to Orlando where his time with the IHL's Solar Bears resulted in him being named the GM of the Magic for one season.

Following that, he would return to hockey, spending time as a scout and Assistant GM with the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks.

You’re going to want to hear Weisbrod's story. He might just be the most interesting man in hockey.

Listen as he shares the story behind running an NBA franchise, key lessons while working under Lou Lamoriello and why hockey sense runs throughout the Hughes family.

In episode #285, we welcome Head Coach of the Windsor Spitfires, Greg Walters, someone who has thrived on his ability to be consistent and has never had a losing season.

He is currently in his first season with the Spitfires following a year suspension that involved an inappropriate altercation with another Owen Sound employee. In this episode, he shares what he learned from that experience and we believe it’s something that all coaches can benefit from hearing.

Following eight seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Sarnia Sting to begin his coaching journey, Walters took over the Georgetown Raiders of the Ontario Jr A league for eight seasons, guiding them to 295 wins, a league championship and earning himself both coach and executive of the year honors.

He would then return to the OHL as a Head Coach in Oshawa and Owen Sound, before landing in Windsor following the aforementioned suspension.

Listen as he shares what he learned from incident that led to his suspension and the work he's done to overcome it, why good defence starts with breaking out the puck, and creating a culture of quality and self-evaluation.

In episode #284, we're joined by the Manager of Goalie Development for USA Hockey, Steve Thompson.

It’s no secret that the US has become a bit of a goaltending factory. For example, last season, of the goalies who played a minimum of 15 games in the NHL, four of the top six, seven of the top 11, and nine of the top 20 in save percentage were American. As Thompson explains it, this surge in goaltending development starts with focusing at the grassroot levels.

The native of Alaska played college hockey at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and immediately jumped into developing the next wave of goalies upon graduation.

As you’re about to hear, Thompson's enthusiasm for the position is contagious, and much of what he offers from a development perspective applies to players of all positions.

Listen as he shares why retention should be a youth coaches number one measure of success, why every goal against is an opportunity to learn, and the importance of keeping your goalies in mind during practice planning.

For episode #283, we welcome former TCS contributor and current Head Coach of the University of Minnesota-Duluth women's program, Laura Schuler.

Schuler has enjoyed a remarkable and diverse career that has seen her be on the forefront of the evolution of the Women's game as both a player and coach, including leading some of the most talented teams, both internationally and at the NCAA level.

That includes being named the Head Coach Canada’s National Team in 2015 and leading the program to a Silver medal at the 2018 Olympics.

Make sure to check out her TCS series, Finding the Details with Laura Schuler for a break down of the the key details and habits that are critical to creating consistency in your team’s play.

Listen as she shares why hockey is one the best labrotories for life lessons, why coaches should be focusing on tendencies in prescouts, and becoming a threat by creating a predictable structure.

Happy New Years! For episode #282, we thought we’d kick off the second half of the season by going back and looking at our most popular content on The Coaches Site from this past year. And to help us reflect on our biggest year yet, we've recruited our Director of Content, Derek Jory.

You know how great teams have “Glue Guys” or teammates that ensure everyone feels important and that the rink is a destination? Well, Derek is that person on our TCS team.

He has a unique background in that he spent 13 years with the Vancouver Canucks as their lead content writer for their website and social media channels. He is also is the MC of TCS Live and has become the star of the show with his wardrobe, larger than life hair and dad jokes.

Listen as we look back at the top 5 articles, TCS Live presentations, community content, and podcasts of the year. If you want to learn what goes on behind the scenes at The Coaches Site, you’re going to enjoy this episode.