The Hunger Games but Make It Hockey

We interviewed Jazmine Miley - pro hockey player and coach and founder of the Hockey Players of Color Movement ("HPOC") - right before she went to Finland to join her hockey team. She explains how she got her start in hockey at age 13(!), but despite her late start (by traditional standards) in the game became an elite defender, played collegiately, and currently plays professionally in Finland. She also described her experiences as a Black woman in hockey and how and why she founded HPOC - a much needed resource for players of color - and what it offers. We also discussed her vision for the organization and her future in hockey and what can be done to make hockey more inclusive. 

We closed with a few words from Sydney Kinder, a mentor with HPOC, who played hockey collegiately, and is the force behind the petition to retire Willie O'Ree's number.

We're a little late posting this one, so much has transpired since we recorded it.  The NHL is back and so are we...after a long break. Hear about 1/2 of our grand return to the ice. Other topics include what's happening on the women's hockey front, including the NWHL and PWHPA landscape, the overlooked truth that women's hockey came back before the NHL -- looking at you EWSHL, and what's happening in sports media.  

On the NHL front, we discuss the sexual harassment lawsuit against the Tampa Bay Lightning that seems to have fallen off the radar. And then the NHL's resumption of play: our feelings about the bubble and how we're feeling about the Caps and Pens -- on the day of Sidney Crosby's 33rd birthday.  We also discuss how the NHL has been addressing systemic racism (not very well) and add some players to the shit list.

Also, this is the first episode we've transcribed!

We recorded this last Friday. Honestly, we don't care if anyone listens nor do we expect anyone to listen. We're putting it out here because it exists. It covers some women's hockey and discusses the NHL's return to play. 

We also devote a significant amount of time to discussing hockey culture, racism in hockey, and the murder of George Floyd. The landscape has shifted a lot since players and teams have been making statements. This was recorded before most of those came out. 

We interviewed 2-time Olympic gold medalist, 1-time Olympic silver medalist, and 2-time comeback boss Meaghan Mikkelson!!  She talked about her beginnings in hockey, that intimidating style of play, her path to the Canadian National Women's Hockey Team, and the grueling road to the Olympics.  Hint:  we don't know the half of what it takes to train to make that Olympic team.  She also told us what it was like to play for gold during that comeback at the Sochi Olympics (which still breaks our hearts) and what it was like to compete at the Olympics.  We continued the discussion with her experiences starting a family as an elite athlete, how she balanced pregnancy and motherhood with her hockey career, and what it was like to come back in top form twice.  Finally, Meaghan told us what her hockey goals for the future are.  We hope she's busy in Beijing say...about 2 years from now.   
  

Well...The hockey world has ground to a halt, but we still had PLENTY to talk about:  our own hockey shenanigans, including Mary's grand return to the ice.  There's all the things that happened when hockey still existed: Caps and Pens trade deadline moves, the Isobel Cup playoffs, PWHPA action, and a lookback now that women's hockey has pretty much concluded for the season ... except that one game.  We also discuss the fallout from that virus and the US Soccer lawsuit.  And, Leah reveals who her fave hockey player is. Hint, it's not a man.

We memorialize our first birthday . . . and other things and look back at our first year of existence. We also discuss Mary's return to the ice. In women's hockey, we revisit the Buffalo Believes Classic & that thing (or four) that happened in the third period, THE WHALE'S FIRST WIN, Denna Day & the NWHL's mid-season signings. We also discuss that podcast that's a part of that sports media company, and the PWHPA's Toronto showcase, and the need for more inclusion in pro women's hockey.  In NHL news, it was all about that goalie goal, drama with Torts, and as always, the Caps and Pens. 

This episode is very late and very full of tangents, but hopefully they're the funny kind? Anyways, we got caught up in the holiday rush and recorded this before the holidays but didn't get around to posting it. But it's of course, still worth a listen! Do endearing stories about Flower ever get old?  Hear about Leah's hockey nemesis and about Mary's long-awaited return to the ice.  As always, we talk Caps and Pens nonsense. In women's hockey, we wrap up the first two games in the USA/Canada Rivalry Series, provide an NWHL update, and do a deep dive into what would have to happen procedurally for the NHL to take on a greater role in women's hockey (hint hint....individually lobbying members of the NHL executive committee???)  Finally, we continue our discussion on the racism & abuse allegations. 

This is the mother of all episodes because it's our first non-interview episode since Mary's return from maternity leave!  And because it's our longest episode yet because we had lots to catch up on.  In addition to talking about our own hockey shenanigans, we talk about women's hockey, including the Team USA/Canada training camp in Pittsburgh & those SPICY exhibition games, our poor Whale, and the PWHPA.  In NHL action, we talk about what has surprised us so far this season and give a high-level overview of the Caps and Pens so far and reminisce over Don Cherry's firing.  Last but definitely not least, we discuss the racism and abuse issues that plague hockey.

We had the privilege of interviewing Rhonda Leeman Taylor, who recently released Offside, a memoir of her experiences as a trailblazing woman in hockey. Not only did she play hockey back when very few women were doing it, her work influenced women's hockey worldwide and shaped women's and girl's hockey in Canada. She was the first woman to sit on the board of Hockey Canada and founded its Female Council. She organized the first national women's hockey championship in the world, which was the first time women's hockey appeared on television.  Due to Rhonda's efforts, intentional checking was removed from women's hockey. 

This episode is vintage due to our summer break and the interviews we conducted.  Anyways, ever been mad at your best friend? That's our relationship with hockey right now. We talk about things from the hockey men we have to deal with to our former fave Auston Matthews.  We also provide our impressions of the first few games of the Caps and Pens seasons, and wonder whether. Finally, we talk about the opening of the NWHL season and the PWHPA Dream Gap Tour.