Episode 42: The Mind Behind the Madness with Vinny Malts on Nerves, Pressure & What Really Builds Players
Crazy Hockey Dads PodcastShow Notes
Scott and Jamie sit down with Vinny Malts - founder of Bloodline Hockey, longtime pro, and the first mental-performance coach ever hired by the NHL to dig into the side of development nobody sees but every kid feels. Vinny walks through his wild rise from Philadelphia street hockey, to being drafted by the Vancouver Canucks, to a career-altering ankle injury that eventually pushed him toward mindset work. He also opens up about the depression he battled every postseason, the nervous-system science parents overlook, and why so many young players fall apart long before they fall behind. In this episode: • How Philly street hockey built elite small-area skill without a single lesson • Why nervous-system overload, not attitude, destroys confidence • The truth about comparison, early bloomers, and “falling behind” • How parents unintentionally model the wrong behaviors • Tools every family can use to handle pressure without killing joy It’s part therapy session, part player-development masterclass and the perspective every hockey parent needs before their next car ride home. Socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crazy.hockey.dads X: https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576627751551
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