Insights from Ken Martel: USA Hockey’s Player & Coach Development Vision

Episode Description: This episode is a wide-ranging conversation with formerOlympian, Harvard standout, and Princeton assistant coach Shelly Picard aboutyouth hockey development and the value of enjoying where you play. Drew Shore and Lyndsey Fry focus on a simple idea that comes through repeatedly: the best path is the one that helps a player grow, feel supported, and want to keepshowing up.

USA Hockey introduces its new Development League (DL) on this episode of the USA Hockey Next Gen Podcast. Host Dave Fischer is joined by Scott Paluch, who will serve as DL Commissioner, and Bob Mancini, Assistant Executive Director of Hockey Development, to discuss why the league was created, how programs were selected, and what its launch means for American hockey.

Episode Description: Lyndsey Fry and Drew Shore sit down with Rod Braceful,senior director of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, to breakdown how the NTDP develops players, evaluates talent, and prepares teenagersfor hockey and life. The conversation also digs into how the changing collegehockey landscape is affecting recruiting, and why the program still emphasizescharacter, drive, and versatility over pure skill.

Episode Description: In this episode, Drew Shore and Lyndsey Fry sit down with Mike Garman, Associate Head Hockey Coach at Notre Dame and former head coach and general manager of the Chicago Steel, to discuss recruiting, player development, and the mental side of hockey success. They explore how young players can continue to improve, why versatility is such a valuable asset, and how parents can best support their kids throughout their hockey journey. Key Points From This Episode: 00:00 - Season 2 begins: what listeners can expect from thepodcast 01:36 - Why college recruiting and NIL make Mike’sperspective timely 02:39 - Lindsay’s recruiting path and the importance ofeducation 04:43 - Drew’s path through the national development programand University of Denver 05:31 - Why academics can narrow college hockeyopportunities 06:20 - Introducing Mike from Notre Dame 07:09 - How a temporary goalie-coach role became a coachingcareer 10:03 - What set elite USHL players apart beyond talent 11:32 - Balancing strengths with weakness development 13:22 - Teaching players to think the game and make the nextplay 17:34 - Recruiting timelines and why grades matter so much 19:30 - Late bloomers and why 16 is not the whole story 20:29 - What college coaches look for in a recruit 22:44 - Work ethic, attitude, and competing through mistakes 23:50 - How parents should think about development foryounger players 26:39 - Where families should invest limited resources 29:47 - Do 3-on-3 and small-area games create bad habits? 32:02 - Shooting habits that create better goal-scoringchances 37:30 - Training game-like situations and using incentivesin practice 39:22 - Why versatility at multiple positions increasesopportunity 41:41 - Notre Dame freshman Sammy Nelson and rapid firebegins 42:36 - Why trying to fool college coaches is a bad idea 46:01 - Post-interview reflections from Lindsay and Drew 48:00 - Why recovery after mistakes matters more thanperfection 51:13 - Top takeaways for parents and players

In this episode of theUSA Hockey Next Gen podcast, Lyndsey Fry and Drew Shore are joined by Kevin Delaney, USA Hockey’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing representative and president of the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association. Kevin shares his personal journeygrowing up in the game with hearing loss and how that led to a lifelong commitment to growing accessibility in hockey. The conversation examines how Deaf and Hard of Hearing hockey operates, the importance of communication andinclusion, and the role coaches and programs play in creating supportive environments. Kevin also discusses the history and impact of AHIHA, the growth of the Deaf national teams, and his vision for expanding opportunities—especially on the women’s side—while continuing to build a strong, connected hockey community.