Sometimes, if you’re really lucky, you can recall the exact moment you discovered your passion. Maybe it was on a family vacation; you started taking photos and realized that you have a knack for composition. Or maybe you were unable to take part in high school gym class because of injuries and uncovered an unexpected desire to be on stage in the theatre. That was exactly the case for Belleville’s Zoe Uens.

Our full conversation is also available on YouTube here.

“Both my dad and my brother played hockey,” she recalled. “I remember looking out; we were at the old Memorial Arena in Belleville, Ontario, and I was sitting with my mom and I was like, ‘I want to go play hockey.’” And Zoe, who loved how much of a family event hockey was, never looked back. Family, you’ll find, is a central theme of this inspiring story.

Growing up, Zoe was active in a variety of sports and found this an important aspect of her development as an athlete. In particular, the variety of movements, she said, helps to prevent injuries, which are always a risk in the sport. “To be able to coordinate yourself is so important and it actually helps your hockey in the end,” Zoe said.

As her junior career progressed, Zoe would move on to play with the Kingston Ice Wolves of the Ontario Women’s Hockey League, where she would grow, develop and mature into team captain, providing her with early leadership experience which would be vital during her time at Quinnipiac. Zoe would go on to play in 97 career regular-season games with the Wolves, but one season, her final year with the organization, stood out amongst the rest, as she would record nine goals and 22 points in 27 games. What sparked that remarkable season? It was simple: she could have fun again.

“I think the gratitude that comes with not playing for a season,” she said. “COVID shut everything down, and you just want to have fun again and play hockey. You were just going on the ice, smiling ear to ear because you were actually able to play games, and when you’re having fun, good things happen.”

Following four strong seasons of growth and development within the Kingston organization, it was time for Zoe to consider where to pursue a collegiate career. For her, that meant finding a place that allowed her to pursue both hockey and academics at an elite level. Enter Quinnipiac University.

“When I was talking to Quinnipiac, the coaches gave me a warm feeling like they really cared about you as a person outside of just the hockey player which I really liked,” Zoe said. “It just felt like home, and I knew that was the place that I wanted to go.”

Finding that balance between continuing to develop into the hockey player she strove to be and succeeding in the classroom initially posed a learning curve for Zoe. But as she’s done so consistently throughout her story, Zoe has found a way to turn those obstacles and moments that might discourage you or me into growth opportunities and defining milestones of success. “Our whole spring program is just doing hard things after hard things so that when those hard things come in the games, they’re easier to overcome,” Zoe said. “Towards the end of it, it got a little bit easier, but with the help of those around me, I was able to overcome it.”

Four years at Quinnipiac, including a final season in which she took on an assistant captain role, taught Zoe that she was more than just a hockey player. She discovered who she really was as a person, and that’s a testament to what happens when you choose a program for reasons that go deeper than just the hockey side and how that decision can have such a positive impact on your entire life moving forward.

Since our conversation, Zoe entered the 2026 PWHL Draft where she was selected in the third round, 36th overall, by the Montreal Victoire.

“The draft was a really cool experience. It was in such a beautiful place, and all the fans in Detroit really showed their support. The atmosphere was something that I truly haven’t experienced on a stage like that, and it showed just how far women’s hockey has come.”

Zoe added: “I’m really excited to go to and prove myself at (Montreal’s) camp. We have such a long offseason to get better and work on different areas of our game, and I’m really excited to get to camp and show everything I’ve been doing this summer.”

From backyard rinks in Belleville, Ontario, to the halls of Quinnipiac University, Zoe Uens has grown, developed and matured into a player who will most certainly have an impact at the next level. She will undeniably inspire the next generation by being someone who never forgot where she came from, opened herself up to challenges, and never let an obstacle define who she was. Now that’s the kind of role model the world needs more of, and fans across the league will love to cheer for.

Our full conversation is also available on YouTube here.

The pathway for Angela James was neither simple nor linear. She faced adversity, barriers, obstacles, misogyny, and yet through it all, displayed a level of perseverance and resilience that is difficult to effectively put into words.

You see, Angela grew up in a very difficult neighbourhood, which could have taken her in a much different direction in life. Instead, using hockey as her “saviour,” as she has stated1, Angela pursued a sport despite the sport being resistant to her. No matter the walls she went up against or the number of “no’s” and “you can't’s” she heard, Angela had her sights set on hockey and brought that same tenacity she showed from an early age to each and every game she would end up playing.

Angela’s career really took off when she joined the newly formed Central Ontario Women’s Hockey League, which also featured other familiar names such as Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Jayna Hefford and Vicky Sunohara2. During her time in the COWHL, Angela made a tremendous impact, was named MVP six times, and led the league in scoring eight times from 1980 to 1998.

Her time internationally with Team Canada brought with it both success, in the form of four World Championship gold medals and two gold medals at the 3 Nations Cups, but also controversy. Ahead of the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Angela was left off the team despite consistently being one of the country’s best players, a decision that perplexed many in the hockey world. Canada would end up falling to the Americans and struggling to score throughout the tournament3.

Away from the ice, Angela is also a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, IIHF Hall of Fame, Hockey Canada Hall of Fame, Seneca Hall of Fame, Sport Canada Hall of Fame, as well as an Officer of the Order of Canada and was named to the Order of Hockey in Canada4.

Angela’s story is a reminder of the many players whose impact at the time was undeniable, but lacked the spotlight it deserved. And while this text only scratches the surface of the impact that Angela has had on the world of hockey, it will hopefully act as a jumping-off point for many to discover why Angela James is considered the first superstar of the modern women’s game.

Growing up in Ottawa, Ontario, Alex Therien initially fell in love with the sport while playing road hockey, but her love for the version played on ice took a little longer to develop.

“I was more of a gymnast and soccer player and didn’t really like the game,” Alex recalled. “I grew up around the rink watching my brother’s games, so I think that’s where I told my parents that I wanted to give it another try.” Thanks to her supportive parents, who were open to letting her try hockey again, as well as her grandfather and brother, who played and reminded her of the joy of the game, Alex found that passion, and it’s resulted in a journey few have been fortunate enough to have.

Our full conversation is also available over on YouTube here.

Unlike a growing number of players who have a desire to pursue the game of hockey, Alex was able to play her entire junior career close to home in the nation’s capital, beginning first with the Ottawa Jr 67s organization (formerly known as the Ottawa Lady 67s) before moving to finish out her junior career with the Nepean Jr Wildcats.

“Every Ottawa junior player has asked themselves, ‘Do I have to go to Toronto to get to where I want to go?’ and I think a few years ago, you would have to say yeah,” Alex said. “I think these Ottawa coaches have done a great job of growing the game for us and creating new teams and new opportunities so we don’t have to go to Toronto, and we can stay home for our last few years of junior.”

Over her final two junior seasons, Alex saw tremendous growth on the ice, as the defender doubled her point total from 11 points in 40 games in 2023-24 to 21 points in 38 games the following season. And in that final junior season, Alex also had the opportunity to put on the Canadian jersey and represent her country at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Vantaa, Finland in 2025. And in the gold medal game, Alex assisted on the second goal and finished with four points en route to bringing home gold in a 3-0 shutout of the Americans. “It was just such an awesome experience playing with the top players in the country and playing against the top players in other countries,” Alex said.

That experience, and gold medal therein, closed one chapter of Alex’s story and opened another with the University of New Hampshire. It shouldn’t have been a surprise to learn that Alex chose that university considering she spent time hiking and camping in the area while she was growing up, but the decision ran deeper than just that.

“I knew right off the bat when making a decision that I didn’t want to go someplace that was all city,” said Alex. “When I went to New Hampshire, it was just amazing. I fell in love with the campus, the facilities and the coaches. I’ve never met coaches that made me feel so safe and so welcomed. It was just a family right off the bat.”

In her first season in the NCAA, Alex would go on to record seven points over 35 regular-season games with New Hampshire, continuing to make an impact on the ice while learning to balance top-tier academics. “It may have taken a month or two to truly get into the groove of things,” she said, “but I think learning how to do that and setting myself up for success helped me build a mental side that I didn’t know I had before.”

Since our conversation, Alex has transferred to St. Lawrence University, where she’ll begin a new chapter while entering her second NCAA season. She shared that it was a challenging year mentally, but that “I wouldn’t have changed a thing because it taught me a lot and I grew so much as a person both physically and mentally.”

On the decision to transfer, Alex said: “The staff at UNH were great, and I’m grateful for the opportunity I had there. But I realized I needed to be closer to home and closer to family to actually be at my best, both on and off the ice,” Alex would go on to add, “I was lucky to connect with SLU (St. Lawrence University) pretty quickly after the [transfer] portal opened. Talking with them about their program, how I’d fit in, and even realizing how many of the current players I already knew or had played with, it just felt right. The whole thing clicked in a way that gave me a lot of confidence and excitement.”

There’s no doubt that this next chapter will be just as successful as each one before it, and Alex will undoubtedly continue to make an impact on the hockey world with a very exciting St. Lawrence University program.

The city of Ottawa provided the foundation for what has already been a remarkable career for defender Alex Therien, but it’s more than just that. The support she’s had from family along the way, the growth and maturity she’s gone through both on and off the ice, and her dedication to never settle have become the perfect ingredients in creating a player many will want to emulate and a person many will consider a role model.

Our full conversation is also available over on YouTube here.

Growing up in a household full of passionate hockey fans, it seemed only a matter of time before Chloe Glass would follow in those same footsteps.

Our full conversation is also available on YouTube here.

“I have one older brother, and as soon as he was old enough to hit the ice, I was like, ‘Alright, when can I start,” Chloe recalled. “I have three brothers who play, so between the four of us and my dad, it’s just something that is in our family.” And it was that passion and drive that have led Chloe on a lifelong journey in the hockey space, whether on the ice, behind the bench, or educating the next generation.

A graduate of Lebanon Valley College, where she played for five seasons and made the MAC Academic Honour Roll, Chloe also helped set traditions and the foundation for women’s hockey within the program. It was new, having hired its first full-time head coach in her first year with the team, but the experiences helped her to become a better teammate and leader, culminating in being named captain in her senior year.

“Our goal,” Chloe said, “was that we wanted to leave a legacy and make sure that every year after we left was going to be better than when we were there.”

Following her collegiate career, Chloe went overseas to play for EC Bergkamener Bären in the DFEL before ultimately retiring from the game.

“I’ve never not finished a hockey season before and I’ve never not known what I was going to do the next season,” she said. “So it was really difficult transitioning out of playing and just not knowing what my next move was.” Despite the uncertainty, Chloe ended up with an opportunity to move behind the bench as a coach for U-14 through U-19 ages. That experience helped spark the earliest seeds of the Girls and Women’s Hockey Academy. You see, Chloe ended up gaining a new perspective from coaching, including how important things like nutrition were in ensuring the players were properly fuelled for each practice. But more than just talking to her players about such topics, Chloe wanted experts to teach and educate them.

“I want them to have the best people available to talk to,” said Chloe, “because it’s great if there’s coaches talking about it, but the coaches may not always realize what they’re talking about, which was my experience.” Enter the Girls and Women’s Hockey Academy, whose mission is to empower “female hockey players through webinars, camps, and team workshops all led by professional athletes and coaches.”

“It really started with ‘if I were to put something like this together, I wonder what people are out there that we could assemble,” Chloe said. “And it’s not just about having these experts in their fields but also having people who can serve as good role models for girls hockey players.”

The Girls and Women’s Hockey Academy offers programs on nutrition, mental performance, injury prevention and recovery, hockey recruiting education, and so much more. And what’s important about the work they do is that it’s an all-women team that understands that a “one size fits all” approach is not successful in either the short or long term. “We’re just here to serve the next generation of hockey players in whatever way makes the most sense for them,” said Chloe.

Those programs, which will resume next month and include virtual options, are selected based on feedback from players, coaches and parents, making the process collaborative for both facilitators and participants.

“When people reach out saying ‘Oh, I’m interested in this topic,’” Chloe said, “it’s typically just a matter of reaching out to one of my coaches and saying, ‘Hey, are you interested in covering this? ‘” Do you think this is something that you could talk on? Let’s figure out a time.’” And these seminars, whether virtual or in person, such as February’s alongside the PWHL’s New York Sirens, continue to demonstrate how large a gap there is in ensuring that female hockey players truly have the resources to be successful. And it underscores the importance of organizations such as the Girls and Women’s Hockey Academy in connecting the best athletes, coaches, and industry leaders with the next generation, providing them with the tools, resources, and habits that will help ensure a long, successful career, both on and off the ice.

A passion for Chloe Glass, which started all those years ago while she was on the ice with her brothers and her dad and remains one of her fondest hockey memories, has transformed into an organization that has already impacted the lives of so many. And the best part? She’s only just getting started.

Our full conversation is also available on YouTube here.

Margot Page enjoyed a playing career that saw her bring home gold medals while playing alongside many of the game’s most recognizable names, and a coaching career that has spanned nearly thirty years. And it’s through those lessons learned during her playing days that have helped provide perspective as she swapped the skates for the coach’s whistle.

Our full conversation is available on YouTube here.

It’s a story that starts as many Canadian hockey players’ stories do: on a frozen lake, in the cold depths of winter, inspired by the passion of a sibling.

“We’d walk down to the lake, clear it off and play,” said Margot. “And it was my brother and myself and my older sister. My brother played the game, and I would follow him into the rinks, and I’d just sit there. I sat and watched and absolutely loved it, and I wanted to play. That was probably when I was seven, eight or nine years old.”

But it was the transition from playing on the outdoor rink to playing in a league that led Margot to encounter her first hurdle. At that time, girls just didn’t play hockey; they weren’t allowed to. So that forced Margot to enrol in gymnastics, track and field, and other sports that, sure, she enjoyed, but it just wasn’t the same as hockey. But that all changed when, at around the age of 11, Margot’s dad, who was a bank manager, came home and informed her that the family was moving, something they’d done many times before.

“I was pretty upset because I had friends and everything like that there,” she said. “But then he told me that he had done some research, and where we were moving to, there are some girls’ hockey teams I could join.” It didn’t take any more convincing at that point for Margot to be on board. This is where she got her first taste of being part of a team with the Tiverton Big Reds.

And as Margot put it, “That was sort of the beginning, and I haven’t stopped since.”

Margot would go on to have a playing career defined by the colour gold. As a member of the Canadian National women’s ice hockey team from 1989 to 1994, Margot would win three gold medals at the IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championships (1990, 1992, 1994). And those experiences, and the lessons learned while playing alongside players like Angela James, Geraldine Heaney and Hayley Wickenheiser, helped provide perspective on what it takes to win, both on and off the ice. One of those was the importance of being humble.

“You might think you’re a great hockey player and then you go in there, and you’re a fourth line player, and you still have to be there for your teammates,” she said. “I get it because I was one of those players, so you can feel for them as to what they’re going through.”

And those valuable insights and discoveries from her playing career, along with a background and passion for teaching, helped Margot make the successful transition from the ice to the bench.

Her first coaching position was with Niagara University's Purple Eagles women’s ice hockey program, where she was named the first coach and would go on to spend 10 seasons. During that time, she also led the National Women’s Under-22 team to gold medals at the 2003 and 2004 Air Canada Cup and 2010 MLP Cup. Margot would also help lead the women’s national team to gold at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy, as an assistant coach. Additionally, Margot spent four years with Switzerland’s Under-18 national team, serving as an assistant coach.

Throughout her coaching career, Margot has been uniquely positioned to witness firsthand the growth of women’s hockey, particularly at the USPORTS level.

“That first national team in 1990, we had to pay to try out for our national team,” she said. “So it’s come a long way, which is really neat. And I’m excited to see where it is now.” And with that growth comes the understanding that, to be sustainable in the long term, systems are needed to develop players at all levels.

As it stands, the PWHL is primarily “fed” through the NCAA, with only some exceptions made for the SDHL, and even fewer still through USPORTS. “I would just like to see some sort of link between them,” Margot said, “so that more people who still want to be competitive coming out of the NCAA or USPORTS can still look to develop.”

While that work will be crucial to ensuring the success of professional women’s hockey, Margot knows that the passion is there, the funding opportunities continue to grow, and the sky is the limit for what can be achieved.

From first lacing up her skates on the frozen lakes back home to joining her first team, to being a part of Canada’s gold medal-winning legacy, Margot Page is a name that’s synonymous with women’s hockey, and is a story that has, and will continue to be, an inspiration for so many young girls who will continue to grow the sport.

Our full conversation is available on YouTube here.

Kim Davis has been a Senior Managing Director, President of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, and was named to The Business Journal’s 100 Most Influential Women and Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business. Through every role and accolade, Kim has remained a vocal advocate of diversity, equality and inclusion within sports.

“I’ve always been a proponent, throughout my entire career and my life, of women in leadership roles,” Davis said in an interview with NHL.com’s Christopher Detwiler. “And so the importance of understanding the intersection of gender, race and ethnicity as it relates to women of colour, to be able to see the representation here both as fans, as employees on and off the ice, it tells me that despite what might be appearing to be in some ways setbacks in our country and even across the globe that we should still be very encouraged by what opportunities lie in front of us for women and women of colour.”

Named the Executive Vice President, Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs for the NHL on November 27, 2017, and officially joining later that year on December 4, Kim has been working to bring more diversity to the league and create awareness through community engagement and initiatives, such as hosting the NHL Unites Pride Cup and the Hockey is for Everyone campaign and working with the Black Girl Hockey Club.

“Kim’s professional experience uniquely qualifies her to ensure that our League is continuing to improve lives and strengthen and build vibrant communities through hockey as well as provide a safe, positive and inclusive environment for anyone associated with our League,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said via league release at the time of hiring.

Kim’s list of accolades includes:

• Hockey News’ 2019 & 2020 Top 100 Most Influential Leaders in the sport

• Adweek’s 30 Most Powerful Women in Sports

• Sports Business Journal’s GameChangers

• Savoy Magazine’s Most Influential Women in Corporate America

• Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business

• Essence magazine’s 28 Most Influential Black Women in America (with First Lady Michelle Obama)

Sports have long remained stuck in the values and perspectives of the past, and it’s through individuals like Kim Davis that we will see meaningful change, helping to create spaces that feel more diverse and inclusive. That’s what makes Kim Davis, the NHL’s Executive Vice President, Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs, a pioneer.

To learn more, here are some resources:

• Meet the woman making the NHL more inclusive - espn.com

• NHL exec Davis drops puck before PWHL game, shows support for women’s hockey - nhl.com

• Meet Kim Davis, The Black Woman Pushing The National Hockey League Forward - becauseofthemwecan.com

It was only a matter of time before Katie Peterson laced up the skates and started playing hockey. After all, her older brother took an interest in the sport, and she wanted to be just like her two older siblings. Before you knew it, all three siblings were involved, and the rest is history, as they say.

“One of the first pictures I have in hockey gear,” Katie said, “I’m like two standing underneath the island overhang in my brother’s gear. It’s super cute, and ever since then, I just wanted to be like them and got into it.”

Our full conversation is available on YouTube here.

Growing up in Rochester, Minnesota, playing on both girls' and boys' teams, and having the opportunity to socialize and connect with friends, Katie never would have imagined the career she would wind up having: an NCAA champion turned successful sports psychologist. But it’s those very experiences, from junior through her collegiate years at the University of Minnesota, that have helped guide her and become an important way for her to connect meaningfully with her clients.

Those experiences also helped Katie understand the importance of the mental side of the game, which is often overlooked but is incredibly important to address and support. In particular, she mentioned her undefeated senior season in 2013 as a really important moment in her understanding of how the mental side of the game can impact a player’s performance on the ice.

“If one line wasn’t performing exactly how they wanted to, the rest of the team picked it up,” she recalled. “And the way the whole team supported each other from the first line all the way through the fourth. Everybody had a role, and everybody leaned into that role and supported each other, and everyone could feel that value from top to bottom.” And it was during that collegiate career that she was first introduced to sports psychology.

As a player, Katie is quick to point out that she was not one of the top players on the team, which resulted in limited playing time and raised questions for her about who she was and how she could contribute to the team's success. Discovering and leaning into the mental side of the game earlier in her career, as she said, “could have been really beneficial.”

Then came the shift for Katie from being an athlete on the ice to helping athletes achieve their own success on the ice, a career change that was likely living dormant since her time in youth hockey.

“I’ve always naturally tended to be somebody that people would go to if things are happening,” Katie said. “But finding this space really weaves in all my interests in terms of an active lifestyle, taking care of our bodies, and accomplishing goals in that way, while also being able to have the psychology side of it felt like a natural fit.”

Now in her post-playing career, Katie continues to focus on providing tools for the next generation of female hockey players, whether through her work with the Girls and Women’s Hockey Academy or her own practice with Achieve Performance Psychology. Part of that work involves highlighting, and thus understanding, some of the mental challenges that female hockey players face today, including:

• social pressures, including social media

• fear of making mistakes and disappointing teammates, coaches, parents

• fitting in and finding your place

One of the many ways Katie connects with her clients, beyond just a shared experience, is her focus on meeting players where they are.

“If you’re someone who has the foundations for confidence, then we don’t need to start there,” Katie explained. “We can build on what kind of scaffolding and the foundation that you already have. If we don’t find out where people are at and start there, I think you can be on separate pages, and I just don’t find that to be effective.”

When it comes to practical advice on how to deal with the mental side of hockey, and quite frankly, life, Katie also shares some advice:

• Identify areas that aren’t focused on production to see your impact

• Check in on your body: “Where am I at physically? How is my breathing? Is my body tense?”

• What are the things that you do when you’re playing at your best: “Are you talking between shifts? How are you interacting with teammates?”

After the journey, from those early days trying to be just like her older brothers to a championship collegiate career, to her post-playing career, what keeps Dr. Katie Peterson inspired?

“I describe it as watching or seeing some of my athletes do really cool things, or win a big game, or accomplish a goal they set is the cool part,” she said. “But then hearing them talk about it and being able to describe how it went or what felt good about it to them is the inspiring part.”

In sports, it’s easy to become enamoured by the big-time goals and the game-saving stops, but the work that an athlete puts into that success starts behind the scenes. And it’s with the help of people like Dr. Katie Peterson that those athletes see and truly understand their self-worth, impact, and growth. And it’s through that work, and these conversations, that the mental side of sports loses its stigma and becomes a much safer, more open and supportive conversation.

Our full conversation is available on YouTube here.

A native of Harper Woods, MI, Angela Ruggiero has done it all and at every level. Listing off each one of her accomplishments would likely take the rest of this article, but here’s just a taste:

• 14 Olympic and World Championship medals

• two-time Olympic Best Defender, and four-time World Championship Best Defender

• member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, IIHF Hall of Fame, and the Hockey Hall of Fame

• 2-time NCAA ECAC Champion

Angela played her junior career at Choate Rosemary Hall before heading off to Harvard University, where she played from 1998-2000, before focusing on centralizing with the USA’s national program ahead of the 2002 Olympics. She would return to complete her collegiate career from 2002 to 2004, now with the “C” sewn on her jersey. Following a tremendously successful collegiate career, Angela would go on to pursue hockey in the NWHL, WWHL, and the CWHL.

Her impact goes beyond just accomplishments on the ice, making her story even more fascinating and impactful. Angela is the co-founder of Sports Innovation Lab, which describes itself as the “premier fan graph for sports and entertainment,” as well as an Executive Board member of the International Olympic Committee, World Rugby, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and an analyst and broadcaster for NBC Sports, ESPN and advisor to Genius Sports. Angela also served as a Senior Advisor for the New York Rangers, once again showing her impact beyond just the women’s game.

A keynote speaker, author, volunteer coordinator and leader, Angela Ruggiero has, and continues to be, a deeply important voice within the women’s hockey space. Her resume, both on and off the ice, demonstrates her true impact and a legacy that will continue to inspire the next generation of female hockey players to never stop chasing greatness.

Michelle Pasiechnyk was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and from a young age, whether it was ice hockey or mini sticks, there was no doubt that hockey would be the sport she’d pursue.

Our full conversation is available now on YouTube here.

“My parents threw me on skates, and I started practicing,” Michelle said. “And very early on, I think three or four, they introduced me to hockey and I just kind of immediately fell in love.” And from there, watching fellow goaltenders like Henrik Lundqvist only further inspired Michelle to continue pursuing not only hockey but goaltending in particular.

Michelle played her entire junior career in the nation’s capital, first with the Ottawa Lady 67’s, now the Junior 67’s, before playing two seasons with the Nepean Wildcats, and having the opportunity to develop and find her game while remaining close to home and her support system was something that Michelle never took for granted.

“It was great growing up, not having to move away and having my parents and friends and just their support,” she said. “And on the development side, too. My dad was my coach for a few years when I played for the 67’s, so that was special. It’s just really nice to have that support and love, and it developed me into the player and person I am today.”

That junior career, and in particular her final two with Nepean, was remarkable, and that’s putting it lightly. Michelle played 52 regular-season games for the Wildcats, winning 31 of those outings and finishing with a 1.39 goals against average and a .945 save percentage, along with 12 shutouts. This is some “not so subtle” foreshadowing of an equally successful collegiate career.

Michelle would go on to play four seasons at Clarkson University, where she would see immediate success, finishing her rookie season with a 1.71 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage. That early success can be attributed not only to being a remarkably talented player but also to finding a home in the program.

Over the next four years, Michelle would go on to put together a stat line that makes a person do a double-take. 111 games played, 1.58 goals against average, .935 save percentage, 21 shutouts, 2449 total saves, and named the NCAA Goaltender of the Year in 2023-24, beating out familiar names to PWHL fans: Raygan Kirk and Gwyneth Philips. And that recognition validated the journey and the hard work Michelle had put in throughout her life.

And this is where Michelle’s story takes an important, and unexpected, turn. One that ultimately helped her to rediscover why she fell in love with the game and started playing in the first place. Following that season, which culminated in being named Goaltender of the Year, Michelle stepped away from hockey.

“Stepping away wasn’t easy, but it was a decision that I had to make because I was just mentally and physically burnt out,” Michelle said. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life, so I think just taking that year gave me a lot of clarification.” And taking that year away from the game of hockey, something that had become such an important part of her life, provided a reminder of her passion for the sport.

“As hard as it was that year, it was really tough mentally, it was for the best,” she said. “Just figure out what I truly wanted, and to look at it from a different light, not as ‘I have to grind through today,’ but ‘I love it, and I get to go to practice and do all these things.”

Following that year away from the game, a rediscovered passion for it, and a new perspective on her career, Michelle joined the program at Boston University.

“A month before everyone is coming back to campus, I got a call from Boston that they needed a goalie,” Michelle said. “I immediately knew that I loved the city. It’s a great place, and I love their program. So I didn’t even hesitate when I told them yes.” And in that first year back, Michelle finished the season with a 2.52 GAA and a .919 SV% in 17 games. And while she’ll be the first to admit that it took some time to settle in, for Michelle, it proved that she still had what it takes to compete.

And now, with the PWHL Draft, the focus shifts to what could be next and a chapter in which Michelle admits that while there are nerves, there’s a lot of excitement.

“It’s about inspiring the next generation of young girls who are growing up playing hockey,” Michelle said. “It’s about showing them that there is a real pathway to play at the highest level. It’s nice to help grow the game and actually give this younger generation something to see and believe in.”

From mini sticks and outdoor rinks to Clarkson and Boston University, every step along the road for Michelle Pasiechnyk has shown her abilities on the ice, and the way that she’s navigated the bumps, twists and turns off the ice shows the maturity away from it. And while the next chapter remains unclear, you can rest assured that it’ll be one written with the quiet confidence that has defined who Michelle really is.

Our full conversation is available now on YouTube here.

When embarking on her own hockey career, Jamie Nelson never would have imagined that one day, she would be preparing to be drafted into a professional women’s hockey league. Now that day is inching ever closer.

Nelson, a forward from Andover, Minnesota, had an origin story like many others in the sport. “My dad put me in skates probably when I was three years old,” Nelson said. “Growing up in a city like Andover in Minnesota, it seemed like everything revolved around hockey.” But it wasn’t until her sophomore season in high school that she took the pursuit of hockey more seriously.

“I was playing with a girl who ended up going up to D1 at Mankato, and then I had my breakthrough season,” Nelson recalled. “I think that was the first time that I really had the confidence to say I can do this and I can go further than high school.”

That commitment to the sport led her to spend five seasons with Minnesota State University before finishing out her collegiate career last season with the University of Minnesota. And that time at Mankato laid the foundation for the player who may very well hear her name called at the PWHL Draft.

“I cannot say enough great things about Mankato and the five years that I had there,” she said. “Being able to step into a leadership role in my last year, too, I had so much pride having a letter on my jersey and trying to lead that program.” And while it was a difficult decision to leave that program for the University of Minnesota, Nelson said it was necessary. “I knew that I needed to develop more as a player in order to make the jump to the PWHL. I hit a plateau at Mankato, so I needed a challenge. I needed to force myself to be uncomfortable. And I needed to take a chance and try to push myself to be in the best position going forward.”

And push herself she did. In her season with Minnesota, she finished with the best statistical year of her career, scoring 42 points through 39 games. Nelson also ranked 6th in the nation with 31 assists and helped the program to an impressive 21-4-1 record when she recorded a point.

Now, with the PWHL Draft on the horizon, Nelson still finds it difficult to believe that this next chapter of her career could mean playing professional hockey.

“Sometimes, it’s still hard for me to wrap my head around that there’s a professional women’s hockey league because when I went into college, there wasn’t,” Nelson said. “And then all of a sudden, they’re reaching new heights, selling out NHL arenas, and it’s just mind-blowing to me.” And it isn’t lost on Nelson that this moment for her wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the women who played the game before her.

"I get to experience the benefits of all the work that people before me put in," Nelson said. "It's almost like I'm super excited and obviously grateful for the opportunity and grateful for those who paved the way. But it's almost like imposter syndrome where I'm like 'But why do I get to experience this and they didn't didn't.' It should be the 15th year of professional women's hockey."

With her collegiate career now in the rearview mirror and the PWHL cresting over the horizon, Nelson is preparing to join a league that has finally given women’s hockey the spotlight it deserves. “I’ve always known how good we are as players, but now the rest of the world gets to see it,” Nelson said. “It definitely motivates me because we are the representation of the sport, so I want to be the best player I can be so that I’m the best representation of the sport.”

And it’s that very drive, sparked all the way back in her sophomore year of high school, which will carry Jamie Nelson into the 2026 PWHL Draft, and what could very well be a successful professional career in the PWHL.

Viivi Vainikka enters the 2026 PWHL Draft surrounded by much excitement. The Finnish forward has delighted fans over the years with her offensive performances while draped in her country’s colours, and for her six-year SDHL career. And while it’s been clear for some time now that Vainikka’s skillset would likely successfully translate to the PWHL, she instead remained focused on continuing to grow and fine-tune her game until it truly was time. And that time has finally arrived.

Our full conversation is available now on YouTube.

Vainikka was born in Espoo, Finland, and, like many, started playing hockey because it gave her a chance to spend time with friends.

“That was the whole point about it,” Vainikka said. “Just to be with friends and have fun. But then at the same time, the competition between us was so much fun. I think that was also one of the things that I liked a lot.”

As is the case for many girls in their pursuit of hockey, Vainikka spent her youth playing on boys’ teams, uncertain how far she could take that passion for the game, yet never letting that stand in the way. And that determination led her to join Finland’s top league, Team Kuortane in the Naisten Liiga, at only 15 years old. The success she had earlier in her junior career carried forward with her.

“It was a lot of fun, I enjoyed it all,” recalled Vainikka. “It was what I wanted to do and was a big step for me at that time. But it definitely helped me a lot to develop and get better at playing against bigger and stronger girls.”

Over her four years with the club, Vainikka amassed 129 points in 112 games and saw offensive growth each year, culminating in a career-best season in 2019-20, in which she netted 28 goals for 52 regular-season points and added another 18 points in the postseason, another career milestone. Yet another example of what’s become a through line in Vainikka’s story: no matter the step she takes, growth, development and success follow right alongside.

Throughout Vainikka’s career, wearing the Finnish colours has been a staple, from the U18 Women’s World Championships right up to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. During her time with the national program, many have served as mentors, but two stand out in particular to Vainikka.

Forward Riikka Sallinen, one of the most decorated international players, has represented Finland at every level and was someone Vainikka leaned on as she was finding her own way within the program. “She was with the national team when I got there and in my first camps and tournaments,” Vainikka said. “And from the start, she helped me and told me what it takes. Being able to see her every day was great, and I could get a lot of tips from her, and it really helped me.”

The other name is one very familiar to Ottawa Charge fans: defender Ronja Savolainen, who taught Vainikka more than just how to be a good hockey player. “She’s like a big sister to me,” she said. “When I came to Sweden, I spent a lot of time with her outside of the hockey team. She taught me things outside of hockey, so there were a lot of good things I learned from her.”

Each step of Vainikka’s career has seen success, growth, and development, and her move to the SDHL was no different. She first spent five seasons with Luleå before moving to Brynäs this past year, helping the team to its first championship and being named MVP. During this chapter of her journey, Vainikka witnessed the PWHL’s unveiling, and while the allure of playing in the league was strong, she knew she needed more time to work on her game.

“I want to play there as soon as possible, but I also want to be smart,” Vainikka said. “I thought that the best decision for me was to stay one more year in Sweden and work on everything to be a little better. I want to feel ready when I jump there and to have that confidence. That’s when I play my best game.”

And with the extra year in Sweden now under her belt, she looks ahead at the opportunity that she’s been waiting her whole life for: to play professionally in the best league in the world, against the best players in the world, in the PWHL. And with the draft around the corner, Vainikka is certainly nervous, but that doesn’t begin to compare to the excitement she feels at the opportunity.

“It feels good, and it feels amazing,” she said. “Sometimes, I really can’t even realize that it’s around the corner, but I feel ready. I’m nervous, but in a good way. It’s amazing that now, finally, girls can also say that they can play in the highest league.” Vainikka went on to add, “It’s amazing that the league is now there and they give so many opportunities to young girls and girls in general to dream. I’m just so happy that it came, just so excited.”

Viivi Vainikka began her journey playing the sport with friends. That competitive spirit, which has seen her play against boys, succeed in top leagues and internationally, has carried her to this moment and the PWHL, where she will look to continue the growth, development, and success that she’s seen through every chapter of her story so far.

Our full conversation is available now on YouTube.

When Charlotte Sonntag was young, she spent a lot of time moving between different ski towns, starting in Vail, Colorado, and including Lake Tahoe, California, and Whistler, British Columbia. Still, through it all, hockey remained her deep passion. That passion for hockey started, as it does for many, thanks to her older siblings, who also played.

“As a kid, I just wanted to do everything they wanted to do,” Charlotte said. “We started playing, and I absolutely loved the sport.”

Our full conversation is available now on YouTube.

The relationship Charlotte has with her siblings, particularly with her older sister Katie, who she names as her biggest role model, will become a throughline in her journey. Katie played collegiate hockey at Union and Stonehill, as well as overseas in Switzerland. That experience Katie gained from each step of her career helped provide clarity for Charlotte and gave her the confidence to navigate many unknowns.

Growing up inspired by her siblings and the greats like Hilary Knight, Charlotte recalls a particular championship moment in her youth that marked the launch point for her in the sport.

“My team won the state championship, and we’re a super small boys’ team from Lake Tahoe,” she said. “I think I was 12 at the time, and we were huge underdogs, and no one thought we were going to win. I think that feeling made me realize that this is what I want to do and is why I love the game, and I want to do this for as long as I possibly can.”

Charlotte’s formative years in junior hockey were spent at Shattuck St. Mary’s, a strong program that helped lay the foundation for skills and growth both on and off the ice. Being a part of that program wasn’t easy at first and didn’t come without its challenges, but, as they always have in Charlotte’s journey, they became mere bumps along the way.

“You get to Shattuck, and it’s like everyone there just eats, sleeps and breathes hockey,” she said. “I remember my freshman year, I was so intimidated. You go, and you watch that team play, and you’re like ‘Wow, these players are incredible, and that’s who I want to be, and that’s who I want to grow and develop to be.”

The feeling of intimidation didn’t go away easily for Charlotte, but as she continued to grow and develop within the program, so too did her perspective and understanding of why the coaches wanted her to join. That mindset shift helped her to realize that, “Maybe I’m not the top goal scorer, but just try and really be good at what I’m good at, knowing that’s absolutely worth something.”

When it came time to consider where to continue her hockey career, the world was in lockdown, making travel to different campuses a nonstarter. But, as Charlotte has already demonstrated in her journey to this point, that challenge was just another bump in the road.

“It was pretty tough because it was during COVID, and we weren’t really able to visit schools,” Charlotte said. “I really think the communication with the coaches and just kind of finding a school that felt like home was super important to me.” And finding that home, much like she did during her time at Shattuck St. Mary’s, played an important role in helping Charlotte develop

into the player she was when she finished her collegiate career.

Charlotte ended up playing four years and 135 games at College of the Holy Cross, where she double-majored in Chemistry and Economics, scoring 21 goals and 39 points, and finished top-10 in many of the program’s records, including becoming the first hat trick in Crusader Hockey East Era history. She’s also a three-time Hockey East All-Academic Team, and finished with more than 500 faceoff wins and more than 60 career blocked shots. Charlotte’s ability to be an effective centre, to be strong defensively, and to score goals in big moments should have her on the radar of PWHL management teams.

“Honestly, it hasn’t quite hit me yet,” Charlotte said of the opportunity to play in the PWHL. “I mean, you look on social media, and you see all these posts of them selling out stadiums and the impact that they’ve made on the hockey world and the growth that they’ve had. Even just having that opportunity to potentially be a part of that is beyond incredible to me.”

That growth of the league, first with last offseason’s addition of two teams, followed this year by four more, has created even more opportunities for players like Charlotte to live out that dream. And knowing that this could be the next step in her career has only added fuel to her fire.

“That’s the dream to play at sold-out stadiums like that,” said Charlotte. “I think that’s what almost any hockey player wants to do, so it absolutely has added fuel to the fire just to even think about that opportunity.”

From a childhood inspired by the greats to growing up alongside her role model, Charlotte Sonntag has built a career defined by more than just the goals and points she’s put up on the scoreboard. It’s been a journey of growth, maturation, and finding home at each step along the way. And as the 2026 PWHL Draft peaks over the horizon ahead, Charlotte has never lost sight of why she loves the game and what inspires her every day she takes to the ice.

Our full conversation is available now on YouTube.

Carina DiAntonio’s hockey story starts as it does for so many Canadians: on an outdoor rink, inspired by family and driven by a passion to compete.

“I was always outside playing sports and was just competitive at everything I did,” she said. “Whether it was school, hockey, soccer, lacrosse, I played it all, and I just wanted to be good at whatever I was doing.”

My full conversation with Carina DiAntonio is available now on YouTube.

The passion for hockey, and what helped set Carina on what’s turned out to be a remarkable path, was sibling rivalry, mixed with a bit of jealousy, and an opportunity to be together as a family.

“I started playing hockey when I was four years old,” Carina recalled. “And I remember my sister played hockey, and I was kind of a little jealous. I was like, ‘I want to play, too.’ My mom also played hockey, so it was a family thing. We all got to play together.

Carina’s junior career began with the Mississauga Chiefs before she moved on to play with the Brampton Jr. Canadettes of the Ontario Women’s Hockey League, where she got her first taste of leadership, earning the captaincy in her final season with the program. That final season saw Carina produce offensively at a level indicative of what was to come in her collegiate career, putting up career numbers across the board: 15 goals, 18 assists, and 33 points in 30 games. Those results helped her become the team’s top scorer during the 2021-22 season and its Most Valuable Player. And, spoken like the true leader she is, Carina attributes that success to the team’s excitement about returning to the ice.

“It was actually our first full season back from COVID,” she said. “We had a strong group that had been together for the past few years, so we had a lot of chemistry with everyone.”

As one chapter of her story came to a close with her graduation from the Brampton program, a new chapter began, and with it came many options to pursue a collegiate career in the sport she’d loved from such a young age. And while the fit on the hockey side was obviously important for Carina, it was actually the academics that were the initial draw towards Yale.

“Academics were always important in my life,” Carina said. “I wanted a place where I could have the opportunity to grow as a hockey player, but also academically.”

During her time at Yale, Carina was recognized for her dedication to academics, named an ECAC All-Academic in her first two years with the program, and an All-Ivy Honourable Mention. Beyond that, she was named First Team All-Ivy, Second Team All-ECAC, and NEWHA Division I All-Star in her senior season after being named captain, proving once again that, as a leader, Carina steps up and leads by example.

“I think balancing academics on top of the very busy hockey schedule that we had was definitely not easy,” she recalled. “But it made me very disciplined and intentional with the way that I spend my time.”

Carina spent four years at Yale, and during that time, the program continued to grow both on and off the ice, and so too did Carina. “Over my time at Yale, I’ve really grown not only as a player, but as a person,” she said. “And just how our team has elevated in so many different ways is also something that I’m so proud of and excited for the future of the program.” Once again, spoken like a true leader.

The next chapter of Carina’s career is approaching quickly, as the 2026 PWHL Draft is only a few weeks away, and with that comes the potential for nerves, a whole lot of uncertainty, and a dash of excitement. And, reflecting on a collegiate career that has given her so much, Carina also knows that, through the ups and downs, that chapter has been so important in setting her up for this next one.

“I think all of the ups and downs of collegiate hockey are going to set me up well for the future,” Carina said. “Learning how to stay grounded in the ups and the downs and pushing through the stretches where things really aren’t going your way and just learning how to handle that is going to be really valuable.”

For Carina, this next stage of her career also marks one that she didn’t think was possible when she first embarked on her hockey story. As attendance records continue to be set, engagement in women’s hockey is at an all-time high, and as expansion adds new teams, the opportunity to join the PWHL is a dream come true.

“I remember before I went to college to play hockey, I thought that would be the end of the road for me,” Carina said. “I thought that would be the highest level of hockey that I could play, so to now have a professional league that we can all continue to elevate our game is something that I’m truly grateful for.”

From backyard rinks in Mississauga, Ontario, to a successful junior career, to four years at Yale University, which instilled confidence, deepened her understanding of leadership, and helped fuel her passion for growth and development, Carina DiAntonio’s story is only just getting started and will inspire generations of girls for years to come.

My full conversation with Carina DiAntonio is available now on YouTube.

Thea Johansson, who was born in Ljungby, spent much of her hockey career back home in her native Sweden, and did so within what could only be described as a very athletic family, but that might be underselling it by a long shot. Her brother plays in HockeyEttan, the third-highest tier of men’s ice hockey in Sweden, her father was a referee in the SHL, and her mother was a top badminton player in Sweden. Through it all, Thea learned valuable lessons she’s taken with her every step of the way.

“In my hockey career, it’s always about striving to be a little bit better every day,” she said. “We’re talking about the 1% being better every day, and that’s for sure something that I think has come with that.”

Thea developed her game through the Swedish system, spending time with both IF Troja-Ljungby in the Damettan and HV71 in the SDHL. And it was the latter that offered her the opportunity to play professionally at only 14 years old, albeit with limited minutes early on, but to learn from professionals in a meaningful way.

“It’s just so crazy sometimes to look back at the team that we had, or the players that I played with,” Thea said. “I think that kind of put the foundation. Watching them every single day, I could see where they put their extra energy into, or the extra time into doing things like shooting extra pucks or doing extra workouts. I think that’s a huge part of being that young and seeing girls do that and trying to do the same.”

Following her time in Sweden, Thea stepped outside her comfort zone. She moved to the United States to pursue a collegiate career in the NCAA, first with Mercyhurst before wrapping up this year at the University of Minnesota Duluth. And it was thanks to her dad’s encouragement that this move made even more sense to Thea.

“When I was deciding if I was going to go or if I was going to stay, he told me that you usually don’t regret the things you do, you regret the things you don’t do,” she recalled. “And that kind of stuck with me.” That mindset helped encourage her to, after three successful seasons with Mercyhurst, make the switch and transfer to UMD, not because she didn’t enjoy her time there, or the coaches and her teammates, but because she needed to come back to that same advice her dad gave her.

Thea also recently had the opportunity to represent her country at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, which felt like a dream to her but also offered her yet another chance to grow and develop as a player and as a person.

“For me, it’s clear that we’re a super close group, a young group, but a group that has been doing a lot together and going through adversity together,” said Thea. “The connection we have in that team, we’re all so close, and I think there’s value in that. But it felt like a dream.”

And speaking of dreams, the next one for Thea is approaching quickly, and that’s the upcoming PWHL Draft and the chance to play in the best league in the world.

“It would be so cool to get the opportunity to play in that league,” she said. “I’m watching PWHL as fast as there is a game on, and at the end of the day, it would be just crazy. I almost get goosebumps, and my heart rate goes up just thinking about it.”

Knowing that playing in the best league in the world could very well be in her future, Thea uses that as motivation to ensure she never settles and always pushes herself, meaning this summer, she’ll be training harder than she ever has in the past.

For Thea Johansson, her hockey journey started all the way back in Sweden in a home which instilled in her the importance of experiencing as many things as possible so you never look back with regret. And that mindset brought her to North America for a collegiate career in the NCAA, helped her succeed with the national program, and now she is on the verge of joining the PWHL. And through all the lessons learned over a successful career, Thea never lost sight of the value of family, of remaining humble, and of what success truly looks like, both on and off the ice.

For Meg Simon, hockey runs in the blood, and it seemed only inevitable that she would end up sharing the same passion for the sport as her father did throughout his playing career.

My full conversation with Meg Simon is available now on YouTube.

“I would say hockey found me. I was kind of born into the game,” Meg said. “I was fortunate to grow up around the game. We moved about 50 times for my dad’s career in professional hockey, so I was kind of born on skates.”

And, having been around locker rooms since the age of four, Meg learned the importance of team culture, work ethic, and a drive to win. All qualities she’s brought with her along the journey from East Grand Rapids, Michigan, to the campus at Middlebury College.

Meg’s junior career included playing for Fox Motors before working her way up through the Grand Rapids Amateur Hockey Association. She also played with the boys’ varsity hockey team in high school. Each stop allowed her to grow, develop, learn leadership skills, and lay the foundation to become the player and, more importantly, the person she is today.

“Each year was pretty huge in my development as a player and as a person,” Meg said. “I think I really started to understand the game beyond just playing. Especially when you’re approaching that sixth-grade age, you start to learn how to think the game and how to compete every shift, and how to stay consistent.”

Growing up, hockey wasn’t the only sport Meg played. That right there is a bit of foreshadowing for what’s to come in this next chapter of her journey.

Being a part of a team, as Meg said, was something that she couldn’t see her life without. “Starting to look at colleges, I had dreams to be a Notre Dame Golden Domer,” said Meg. “When I realized that the program didn’t have a women’s hockey team, I had to reluctantly look somewhere else because I couldn’t lose that part of myself that wanted to be on a team and contribute to something bigger than myself.”

For any athlete, there are many factors that go into deciding where to pursue higher education while also maintaining their athletic side, and Meg was no different. When looking at her options, she was looking for something that would challenge her, both on and off the ice.

“Middlebury was a place where I could play my sports and play at a quality academic institution. And those were two things that really did stand out to me. I felt like I was going to be pushed the most academically, athletically, and socially.”

Remember earlier, when I mentioned a bit of foreshadowing? This is where that moment pays off because Meg Simon didn’t actually originally attend Middlebury for the sport you had expected. But thanks to her broad interest in sports growing up, and an encouraging phone call from her mom, she found an alternative, and bet on herself.

“I was emailing with the coaching staff for the hockey team, and they emailed back and said we actually filled our recruiting year for your class,” Meg recalled. “I was pretty bummed out and thinking that maybe the door was closed with that road. My mom called me that day and said ‘You know, I think you might be able to play for their golf team.” Meg would go on to discover that the golf coach is also the hockey coach, which may be the most serendipitous story out there.

Throughout her journey, one aspect of Meg that is clear is just how important community and giving back are, which stands as a testament to the person she’s always been. And she gives credit to her family for laying that foundation and instilling those qualities in her.

“Watching my dad use his platform as a professional athlete showed me the impact that you can have as an athlete,” Meg said. “I never really saw my role as a hockey player to be solely a hockey player. I always saw it as being someone who is a force for good in the communities that we lived and learned.” And that perspective is what led to her being named the 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award recipient in early April. While this conversation took place before she was named the winner, it was clear just how much this meant to Meg.

“It’s such a special honour,” she said. “Reading what those nominees have done in their communities and at their schools, it’s humbling. It’s amazing what these hockey players are doing with the platform that they’ve earned. I take great pride in the impact that we’ve had in our community, but also in representing Middlebury Athletics in the right way.”

From growing up in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, to betting on herself and heading to Middlebury College, to being named the 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award recipient, Meg Simon remains the very definition of what many of us strive to be: a genuinely good human being. And no matter where the next chapter takes her, one can bet that she’ll never lose sight of that.

My full conversation with Meg Simon is available now on YouTube.

Visit Meg’s Etsy store here.

The last time Alyssa Regalado joined the show was way back in Episode 35. That’s when she shared her journey: from growing up in Mississauga, Ontario, to her time with the Etobicoke Dolphins team that helped define her junior career. She also talked about the decision to launch her collegiate career by taking the next step at Cornell University.

In this episode, we talked about the growth she’s made over her four years in the program and how her entire hockey journey has led to this very moment: the cusp of the 2026 PWHL Draft.

My full conversation with Alyssa Regalado is available now on YouTube.

“I think as a whole, especially being at Cornell University, it was kind of learning that I can do hard things,” Alyssa said. “Going into an Ivy League school, the biggest question was how are you going to balance academics and hockey and keep up your grades while also keeping up performance? Over time, I learned a habit and a routine on how to build that.”

And that routine and those habits certainly paid off, as Alyssa became a steady presence on the blueline for Cornell, and a reliable contributor on the offensive side of the puck as well. Over her four years with the Big Red, Alyssa played in 134 games. She notched 64 points on 305 shots, along with three consecutive Ivy League championships, all while playing a disciplined style of hockey that undoubtedly adds to the intrigue teams will have when they look at her ahead of the PWHL Draft.

With the exciting next chapter of her career on the horizon, Alyssa also appreciates the many people who have helped her reach this moment because, as the saying goes, “it takes a village.”

Cornell Defender Alyssa Regalado Eyes The PWHL Draft In The Next Chapter Of Her Career

“As a whole, my teammates have been great through my four years,” she said. “I think we’ve developed a very strong relationship on and off the ice. And obviously, my parents and friends back home have been very supportive.”

Those teammates also included the many leaders who have donned the “A” or the “C” during her tenure with the program. While a letter is often viewed as a symbolic embodiment of leadership, those who helped lead this program had a profound impact on Alyssa, both on and off the ice. Most notably, in their approach to leveraging support, true leaders lean on the people around them to make the best decision for the group.

“They showed that you can use everyone around you and that you don’t have to do everything by yourself,” said Alyssa. “You can ask for opinions, even if it’s from a freshman or what they think about this or feel about that. I think all my captains really showed that it’s about those you surround yourself with and not just yourself as an individual.” And it’s lessons like that, on how to be a true teammate and leader regardless of whether you carry a letter or not, that will be critical for that jump from the collegiate level to the professional.

Throughout any career, some positive moments and memories put a smile on your face when you reminisce. But there are also tough moments that are often less than enjoyable to go through at the time, but help with growth and development. For Alyssa, one particular moment comes to mind.

“This past season as a whole. We were riding that high from my junior year and there was a lot of high expectations but it was tough because we lost 11 seniors,” Alyssa recalled. “We had a lot of new faces, a smaller group, and I think it was hard to overcome those losses this year.” But as previously mentioned, difficult moments bring significant development, and that’s what happened for Alyssa and her perspective.

“Teaching the underclassmen how to manage that emotionally helped me to think about it in a different way,” she said. “I think communicating with them helped me to learn how to handle [the losses] and move on from it, but also use it to build on to the next game.”

With the PWHL Draft looming, the opportunity to call the league her new home is understandably exciting for Alyssa.

“My freshman year, I was like, ‘Okay, well, after my four years, I guess maybe Sweden if that’s an option. If not, I don’t know,” she recalled. “And so I think now, it’s hard to put into words how cool and how special it is to have this opportunity.”

Alyssa Regalado’s addition to any PWHL team’s blueline would offer instant stability, and that’s a direct result of the invaluable growth and development she’s gone through throughout her career, and in particular, the four years with Cornell University. It’s seen her grow as a leader, become even more confident on both sides of the puck, and develop a mindset that’s helped her navigate the uncertainties. As she prepares to embark on her professional career, each of those aspects will play a critical role in ensuring the success she’ll undoubtedly achieve.

My full conversation with Alyssa Regalado is available now on YouTube.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Issy Wunder’s hockey journey started as it does for many Canadians on the outdoor rink, set up by her mother, in her backyard. And while it wasn’t all about that particular winter sport right from the start, it didn’t take long before that became her sole focus.

“Growing up, I played a bunch of different sports, so it wasn’t necessarily from day one ‘hockey, hockey, hockey,’” said Issy. “We had a backyard rink at our house in the city that my mom would put up each year. As the years went on and I got closer to high school age, it became more ‘let’s train on the outdoor rink instead of just go out her and have fun.”

My full conversation with Issy Wunder is available on YouTube.

That training and dedication to the sport led her to a junior career spent in the Greater Toronto Area, allowing her to stay close to home and her support system, which Issy says was very important.

“I’m lucky that I grew up in such a hockey haven, and I think there’s a huge community that it takes behind the scenes to go from a five year old who starts playing hockey to somebody who commits to college. I’m just really grateful that I had the people there who were allowing me to pursue my goals.”

As she grew and developed through the sport during her junior career, much of which was spent with the Toronto Aeros of the Provincial Women’s Hockey League, so did her confidence and the results. In her final season with Toronto, Issy scored 16 regular-season goals and amassed 37 points before leaving to play her final season with the Durham West Jr Lightning, a team she would captain. “We really were a family,” Issy recalls of that Durham team. “I could not think of a better group of girls to spend my final year with or a better way to cap it off.”

Her on-ice success never took away from the importance of academics, especially as she looked towards a collegiate career. While there were options, Princeton offered the strong academic program that was important to both Issy and her family.

“That was obviously an appeal of Princeton. But then the campus is the most beautiful campus I’ve ever been to. When me and my mom first visited, we both sort of had a feeling.”

After looking at other programs, including literature, science, math, and social sciences, Issy found psychology and neuroscience particularly interesting, and both helped shape how she viewed the game of hockey and how she dealt with the stress of its ups and downs.

“When you think of psychology, it’s been super helpful in fostering my relationships,” said Issy. “Learning about how the brain works is such a valuable thing because you’re learning about yourself. Sometimes, I’ll catch myself feeling a certain way or feeling stressed, and then pausing and realizing that everything’s going to be okay. Being able to sort of pause and reflect is something that I’ve really tried to do when I’m thinking about hockey and relationships.”

Over her 129 games with the Tigers, Issy put up a staggering 146 points and received countless accolades, including being named the 2025 ECAC Forward of the Year and the 2025 Ivy League Player of the Year. While those awards are meaningful to Issy, it’s the lessons that she learned from the leaders who came before her, including Mia Coene, Sarah Fillier, and Mariah Keopple and the standard they set, and the way she learned to navigate the ebbs and flows of a collegiate career that has her maintaining that she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

“Every single experience in your life plays a role in your future,” Issy said. “Sometimes I am overwhelmed but in those moments, being able to take a step back and realize how fortunate am I that I’m stressed with school because I care about what I’m learning. How fortunate am I that I’m stressed about hockey. Trying to reframe things in that way because then everything that happens to you, whether it’s good, whether it’s bad, whether it’s neutral, is able to be a learning experience.”

As Issy Wunder prepares to close one chapter of her journey, which began on backyard rinks her mom set up for her, and embark on a new one in the PWHL, she’s most proud of choosing Princeton for the impact that it has had on her, both on and off the ice. And it’s that growth and development that will lead her into what will undoubtedly be an exciting professional career she’s waited so long for.

My full conversation with Issy Wunder is available on YouTube.

While much of the talk about Alaina Giampietro’s time at Robert Morris University focuses on her role in bringing the program back to life, her stats tell the story of a player who knows how to create offence. She has a rare ability to combine massive shot volume with a consistent scoring touch.

Alaina’s value to the Colonials isn’t just about being on the ice. It is about her relentless drive to the net that keeps opposing defences on their toes for sixty minutes.

My full conversation with Alaina Giampietro is available now on YouTube.

The Power of Volume

In today’s game, shot volume is a great way to see who is actually driving play. For Alaina, shooting is her identity. Two recent series show this perfectly: her performances against Lindenwood and Delaware.

RMU wrapped their season with a series against both Lindenwood and Delaware. Against Lindenwood, Alaina put up 21 shots over three games. She followed that up with an 18-shot performance in three games against Delaware. Averaging six to seven shots per game is a huge workload, but by putting the puck on net that often, she creates a ripple effect. It leads to more rebounds, more scoring chances in front of the net, and it eventually wears down the opposing goalie.

Alaina hits the ice with an unmatched confidence, which directly contributes to the high volume of shots. She knows where to be to receive the puck and how to free up space to open up opportunities.

The 10% Mark: Consistency and Bouncing Back

The most impressive part of Alaina’s production is how steady she is. Scoring in hockey can be up and down, but Alaina has found a baseline that she hits year after year.

In her first season with the program, Alaina recorded 17 goals on 172 shots, which is a 9.9% shooting percentage. She then dealt with an injury in 2024-25 that limited her to just 11 games. During that stretch, her efficiency dipped to 7.3% as she worked to return to full speed. However, her 2025-26 season has been a perfect example of both her skill and how to bounce back.

This season, Alaina got right back to her elite pace. She recorded 17 goals on 165 shots (10.3%). The fact that she matched her freshman goal total with seven fewer shots shows just how elite her offensive instincts really are, and how much of a threat she can be on each shift.

Growth as a Leader

Taking on the role of a captain this year has clearly influenced her game. While she still shoots a lot, she seems even more intentional about where those shots come from. She has evolved from a high-energy rookie into a smart offensive leader who isn’t afraid to get into the tough areas of the ice to finish plays.

For RMU, having a captain who can basically guarantee a 10% return on nearly 200 shots a season is a massive advantage.

Over her tenure with Robert Morris University, Alaina Giampietro has left a blueprint for what a modern offensive leader truly looks like. She didn’t just help relaunch a program but also defined its production standards. By combining relentless volume with a veteran’s efficiency, Alaina has ensured that her time in a Colonials jersey will be remembered as one of the most reliable scoring threats in the AHA.

My full conversation with Alaina Giampietro is available now on YouTube.

By the Numbers: Alaina’s Shooting Profile

• 2023-24: 17 goals | 172 shots | 9.9%
  

• 2024-25*: 3 goals | 41 shots | 7.3%
  

• 2025-26 (Captain): 17 goals | 165 shots | 10.3%

  *Season shortened to 11 games due to injury.

For Alaina Giampietro, the game of hockey was never just a sport. It was a family tradition that started almost as soon as she could walk.

Growing up in Strongsville, Ohio, Alaina had a unique advantage, as her grandfather ran the local rink. Those early mornings on the ice with him created a bond that went far beyond the X’s and O’s of the game.

My full conversation with Alaina Giampietro is available now on YouTube.

“The stick was already in my hand,” Alaina recalled. “I always asked my grandpa to go to the rink. Those moments skating with him were where everything started.”

That early spark fueled a career that eventually led her to Gilmour Academy, where she first stepped into a significant leadership role as captain. It was during those years that Alaina began to understand that talent alone wasn’t enough to reach the next level. It required a level of dedication that she still carries with her today.

“Hard work pays off,” she said, reflecting on the lessons learned during her time at Gilmour. “It taught me so much about perseverance and what it actually takes to lead a group toward a common goal.”

However, the path wasn’t always a straight line. Like many elite athletes, Alaina faced her share of adversity during her junior career. But rather than let the setbacks define her, she used them as a mirror to find her own inner strength.

“I didn’t prove anyone wrong,” Alaina explained. “I proved myself wrong.”

That shift in mindset became a really important moment in her development. It was that sense of self-discovery that eventually led her to Robert Morris University. The decision to join the newly reinstated RMU program was a leap of faith, but one that felt right from the start. She found a coaching staff and an environment that valued her as a person as much as a hockey player.

Now, as the captain of the Colonials, Alaina is focused on more than just the scoreboard. She is very much aware of the responsibility that comes with being at the forefront of a program’s rebirth.

“We want to leave the place better than we found it,” she shared. “Joining RMU allowed me to be part of something bigger. We are building a foundation here for the girls who will come after us.”

Her commitment to excellence isn’t limited to the ice. Alaina has managed to balance the demands of Division I hockey with a heavy academic load, a feat she credits to the discipline she’s developed throughout her career. For her, giving her all in the classroom is just as important as the effort she puts into a Friday night game.

Throughout her collegiate career, Alaina has relied heavily on a support system of teachers, coaches, and friends. But it always comes back to the foundation her family laid in those early days in Ohio.

As Alaina Giampietro looks to her future in the game she loves so much, her story is about what happens when true passion meets ultimate purpose. From the kid skating with her grandpa to the leader building a legacy at Robert Morris University, Alaina is proving that the right mindset can turn any challenge into a milestone.

My full conversation with Alaina Giampietro is available now on YouTube.

For Stephanie Bourque, it started with not wanting to be outdone by her brother.

“I wanted to do everything that they did,” Stephanie said of her older siblings. “I just had to be better at them than everything. I kind of just really wanted to be better than my brother. That was the big one for me. So I followed him around and would train with him a little bit here and there. I think he pushed me to join hockey.”

My full conversation with Stephanie Bourque is available on YouTube.

Growing up in Moncton, New Brunswick, that sibling rivalry became the spark. But it was her father who turned it into something more.

“He’s really the one that made me realize what it took to achieve those dreams that I had,” Stephanie said. “He pushed me past my limits at such a young age. He coached me for more than six years before I left for Stanstead. He’s the one that made me realize that if I wanted it, I would have to put in the work. No one else can do it for you.”

That foundation carried her to Stanstead College, where she grew into a leader, earning the captaincy in her final season and walking away as the team’s MVP and the JWHL Defensive Player of the Year.

It also shaped the kind of player she would become at Union College, where she chose the program not because it was an obvious path to professional hockey, but because of what it could become.

“I just really wanted to be a part of that change,” Stephanie said. “I wanted to be one of the players that helps the program grow in the right direction. Union is a great academic school and has that small family feel. For me, that was really important.”

Four years later, she leaves as the program’s all-time points and assists leader among defenders, with an ironwoman streak of 141 consecutive games, a Psychology degree, and a season in which she averaged more than 28 minutes per game as the second most-utilized player in NCAA women’s hockey.

Now she’s chasing the 2026 PWHL Draft, where a selection would make her the first defender from New Brunswick to play in the league.

“Being from Moncton and New Brunswick gave me the love for the game,” Stephanie said. “Being able to achieve that dream, not just for myself, but for all my teammates and coaches and my family who have been supporting me throughout my journey.”

She coaches youth hockey back home every summer, and hears from young girls who want to play in the PWHL one day. That’s part of what’s driving her toward this next step.

“It would allow me to continue to grow the game and inspire the next generation of young girls wanting to play professional hockey,” she said.

And for Stephanie Bourque, that’s always been the point.

My full conversation with Stephanie Bourque is available on YouTube.