Are We Developing Stars or Teams? With Matt Dumouchelle Artwork

Our Kids Play Hockey

Our Kids Play Hockey is a podcast that focuses on youth hockey, offering insights, stories, and interviews from the hockey community. It provides valuable advice for parents, coaches, and players, covering various aspects of the game, including skill development, sportsmanship, teamwork, and creating a positive experience for young athletes. The show frequently features guests who share their expertise and personal experiences in youth hockey, both on and off the ice.

The show features three hockey parents, who all work in the game at high levels:

Christie Casciano-Burns - USA Hockey Columnist, Author, and WSYR Anchor
Mike Bonelli - USA Hockey Coach and Organizational Consultant
Lee M.J. Elias - Hockey Entrepreneur, Author, and Team Strategist

In addition to the main podcast, there are several spin-off series that dive into specific aspects of youth hockey:

1.Our Girls Play Hockey – This series highlights the growing presence of girls in hockey, addressing the unique challenges they face while celebrating their accomplishments and contributions to the sport.

2.The Ride to The Rink – A shorter, motivational series designed to be listened to on the way to the rink, offering quick, inspirational tips and advice to help players and parents get into the right mindset before a game or practice.

3.Our Kids Play Goalie – This series is dedicated to young goalies and the unique challenges they face. It provides advice for players, parents, and coaches on how to support and develop young goaltenders, focusing on the mental and physical demands of the position.

Together, these shows provide a comprehensive platform for parents, players, and coaches involved in youth hockey, offering insights for all aspects of the sport, from parenting, playing, or coaching to specialized positions like goaltending.

All Episodes

Our Kids Play Hockey

Are We Developing Stars or Teams? With Matt Dumouchelle

January 08, 2026 • Our Kids Play Hockey • Season 1 • Episode 466

0:00 | 1:18:22

🏒 Are we building great hockey teams… or just chasing superstars way too early?

In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined once again by hockey development consultant and writer Matt Dumouchelle for a deep, thoughtful, and at times uncomfortable conversation sparked by the World Junior Hockey Championship.

After watching Canada eliminated by Czechia for the third straight year, Matt shared a post that stopped a lot of people in their tracks — and it raised a question every hockey parent, coach, and administrator needs to hear:

👉 What if smaller hockey nations aren’t developing better players — but better teams?

With fewer resources, fewer rinks, and far fewer registered players, countries like Czechia, Finland, Sweden, and Latvia continue to punch above their weight on the world stage. Meanwhile, North America pours massive resources into identifying and developing a very small percentage of players at increasingly younger ages.

This episode dives into:

The difference between team development vs. early superstar identification
Why many European models are forced to develop every kid longer
The hidden cost of early selection, constant movement, and “elite” labels
Why hunger, cohesion, and shared identity still matter in modern hockey
How youth coaches and organizations can shift focus without abandoning competitiveness
What parents should actually expect at each age level — and why benchmarks matter

💡 This is not a Canada vs. Europe debate. It’s a conversation about how we grow the game, keep kids playing, and help more players reach their potential — on and off the ice.

If you care about development, culture, and the future of youth hockey, this one’s a must-listen.

🎙️ Listen. Reflect. Share the conversation.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Are We Developing Hockey Players Too Early? Lessons from World Juniors & European Models

#OurKidsPlayHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyDevelopment #WorldJuniors #TeamOverTalent #PlayerDevelopment #HockeyParents #CoachingYouthHockey #GrowTheGame

Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!

Our Kids Play Hockey is powered by NHL Sense Arena! 🏒🥽

Trusted by our kids! Trust it with yours! Trusted at the NHL level through youth hockey, Sense Arena uses VR and mixed reality to build hockey IQ, confidence, and decision-making for skaters and goalies at their own pace.

And their March offer is huge:
50% off an annual plan compared to paying monthly, plus a free hockey training ball, free Green Biscuit, and free shipping.

Or go all in with

Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!

Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!

Follow Us On Social Media: