EP. 171 - Jared Aulin - Drafted 47th overall by the Colorado Avalanche & World Jr. Silver Medallist for Team Canada

We talk with Jared Allen about what actually builds a strong hockey player, and why the modern chase for status can quietly crush competition, creativity, and confidence. We also trace Jared’s path from top prospect to World Juniors to pro hockey, using injuries and setbacks as the lens for mindset, identity, and long-term development. 
• Minor hockey becoming a business and what gets lost when families buy labels 
• Why earning spots through real tryouts builds resilience and accountability 
• The damage of constant comparison and the word “only” in youth sports 
• Leaving space in the schedule to protect passion and spark self-driven growth 
• WHL and draft-year pressure plus what adversity teaches when you survive it 
• World Juniors selection pressure and the power of belonging to a team 
• Pro hockey development challenges when role and ice time do not match skill 
• Injury recovery as a mental battle and why kids must be people first 
• Skills coaching principles: decision-making, head up habits, basics before viral moves 
• The core message for players and parents: get uncomfortable and do not fear failure 
 

Transcript

Get Uncomfortable From The Start

SPEAKER_01 0:00

So I think the best message for parents is and kids is get uncomfortable. You know, you hear people say it all the time, be comfortable getting uncomfortable. And and if if if you can have um, you know, leave your ego at the door and just go out there and not be afraid to fail, it it's important. And one of the quotes I heard when I was young is a fault does not lie when failing when trying, a fault only lies when failing to try. And and it's it's basically telling you if you don't try, you fail. But if you try and fail, you still have a chance. And so as long as you learn from it. So put yourself in those positions, don't just shy away from them like a lot of kids do nowadays.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

That was Jared Allen, and you are listening to the Up My Hockey podcast with Jason Penolin.

Meet Jared Allen And His Journey

SPEAKER_00 0:56

Welcome to Up My Hockey with Jason Podolin, where we deconstruct the NHL journey, discuss what it takes to make it, and have a few laughs along the way. I'm your host, Jason Penolin, a 31st overall draft pick who played 41 NHL games, but thought he was destined for a thousand. Learn from my story and those of my guests. This is a hockey podcast about reaching your potential. Hey there, welcome to or welcome back to the Up My Hockey Podcast with Jason Podolin. I'm your host, Jason Podolin, and today we are visiting episode 171 with Jared Allen. Uh Jared is a local skill development coach uh out of Kamloops now, and uh his history is uh is an interesting one, an exciting one. He was he was a top prospect uh at at the youth age. Uh he was a top 10 pick in the WHL Banham draft and uh went on to be an excellent junior player, was a high, high pick in the in the NHL draft, ended up going second round. Jared talks about how that season itself didn't go the best he wanted for for him and and kind of slipped from a from a first rounder, a potential very high high pick into the second round. Uh but then went on to to have a hundred point season in the WHL, went on to being selected for the world junior team for uh for Canada, where he was, I believe, tied for second in tournament points at that level. They they uh lost the gold medal game, ended up winning silver uh in his in his journey there with the world juniors, and then was subsequently traded from from the Avalanche where he originally got drafted to the Kings. And and we discussed you know his his journey there and and what happened. He he sustained an injury that that kind of knocked him back a little bit and and still ended up playing for for a very long time, but he did not have the the NHL uh career that that he that he maybe could have had or or even potentially should have had. And and injuries are a big part of the game, and and you know, the adversity that goes along with that road to your potential is is a very tricky one to navigate. And and it was awesome to to talk with with uh Jared about about his journey and and even how you know he he has a set uh philosophy, let's say, now uh that is really tied to his own experience. You know, like what is important for athletes? Uh what is important from a parent perspective now when you're when you're uh trying to look after your athlete's best interest, you know, what what should you be focused on? What should the athlete be focused on? Uh what makes the difference for athletes, you know, to to be their best and to and to thrive in you know in any environment. And and I really enjoy uh any discussion with Jared. You know, I've got to know him a little bit over the last year, year or so. Uh and and yeah, he's a he's an awesome dude. He's he's a real stand-up guy. He's not shy to share his opinion, and uh, and his opinions are well thought out and and very well articulated. So whether it's on the podcast here or you know, uh away from a recording, uh it's always nice to have to have a conversation with Jared. His his perspective is is very interesting and and uh and valuable. So yeah, so this this this episode I think you're you're really going to to enjoy. Uh Jared was awesome enough to come and be a coach at one of my uh um868s here recently in Vernon. Uh I know the the players that he were he was around uh really enjoyed having him as a coach and uh and and really giving back to the game. I mean that's the whole thing here you're gonna hear with with Jared loud and clear is that you know he was able to have an NHL career and uh well I shouldn't say an NHL career, a pro career, uh getting paid to play this game, which uh a lot of people kind of under underestimate how hard that is to do, and to do it for as long as he did is super valuable, but he has a perspective of of you know not quite reaching where he wanted to reach. Uh some things were in his control, some things were out of his control. And uh and like you'll hear me say time and time again, the better we get at controlling what we can within this game keeps you sane for one, uh, but it also allows you to have the best chance possible to to reach your potential and to reach your goals and dreams. And and that's something that Jared speaks about here uh loud and clear on the podcast. So uh without further ado, I will bring you the episode one sift uh 171 uh with Jared Allen. Enjoy. All right, here we are for episode 171 with Jared Allen. Jared, thank you for coming on the podcast.

SPEAKER_01 5:44

Thanks for having me. I'm looking looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_00 5:47

Yeah, it's great. We can uh we can dive in. Ironically, I didn't even know that you played for the Blazers. At least I didn't remember that you played for the Blazers. It's so funny how many Blazers I've I've had on this podcast. The arch rival for me through my time in Spokane, and uh here I am keep celebrating the alumni from the Blazers. Awesome.

SPEAKER_01 6:08

Oh yeah, it's uh they um, you know, at one point in time they were giving a lot of us a chance to to have a sniff at the NHL, so it's uh it's not surprising you've you've chatted with a few of them.

SPEAKER_00 6:21

Yeah, yeah, it was obviously an iconic, I shouldn't say was. I mean that there's they they have a great history there, but that run that they went through there in the in the

Minor Hockey Gets Watered Down

SPEAKER_00 6:30

90s was uh was pretty epic. How did uh maybe we'll start there? I mean we'll start uh you were part of the bantam draft because you're a little bit younger than me. Like I just my my age group uh was actually it was almost my age group that had a full uh a full eligibility of all prospects. Uh myself and two other players were were listed at 13 years old from from my draft, so I wasn't a part of the draft, but everyone else was, uh minus two other players. And then the year after uh would have been a full eligibility. So you'd have been part of that. Were you were you listed were you drafted in the draft?

SPEAKER_01 7:08

Yeah, I went uh sixth overall to Camloops.

SPEAKER_00 7:11

Awesome. So where were you playing uh during that time?

SPEAKER_01 7:14

I was playing, uh actually just moved outside of Calgary, so I was playing for the air jury extreme in the Alberta Major Banham Hockey League. And um thought it was one of the the best uh best things for me actually after you know you move away from friends and I think it's think it's it's gonna be harder, but it actually be I I felt it was one of the best things I did for my minor hockey career.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

Oh, awesome. So your draft year you you weren't playing in your local community.

SPEAKER_01 7:39

Yeah, we just moved outside of town, so I had to play out in airdry, and it was it was uh it was a tough schedule, a lot of travel, and then um a very physical, tough, tough and skilled farm boy league. So it was uh got you ready for the dub back then.

SPEAKER_00 7:54

Yeah, 100%. And that was prior to all the uh CSS HL Academy madness, so it was more of a let's say a one-stop shop for like all the best players were playing triple A at that time.

SPEAKER_01 8:07

Yeah, it was, and it's funny. A lot of kids asked now about triple A when I played compared to now, and I I tell them exactly what you said like you you had to make the team, it was the best of everybody in your area, and it was uh very competitive, and the hockey was consistent. There wasn't a lot of teams getting absolutely thumped. Um, so it was it was it was a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_00 8:29

Yeah. Yeah, I experienced that league uh as a I guess a first-year Venom. I can't remember, they rolled the ages back at some point, but I think I was 14 there as a first-year Venom, and uh I went to Sherwood Park. And uh and yeah, I had uh I mean that was a big move for me. You know, I I've talked about it a bit on the podcast, but we we didn't it wasn't like we didn't want to stay in Vernon, like Vernon was great, and we just came off a provincial championship in BC. Uh but I wanted the opportunity uh at the time to at least try out for the midget team and uh the local midget team, and they didn't like they would not allow me to do that. And so we just felt like it wasn't gonna be the best spot, like that our circuit wasn't wasn't quite as good as the Alberta circuit for sure, you know, and and uh kind of wanted to have a bit more of a challenge. And and I started making phone calls at 14 years old to uh to some people I didn't even know in uh in Alberta. And and the the Dabinskys was who I called. Mike Dabinsky ended up being, I think, a second or third rounder himself uh to Vancouver. And they came into that uh Coca-Cola Classic for an tournament in Pee-Wee, and they always just thumped us. Like they were always as good. So, you know, as a kid, I'm like, well, these guys are good. You know, I mean, I want to go play with these guys. And and uh and yeah, as it worked out, I I was able to show up at camp and um and ended up making the team, and and we just had an absolute wagon that year. Uh, but that league was was unbelievable, you know, like it was it was again, it was where all the best players were in Alberta. Like you couldn't be anywhere else. You mean either you made the team or you didn't, and and um and then you were playing double A, which wasn't the worst thing, right? Like now it's like you know, everyone has like is so fearful of being double A, but the the waters are definitely broader now with where players can play, it's harder to scout. I don't think the league, the leagues in general aren't as good. I don't know how do you how do you feel about that just in general? Like I would guess the top version, in my opinion, would be the CSS HLU 15 Prep League. Um, but even that, there's so much disparity in that league that it's almost like you know, the top teams have the top players, and then there's then there's such a kind of a watered-down effect. I don't know, how do you feel about uh about the state of minor hockey right now?

SPEAKER_01 10:48

I I I think it's going backwards. Uh I agree with you. Like back when we played in that league, it was it was the best of everybody. I mean, it was strong, hard competition. You had to show up and earn it all the time, and now I feel that minor hockey's kind of become more entitled and more of a business that uh, you know, um things do end up getting watered down. Parents are paying for status. If you can't fill a roster, then they find the players that aren't quite there, but the family can afford it. Um, and it it eliminates that competition. Like when we were young, you had to make the team. It wasn't uh, do you want to play for us? It's do you want to play it for us? You're gonna have to try out. And so you learn to earn earn every opportunity to play at the highest level instead of just have it handed to you. And I think now with with the amount of academies we have plus having varsity programs, like I'm a big believer that if we if we uh weeded out varsity programs and allowed minor hockey to stay strong and then prep would be higher because the kids that are good enough to play prep are gonna play prep. And then if we kind of figured out a system where um you can affiliate players from dis different organizations within the areas of those academies, then kind of I I don't know, kind of like your prospects with junior is you you you have the kids that you are yours, and then you can access them at any time you need. I think that will make minor hockey a lot stronger. It'll make hockey in general a lot stronger, and I think it'll make hockey more affordable for families. Um because a lot of the top talent can't afford a $40,000 um you know hockey season. And and so um I hope it it gets to a point where you know people focus more on the development, who the coaches are, what what the kind of team is instead of just the facilities. When we were young, the facilities it was uh who the coaches were, how you're gonna develop, and what kind of competition there was within a league, because um we didn't want to pump teams 7-1, 10-1. We wanted everything to be, you know, three, two, four, three, close games where where you had to earn every inch.

SPEAKER_00 12:57

Yeah, and plus, I mean, I love that. Uh but the other thing is we didn't have a choice, right? Like either you did move somewhere, like physically move, or you just had to play where you were and you landed where you landed. And sometimes it was fair and sometimes it wasn't. Um, but I think like choice is great in some respects. Like I'm not discounting the fact that hey, player mobility is good, especially from potentially smaller towns, right? Like where you really don't have access to top competition. Uh but like the the players at the coast, you know, with AAA and five or six academies and and you know, everyone calling their name all the time and come play here, like I just think it becomes confusing for a lot of people. And uh and again, I don't think that makes it better. We almost in British Columbia, I feel like we cannibalize everything. You know, like how can AAA be strong when we have seven academies, you know, and and then you have the varsity program, and then you have the double A program, and then you have the JPHL. You know, it's just like it goes on and on and on, and there's there's no more players playing now, Jared, than when we played. I actually did the research on that. It's not like there's more there's more players, the players are the same.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

And that's the thing, it is the same. And it's it's I think a lot of it stems back to parents um not following the journey. Like they they they're in a rush to get their kid to the highest level instead of just accepting where their kids at in the moment and allowing them to grow. That if if a kid doesn't make a hockey team, then they go start their own league and start a private hockey club and then they join that league, and it's it's all these different things. And you know, there's some really strong minor hockey programs that are private, but in my opinion, they're way too structured. Like I don't think I think hockey in general has gone backwards from allowing the kids to have their own creativity and learn how to make their own decisions with you know coaching help on structural structure, but not told everything to do, how to do it, when to do it. Um instead of developing individual players who know how to play as a team and become connected, we're we're just um developing a bunch of players that can play like robots and and don't um branch outside of that box. And when you talk about academies, when I talk about parents, there isn't too many parents I know where I ask them where their kid plays, where they don't. If their kids on a varsity program, they'll just say the academy. But if their kids on the prep program, they'll say the academy plus prep. So it's like we're we're raising these kids, you know. I ask kids all the time, hey bud, do you play hockey? Yeah, where do you play? Uh only tier two. Why only? Like what's wrong with playing tier two in your prep you know, journey right now? What's wrong with a kid playing varsity in their journey right now? But there's this constant comparison about what other kids are doing, and and that we gotta do what those kids are doing and chase that. And and we all know we all had different different career paths, different journeys, different adversities and obstacles and and things we have to overcome at different stages in our life. At the end of the day, we all hit it at some point. But why are we putting so much emphasis on on kids so young and treating hockey like a business when the reason we put kids in hockey and sports is to love it, to find a passion, to stay involved in it, to learn life lessons, and hopefully stay out of trouble when they get to those vulnerable years where you know they can get caught up and follow the wrong people. And now we're we're making kids hate it at a younger age because of the pressures. And um, and I think a lot of that has to come with academies and the fear of you know not making an academy or not making a triple A program, instead of just you know, accept it, learn from it, failures, feedback, and and grow and and and make it next year.

SPEAKER_00 16:54

Yeah.

Tryouts Adversity And Earning Spots

SPEAKER_00 16:55

Yeah, there's two things that like the the the tryout aspect, I think I'd like to dive into a little bit. And even going back to my experience there of going to Sherwood Park, like the Sherwood Park experience for me in Bantam was unlike anything I'd experienced in Vernon, right? Like Vernon, we'd maybe, I don't even remember to be honest, like maybe a couple teams might try out, you know, maybe a team and two, two and a half teams might try out, and then you would get either the rep team, and there was no B team then, like in Vernon. It was either you played rep or you didn't play rep. There was just house or rep. So talk about a big dramatic drop-off in that scenario. But going to Sherwood Park, it was like, I don't know, there must have been four or five teams there, maybe even six. Like I just remember there being so many freaking kids. And uh and I also remember being like, wow, these guys are all good. And um, and my dad still jokes with me about it, but like I remember coming off after the first session, right? Like we we've traveled to Sherwood Park, right? We have like a place sort of set up, but by no means did anyone tell me that I was on the team, right? We just thought that I was good, would would would make it, right? And I remember coming off there and I would go, Dad, I don't know if I'm gonna make this team. You know, like that was for me in my head, just because it was such a new experience that and I was, you know, felt the pressure and everything else, and everyone was good. And um, you know, the funny part of that story is like I led the league in points that year. So like I was gonna make the team, but like for me, it just seemed like holy, like it was a very different experience for me. And I did feel the idea of a tryout and having to perform and having to make it. Uh and that there's value in that, right? Like, I really like kids don't try out for anything anymore, almost. Like it's it's very rare that you get in an environment. I mean, sometimes at the minor hockey level, I guess I'll say, because like a double A team or triple A team, you do have to try out and you can't necessarily commit until the tryouts happen. So that exists. Uh, but still not as much. And even at the WHO level now, like you're coming in and you sort of know you're signed, you're on the team, you're not coming to camp as a 16-year-old having to make it. Uh I just think that that's such a that's such a fail by us, I think, as as organizers.

SPEAKER_01 19:04

It's it's it's true. You you ask, like, I like to ask kids, uh, you know, what what have they done that's hard? What have you had to face in your life outside of you know family stuff, but involving sports or school or anything, like what have you done that's hard? And they'll say math. And then you say, okay, well, how do you make it easier? I don't know. You do homework or you ask for help, like it's you know what I mean? You can you can make it easier that way, but they never ever say anything regarding hockey is hard. Like, and so you see, you see very few um in our younger generation that when you know you you see a lot of teams where if they're really good minor hockey teams, they win all the time, and then when they get down by a couple, they lose by a lot. And it's because they've never experienced adversity or anything hard before that um because we just keep handing things to them and and you know the trial process is here in Camloops, like we're we are big on independent evaluators and and having coaches lined up, but not putting them on a team until we know where their kids land and um and trying to you know make it as fair as possible and eliminate as many politics as possible. But even in those situations, you still get um parents being like, wow, comparing this kid with this kid, well, my kid scored, okay. Well, that's great, but that that has nothing to do with the overall tryout, or um you know, always making it he's not a good tryout player. Well, so should we just put him on the team this year because he's not a good trial player, or is he gonna learn if he's cut or she's cut or whatever? That okay, you gotta figure out how to be a good trio player. But if you constantly just say, Okay, yeah, I get it, it's stressful. They were good last year here or later on the team. You know what I mean? Like it's it's where's that balance between understanding you know that a player deserves to be there, but also did they earn it? And and it it's it's trying to get that point across to parents in today's sports world that they have to earn it, even if it's in a short window.

unknown 21:13

Right?

SPEAKER_01 21:14

I get it, it's not a regular season where you can, but some kids do more than others in the summer, and and that's fine. I would never tell an 11-year-old kid that you have to do all this to make the 18. But if they choose not to and other kids chose to, then you have to accept where they're at. And it's fine that they didn't play on the 18 that year because when they do want to put in the extra, they will. What's the rush? So it's uh it's it's it's it's you know, I I I'm not a believer in U11, U13 kids wearing dress clothes to hockey games. I think it's it's they're still too young, U 15, sure. Now you can wear your collared shirt and your pants. That's how I did it when I was young, but up until you 13, you were you were a hundred percent a kid that played the game and your parents just questioned your effort and your attitude. And you know, that was it. Like my parents never brought up NHL, they never brought up how good I was when I was young. They just said, you go be a good teammate and you work hard. And you know, now it's you know, we live in an era where when you were young, if you had success, parents were of other kids were happy for you. They're like, go make us proud, Podzi. Like, go make it happen. And the same when I was young. Like, if I made an all-star team, it's just great job, Jared, you deserved it, go make us proud. Now it's like, well, what about my kid? My kid's better than them.

unknown 22:39

Right?

SPEAKER_01 22:40

This is ridiculous. Like, why is he going? And it's like, can't we just be happy for other kids' accomplishments? And you, you, I mean, you talk about UMH 68, like to the players, like, be proud of other people's accomplishments too. That's gonna make you better. And unfortunately, it's it's lacking in the parent world today.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

Yeah, I love that you touch on that, the uh attitude and effort. I've I've mentioned that in my Facebook group before, like parent Facebook group, well, more than once, but like you know, if you want to go any deeper than that, I guess it's totally up to you. And it's up to your maybe how how comfortable you feel in your hockey acumen and knowledge, you know, to support you know, plays and and you know, this type of scenario. But like if that can be what a what a player comes in with, and and and that is how the play the parent evaluates their game, I think that you're doing such a great service to your son or daughter uh just by having them reflect on those two things. Did you work your ass off? And what was your attitude like, you know, when things didn't go well, and also when other players, you know, were having success, whatever the case may be. And and my goodness, like a lot of things figure themselves out if those are if those are your standards and if those are the habits that you're trying to instill at a young age.

SPEAKER_01 23:57

Oh, yeah. Then um accountability naturally sets into the player. Like those are two two things a player can choose. They can choose to be a good kid and have a good attitude, and a hard worker, or they can choose not to be. And if they're not, but you continue to support it, then you're enabling it. But if if you challenge it, now the kid has to take accountability and own it on their own. And then now we've created harder workers and and better people that whether they make it in hockey or not, they're they're giving themselves a chance to earn an opportunity in whatever workforce they choose.

SPEAKER_00 24:34

Yeah, 100%. You talked about structure earlier and being overstructured. Uh I I like I totally speak to this, and I'm a firm believer in it, that when it is completely programmed for kids and it starts so early, that that leaves out the opportunity to feel that you're personally responsible for your own development. And and then there's no empowerment in that, and then there's no creativity in that, and there's no like, let's say, extra, because there's so much extra already put in that that's the end of the

Space Away From Hockey Matters

SPEAKER_00 25:10

day for them, you know what I mean? And sometimes rightfully so, right? You mean if you start your day at six o'clock and you're on the bus and you're here and you're there and you're doing your workout and you've done your shooting, and then you get home, you want a break, you know. And and I and I think, but the juice, and I think you agree with me, is the people that want to get better and want to find ways to do that.

SPEAKER_01 25:31

Exactly. I I think I think the want, I don't think enough young athletes understand what wanting something means. And I know it all it took us all time to figure it out, but I don't think even at the higher levels now, like, you know, I watch our Canadian World Junior team and I I watch junior hockey, and I see the lack of you know, aggression and and finish checks or or the lack of desperation when they're down. Like I found it extremely disappointing not to see our world junior team try absolutely everything to win that hockey game. And I'm I'm a big believer that now and I work, you know, I have a lot of NHL clients and a lot of clients that are close to getting there, but the common difference I see between the two is the guys that are there continue working on their craft. They have that edge, they have that passion, they have zero excuse because they know someone's trying to take their spot. The guys who are getting there now, this young mentality is that you know, if if say I'm a 15-year NHL veteran and we draft a kid to our team who's supposed to be good, he wants me to automatically respect him and be super excited that we have this kid on our team now. Whereas when we were young and you know, got drafted, we went in there, it didn't matter. I got drafted to Colorado the year they went on to win that Stanley Cup with Ray Borick, and it didn't matter. I was obviously excited to see Joe Sakick, he was my favorite player, and meet those guys in Forsberg and Wah and Ray Borick and all these big name guys, but I respected and appreciated Sean Podine just as much. I was like, man, this is cool. Like this guy's been in the NHL a long time, and I would, you know, chat with him, and and then I wanted to prove why I was drafted, not just like, I'm here, I should be happy I'm here, and and I see that mentality in these young guys now instead of you know you take a Macklin Cellebrini who he shows up and he's like, watch me and he's humble and he's hard working, and look at the season he's having. And then you've seen some other guys step in where they're like, I'm gonna be the big dog, but I'm not gonna work as hard as a Macklin Celebrini, and then guys are like, what's going on here? And then suddenly it trickles back, and now they have to figure it out somehow, but but it's it's the work doesn't stop just because you got drafted. And I think uh I think there is that mindset that you know respect is just given, not earned, and we're we were earned, not given. So um it's just finding that that desire and that drive and understanding the difference between motivation and drive, and and that it can't be a temporary thing, you gotta do it all the time, and it's that consistency that I think lacks in in the young people to prove their want. And so whenever I coach, I always ask kids, do you how many of you want to go as far as you can? And they all put up their hand. I never say NHL because I already know that's the dream, but I always I want them to understand that making one dollar playing hockey is great. But I always say, how how many of you want to play as long as you can? They all put their hand up. And so I'm more of an accountability-based coach than a fear-based coach. So if a kid, if they all put their hand up and they're not back checking, I can go to that kid and say, Hey, you said you wanted to play as long as you can, and that's not the effort that's gonna get there either. You gotta you gotta work on both sides of the puck. Then you give them a chance, and if they don't do it, obviously you pull them back for a little bit to reflect on it, and then you put them back out there. But um, now it's just all about winning that the coaches just put the best players out there even when they're not working hard.

SPEAKER_00 29:02

Yeah. I like that accountability versus fear. I think that's the biggest motivator, like for me, uh, and even from the mindset side that I, you know, obviously coach and love to chat about is what is driving the player, right? And to find that thing that drives them and then teach them how they can be accountable to that, right? Like some of these things, like I think we just feel that they're supposed to know or that they have. But I think like the environment they've been raised in, whether that's in the four walls of their own house or whether it trickles down to school or whatever, like I think that there's been less emphasis on this generation with accountability and and what those how to connect those dots. So I love that you do that because I try my best to do that as well. Like, give them a blueprint for what they want, and then they can have their own track record and their own accountability session on whether they're doing it or not.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

And yeah, and the expectations they know what what you're asking, and and they've told you what they want, and now you just piece it all together and challenge them on it.

SPEAKER_00 30:06

And that's kind of getting back into the structure, like for parents that you know, sometimes you have kids that are super keen, right? Like really keen, and they want to do all the extra ice and they're asking for it and they and they want to find it. And like that's when it's hard as a parent to say no, uh, especially, you know, in different times of the year, where I think we're both believers we talked about at the UMH 68, you know, of having space and time, you know, to get away from the game. And and sometimes it's hard to say no as a parent. But for any parent out there where your kid isn't asking for it, it should be way easier for you to make that decision of not getting them and finding them the things to put them in. Uh, because that is where I think the real juice happens, like of that whole idea of like now there's room for them to be bored, for them to be interested, creative, creative potentially. How am I going to get better? What am I going to do in my spare time? And uh and that's the stuff that fuels it for the long term. Like, that's the longevity cue right there. You know, that you you have to have that intrinsic motivation and that and that want. When your schedule is always filled up by somebody else, there's nothing left for you to do or to think about. You know, you just go. And sometimes you'll even take those opportunities for granted because they're right there and we're not grateful for them, and maybe we're not giving our best effort. So I don't know. Just the message to parents like listening is like try and find that balance. I think leaving space for players to be interested to, you know, to find spots that they're gonna do it without somebody watching them or blowing a whistle or telling them how to do it, you know, uh investigating their own hockey camps or schools. Where do they want to go? Like, what's it, what, what, where, what, what interests them? Uh I mean, I'll speak to Court Lane because I was just in Court Lane this year, and we the schedule's awesome because Friday, there's no school on Friday. And so sometimes if we're in town, there will be a practice, and sometimes there won't be on that on that Friday. Uh, but the gym's open. So like they have access to gym, and the gym is like right there, like where they can shoot, where they can stick handle, right beside the school. And there is breaks in the day where you might have a break or you have some time after lunch, or maybe you're waiting for 30 minutes for practice. And it opens up some opportunities for these guys to do what they feel they need to do for them, right? Because we all know that a team workout is fantastic and it's awesome to have an opportunity to do that, but that's a holistic program for everybody on the team, right? Like Johnny might not need to do bench press today, right? Like maybe you should be doing plyometrics, you know, every day, right? Maybe you should be doing sprints. And um, and so yeah, but if you don't have time to do that, you mean it takes that power away from them. So I just love that environment there. I know that we had a lot of kids like finding that extra time and investing in themselves. And of course, not all kids do it, because not all kids are wired that way, right? But those that can, it's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 32:49

And I think the reason why you don't see as much street hockey anymore, you know, is because it's too constant, and it's it's like if you eat your favorite meal every day, eventually it's not your favorite. And so if if if you're doing too much hockey, this the the real creative moments where kids can just be themselves and play hockey and it's on the street, you know, like especially here in DC where it doesn't get cold enough to have long-term outdoor rinks. But uh I you know I find it very rare to see kids outside. I see them shoot pox, but I never see them just play. You know, when we were young, your parents had to beg you to come inside to have lunch or dinner just to get you away from playing street hockey. And so uh when kids do miss it, they'll show you. They'll either ask or they'll they'll pick up their stick and shoot pox or they'll go play street hockey. And and and and I do think, like you said, when they investigate their own camps and and academies and things they want to go to, then if your kid does want to go to academy and you you're willing to invest the money, then have them write a letter or or or something as to why they want to go. And then they have to reflect on that. Like, you know, I don't think enough kids understand the value of money and the and most of all the value of the time the parents put in to make the money to pay for these opportunities. So uh there's nothing wrong with it, with seeing if the kid um understands exactly why they want to go and do this and and what they're gonna put into it, and then that's kind of their way of signing a contract to themselves.

SPEAKER_00 34:20

Yeah, I love that accountability again, it's perfect. This episode is brought to you by Biosteel. Stay hydrated and connected with the Biosteel Teams app, your all-in-one team management tool for schedules, scores, standings, game streaming, and team updates. It's fast, free, and built for athletes and families. Teams can also score an exclusive Biosteel starter kit with water bottles, hydration packets, and towels to rep their squad. Download the Biosteel Teams app now on the App Store or Google Play and stay in the know all tournament long. Thank you to Biosteel for being a main sponsor of the UMH 68 and affiliating with Up My Hockey. Uh, you make the UMH 68 a better place. Thank you, Biosteel. Now let's get back to the episode with Jared Allen.

WHL Reality Pressure And Physicality

SPEAKER_00 35:15

How about so we let's go back to you? So Blazers, so Blazers drafted six overall, obviously uh you know, placing you in the in in a very elite company there with uh with being a top 10 selection. And you played as a 16-year-old. What was that what was that like for you getting there? You know, your yeah, your camp, if there's anything you remember from that, uh did you feel that you were a lock to be there? Like what what type of communication was there? Uh let's hear your experience with that.

SPEAKER_01 35:44

Yeah, there was a lot of pressure. I remember being a draft pick and actually playing in the kibbutz tournament. So a lot of people came to watch, and we ended up winning the tournament. And I led the tournament points, had a really good tournament, and then all of a sudden you get to rookie camp and it's all cameras and interviews, and it's always everybody want to have you know their moment to talk to you and put you on the news and all that stuff. And uh, my parents grew up here in Kamloop, so I had family out here, so there was there was a lot of pressure, and um I didn't I didn't know if I was gonna make the team, I knew I had to earn it. Um played really well, earned my way out of the team, and the biggest moment for me then is you know, I was 155 pounds, 160 pounds in an era where it was you know a lot of big guys, and I remember having a practice and Robin Regier was on my team, and I I I asked one of the guys and just asked why no one tries to beat him wide. Uh they're like, I don't know, that's a good question, obviously playing with me a little bit. And so I was like, oh, it was a it was a one-on-one, and then you just had to back check all the way, not check the players, but back check all the way back to your end just as kind of a hidden bag skate. So I went one-on-one against Ragier and tried to beat him wide, and he absolutely hammered me. Knocked the wind rate out of me, and I remember finishing the rep and then skating all the way back with no wind, got to the corner, and I was just like trying to find air, and my teammate looks at me and goes, Yeah, it's we call it the tunnel of death. But it was just uh it was a wake-up call on like, I'm not playing against guys my age anymore. Like, this is these guys are big guys, and some of them are NHL draft picks already, and and and the compete was different then. Like a battle practice was a battle. Like it was there was zero taking it easy on your teammate. It was Robin Regier to break a stick on your back. And we we had a tough team, and you know, there was guys getting into it in practice, and um but when it came to games, and I think that glues you together a little bit more is when you have that extra compete in practice and the willingness to show your buddy that I'll go to war, because then in a game, you know, they're there for you in the same capacity. And so um that was the big thing for me. Like obviously, that uh uh Airdre Extreme days was physical, there were line brawls and things like that, but it was your age group. And so coming into where you know you might have been the best at your age group in in minor hockey, now you gotta prove that you're one of the best players in the league and and start that young and then progress from there and then stay consistent, and now you're a target in an era where you know target men guys were not just trying to finish the check, but they're trying to hurt you. And so playing through that um side of I don't care who you are, if when you're a skilled guy and you got guys wanting to hurt you, there's there's fear. And so you have to be cautious and aware. And I think uh, you know, being able to put up numbers as well as you know, protect yourself and know that you had teammates that wanted to protect you, but also that you would protect your teammates. Like that was the the rule of hockey back then, you know, it didn't matter if you were skilled or not, you you stood up for each other. And so there was that camaraderie and there was no egos in that sense. Everybody felt as an equal because you treated everybody the same and stuck up for everybody the same. And um so it was just it was uh it was it was it was thrilling, it was exciting, it was just another, you know, step towards your goal and and a lot of learning lessons. And um, you know, I didn't get a ton of ice time as a 16-year-old, but when I um, you know, they they they wanted to teach you things where they'd scratch you for a game just to see how you'd react. And um so you had like I said earlier, you had to earn every inch, and and you know, I'm happy that that I was a part of that era where nothing was given for free. And um, you know, I I wish it wasn't as physical in the sense of being targeted like that. I wish guys just tried you hard enough not to hurt you. Um, but again, I learned a lot from it and and love my time uh you know, wearing the Blazer bee.

SPEAKER_00 39:47

Yeah, was that hard as a 16-year-old to uh to leave home and to be there and and all the you know everything else that goes along with that?

SPEAKER_01 39:55

Yeah, for me it wasn't as difficult because Camlo's I was fortunate enough they allowed me to live with my grandma. Um so I had family here, like I said, with my aunts and uncles and grandparents. And um, but it's always, you know, it's it's still not your parents when you're going through things and um you know when you're facing adversity or uh a phone call over the phone when you're in tears and you don't have the hug of your parents or just you know go for a walk or or that kind of thing. I think it impacts people, and I think a lot of people lose sight of that with sending 13-year-olds away for academy. So like it's it's the stuff they don't think about, and I think that's important is when a kid's at home, you can see if they're okay. Over the phone, you might hear it in their voice, but you still don't know. So it's it's in my opinion, you know, 16 felt young. Um 13's really young, so it's it's uh it's it's just important to navigate the pros and cons with anything you're doing. And I and one of the big reasons I think I was lucky to go to Camloops is the the teams ahead in the draft that we spoke to. My parents said they'd prefer me to go to Camloops because there's family there. So I got lucky that way.

SPEAKER_00 41:05

Oh, good. Yeah, yeah. I mean, you're talking about the the era, and I won't I won't dwell on it more just for us to to go back through in in the time warp. Like it was tough. Like it was really tough, and you don't like you recognize it at the time, but not really. Like now I recognize it more. So uh looking back because you know, back when you could cross-check, when you know, when when when splashes happened and they weren't called like to go to the dirty areas, and and you you mentioned being a skill guy, you know, like to score goals was hard, you know, like it was it was hard, you know. Like if you had a shot to score from the perimeter, great, you know what I mean? But you we all know how often those shots from the perimeter go in. So like the majority of the time you're having to get to a dirty area, and the dirty area was really freaking dirty. So whether you whether you fought or not, like you had to be willing to put your body definitely on the line and know that you might leave with a bruise, like more often than not. And uh and I freaking love that, like looking back on it now, you know, like I really do. Like, as far as like from a personal point of pride, uh self-esteem, you know, like talk about doing hard things, like that's hard, you know, that's hard. And it was drilled into us. I mean, it happened in practice for sure. Like it was hard in practice, you're going against older guys. It was hard. And there was more liberty sometimes in practice than in the games because no one's calling penalties. So you you went through the ringer and you continue to go through the ringer and you can get to check your you know, your courage at the door. And are you willing to show up? You know, are you willing to do it consistently? And um, anyways, obviously not none of us did it all the time consistently, uh, but consistent enough to get paid for it and to have a job and you know and to be successful. So, anyways, I just kind of like that. And I think a bit of that is well, not a bit. I know it's missing today, and I and it kind of pisses me off that the kids can't really have the opportunity to feel that, you know, and uh and to have that value.

SPEAKER_01 42:58

I think like, you know, I was a very creative player um when it was frowned upon, like I was doing things not to be arrogant, but trying to turn something out of nothing that because it worked. And and you know, if a lot of people say I was born 10, 15 years too early, but I think that creativity came from the dirty hockey. Like I had to find ways to make plays knowing if I do this, okay, now I gotta protect myself because this guy's coming. And I think so. Decision making and and creating separation and all that stuff in our era, I mean, outside of the training they have today for being explosive and some stuff, is benefited the game because today I find it's not kids aren't they don't have that sense of urgency to make a player to get like escape and move their feet or shoulder check, scan the ice, find option A, B, and C. They see one option and that's it. Whereas we had to see every option because one, we knew we were getting hit. And two, if we turn the puck over, we're probably getting benched. So you you had to protect yourself and make the right plays. Whereas today it's not as physical and you don't the kids don't worry as much. So now it's okay, I'll get the puck, then I'll look to see if anything's open, and then I'll turn my head or whatever.

SPEAKER_00 44:15

And it's like yeah, that's a good point. That's a good point.

SPEAKER_01 44:18

We're done.

SPEAKER_00 44:19

Yeah, that is a good point. I never really actually thought of it that way. That they there is a little bit more time potentially to do that, you know, um, to collect the puck, to understand, to maybe to look and scan. Uh, the one that drives me nuts is like the lack of people that are willing to go to the net right now. Like, that is such a lost art. Like, hit drive the far post, you know. Like what, you know, it's a it can be a dirty area, but not even as much anymore. Like, very rarely does really huge contact happen there anymore. And what a great way to score goals, right? And to make yourself be noticed.

SPEAKER_01 44:50

But Zach Hyman's a fun. He says he got 50 David, but the only other line mate McDavid's had that's gotten, I think, over 25 goals or 30 goals is Dry Sidal. So you have to be willing to pay that price, and then Hyman does it's rewarded.

SPEAKER_00 45:04

So you're so you played as a 16-year-old, your 17-year-old was your draft year, it looks like. Um had a had a had a good year. You know, I don't know how you how you viewed it. Good enough to go 47th overall or whatever it was, which is awesome. But what was that what was that experience like? Because I know for me personally, I never I don't know, I never really felt pressure like trying out as ticketing at 15 years old and playing in that league. And you know, any I never really felt it until the draft year, like when I knew NHL scouts were there, and I knew that I could read about myself in the hockey news, and you know, you saw the boards and and all the rest of it. Like that was the first year where it came uh a bit of a business, I guess, for me. You know, agents were stalking to me then and flying me around, and you know,

Draft Year Injury And Agent Lessons

SPEAKER_00 45:50

whatever the case may be. So to me, that was different. Like my draft year was a different year, and I think I I didn't handle it the best that I could. I was also dealing with a ton of coach stuff in Spokane at the time, so there was that on top of it and parent pressure with that. So that like that was my first year of like dealing with it all kind of like how how how was it for you uh in your draft year?

SPEAKER_01 46:11

Same for me, believe it or not. Like it wasn't uh a year where I was happy to go 47th overall. Um, I was ranked third in the world at the start of the year. I had 23 points in my first nine games in the WHL to lead the league in points, and um, we didn't have any toughness, and so I was getting abused every game, and uh eventually it it got to where I had an avulsion fracture in my foot and tore all the ligaments from getting hit, and my foot got caught in the in the in the crease of the boards. Um, and my coach made me play with it. He gave me two weeks off, three weeks off or something, and then forced me to play with it. Uh well, I can't say forced, but told me I had to play. Um so in between, they taped it like a cast, so I couldn't move it, and then they'd cut it off in between periods and then tape it like a cast again, and then cut it off in between periods to get the blood flow. So I went from 23 points in nine games and finished the season with 55 points in 57 games. And the coach didn't want me talking to NHL scouts or agents during the season because he felt it was a distraction to the team. And it was frustrating for me because I was always a team guy. I never had a bad attitude. I was always kind. My parents always raised me to be Jared Allen first, a kind, kind kid with a good attitude. And and so I had a coach that competed with me instead of coached me. And um it was extremely frustrating and and um instead of you know in hindsight, I probably should have opted out of the draft that year and and waited till I was healthy. And but again, you think, you know, you still proved enough at the start of the year that you'll go higher. And so the only thing that wasn't frustrating in in in that year was um Colorado drafting me. Um they met with me before the draft, said they wanted to pick me in the first round, but they're afraid I'm not gonna survive junior just because of the abuse I was taking. And um Colonna Rockets at that time took a guy who quit hockey and was backpacking. They told him to come back just to fight me every time we played them. So it was it was you know, you're a target. Like it was it was abusive hockey and you had to tough it out. And um, so I went to Colorado and had a really good rookie camp. Um then went to main camp. Uh Bob Hartley was there. He was really hard on me the one day. He didn't know I was actually sick. He thought I was a young and entitled kid, I think, that uh was faking it during the bag skate. But the day before I had talked to the trainers not knowing there was a bag skate the next day that I was wasn't feeling good at all, and then he actually ended up so he torched me on the ice, and then Bob Hartley was famous for a 50-minute bag skate with no pox ready to 15 laps one way. Mountain climbers, if you don't do the mountain climber under 42 seconds the first time or whatever, 45 seconds the first time, you have to do it again. And the second time you do it, if it's not under 47 seconds, then you have to do it again. And he made one guy go seven times, but I remember him just lacing into me but facing the crowd so that they didn't know that he was attacking me, like not attacking me where it was anything. I was like, whoa, it was it was hard, but it wasn't honest because he didn't know that I was actually sick and until he saw the vitals on my blood and stuff from the doctors, and he ended up apologizing to me. But um, you know, I was the last cut as an 18-year-old in Colorado, and then they they wanted to call me up halfway through the season because they had a bunch of injuries from from cam loops, but my agent at the time said no, unless they guaranteed me 10 games. So if I could do anything over my life, it would be that because um for me it was just getting the opportunity. I wish I knew better, but you hire somebody to look out for you, but to go there, and you can't put a dollar sign on on the knowledge and just from learning from them and watching them from the likes of the players on that team that year, because there's uh I think all five or six guys that are legends and and um but it didn't work out that way, and um ended up LA traded me or Colorado traded me to LA, not where they traded me, but LA got to choose the player they wanted in the Rob Blake trade. So uh went yeah, went went to LA from there, but then my first day in LA found out that uh the two scouts that I met with throughout the course of my time in Camloose before they picked me, um, died in 9-11. So I got there with no scouts in my corner and then I had to prove myself again. And uh you know, went went through a lot of adversity. The hardest part was not, you know, that Ace and and Mark passed away, but um being being in a position again where the guys who know you, you know, are now watching over you instead of instead of there with you. And so your heart hurts for them, but you're also there to try and make them proud and just hope you get the same opportunity everybody else was getting. But then you had to earn it again. So it was right, it was it was a lot of a lot of hard, a lot of adversity, but you had to have the resilience and then um kind of move forward from there.

SPEAKER_00 51:00

Yeah. It's rarely fair, is it? It's uh yeah, there's always something. And I find that generally like the the something is is is where the juice is if we can get if we can get through it. You know, I know like that that draft, my draft scenario is like I don't even know if at the end of the day I handled it, right? Like by staying in Spokane and all the things that happened, you know, a lot of people thought I should have opted out or asked for a trade or done whatever, you know, I chose to stay and tried to make it work. And and and because it was on my terms and something that I wanted to do and something that I dealt with, like you no one can take that away from me, right? Like, I don't know if it was right from a hockey side, but it was right from a personal side, and and I think that really built my resolve that fuck I can handle anything, you know, like uh I I can I can handle it. And uh and yeah, so I don't know, like it's kind of crazy. The adversity kicks you around, it's it's tough. Um but yeah, hopefully we're better, we're better for it. This episode is also brought to you by Elite Prospects, a UMH 68 tournament sponsor, sponsoring stats and all-star awards for UMH 68 participants. Elite Prospects is the gateway to hockey. Online since 1999, EliteProspects.com is the leading statistical resource in the game, serving over a million unique visitors every week. For players, EP is your online showcase, highlighting your achievements and helping you get noticed by scouts, coaches, and schools at every level. For serious fans, EP Ringside delivers deep insight on players worldwide through written features, video breakdowns, interviews, and more. We are definitely proud to spot to partner with Elite Prospects for tournament stats and all-star awards at the UMH 68. And uh and it was awesome this last UMH 68, they actually had uh a scout, Elite Prospect Scout, came to the event, did written reports on on a majority of our players there, uh excuse me, at the uh at the event. Super special for players to go afterwards and and read their read their scouting reports, see what uh see what an elite prospect scout has to say about them, and that will live on their Elite Prospects profile forever. So really exciting to have Elite Prospects involved with Up My Hockey in the UMH 68, uh a valuable partner for us, and and we couldn't thank Elite Prospects more for being a part of Up My Hockey in the UMH 68. Now let's get back to the podcast with Jared Allin.

World Juniors Belonging And Identity

SPEAKER_00 53:42

I want to shift to uh the world juniors. It's super cool that you were there, uh, one, and also super cool that you had a great tournament and looks like you were second in the tournament in points. Let's talk about that selection process and and plan uh plan for your country.

SPEAKER_01 53:57

Yeah, and that was that was that because uh the year before I was told that if I had 50 points by Christmas, then there's no way they wouldn't ask me to try out for world juniors, and I had 52 points and didn't get the invite and was pretty pretty disappointed. So when I did get the invite, I wanted to to prove myself. And I remember you know, Mark Hapside coached me when I was 16, and then he was the assistant coach there. And we had one more intersquad game left, and I was having a really good camp and um you know selling myself as a person off the ice and how I played the game on the ice. And then I remember him coming up to me and saying, Hey, they got you on the bubble right now, like you you have to have a game. And I was thinking, like, really, I'm on the bubble right now, like I'm doing really well out here. And um, so I ended up going out there, I had six points, I got two goals and four assists, I think, in that intersquad game, and it was televised. So I I earned my spot on the team. And then once you get to world juniors, I remember the guys that played the year before Jared Stoll. And he he's like, guys, we're gonna we're doing a team building thing, and I'm telling you, everybody's gonna be in tears. And we're like, quite a bunch of hockey players in tears. And so we went, and the way they did it was they they had a flag at the front of the room, and and then each player had to go up and designate the tournament to someone and sign their names on the flag and then sign underneath it. And I remember uh um you know Brian Sutherby, his brother has epilepsy, so he wanted to trade spots with him just for a day. And so the tears are going for that because he's talking about their relationship. And Scotty Upshaw had a had a young cousin who was fighting cancer, and there were all these different things. And for me, it was is the hardest part for me was that my parents, because my dad did well but never gave us a silver spoon treatment, but um was always everything was about my parents not being supportive, but only being there because they have money. So if they came to watch me in cam loops, it was because they have money, it wasn't to support their kid. And even the hockey news in the top 60 rankings said first sentence was the son of a wealthy businessman. And so for me, I got emotional because my thing was that my parents were the most supportive people on the planet, but weren't looked at as being supportive, but just as arrogant. And my my dad never, mom never dressed, they never wore fancy stuff. They never you would never tell that I came from a background, money background, unless you saw the house and my dad's dream car that he had forever. Um, and so I got super emotional with that. And um the head scout at the time came up to me and he apologized and said, I'm sorry, I should have you should have been here last year. He's like, but I did think that you were silver soon. And he's like, that was a huge eye-opener for me. I'm glad I've gotten to know you as a person. Um, and so what you take from that is that my parents never got involved with my hockey, they never talked to my coaches, they never interfered with anything, just hands off all the time. But because there's always jealousy in the world, and I think there was jealousy of my dad's success, that then toxic parents talk and spew whatever they want to spew, and then instead of people looking into it to themselves, they just make their assumptions, and then you know, it it ends up affecting me. And my dad to this day feels bad, but he didn't do anything wrong. There was nothing my dad did wrong. Uh and so the world junior experience and and obviously having that conversation was probably the highlight of my career. Um we we came up short in the the gold medal the game. We were up 3-1 against Russia, lost 5-4. But just the camaraderie of the team, we had a guy named Colin Robinson, who actually is the old trainer for the Blazers, but he would do a dance off, he'd call it the jump around, and so he'd bring a stuffed animal that represented every country, and he'd he'd beat the wheels off these stuffed animals, and then he'd pretend to break dance, and he'd have more injuries than any like get stitches and stuff. He ran right through a door, and like, but he'd get the boys all fired up, and how how quickly we came together, and then how quickly, you know, it was the era of no social media, so they had email accounts for us that we didn't get to access, but they would print off any positive messages we were getting from fans, and then we'd go for breakfast and read these positive, supportive messages from fans, and then we'd go out there and play. And it was it was just unbelievable to know that you're representing your country and that you know, even to this day, everybody watches, and and to to have success individually and and you know, even winning a silver medal is a huge accomplishment. Um still stings that you didn't you didn't you know finish it. But um I was proud of every guy that I played with that went on to have a career, whether it was for one game, two games, or you know, five hundred plus games. And and I think that's the biggest thing is you're now on an international stage with the best players in the world for your age group, and you're rooting for each other when when you separate. You continue those bonds when you're playing against each other and uh and you want to see the success of each other, but you still have that inner competition too. So it was it was an unreal moment. And you know, I went through some boxes here the other day that I got from my parents' house, and I got a jersey signed by the whole team, and then uh on the front, it's two Ted and Pat, my parents, uh, from your friend Wayne Gretzky. And like so it's just it's it's it's those moments, and those are the things you know that you'll always remember is is not just the hockey and how great it was, but the relationships you build and the memories you made just from being in something so so huge.

SPEAKER_00 59:37

Yeah, yeah, it is big. And I I've I've said that on the on the show. Like, I'm I'm one of those guys too, like, like you, that didn't well, I I guess you haven't said that we're gonna get to your NHL career, but like I thought it was gonna be more than it ended up being, right? A pro career, and and and it turned out that you know, playing for your country in the world junior championships, and you know, and in our case we were able to beat Sweden in the gold medal game, like by far the best thing to happen to me, you know, like it's super special, right? Like, so special and so thankful and so grateful that that was able um to happen. And for a lot of guys, even guys that go on to the NHL and play their 500 games, right? If they don't win the Stanley Cup, like they look back on that moment as being like, That's my moment, you know, like that was my moment, like that was such a such a great experience. So that's awesome that you're able to see that and and and be a part of it. There is nothing. Um I guess the world junior, I mean, I guess the Olympics would be the next level, right? Like of doing for your country again, like those guys that get to play for that at the NHL level, would what I what I would assume would be a freaking amazing feeling, um, or a World Cup or something like that. But yeah, for for us of that age group, it was it was pretty special. Um yeah, and I I smile every time I think about it. Such a great group of guys and and such a such a ton of fun uh being around that. We with with that, so that was your 19-year-old year, right? So then you you end up going to did you start in Manchester then as a pro, like when you got traded to LA?

NHL Minutes Trust And Development

SPEAKER_00 1:01:10

Is that where you started? LA?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:12

Yeah, so I obviously did the exhibition games and then went down to Manchester to start the season and then kind of got called up from there and was then kind of up and down from east coast or west coast, east coast. Uh the long travel, but it was it was worth it.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:27

Yeah, so the um we talked about Andy. So Andy Murray was the coach then when you were there.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:33

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:34

Right. So um, so yeah, Jared and I shared that. So I was in LA a couple seasons earlier. I'm not even really sure. I think it may have been 2000, 2001. I was there uh after I got traded, and uh Larry Robinson got fired. Well, when I first got there, Larry Robinson was there, and then Larry Robinson got fired, and then uh Andy Murray came in from my from my training camp. So I got to experience Andy at that training camp, and then they called me up for playoffs at the end of that year, and I was there for the playoff run in I think three games maybe that year they had me up for. So uh I experienced Andy Murray. He uh he didn't like me very much, so that usually turns around that you don't like him very much. Uh how was your how was your experience with Andy?

SPEAKER_01 1:02:17

It was that's like I I don't know, I don't know if he liked me or didn't like me. So it was it was, you know, there was a time he told me I gotta introduce you to my niece, and then there's times where you know he didn't treat me like he wanted me to meet his niece. So it was that was it was one of those situations where you needed to lean on the veteran guys. Um he was really hard on the rookies. Um so if a veteran was to get in trouble and go through the rookie, like I'd get yelled at, and then someone would come up to me and be like, he's not talking to you, he's trying to get the message to Paul Fiendelson or whatever. Um but it was it was tough because I I mean I was a skilled guy who should have been playing with skilled players and and no dis disrespect to my linemates, they were great guys and and brought a lot to the team for their roles, but the both of them were tough guys. And um, you know, you're expected to produce and you're getting six minutes of ice time with with tough guys. And then um, I think the the first game I got over 13 minutes of ice time, I had two goals and an assist and and um proved like you know, just give me a chance. And I think that's the hardest part about, you know, you're excited to get there, but like I remember my first NHL game against St. Louis. Uh my first shift, I walked the defenseman wide, they turned, buried me from behind, but before I got hit from behind, I dropped it back to Matthew Schneider, who took a one-timer and hit the crossbar. So I almost had an assist, plus I drew a penalty, but then I never saw the shift again after that. And you sit there, and I I I I mean maybe I'm different than most, but I I'm not a guy that that chases the paycheck. I'm the guy that chases the ice time. Like I want to play. Like the whole purpose of wanting to be a hockey player is to play the game, not just um a few minutes. And so um you know, I was I was super appreciative, and I'm I'm glad I got to live out my dream. I'm I'm upset I got cut short because of an injury, but I think you know, at some point I probably would have earned the more minutes. Um But it's nice to see the young guys nowadays getting put in opportunities where they expect them to play and give them that chance to thrive instead of you know, you're gonna start here. We're gonna very give you very limited minutes, but we want you to keep your confidence up because we expect you to play here the next year. And it's like, well, why don't you see if I can play at that level right now? And if I can't, then send me down for development and then bring me back up instead of keeping me around just to play six minutes. So it sounds terrible, but um it's it's not that I don't appreciate my time in the NHL. I'm super thankful. I'm super you know grateful that I scored at that level, and and you know, my kids got my jerseys hanging in their rooms, and um, you know, there's obviously frustration in the fact that I did have an injury and my NHL career got cut short, but uh I just wish that the time I did have, I was given more of an opportunity to prove what I am actually capable of doing at the highest level.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:37

Yeah, that's definitely a that's definitely hard. And I do agree with you. They're doing more of that. I mean, if you're a you know, if you're a scoring right winger and that's they they they want you to be a scoring right winger, then they put you in a situation where you could potentially be that in the NHL instead of instead of to your point, you know, being on the fourth line with six minutes and then getting sent down and they tell you, well, you didn't produce. You know, that was the one that I Got and it was like, well, not sure how that's possible, to be honest. I don't think the guys I was playing with produced either. So, you know, should they be coming down to? But um, but yeah, I mean they are doing more of that. So, did you um where did you get injured? Was it in Manchester or in LA?

SPEAKER_01 1:06:17

No, so it was in LA after my rookie season. Um, you know, I had a good rookie season in Manchester. I played in the all-star game as a rookie and averaged a point per game, and then um, you know, they were saying they wanted me to be the second line center the next year in LA. And but they wanted so Mike Camillary and myself were the only ones, and Jeff Tafe with Phoenix at the time. Um they Kings made myself and Camillary play in the rookie tournament, even though we already played pro. And it was because Anaheim had really good prospects, or Anaheim made the Stanley Cup final the year before, so LA wanted to prove that they had better prospects. And so um they put us in this rookie tournament, and we were just targets. Like um Shane O'Brien ended up jumping me and and mid-fight in my head, because I knew how to fight, like I grew up boxing and kickboxing, and um I was like, I gotta what am I doing? What if I break my hand? Like I'm an offense guy, like I need this. So I instead of continuing to fight, I tried to flip him. And when I went to flip him, he hit the boards, and so when I stepped back to try and do it again, um, I stepped on my hockey stick, and so my shoulder was fully extended out like this, and then he fell on me, and so my shoulder popped out. And so to this day, like if I try and do this, like that's as far as my shoulder goes, and I can't I can't raise it over my head. And um it was it was uh unfortunate situation where you know I have zero mobility pretty much in that like shoulder. And um at the time you think you're gonna come back and be fine, and you know, I was still able to produce and and and play well, but then I was getting minutes taken away in the minors because I'm a big believer that they didn't want me doing well to pay someone that's young and have one R. So instead of being honest, they started to pull back my minutes and not play me as often. And then um, you know, then you start to lose your confidence and beat yourself up and question if you're still a really good player, and um you know, and and so went through that and then you know, try tried to continue playing and just

Career Changing Shoulder Injury Fallout

SPEAKER_01 1:08:40

felt I wasn't being given the opportunity I deserved anymore. And you know, part of it's on me too. I lost confidence and probably wasn't doing what I thought I was capable of. And but when there's no communication or transparency or any willingness to try and help you, it it gets frustrating. And so I didn't like hockey anymore and and decided I was done and went uh went home and you know ended up getting an offer to go to University at Calgary, but the only way I could get into school for free was if or into school in general was if I played for the team. And so I had to sit out half the season and ended up playing for the team and found the love for the game again and had a coach that you know just wanted me to play and then made a comeback from there. But um it's it's you know, it's it's injuries are part of the game and and you know it sucks that it took away what potentially could have been, like I'm not saying it would have been, but potentially could have been a long NHL career. Um but the physical damage was the easy part, it was the mental side of the game where it was, you know, um the hardest. And and so I'm very thankful that my parents did raise me to be me first and and that I always you know knew there was value in me, not just as a hockey player, which I think is a problem in today's world, is too many people are raising their kids to be hockey players and building them social media platforms as hockey players and don't realize the damage it can do because even for me as uh you know a guy who was as highly skilled and you know breaking records growing up and um doing all that stuff, once the game was taken from me from an injury, it was still hard. I didn't turn to booze, I didn't turn to drugs because I knew how to trustworthy support system. But if I wasn't raised to be me first, who knows? Would I have turned to booze? Would I have become suicidal? Would I have because it's it's extremely difficult when you're known to be to be good at something your whole life and then suddenly you can't do it. And and so to have that you know family support that no, you're still Jared Allen, you still bring this, this, this, and this, you're still capable of all these things, you achieved your dream, you made it. This is a tough road, but you're fine. As opposed to your little Johnny, the hockey player, yeah, the hockey player, hockey player, hockey player, hockey player, hockey player. Now you're not. What happens? And so um that's why I got involved in coaching and and the minor hockey world, and and you know, obviously I'm lucky to work with the NHL players, but I can relate to all these situations and kind of put people in their place when they don't understand the pressure they're putting on a kid that didn't ask for. Um so injuries are part of the game, but that mental side is is is the hardest. And so it's you know what you're doing with your mindset and and anybody else in that world. Like I always my business is skills coaching. You guys are way more valuable than I am. Um and it's not uh it's not a knock at what I do. I think I'm really good at what I do, but um I've been there. I've been any, you know, I can teach skills. I don't know if I can get every kid that's you know had a damaged mindset from from a lot of the stuff that their situations are put into nowadays and not knowing what hard is and how to deal with that stuff, um can get through. And so you you want parents to recognize whether your kids it's who they are first, it's not what they do. And uh and so that's I think for me that was the the biggest takeaway. And I was I I I I overcame it. I'm thankful I'm not a uh a guy that turns the booze or drugs and um dark thoughts, but to those that do, like it's uh it's it's a concern, and and that's why I raised this, is just because you know you worry about every kid and everybody and and don't want them to turn think they're any less of themselves just because they didn't make it for or make it at all or make it for as long as they thought they could.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:54

Right. Yeah, and I mean obviously for it's not it's maybe not the NHL. It's like for some kids, maybe it's not making that prep team that we were talking about, or it's not whatever, right? Like that this is now I'm I'm less worthy. Uh I'm I'm I'm less yeah, I'm less than, which which isn't the idea. Like one of the things that I totally get trying to kids to to really invest in, and my kids included, is like what do you what else do you like? Yeah, like really, what else do you like? Like have something because when when hockey's just it, even from a thing that you know, from a development standpoint, like if if you're not now all of a sudden playing well, and that's where all your value is around, that's the only thing that you're focused on. It's like, how doesn't that affect you? You know, but if you do love guitar or you love music or you love fishing or whatever the thing is, you love golf, like go do that. You know, like everyone needs something that they that they have that you know that feels like an escape or even like they have value in it, like whatever the case may be, because yeah, when we become a one-trick pony, uh as adults, it shows up, but it shows up for these kids too. So um that's definitely what one thing I do I do preach. What would what would you say as far as you handling that that injury, whether it's the recovery, the physical rehab, uh was there anything mentally you could have either you think you did well or you could have done differently to help you with the confidence and coming back from it?

SPEAKER_01 1:14:24

Yeah, I think you know, mentally you have you you have to trust yourself. Um, you have to understand opinions are gonna happen, good or bad, from people, and and it's it's what you truly believe in yourself and and recognize the accountability you're doing. But I think the biggest thing for me was I mentally did enough, but not more than enough. And you know, I did the same as what everybody else was doing, but I wasn't the same as everybody else. I was a guy who was injured and expected to be a difference maker. And so enough wasn't good enough. Um, I needed to do more. I needed uh I needed to prioritize the fact that, you know, like I hung out and you know, I met a lot of celebrities and kept my mind busy that way when when probably I should have been more focused on because my whole season was done. Like I wasn't playing that year, so it was it was all rehab and trying to get through every day. And Andy Demurra didn't want the injured guys around uh the players on game days or or seen at the practice rink. You could see them after when you're outside the ring, but didn't want you around them until after the game. And and so you're a young guy by yourself, so I you know, I seeked that comfort and hanging out with other people and and you know, I didn't get caught up in anything crazy or anything like that, but um, you know, I I went to live events and and kept busy that way instead of you know what can I do to better myself and make sure my mind is right instead of just distracting it.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:02

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, that's uh that's a great point. Episode 171 is sponsored by A-Kane Hockey. Dominate the ice with performance-driven, cut-resistant gear built for elite players. Stay dry, stay sharp, and feel every stride with A-Kane base layers and Blade Pro Skate socks, the most comfortable cut-resistant socks in the game. Unmatched protection, ultimate comfort, and zero compromise. Thank you to A-Kane for helping to outfit the UMH68 players with serious gear so they can gear up and perform better. Uh A Kane has been a fantastic sponsor for Up My Hockey. Um, I love, I love their gear. It's uh I wear it, my boys wear it. Uh it's comfortable, it's easy, uh, it's it is it's not heavy, it's it's super light, it dries out quickly, and uh and it really provides that level of comfort and uh and safety really that your players need. So if you don't have a base layer right now, or if you're considering a new one, I highly recommend you checking out the A-Kane product line. Uh that's A-Y-C-A-N-E. And uh, and yeah, their socks and their and their base layers are absolutely fantastic, as is their apparel. Uh, first person experience with it. I wouldn't say it if I didn't believe it. So check out A-Kane. Uh, they are now the CHL sponsor uh for all WHL players who will be wearing their base layers. Uh, pretty exciting for uh some of these younger players who came to the UMH68 to receive an A Kane base layer and know they're wearing what their junior, uh what their junior stars are are also wearing. So check it out. You can use the UMH code to UMH2026 for 25% off your next order. Once again, umh 2026 for 25% off the absolute best base layers and socks in the game. So go visit a Kane now. Thank you, A Kane, for being an up my hockey sponsor. Yeah, a lot of I mean, I'm not I mean, uh being mindset, a lot of people think that I that I coach or teach visualization, and I really don't. I think it's like a really small part of even what I what I talk about. Uh for me, it was more daydreaming. Like I did visualize a lot, but it was more, it wasn't like a practice. It was just because I freaking loved it and I loved, you know, I would see myself scoring goals or I would see myself doing whatever when I was going to bed, you know, like it was just kind of part of being bored. We didn't have a phone in front of your face all the time. You would run this mental imagery, as people would call it now, right? Um, but I do think it's effective in some scenarios and and definitely in injury recovery. Like I think if if people do use it and and uh and see themselves being strong, you know, see themselves in situations where where they're where they're not handicapped from from their injury and and you know, and kind of building that resiliency, that internal, taking away the questions, I guess. You know, I mean, take away as many questions as you can before you're back in the battle, you know, like how are you going to be when you recover? And um there is some value to that for sure. And and definitely when you know when you were injured, there wasn't much talk of that, but that might have been something that could have could have helped you as as well in that recovery process.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:21

Yeah, and I think I think in the modern day athletes, like you know, you you see McDavid when he had his bad knee injury, just a team of people behind him to help him stay, you know, focused. Whereas with me, it was like, okay, you'll see the therapist, and then we're gonna have you. Like the strength coach wasn't in there working out with me. I was just in there, he gave me a program in there by myself and you know a couple other injured guys, and it's not like that anymore. It's like they're there to be there for you and make sure you're good and that you're getting the proper workout in and nutrition and and and all that stuff. So um, you know, for for me it was more, I guess, accountability, even though I was young, on on navigating and researching on what could I do to make sure I'm my best

Skills Coaching Dinner Before Dessert

SPEAKER_01 1:20:10

version of I'm the best version of myself as a hockey player and as a person for when I'm ready to play again.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:15

Yeah. Yeah, there's always an opportunity there, is like trying to reframe that because you know, whatever that opportunity could have been, whether it was to work on your conditioning or to work on your leg strength or your explosiveness or something that you could do instead of something that you can't do. You know, I think a lot of a lot of times we get caught up in what we can't do, and that's where we're focused and we get we get down, but there might be an opportunity there that's exactly what you what you need. I don't mean you in particular, but you know, I mean for anyone out there who's injured, right? Um I wanna I want to shift gears just quickly because you talked about skill development and you know and being a skilled coach and and uh and for me I think that there's I I think there's a mindset around that, you know. I mean, especially for players that can I don't know, let's say pick up a new skill. I'm not saying that's what you're actually doing. You're probably refining stuff, you're doing details on stuff, but can you speak to that when you see somebody who is able to grasp something, is able to understand the process of learning, which I think is a is an important aspect, like and how that can be a differentiator for for players when it comes to getting better?

SPEAKER_01 1:21:17

Yeah, I think the biggest thing I see from skills coach is is so I I try and base my skills a lot on you know being able to execute things with your head up, and and you know, I put kids in a lot of decision-making situations to understand when to execute skills. Um, but is is the one that thing that separates the kids that grasp it and the kids that don't is I'm a big believer there's there's three personalities. There's there's the kids that that just have it and and can do it. There's the kids that are afraid to get uncomfortable, so they'll never do it. And then there's the kids that talk too much about how good they are, so they don't put in the effort because they want don't want people to see they can't do it. Um so the ones who do really well at it, you know, outside the gifted ones, are the kids who who sponge everything you're saying, but then aren't afraid of failure. So they don't care what anybody else thinks, they're not competing with anybody else, they just want to master what you're teaching um as quickly as they they can. Not as quickly as the other person can, but as quickly as they can. And then that allows me, once they get it, now I can put them in the decision-making situation where now they have to figure out when to use it, when not to use it, and um, you know, also do it the right way. Like the kids who there's a lot of players who learn skills but their heads down, or they learn a skill and their knees aren't bent, or they're they're not in the hockey position. And it's like, well now we're trying to translate that, or I'm a big believer, if I'm teaching you a skill, I need to teach it to you so that if it's not there and you're attempting it, you can still get out of it. And so um, if you're teaching a you know a toe drag and your knees aren't bent, well, can you push out of it if it doesn't work or are you stuck there? Like it's it's it's understanding that side. And so the kids that that aren't afraid to do this stuff that hurts a little bit more by being in a low position or wanting to execute it and then be explosive to come out of it, um, or have their head up and not worry about losing the puck. Um those are the kids that are gonna separate themselves because there's so much skill nowadays, but it's very eyes down, Instagram, sensationalized. And you know, I got I got a buddy who's that swaggy pee elevate oh two guy um who can do all this stuff, but he can still also do everything else. Like he can think the game fast, he can make plays, he can, and then when he wants to add his little bit of magic there, he can do that. And um too many kids now focus on the dessert instead of the dinner. And I always say let's work dinner before dessert. So let's let's get the basics, work on skating, the stuff that's boring, um, and then we'll get into the fun stuff because you got to do what's good for you first, and then you get your treats after. And um it's it's the hardest part with kids now is is they chase the viral instead of being a hockey player, and so the kids that get it and the kids that want to learn, like I'm not teaching kids Michigans. Um if they want to learn that, they can do it in their driveway and then bring it for the first few minutes of practice or whatever, if that's something they want to work on. Um, you know, I I'm a I love I used to make a kick pass because it would open up another lane to make a pass. I'll teach that stuff, I'll teach teach things like that, but I want kids to recognize, you know, if you're a home builder, you start with a hammer and nails, you don't go buy big machinery and then uh it's it's and so um I teach the basics, but then I challenge the eyes up, the scanning, decision making, and then playing fast um to create separation. And so the kids that the kids that buy in are the kids that um you know move their feet out of a turn, have their head up, not afraid to lose the puck. And so I think the best message for parents is and kids is is get uncomfortable. You know, you hear people say it all the time be comfortable getting uncomfortable. And and if if if you can have um, you know, leave your ego at the door and just go out there and not be afraid to fail, it it's important. And one of the quotes I heard when I was young is a fault does not lie when failing when trying, a fault only lies when failing to try. And and it's it's basically telling you if you don't try, you failed. But if you try and fail, you still have a chance. And and so as long as you learn from it. And so put yourself in those positions, don't just shy away from them like a lot of kids do nowadays.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:48

Yeah, I agree. Yeah, I agree. I mean, and to me, that's that's a mindset. Like that's mindset. Like if you can re if you can reprogram or give them a reason to reprogram themselves about what that means, right? Like to recognize in themselves that in this moment I usually quit or I stop or I don't go as hard. And now I'm gonna reconnect that with no, this is this is my moment, right? This is actually me training. It's more important than the toad rag I'm learning. This is like about me, and this is about something that might hold me back in anything else. And and now all of a sudden there's a new opportunity there for them to make a new decision. Um, and like I see it all even last night, I mean recency bias, but I was doing, I love you talk about the fundamentals. Like to me, it's it's such a race, it seems like, with all these skills practices that people are trying to throw more cones on the ice and more this and more that, and and nobody's really doing, you know, like as you say, like the foundational stuff that that really needs to be done. And so all I did was I was I was gonna do some edge stuff with them in transitions and trying to get them to use both edges on transitions, right? Uh, and use both feet and and also exploring on their on their blade, you know, the difference between toes and heels and like and how you utilize that, right, throughout throughout different turns and stuff and having access to them when you want. And so all I was doing is having them like stand up on their toes and like balance and stand up on their heels and bounce and then switch feet and maybe turn and like just doing some different things, stationary relatively, um, and just having them see if they can do it. And so, like some of the kids, and that and that's kind of to your point, like they're wired in the way, like, first of all, none of them can do it, right? Because no one they've never been asked to do it before. But then the kids that couldn't quite get it grade or wherever they're at in the in the spectrum, like they would keep going, right? They would keep going with what I just gave them an example of. And some of them that were like horrific at it would try three times and then stop there and look at me. And I'm like, what are you looking at me for right now? Why would you look at me without trying this? Like, you shouldn't be trying this until you get it, right? Like, but there's that there's that natural response for some kids that it is uncomfortable or I'm not good at it, or somebody I'm looking across the circle and somebody's better, but now I'm exposing myself to not just gonna stop. And like that's the death of progress, of course, right there.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:03

Oh yeah. Um you know, if kids just trusted that you know you're gonna you might be a better skater than them, but you need to work more at this, and they might be better at this, but as as long as you're doing it, if you continue to do it, you're gonna go like this. Well, the other person stays like this. And and um it's too much of a comparison at a young age, and these you know, like some kiss kids are really gifted and some aren't, and and like we always talk about everybody's journey is different. So if if you're willing to buy in and sponge what you're learning and and try and execute and learn and and and master things as you go through it, then you're gonna be better off than the one that thinks they know everything.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:48

Yeah, well, again, and talk about the life skill associated with that. You know, like I always say if vehicles of hockey for us to teach that, you know, like if that's what they take away from working with you or working with me or from the game itself, is that you know, I don't quit, you know, I continue to try. I, you know, I'm I'm gonna I'm willing to put myself in situations that are uncomfortable. Um, my goal and my dreams matter more than other people's opinions, you know, like gosh, like we've done it, we've done a great job with that. And that's really uh the wagon that I try and hitch my stuff to is you know, it works, it definitely works to help you be the best hockey player you can be and make those dreams come true. But uh the uh the substack of that whole thing is it works everywhere.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:30

And that's and that's the truth. And the way I coach is a lot of the messages I relate to kids have nothing to do with hockey outside of my experiences, but a lot of it is is you know, want you guys to scan the ice, look around, like like if I gave you 10 bucks in a candy store, you're gonna look at everything, you're not just gonna look straight ahead. So that's what they relate to. They don't uh they don't know enough about hockey to to um you know pump all this stuff into their head, whereas when you can relate it to things you know they do and and like then they they grasp and and as a coach too, if you show humility, like I fall all the time when I'm demoing stuff. Like it's I always say to the kids, look, 16-year pro career, I still fall down, but I fall down because I want to show you how I want you to do it. Like you have to get low, and if you don't get low, you'll never know how low you can actually get.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:23

So it's it's I saw last night too, and I did the exact same thing. I was doing that transition skate, and I was too far on my heels, right? Going forwards, which made a terrible edge, like all this ice blew up. I fell over, and and I was like, there you go. Like, yeah, like it's I'm the best skater here. And I just screwed it up. You know what I mean? And this is and this is a telltale sign of what I did wrong, like it's right here for me. So I explained that to them about like what your you know, what your edges look like when you make a mistake, your body position is off. And yeah, I mean, I fall all the time. One because I'm trying too. Like, I actually am trying out there, you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:30:58

That was the best thing about uh the Olympic final. As much as you know, I wanted to see Canada win, the same mistakes kids make that parents go crazy about, those best players in the world made in that game. Yeah, just like it happens, and it happens to the best in the world. So just understand that if it's content it's consistent, obviously, then you gotta question it. But mistakes happen, it's supposed to happen. As long as the kids work hard to fix the mistake, then and the money like then everyone should be fine.

SPEAKER_00 1:31:32

I know you got to go and pick up your kids, so I'm gonna

Stories Teammates And Closing Message

SPEAKER_00 1:31:35

I I have to ask these questions. So I was looking at your DB. Um, I saw some good buddies of mine that you that you played with. So I'm gonna give you three three names, and you got to give me your best story from one of them. All right. So we're we're gonna we're going with Steve Kelly, we're going with Eric Healy, and we're going with Trent Whitfield. So you get you get the choose. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:31:56

Those are those are actually all three guys that were probably uh well, Eric Healy and Steve Kelly were my line mates, my first year pro. And then Whitter I played with during the lockout year, he was the captain and just an unbelievable guy. Um you know it's funny, like Eric Healy led the league in points that year. He was a guy who who probably you know didn't take very good care of himself. Um but but he he always found a way um to to score goals and and and produce and and have fun with it. But I'll talk about Steve Kelly, so obviously everybody called him killer. He was a guy who you know played the game hard, had some skill and and and you know led by example, but uh it's it's it's more of an embarrassing story for myself. But I remember he hosted uh Thanksgiving dinner, and I didn't know that Thanksgiving was that huge in the States, and so everything was closed. I was a rookie, I was 19 or just turned 20. And um I was like, I was always raised you have to bring something. And so my mom used to make orange julius for us for breakfast all the time or for um a treat or whatever, and so I went to the convenience store and I couldn't find anything that would be like you know, outside of chips or whatever. So I was like, oh, you know what, I gotta blender at home, I'll bring uh I'll bring ingredients. I'll just make a bunch of orange juliases for you know there's wine and beer and all this other stuff, and and I get there and Steve Kelly's like really hard, he goes orange julius, like ice cream and frozen orange juice. You know, there's a bunch of grown-ups here, eh? He's like not everybody's using it. He was great as ring, and his family was really good to me back then, but yeah, three guys, really good guys, you know, like it's yeah, uh a lot of fun. Probably some stories that you know I involve parties and stuff that are good for a laugh, but um, yeah, no, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 1:34:16

Yeah, those are good guys. Steve and uh Steve and Heels are killer and steel uh heels, they were uh they were teammates of mine in in Germany, so uh so they stuck together, those two, you know, and on a couple different teams, and they were obviously good buddies and lots of laughs with those two for sure. And uh obviously really, really good hockey players, both of them in their own right. And then uh and then uh Trent and I played uh for two or three seasons in Spokane together. So I never played with him at pro, but um played with him a lot in Spokane. He was a year younger than me and kind of took him under his wing a little bit for a while there. And it's awesome to see him having success. And you know, the career that he had even with pretty special, so really proud of what he was able to accomplish.

SPEAKER_01 1:35:00

All really good guys, all brought to different stuff, leadership, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_00 1:35:04

Yeah, yeah. Well, thanks so much, man. I'll let you go get your kids uh great conversation. Appreciate you sharing and appreciate what you're doing now. And and obviously, like I told you before, I mean, really love that you're able to come out to the to the 68 and share some of that experience and uh with with the up and coming generation. And and obviously that's my way of trying to do what's right with hockey, you know, try and keep these kids, you know, what what to be grateful for, what to be passionate about, and and how to pursue their dreams on on their terms. And I I think you did an awesome job of reflecting that sentiment. And you know, thanks for thanks for being you and doing what you do.

SPEAKER_01 1:35:37

Yeah, likewise. I was honored to be a part of that stuff, and you know, I have a ton of respect for what you're doing and the career you had, and just the uh you know, the opportunity you give these kids to to learn from a bunch of different voices. So well, have a great day.

SPEAKER_00 1:35:53

Thanks again for being here, and uh no, we'll I know we'll talk offline. So cheers.

SPEAKER_01 1:35:57

Yep, sounds good. Thank you. You too.

SPEAKER_00 1:36:04

Thank you so much for being here for episode 171 with Jared Allen. Uh once again, just uh a great interview. Uh Jared, super insightful and thoughtful with uh with everything he provides and and his own personal journey as one that needed to be shared on this podcast, as I think it aligns with with all things up my hockey. Uh there will be trials and tribulations, there will be struggles, even for the top players. Uh, there are things that that people go through. And without mindset and without a good support cast and without uh really understanding what you can control, uh the road can be hard. The the road's hard enough. So whether you're at the top of your age group right now or whether you're somewhere in the middle, uh, mindset is something that's going to give you the edge to to reach your potential and to and to strive and achieve those goals and dreams that you want. So, Jared, thank you so much for your insight uh and sharing your experience. And and I know that all my listeners uh value the conversation that we just had. So, rock and roll, everybody. Make sure you are taking care of you, making taking care of your mindset, working on it like it is a skill uh and not something that uh is out of your control because it is within your control. It is something that we can practice, it's something we can get better at, and uh, and in that process, you will elevate your game as well. So until next time, play hard and keep your head up.