In this episode, we welcome Dr. Nikole MacLellan aka “Dr. Kokes”, a naturopathic doctor and fellow member of the Designs For Sport advisory board. We talk about the dance between sympathetic and parasympathetic states for athletes, strategies for getting back into a parasympathetic state after an event, how to balance a playful approach in stressful situations, and using breathwork as a tool to build your CO2 tolerance. Dr. Nikole also dives into the tradeoffs that often occur between performance and longevity, why you should build a support team of different professionals you trust, and how to endure the darker periods as an athlete.

In this episode, we are joined by the founding members of Apex Cool Labs, Ariel Paul and Evy Lyons to discuss their new palm cooling device “The Narwhal”. Ariel and Evy share their inspiration for creating Apex Cool Labs, how they first connected over a Tweet, all the prototypes and testing they went through to get to their final product. They also discuss how your core body temperature and local muscle temperatures affect performance, why palm cooling is such an effective tool, how to use palm cooling for downregulation at the end of your workout and to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness, and the optimal temperature for palm cooling to see results.

Do you ever wonder how your brain works? In this episode, we have the privilege of hosting Neurotherapist Dr. Andrew Hill, who graciously guides us through an exploration of cerebral operations. Following our participation in Quantitative EEG ”brain mapping,” we had the opportunity to interpret the ensuing data in real time during the podcast. Our analysis delves into an array of brain patterns, connections, and states of neural activity. Notably, several of these revelations unveil significant correlations with the daily-life symptoms I encounter and even extend to my athletic performance, all without any prior interaction with Dr. Hill. Our discussion extends to the impact of brain injuries on function, alongside an examination of how brain mapping holds promise for forthcoming athletes. We conclude by addressing pivotal lifestyle factors poised to enhance cognitive capabilities.

In this episode, I welcome renowned Performance Coach and Physical Therapist Scott Livingston. We discuss the concept of Neuro Reconditioning, and how traditional training modalities fail to consider how the brain functions. We talk about the importance of individuality in training based on sport, position, injury history, and body type. We also chat about the hidden challenges of working through injury as well the importance of disrupting narratives we tell ourselves.

In this episode, I break down some of my thoughts on the latest NHL trade deadline as well, as some personal stories of players that have been moved. I also discuss some recovery modalities I use to help me regulate my nervous system and maximize athletic performance during the season. I also talk about the importance of emotional regulation and off-season training advice for youth athletes.

In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Lovecchio, a former professional hockey player and current trainer and co-host of the Hockey Think Tank Podcast. We talk about how it’s not enough to just show up in the sport of hockey, how to grow confidence through discipline, and how to learn from your mistakes. Jeff also shares his journey from a professional athlete to becoming a trainer, his methods of using visualization to better his game, and the role models he looks at to expand his toolbox and better help his clients.

In this episode, I am joined by Jack Han, a hockey consultant, former NHL analyst, and AHL coach. We discuss Jack’s approach to personalized player analytics and development, what it’s like to work alongside NHL head coaches and the exhausting nature of a hockey season. We also dive into the importance of storytelling to improve your game, how you can use hockey as a vessel to reach your long-term goals, and different exercises to better your physical and mental game.

In this episode, we welcome Strength Coach Jim Ferris. Jim is known for his work in the basketball community from training with the Philadelphia 76ers for many years and training several NBA players that live their offseason in the Philadelphia area. We discuss how to adapt your training for performance and recovery metrics and identify weak links in training protocols. We also dive into where most athletes fail to focus on for their off-season training, and how playing the long game is the key to a sustainable and injury-free career.  We also discuss the challenges in youth development in sports and the success of your training is completely individual.

In this episode, I sit down with Christian Burrus and Jeremy Tucker from Adapt Fitness, an app for customized training programs from top hockey performance experts. We talk about setting your training goals as an athlete based on your needs from the game, how Adapt Fitness can help fill gaps in various aspects of your athletic training, how to manage the stress of all the moving parts in maintaining your health and the game, and how to manage the tradeoffs between training and sleep. We also dive into why you should be customizing your training specific to your goals and needs, how to draw inspiration from the previous generation of athletes, and why education on all aspects of your training is the key to being a great athlete.

In this episode I am joined by Sam Whiting, a human potential specialist, to discuss all things breathwork. Sam talks about his journey as an alpine ski racing athlete and how he came to discover breathwork in his training, how to gain the ability to notice your nervous system and why breathwork is a powerful tool for wellness. Sam talks about the importance of training your breathing muscles, and the different types of breathwork practices, and teaches some tools accessible to everyone when starting with breathwork. We also dig into the impacts of chronic mouth breathing, the connection between your breath, your physiology, and your psychology, and how you can use breathwork to help influence your state of being.

In this episode, I recap what the last few months have looked like and some of my strategies for adopting a growth mindset. I dig into the concept of DIIG: Desire, Intent, Imagination, and Grind, and how I use these concepts to fuel my growth as a professional hockey player. I walk through some of the ways that I support healthy dopamine levels to fuel my desire, including cold exposure, vagal tone, taking phone breaks, and creating variations within my routine. I also talk about the mindset I take to prevent burnout, how to ask yourself questions in order to find solutions to your game, as well as how to effectively put your plans into place.

In this episode I sit down with J.B. Spisso to chat about career design, mental wellness, performance and what it looks like at the highest level. J.B. is a veteran of the US Armed Forces, leadership and culture expert, and author of the Warrior Leadership: Steps to Success for Leaders on the Ground. J.B. opened up about his decision to join the military and some of the parallels between the military and athletes in terms of setting and maintaining high standards and short term goals. We spoke about some of the examples of leadership in the locker room, how to pick yourself back up after defeat, some of our tools for mental wellness, and the importance of enjoying the journey that is your life.

In this episode, we welcome Frankie Corrado, a professional hockey defenseman and former teammate of mine from the Toronto Maple Leafs. We took a trip down memory lane remembering our journeys into the professional hockey space and joining the OHL before becoming teammates on the Toronto Maple Leafs. We talked about the struggles of transitioning from junior hockey to the NHL, the ways that luck works for or against you, how we build mindfulness into our day, and battling through injuries.    Timestamps: 0:00 Welcoming Frankie Corrado 2:00 Frankie’s Hockey Origin Story 6:00 Joining the OHL 14:30 Transition from Junior Hockey to NHL 20:45 Luck of the Draw in the Game 31:30 Reviewing Your Old Plays 37:30 Building a Mindfulness Practice 43:30 Battling Injuries 52:00 Building Mental Toughness 55:00 Don’t Rim the Puck 1:05:30 Working with TSN   To purchase my favorite Designs For Sport supplements visit www.connorcarrick.com  Follow Connor’s Instagram or Twitter Visit our YouTube for additional content

In this episode, I sit down with Sylvie Tetrault, sports nutritionist, about all things nutrition for athletes. We discuss her experience working with Gary Roberts and the NHL, the importance of good nutrition, systems or habits you can implement to help you achieve your nutrition goals, and staple foods to have on hand. We reflected on the changes in food systems that have led to food intolerances, and why the quality of food you eat is important. She breaks down why fasting may not be beneficial for all athletes and the cyclical nature of athletes, how to wind down after a late-night game, and why you should take responsibility for your own health.

In this episode, I sit down with a former teammate and NHL veteran, Aaron Volpatti, high-performance coach and author-to-be. We spoke about Aaron’s story of adversity and perseverance that got him into the NHL, his relationship with high-stress environments and tolerance to pain, working through the fear of failure, and how to use the power of visualization to get to where you want to be.

In this episode, we welcome former national taekwondo champion and founder of Pain Station, David Arsenault. We discuss how to find joy in the process of showing up every day to training, leaning into adversity, the importance of remaining consistent in your effort as an athlete, and how physical literacy can improve your life.

In this episode, I sit down and reflect on this season so far as well as my brief experience being called up to the Seattle Kraken. We chat about my experience of how not to engage with NHL referees, the elements that make up a strong hockey team, working through minor injuries, and how my meditation practice has allowed me to lean further into my practice as an athlete.

How to surprise everyone to make the NHL, and then do it again, with the Ultimate edge finder and teammate, Liam OBrien. In this episode, we discuss how adversity challenged Liam’s growth and belief in himself, strategies that Liam uses to reflect let go and prepare for the next battle. We also discuss the evolution of the sport in youth, as well as, some secret stories from Hersey Bears during their time as roommates.

In this episode, we welcome Arizona Coyotes Performance Director Devan McConnell to the show. We discuss how to prepare for the demands of a training camp, how to approach training during a season, and the power of intention on meeting your goals. We also discuss specific considerations for the youth athlete, and why nutrition and recovery is key to performance.   0:12 Introduction 2:00 What Makes Devan Different?  6:30 How Devan Approaches Working With New Athletes? 9:20 Preparing For The Demands Of Camp 13:47 The Power Of Intent In Training 21:13 How To Approach In-Season Training  29:34 Considerations For Youth Athletes Off-Season Training 38:05 How To Find Balance in Training - On-ice Vs. Off-Ice  43:19 One Thing Devan Would Change In NHLer’s Approach  45:30 Recovery Techniques & Strategies  49:28 Nutrition in Youth Athletes & Mental Health  57:10 Creative Solution To A Training Restriction  1:00:00 Devan’s Favorite Success Story 1:03:57 Conclusion  Devan’s Book  Food What The Heck Should I Eat? Food Rules

A most skilled player amongst skilled players, offensive legend Robbie Schremp shares lessons learned as a former 1st round pick. We discuss the importance of coaching at the right time of development, how to play like a pro, and how to evolve your game to provide the most value to your team.