Centre Ice Podcast - Episode Three: For the Love of the Game

For this month’s Centre Ice Podcast, we sat down with Calgary Northstars General Manager Jesse Hale to discuss how their association gives back to the community throughout the season, and especially during the holidays.

Hockey Gives Back >

Episode Twenty-One of Centre Ice features a trio of Olympic athletes hailing from Alberta - both past and present - as we celebrate the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Fresh off her gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team, former Team Alberta netminder Emerance Maschmeyer shares her first-ever Olympic experience with us. Then, we’ll hear from Zach Lavin, a forward for Canada’s Para Hockey Team, the day before he travelled to Beijing to take part in his first Paralympic Games.

To wrap things up, three-time Olympian Meaghan Mikkelson, who moved from the ice to the studio, joining CBC’s broadcast team for the 2022 Olympics, talks about her established career, her first experience in broadcasting, and the importance of visibility for female hockey.

Episode Links: Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships > | 2021-22 Hockey Alberta Awards > | Sprung Arenas, Stantec and CANA team up to present the Hockey Alberta Summit > | 2022 AHHF Awards Gala > | Para Officiating Webinar > | "What’s Next?" Seminar > | Coach of the Month - Cody Huseby > | Shaw Birdies for Kids Program >

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Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

RED DEER - With Black History Month being celebrated all of February, Episode Twenty of the Centre Ice Podcast features three Albertans who have all experienced success in the game of hockey, but also adversity in the form of racial inequality, and are each working to make the game more inclusive for everyone - Toronto Maple Leafs Coaching Development Associate T.J. Millar, St. Albert U16 AAA Flyers forward Turner McIntyre, and Chairperson of Hockey Alberta’s Diversity Inclusion Committee Anton Joseph.

Episode Links: WHL Draft Pick Turner McIntyre Hopes to Break Barriers > | Team AB U18 Female CWG Coaching Application > | Team AB U16 Male CWG Coaching Application > | Coach of the Month >

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Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

RED DEER - The first episode of 2022 features Hockey Alberta’s CEO, Rob Litwinski, looking back on the year that was, what lies ahead in 2022, and sharing the organization’s long-term vision with HA2025. Plus, hear a bonus interview with Albertan official Lacey Senuk, who recently received the call to officiate at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Episode Links: Hockey Alberta Annual Report > | HA 2025 > | Female Hockey Day > | Job: Mentor, Female Hockey > | Coach of the Month > | Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, Hockey Alberta Contribute $600,000 to Grassroots Programs > | A Dream Come True >

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Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

The next episode of the Centre Ice Podcast comes a little bit early, as it focuses on the Western Regional Women’s U18 Championship, which runs in Portage la Prairie, MB, Nov 2-6.

Hockey Alberta’s Manager of Female Hockey, Kendall Newell, who is also the Director of Operations for Team Alberta U18 Female, joins us to talk about the tournament, and how it came about in the wake of the National Women’s U18 Championship’s cancellation.

Two-time Team Albertan Danielle Serdachny, who captained Team Alberta to a gold medal at the 2019 Canada Winter Games, also joins the show to talk about her Team Alberta experience, as well as the opportunity to suit up for Team Canada, and her post-secondary experience so far.

Episode Links: Western Regional Women’s U18 Championship > | Team Alberta U18 Female Roster > | Calgary Buffaloes Trainers Called to Action > | Ten Communities Selected to Host World Junior Trophy Tour >

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Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

Episode Fifteen of the Centre Ice Podcast is focused around the 2021 WHL Cup, which runs Oct 20-24 in Red Deer, with Team Alberta U16 Male set to battle BC, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The Western Hockey League’s Senior Manager, Hockey Operations Greg Thomson joins us to discuss what the WHL Cup is all about, and Winnipeg Ice forward and Philadelphia Flyers prospect Connor McClennon shares his experience at the event with Team Alberta back in 2017.

Episode Links: 2021 WHL Cup > | Team Alberta U16 Male Roster > | 2021 Western Regional Women’s U18 Championship Announcement > | Team Alberta U18 Female Roster Announcement > | Alberta Cup, Alberta Challenge and Prospects Cup Team Staff Applications > | EOCF Commits $1.5 million to Hockey Alberta Foundation > | 2021 Hockey Alberta Life Members Announcement > | Elite Coach Development Series >

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Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

June is not only Pride Month, but also National Indigenous History Month, and Hockey Alberta has been celebrating both throughout the month.

Episode Thirteen of the Centre Ice Podcast features Glenn Witman, the Co-Founder of the You Can Play Project, and 2003 Canada Winter Games gold medalist and 2007 Memorial Cup Champion Wacey Rabbit, a proud member of the Kainai Nation.

Episode Links: You Can Play Project > | Save the Date: 2021 Indigenous Hockey Summit > | 2021 Future Leaders Program > | 2021-22 First Shift Program Registration > | Team AB U16 Male Summer Camp > | Team AB U18 Female Summer Camp > | Team AB U16 Female Development Camp >

More Episodes >

Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

Episode Twelve of the Centre Ice Podcast features a pair of players who coincidentally both played in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan, one for Team Canada, and one for Japan.

With the Professional Women’s Hockey Player’s Association’s Secret Dream Gap Tour making a stop in Calgary, and being covered on Sportsnet, we chat with two-time Olympic gold medalist Cassie Campbell-Pascal, who is part of the broadcast team for the event.

And, with May being Asian Heritage Month, we also sit down with former Medicine Hat Tiger standout Steven Tsujiura to talk about his roots, his time playing hockey in Alberta, and where the game has taken him.

Episode Links: PWHPA Secret Dream Gap Tour > | Ashley Shrode, Allyson Bendfeld win BFL Female Coach of the Year Awards > | George McCorry wins Hockey Canada Officiating Award > | Volunteer with Hockey Alberta > | Asian Heritage Month: Steven Tsujiura >

More Episodes >

Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

Episode Eleven of the Centre Ice Podcast focuses on one of the most under-appreciated positions in the game: the official, featuring interviews with two of Alberta’s biggest success stories in Level Five Official Lacey Senuk, and NHL Referee Kyle Rehman.

Episode Links: Coach of the Month: Brad McCoy > | Coach of the Month:Tracey Desmarais > | Coach of the Month: Derek McEwan > | Coach of the Month:Lee Zalasky > | Volunteer Appreciation Week > | Breakfast with Beckett >

More Episodes >

Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

Episode Ten of the Centre Ice Podcast features a pair of Albertan broadcasting legends in longtime Hockey Night in Canada Host Ron MacLean, and Medicine Hat Tigers play-by-play announcer Bob Ridley.

Episode Links: Hockey’s Path Forward > Two Albertans invited to National Women’s Team selection camp > | Five Albertans Named to National Men’s Under-18 Team > | 2021 AHHF Gala Postponed > | 2021 Future Coaches Program >

More Episodes >

Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

Episode Eight of the Centre Ice Podcast takes a closer look at the inequality and discrimination faced by many in the game, but also focuses on the steps being taken to make hockey a safe and welcoming place for everyone.

This episode features Minnesota Wild defenceman Matt Dumba and his father, long-time Hockey Alberta Official Charle Dumba speaking about the discrimination their family has faced, and the work being done to eradicate racism in hockey, including Matt’s involvement in the Hockey Diversity Alliance. Sanjeev Bhagrath, a Sikh Official from Edmonton, shares his own experiences of racism and inequality, and Pittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke speaks on the You Can Play initiative, and the work being done to eradicate homophobia from hockey.

Episode Links: Hockey’s Path Forward > | Hockey Diversity Alliance > | Hockey Alberta Officials > | Coach of the Month Nominations > | Host the First Shift in Your Community > | The Coaches Site Global Skills Showcase > | Foundation Accepted into Birdies for Kids Program > | You Can Play Project >

More Episodes >

Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

Episode Seven of the Centre Ice Podcast is centred around Black History Month, and celebrating the Albertans who pushed through adversity to achieve success, featuring interviews with Team Alberta alumna Cassandra Vilgrain, and legendary goaltender Grant Fuhr.

Episode Links: Hockey’s Path Forward > | The Story of John Utendale > | Female Hockey Day Sessions > | AEHL Rinkside >

More Episodes >

Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

Episode Six of the Center Ice Podcast focuses on the importance of keeping hockey - and sport in general - accessible to everyone.

Canadian Long Drive Champion Lisa ’Longball’ Vlooswyk, the newest member of the Hockey Alberta Foundation Board of Directors, joins us to discuss the Foundation’s Every Kid Every Community program and why she chose to join the board, while Executive Director of Heros Hockey, Kevin Hodgson, shares the incredible programming Heros Hockey offers for vulnerable youth across the country.

Episode Links: Every Kid Every Community > | Female Hockey Day > | Hockey for Life Story Submissions > | Maschmeyer, Mikkelson to attend BFL National Women’s Team Training Camp > | Six Albertans to Attend Canada’s National Para Hockey Team Training Camp > | Heros Hockey >

More Episodes >

Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province, with new episodes on the first and third Thursday of the month. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

Episode ONe:

The inaugural episode of Centre Ice features Hockey Alberta CEO Rob Litwinski, and the impact of COVID-19 on hockey in Alberta. Rob discusses the postponement/cancellation of hockey on March 12, what’s transpired since then, and takes a deeper dive into the Return to Hockey Plan, and what it means for the future of hockey.

Episode Links: Return To Hockey Plan > | Hockey is Back > | New for 2020 > | Coach Clinics > | Barry Medori Tribute >