As I reflect back on the past year it brings to mind the idea of building not only better hockey players, but better people.

Serial entrepreneur Alex Hormozi posed the question, "If you had to create a human... what would you put them through to make them tough? Least likely answer: “a chill life”

So I thought about this as it relates to hockey players. 

If you could create the best hockey player, what would you put them through?

So here are my thoughts ...

If I could build the perfect hockey player, I wouldn’t start with how hard they shoot or how fast they skate — I’d start with what they’re willing to go through. At the levels every kid dreams of, the ice is full of players who can fly, rip pucks, and make plays. What separates the good from the great isn’t just talent; it’s how they handle the grind, the doubt, the politics, the pressure, and the long stretches where nothing feels fair.

If I could build the perfect hockey player, I would first build a “why” so strong that it survives cuts, setbacks, and being overlooked. This player wouldn’t be driven just by rankings, attention, or what people say about them; instead, they’d be fueled by a deep love for the game, a stubborn belief in their potential, and a burning curiosity to find out how good they can become.

If I could build the perfect hockey player, I’d wire them to fall in love with the boring, brutal foundations that most players avoid. This is where the endless repetition, the off-ice discipline, and the unglamorous lifestyle choices quietly separate them.

If I could build the perfect hockey player, I’d make sure they fail early and often enough that they learn to treat failure as feedback instead of a verdict. I’d drop them into situations where they’re outmatched, where mistakes are guaranteed, and where their flaws are exposed in front of people.

If I could build the perfect hockey player, I’d teach them to see pressure not as a problem to avoid, but as proof they’re exactly where they’re supposed to be. Big moments, big games, big eyes watching — that’s the environment they’ve always said they wanted.

If I could build the perfect hockey player, I’d give them the ability to rise above the noise — the opinions, the politics, the chatter, and the constant comparison game that eats so many players alive. They would learn that the outside world is loud, but it doesn’t get to define them.

If I could build the perfect hockey player, I’d make sure they can adapt when their role shifts, instead of collapsing when they’re no longer “the guy.” As they climb levels, they’d eventually lose the comfort of being the automatic top-line player or the go-to power-play option.

If I could build the perfect hockey player, I’d push them into leadership before they ever feel 100% ready for it. Leadership, in their world, wouldn’t be about wearing a letter; it would be about setting a standard every day.

If I could build the perfect hockey player, I’d ensure they hit walls and learn how to bend instead of break. No path is straight. There will be slumps, injuries, depth-chart surprises, and seasons that don’t go according to the plan they imagined when they were younger.

If I could build the perfect hockey player, I’d anchor everything in passion for the game and unshakeable self-belief. Without those two things, the grind eventually empties them out.

If I could build the perfect hockey player, I’d be honest with them that this journey isn’t meant for everyone — and that’s okay. Not everyone wants to embrace boredom, push through discomfort, ignore noise, adapt roles, lead under pressure, and keep going after repeated setbacks.

But for the ones who do, something different happens. They stop just dreaming about being great and start living the habits, choices, and mindset of the players they look up to. They become the teammate others trust in tough moments, the player coaches lean on, and the person who keeps showing up when most would have walked away.

Not because their path was easy.
But because, every time it got harder, they chose to keep going.

And that, more than any one skill, is what makes a hockey player truly great.

Victory Starts in the Mind!