In this episode of the Portland Winterhawks Professional Development Series, Mike Johnston, the Winterhawks’ General Manager, walks through six keys to developing young hockey players. He films it in front of the team’s alumni wall, which lists former Winterhawks who went on to NHL clubs like the Canadiens, Rangers, Blues, and Flyers, along with a running count of the program’s NHL alumni. The setting fits the subject: Johnston has been preparing teenagers for the next level for a long time.

In just under six minutes, Johnston covers setting a plan for each player, putting development ahead of short-term wins, focusing on key skills, building practices that force players to make their own plays, winning puck battles, and teaching life lessons that last beyond hockey. Whether you’re a coach, a parent, or a player, it’s a quick look at how one of junior hockey’s long-running development programs approaches growing players both on and off the ice.