When was the last time you had a day off? Have you ever had the consistent feeling of not wanting to go to work? Do you find yourself not enjoying your job the longer the season goes? Do you find yourself questioning if you want to do your job any longer?  These are tough questions to sit with and they are all common signs of burnout. This is also not exclusive to athletic trainers.

My name is Morgan Devane, and I have been working with the Carolina Hurricanes this season as their athletic training student. I have been pursuing a career in athletic training since high school, obtaining my Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Oregon State University and a Master of Science in Athletic Training from the University of Connecticut (UConn).

PHATS/SPHEM sat down with Kevin Morley, Head Athletic Trainer for the Nashville Predators serving as Athletic Trainer for Team USA, and Domenic Nicoletta, Head Athletic Therapist for the Ottawa Senators, serving as Head Athletic Therapist for Hockey Canada.  They’ve given us a behind the scenes look at the first ever Four Nations Tournament. How much […]

By Chris McKeage, Assistant Equipment Manager, Toronto Maple Leafs Another NHL trade deadline has come and gone. This year, our schedule had us (the Toronto Maple Leafs) on a three-game trip to Las Vegas, Denver, and Utah. In preparation for the deadline on the road, we typically pack hockey bags with extra stock gear from […]

By Tony Carlton, Fayetteville Marksmen A hockey player in sudden-death overtime or a soldier on a mission has seconds to react under extreme pressure. Success doesn’t depend solely on skill but also on mental resilience, clarity, and composure under stress. I know this from personal experience. Before my work in hockey performance, strength and conditioning, […]

Sleep is one of the most vital functions for cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being. Yet, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about a third of U.S. adults do not get enough of it. There are many psychological and physical reasons as to why we are not sleeping the recommended minimum of seven hours per night. Stress, sleep disorders, and chronic pain are a few often cited reasons for this, although there are many other factors. For NHL players, add in multiple time zone changes in each month; sleeping in different hotel rooms; and being away from their home environment.

By Kevin Morley, DAT, ATC Head Athletic Trainer, Nashville Predators Like most clubs, the Nashville Predators have a Community Relations/Foundation group dedicated to fundraising, philanthropy, and generally spreading joy throughout the community.  The Preds Foundation hosts more events than any of us on the hockey staff could ever hope to attend, but I was able […]

By Karen Rich Little, DPT My name is Karen Rich Little, and I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy, certified in vestibular rehabilitation with a focus in sport related concussion.  I have been treating concussions since 2010 and I am entering my 7th season working with the Carolina Hurricanes Sports Medicine Staff, Dr. Josh Bloom, […]

By George BabcockAssistant Equipment ManagerBuffalo Sabres The Shotblocker.  We all know hockey players are tough and especially penalty killers. Worst thing is blocking a shot whether it be with the shin pad or off the skate. The technology being used by the individual stick brands means just about 75% of all players are capable of […]

By Karyn Fanstone, Head Athletic Therapist, PWHL Toronto My name is Karyn Fanstone, and I work in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) as the Head Athletic Therapist for Toronto. I graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor’s of Kinesiology with a specialization in Athletic Therapy in 2014. After graduating, I successfully attempted […]

By Ian CoxAssistant Equipment ManagerOttawa Senators This past November we were fortunate to be one of the four teams included in what has a become a pretty regular event for the NHL, the Global Series. This year, it was a newer format as four teams participated in the same location, which this year, was Stockholm, […]

By Tony Carlton, Fayetteville Marksmen Drawing from my background as an FMF Navy Corpsman and current research in the Doctor of Health Science (DHSc) program at Pennwest University, I have acquired a deep understanding of resilience and adaptability, which is essential for my work with the Fayetteville Marksmen. The SPHL’s dynamic environment, characterized by frequent […]

By Jennifer Tirillo MS, LAT, ATC, CSCS, 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher Chances are that we’ve heard it at some point, whether from another healthcare provider, loved one, or on social media: Have stress? Do yoga. Back pain? Do yoga. Build flexibility? Do yoga. Need to work on your balance? Do yoga. Can’t sit still to […]

Los Angeles Kings in Australia By Jeff Andrews MS, ATCAssistant Athletic TrainerLos Angeles Kings I had the opportunity to go to Melbourne Australia with the LA Kings as part of this year’s NHL Global Series. This was my second international trip working with hockey.  Planning for an international trip takes a lot of time and […]

Multi Radiance Medical has teamed up with WellVu Thermal Imaging to complement our trusted lineup of therapeutic lasers. When used together, laser therapy and infrared thermal imaging create a seamless system for the early detection of injuries, targeted treatment of all areas that would benefit, and continuous monitoring of the athlete’s physiological state for optimum […]

By Ian Cox, Assistant Equipment Manager, Ottawa Senators From an equipment manager standpoint, it is another responsibility that is on our plate, but with the help of our uniform partners SMT and the League, they have made it as simple as possible for us given we already have a lot on our plates. As well […]

By Jason Serbus MA, ATC, PESDirector of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic TrainerWashington Capitals On March 29th, I was honored to represent PHATS and the NHL at Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. to support the Access to AEDs Act. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., and Bill Posey, R-Fla., hosted the meeting to highlight the Access to AEDs Act, […]

We recently posted some pictures of a broken toe cap repair on Instagram which garnered a lot of interest from people.  I will go a little more in depth on how we did the repair. 

“Successful in so many ways” was how many of the Predators players and staff summed up the recent Global Series trip to Bern, Switzerland and Prague, Czech Republic. Yes, there was success on the ice, but there was so much more than that.

By Nate Lapoint, Head Equipment Manager, University of Wisconsin, Men’s Hockey Two flights. A 4-hour layover in Tokyo. 16 hours total in-air. We are still not to the hotel in Beijing, China yet! Time seemed to go so slow that day even though the previous month leading up to this went extremely fast. Planning was […]

Summary by Kevin Ricks, Athletic Trainer, University of Notre Dame, Men’s Hockey I’m sure everyone is done hearing about all things COVID related but as we hopefully move into a new phase of management it is imperative that we make decisions based on the science and research that does exist.  I am highlighting a study […]

By Ian Cox, Assistant Equipment Manager, Ottawa Senators As I write this it was almost two years to the day that the hockey world was first affected by Covid. We played in Los Angeles and before the game the news broke that there were positive cases in the NBA. We knew that was it. The […]

By Alex Andrich, OD, FCOVD Introduction Almost all athletes find ways to train their muscles, reaction time, speed, and agility. However, to be at the top, that is not always enough.  Top performers not only want more, they need more.  Competitive athletes are always looking to get an edge in sports.  If they want to […]

With Jon Geller, Assistant Athletic Trainer, Toronto Maple Leafs Brent Smith started his career in professional hockey as an Athletic Therapist with the Halifax Citadels. After a 20-year journey with stops in Toronto and New Jersey, Brent parlayed his experience in professional hockey into a successful career in medical sales with DJO Global. Brent remains […]

By John Forget, Head Equipment Manager, Ottawa Senators Introduction This will be my fourth time working with Team Canada at an international event.  This will be my first with the Olympic team as the first three were at World Championships. I found out about this great opportunity some time ago.  It was in conjunction with […]

By Jamaal Baribeau, Director of Equipment, University of St. ThomasQuestions provided by Zach Richards What is going on within the supply chain right now?  The supply chain is just a mess – from manufacturing to getting the items off the shipping containers.   What factors are contributing to the issues in the supply chain currently? […]

Changes Got a phone call from John Doolan, who wanted to know if I could write an article for the alumni about life after hockey.  Guess I never thought about a life after hockey.  For years we live out our dream and never think that it will end.   The first time it ended I […]

By Mike Booi, Head Athletic Trainer, Seattle Kraken PHATS:  When did you find out that you would be joining the Kraken? MB:  About 5-6 months ago. Somewhere in the middle of October 2020. It’s been a blur. It actually happened quite quickly. We were fully immersed in PPE ordering after the bubble experience when I […]

By Herb von Schroeder MD, Liam Plewes, and Steve McCabe MD In the 1980s, the shift from laminated wood hockey sticks to aluminum-wood composite sticks with aluminum shafts and wooden blades was a technological advancement that changed the game. In the late 1990s, full composite sticks were introduced, balancing the flexibility and lightness of wooden […]

After nearly four decades in junior and pro hockey, the Winterhawks’ head equipment manager is calling it quits, and you can just call him “Peaches.”. Click here to view the article on kptv.com. For these articles and much more be sure to Like our Facebook page, phats.sphem

By Alex Menezes, Asst. Equipment Manager, Ottawa Senators          As we all know 2020 has been kind of a strange year, from ending our hockey seasons in mid March to watching a Stanley cup being raised in October, in a Bubble, who would have thought.          Some of you reading this may or may not […]

By Grace Heidinger             It has been almost eight months since the world was hit by the coronavirus. For the sport’s world, that meant no live games, tournaments, or championships during this time. However, since then, the pause on sports has been lifted, but the industry is still facing challenges as a result of the […]

Mike Poirier, Asst. Athletic Trainer and Rob Kennedy, Asst. Equipment Manager with this year’s Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning take us into the Bubble from day one in Tampa to 91 days later hoisting the Cup in Edmonton! How long where you in the Bubble? MP: For me personally, 91 days. I entered the […]

He’s been with the Carolina Hurricanes’ franchise since 1972. Now he plans to retire. By Chip Alexander. The Carolina Hurricanes could soon be losing their longest tenured employee. Equipment manager Skip Cunningham, who has been with the hockey franchise since 1972, plans to retire, Canes president and general manager Don Waddell said in an interview […]

By Kelly Lockwood, PhD and Colin Dunne MSc, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University Traditionally, the cowling on a goaltender skate boot has served to protect the foot and hold the blade in position. Consistent with current innovations in players’ skates, the material properties of the goaltenders’ skate boot have evolved from leather to […]

By Grace Heidinger   Social distancing and self-quarantine have become the new normal for people across the world as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak. Surrounded by uncertainty, people are filled with mixed emotions about what the future holds for all aspects of life, including sports. Once COVID-19 began to rapidly spread across the country, […]

Sports are special for a variety of reasons, one such being how it seems to create bonds between people. In sports, friends become family, families become friends, and family itself comes closer together with fond memories that will last a lifetime. Click here to continue reading For these articles and much more be sure to […]

Firefighters, Paramedics, and EMT’s see and treat more out of hospital cardiac arrests than anyone else.

This article reviews an extremely productive alternative to developing on-ice speed without all of the negative side effects of excessive on-ice work.

Take a look at their behind the scenes photos!

The Anaheim Ducks celebrated some heroes Wednesday.

The Ducks gave first responders and members of their medical staff and the St. Louis Blues staff the Red Cross Lifesaver Award for their role in treating Jay Bouwmeester on Feb. 11 before restarting their game at Honda Center.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, a Stanley Cup champion, son, husband and father, is alive because the right combination of people…

Earlier this season, Linesman Scott Driscoll had the opportunity to attend the Medal of Honor Society’s Gala held in Tampa, FL.  For more, click here: http://www.nhloa.com/articles/view/200 For these articles and much more be sure to Like our Facebook page, PHATS/SPHEM Offical

The Dallas Stars & Nashville Predators faced off for this year?s Winter Classic, the first NHL outdoor game for each team. ?The Stars came out victorious with a 4-2 win over the Predators in front of a record breaking crowd of ?85,630! ?The 2nd-largest in NHL history. ? ?Here they share with us a few […]

Caring for athletes is Chris Kingsley?s job. Cancer forced the Kings trainer to take care of himself. The Kings? video room was eerily quiet one morning last November. A man stood at the front, a lump in his throat, his voice cracking. Dozens of eyes stared back at him, somber and soggy, tears welling in […]

I had been waiting for it.  For ten years, I had been tracking my Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) levels. As a medical professional, I knew I needed to be proactive since my father had prostate cancer. So, when I reported to the team’s physical in September 2018 and found out that my PSA level was high, […]

BUFFALO, N.Y. ? Dominik Hasek, the most acrobatic goalie of all time, was also an all-world manicurist. Before cutting down shooters, Hasek trimmed his nails. He?d sit at his stall before every game and whittle away at his fingers, working the clippers with an intense stare, click here to continue. For these articles and much […]

Congratulations to long-time PHATS member Pete Demers on his induction to the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame! Click here to read all about it! For these articles and much more be sure to Like our Facebook page, PHATS/SPHEM Official

Mercyhurst University?s longtime hockey equipment manager Mike Folga died Saturday at the age of 63 after fighting a courageous battle with cancer…more For these articles and much more be sure to Like our Facebook page, PHATS/SPHEM Official

Developing connections over a 35-year career and being in the right place at the right time helped elevate the former Oilers athletic trainer to hockey’s highest honour…more For these articles and much more be sure to Like our Facebook page, PHATS/SPHEM Official

Things That Were and Never Will be Again By John Doolan

By Rick Garner CEP, Team Paramedic Arizona Coyotes and Arizona State University

By Toby PalmiscnoEquipment Manager, Bemidji State Bemidji State University participated in the 13th annual Hockey Day in Minnesota.  The Bemidji State men?s team outlasted Michigan Tech on Friday night with a 4-3 overtime win, and the women?s team fell to Minnesota State on Saturday afternoon by a score of 2-1.  Both games played outdoors on […]

by Bryan BoyesHead Equipment Manager, Oshawa Generals The Winter Olympics are held for a three-week period of time in the month of February every four years. Little do people know, the journey for Hockey Canada, staff and players, begins much sooner than you may think. The call came in June 2017 from Oshawa Generals owner […]

By TD ForssHead Athletic Therapist, Edmonton Oilers and Jeff LangHead Equipment Manager, Edmonton Oilers As the 2017-18 regular season was winding down, we began to hear rumors of our team traveling to Europe for an exhibition and possibly a regular season game to start our 2018- 19 season. During the month of May 2018, the […]

By Tony Da CostaHead Equipment Manager, Minnesota Wild The beginning stages of the Minnesota Wild?s new practice facility started long before the brick and mortar were laid. Since the beginning our organization knew it was important to keep everyone that would call the facility home on a daily basis involved TRIA Rink is located in […]