Working in Hockey

Working in Hockey is the single best resource for anyone looking to land a career within the great game of Hockey.Founded in April 2024 by Nick Bowins, Working in Hockey features a free weekly newsletter containing EVERY open job in hockey, booming social media channels with job postings and career advice, and of course a podcast which dives into the various career paths those in the industry have taken.Cohosted by Lukas Georgas, the show has featured guests such as Pavel Barber and Steve Dangle, to professionals working for NHL teams and hockey product companies alike.

Working in Hockey is a sports podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 52 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Working in Hockey, a sports show with 52 episodes published.

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  Episode #78

  Columbus Blue Jackets' Steve Mears on Breaking Into Sports Broadcasting

  Aug 17, 202633 min

  Nick Bowins is joined by Steve Mears, play-by-play broadcaster for the Columbus Blue Jackets, to share his journey from a small-market minor league booth to nearly two decades calling NHL games, offering valuable insights for aspiring broadcasters and hockey professionals alike. Steve Mears knew he wanted to be a broadcaster by age 10, building his foundation at Bowling Green State University before taking his first job with the Shreveport Mud Bugs of the CHL, then working his way up through the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL Network, and MLB Network before landing his current role with the Columbus Blue Jackets. We talk about the willingness to relocate and grind through minor league jobs, how networking and small-world connections shaped his path, what it takes to prepare for an NHL broadcast, and the resilience it takes to bounce back from layoffs and setbacks in a constantly evolving industry. If you're trying to break into sports broadcasting, play-by-play, or media, this conversation is packed with real, valuable insight. In this episode: - Building a broadcasting foundation at Bowling Green and breaking in with minor league hockey - The importance of relocating, networking, and connecting the dots to land jobs - His path through the Islanders, Penguins, NHL Network, and now Columbus - What real game-day preparation looks like for an NHL broadcaster - His best advice on resilience for young professionals trying to break into broadcasting Subscribe to Working in Hockey for more conversations with the people building careers in the game. #Hockey #NHL #WorkinginHockey #SportsCareers #SteveMears #ColumbusBlueJackets #Broadcasting #SportsMedia

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  Episode #77

  Flyers Assistant GM Alyn McCauley on Scouting, Developing Prospects, and Winning Culture

  Aug 13, 202627 min

  Nick Bowins is joined by Alyn McCauley, Assistant General Manager of the Philadelphia Flyers, to share his path from NHL player to two-time Stanley Cup-winning scout and now a front office executive, offering valuable insights for aspiring hockey professionals and fans alike.Alyn McCauley didn't plan on staying in hockey after his playing career ended, until a call to help coach at Queen's University led to a scouting opportunity with the LA Kings under Ron Hextall and Dean Lombardi. From there he scouted for two Stanley Cup championship rosters, moved with Hextall to the Philadelphia Flyers, and has since worked his way up to Assistant General Manager, where he now oversees roster construction and player development for both the Flyers and their AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. We talk about what it actually takes to learn scouting from scratch, the collaborative process behind building a championship roster, how the sport's mentors shaped his path, and the balance between developing prospects and winning games at the AHL level. If you're trying to break into scouting, hockey operations, or front office management, this conversation is packed with real, valuable insight. In this episode:- Going from a "figure it out as you go" scout to helping build two Stanley Cup rosters- The collaborative process behind identifying and pursuing playoff difference-makers- How scouting has changed with video access and analytics- Balancing player development with winning at the AHL level- His best advice for young professionals trying to break into hockey operations Subscribe to Working in Hockey for more conversations with the people building careers in the game. #Hockey #NHL #WorkinginHockey #SportsCareers #AlynMcCauley #PhiladelphiaFlyers #HockeyOperations #Scouting

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  Episode #76

  Jason Demers on Breaking Into Broadcasting After 700+ NHL Games

  Aug 10, 202641 min

  Nick Bowins is joined by Jason Demers to share his transition from a 700-plus game NHL career to life as an NHL Network analyst and media personality, offering valuable insights for aspiring broadcasters and hockey professionals alike. Jason Demers spent parts of over a decade in the NHL, primarily with the San Jose Sharks, before transitioning into broadcasting after his retirement; a message from a producer at NBC nudged him to apply to NHL Network, and three years later he's built a growing career as an analyst while also branching into his own YouTube content. We talk about the leap from playing to broadcasting, the mentors who taught him how to actually interview players, how he balances honest analysis with respect for the guys still in the league, and the advice he'd give any player looking to make the same jump. If you're trying to break into sports media, broadcasting, or content creation, this conversation is packed with real, valuable insight. In this episode: - How an abrupt end to his playing career led him into broadcasting - The mentors who taught him how to interview players the right way - Balancing honest analysis with respect for the players in the league - Building his own brand and content outside of NHL Network - His best advice for players and students trying to break into broadcasting Subscribe to Working in Hockey for more conversations with the people building careers in the game. #Hockey #NHL #WorkinginHockey #SportsCareers #JasonDemers #NHLNetwork #Broadcasting #SportsMedia

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  Episode #75

  AHL President Scott Howson on Analytics, Development, and Breaking Into Hockey

  Aug 3, 202622 min

  Nick Bowins is joined by Scott Howson, President of the American Hockey League (AHL), to share his path through the hockey business and his perspective on where the game is heading, offering valuable insights for aspiring hockey professionals and fans alike. Scott Howson's hockey career has taken him from pro player to lawyer to one of the most experienced executives in the game; getting his start as an AHL general manager with the Edmonton Oilers organization in Cape Breton and Hamilton, moving up to the Oilers' NHL front office for a run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, becoming General Manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and now leading the American Hockey League as its President since 2020. We talk about steering the league through the pandemic, the explosive growth in talent and business on the AHL side, how hockey operations departments have transformed since the salary cap era, where the next wave of front-office roles is headed, and the advice he'd give anyone trying to break into the game. If you're trying to break into hockey operations, league management, or the business side of the sport, this conversation is packed with real, valuable insight. In this episode: - Steering the AHL through the pandemic and building the league back stronger - How the relationship between the NHL, AHL, and ECHL actually works - The explosion of hockey operations departments and the rise of analytics - An unlikely path: from pro hockey, to law school, to NHL general manager - Scott's best advice for young professionals trying to break into the hockey industry Subscribe to Working in Hockey for more conversations with the people building careers in the game of hockey. #Hockey #AHL #WorkinginHockey #SportsCareers #ScottHowson #HockeyOperations #NHL #HockeyBusiness

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  Episode #74

  Bruce Boudreau Breaks Down What It Really Takes to Coach in the NHL

  Jul 27, 202631 min

  Nick Bowins is joined by Bruce Boudreau to share his remarkable journey from player to one of the winningest coaches in modern NHL history, offering valuable insights for aspiring coaches and hockey professionals alike. Bruce Boudreau spent 15 years climbing every rung of the minor-pro coaching ladder before getting his first NHL shot at age 52, and then going on to post a .626 points percentage across 1,087 games with the Capitals, Ducks, Wild, and Canucks - one of the best regular-season records of any coach in the modern era, and a Jack Adams Award-winner to match. We talk about his journey from a long, grinding playing career to the coaching evolution he's lived through across four different organizations, how he built relationships and adapted his approach at every stop, and the lessons he's learned even when the job ended in ways that had little to do with wins and losses. We talk about which players were "a coaches dream" for him, and what it was like coaching Alex Ovechkin in his prime years. If you're trying to break into coaching, team management, or hockey operations, this conversation is packed with real, valuable insight. In this episode: - Bruce's path from a modest NHL playing career to becoming a prolific AHL scorer - The 15-years of coaching through the minors before his first NHL job - How coaching philosophy and player relationships evolved across four NHL stops - What adaptability really looks like when building trust with a locker room - Lessons learned from the ups and downs of a coaching career Subscribe to Working in Hockey for more conversations with the people building careers in the game. #Hockey #NHL #WorkinginHockey #SportsCareers #BruceBoudreau #NHLCoaching #HockeyOperations #Coaching

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