Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan – Details, episodes & analysis

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In this powerful episode of the Up My Hockey Podcast, Jason Podollan sits down with 18‑year‑old Jackson Drum, a former CDA (Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy) player whose life changed in an instant after a devastating on-ice collision left him with a C1–C2 “Christopher Reeve” spinal cord injury.

Jackson shares his journey from being a late-start, underestimated hockey kid in Minnesota—told he’d be a “C player” forever—to outworking everyone around him. He walks us through shooting 500 pucks a day until his hands bled, waking up at 3:30 a.m. for extra ice, and grinding his way into CDA’s 17U prep program with a growth mindset and deep faith.

Then he takes us inside the night of the injury: the hit, the immediate paralysis, the eight minutes without breathing, and the string of “coincidences” that kept him alive—a highly trained nurse, a firefighter in the stands, and emergency intervention that saved his life. Jackson describes waking up intubated, unable to move or speak, communicating only with tongue clicks and an alphabet board, enduring a misplaced feeding tube, and living through excruciating pain with no effective medication.

Through it all, he talks candidly about his mental battle: praying for “the opportunity to get better,” refusing to accept doctors’ predictions, celebrating tiny wins like the first leg “flicker” and feeling returning to his left arm, and shifting his dream from playing to walking, coaching, and ultimately “changing the world” and helping others living with paralysis.

Jason and Jackson dive into themes every player and parent can learn from:

• The difference between saying you want it and actually doing the work.
• How a growth mindset and faith prepared Jackson for the hardest moment of his life.
• Setting big, long-term goals (walking, independence) and breaking them into small, daily wins.
• Gratitude and perspective when life doesn’t go to plan.
• Why you should chase your hockey dream fully—so you never live with regret, no matter what happens.

If you or someone you love needs a reminder of what courage, perspective, and persistence look like in real life, this conversation with Jackson Drum will stay with you long after it’s over.

To contribute to Jackson's dream you can support him at https://www.givesendgo.com/prayforjackson

If Jackson’s story hits you, share this episode with a teammate or parent, and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. After listening, leave a review and tell us: what’s one small goal you’re committing to this week?

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We sit down with Nick Kypreos to trace a path from a career-ending concussion to a 25-year run in broadcasting, unpacking what resilience looks like when you feel unready and afraid. Along the way we debate Canada’s modern hockey identity, Olympic roster choices, and why competitive edge still wins in the spring.

• resilience after a concussion and job loss
• early broadcast failures, nerves, and growth
• finding your lane as a glue guy
• trust, consistency, and people skills in teams
• media access, distractions, and focus
• playoff style: why heavy, old-school hockey still wins
• Sam Bennett’s value and Olympic snubs
• best players versus best team roster building
• Canada’s identity and hunger in junior pathways
• McDavid’s professionalism and sustainability

If you're somebody out there that hasn't rated the show, and if you're an Apple iPhone user and use the App Store or Apple Podcasts, by all means get out there and and and send a review

Get on the UMH68 watch list at UpmyHockey.com under the UMH68 section

Use code UMH2026 at AYCANE.com for a discount on cut-resistant base layers

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Andrew Cristall shares his remarkable journey from an undersized prospect to WHL scoring leader and Washington Capitals draftee, revealing how criticism and doubt have fueled his ascent in hockey.

• Weighing just over 100 pounds in his WHL draft year yet still selected eighth overall by Kelowna
• Used exceptional hockey IQ and skill to overcome size limitations and perceived skating deficiencies
• Played in the WHL bubble as a 15-year-old during COVID, skipping the traditional U18 level entirely
• Recorded 69 points as a 16-year-old and 95 points in his NHL draft year
• Selected 40th overall by Washington after hoping to go in the first round
• Led the WHL in scoring with 132 points and earned first-team CHL All-Star honors
• Tied the Spokane Chiefs playoff record with 21 goals in 19 games (second most in WHL history)
• Cut from Team Canada's World Junior team despite leading the WHL in scoring
• Focused on improving skating through specific technical training while maintaining his offensive production
• Aiming to make Washington's NHL roster but prepared to develop in Hershey if necessary
• Recognizes that being overlooked has consistently provided motivation throughout his career

Work on your weaknesses until they become strengths, and don't let others define your potential. Hockey IQ and determination can overcome physical limitations.

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Today's guest is the current Assistant Coach of the Edmonton Oilers, Brian Wiseman!

We talk about his playing career his success at Michigan State and of course, the Edmonton Oilers.

We discuss what it's like coaching world-class players like Connor Mcdavid and Leon Draisaitl and how they prepare to dominate on the ice night in and night out.

This is an incredible interview full of value! So if you are serious about taking your hockey game to an elite level, this is for you.

Also, if you are interested in working with me and my team and mastering your mindset, check out the Peak Potential Hockey Project here:

👉👉  https://upmyhockey.com/peak-potential/ 👈👈

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Josh Green is an assistant coach for the #1 team in the CHL, the Winnipeg Ice. 

In this episode, we discuss some of the game's top young stars, many of which are playing on the Winnipeg Ice. 

We discuss Peyton Krebs who was a centerpiece in the recent Jack Eichel trade and we dive into what players can add to their game to help them get recognized. 

If you are interested in learning how you can make it to the WHL or to whatever that next level may be for you, give this episode a listen! 

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This interview is with the general manager of the Buffalo Sabres, Kevyn Adams.

Kevyn had a very successful NHL career. He played in over 500 NHL games and spent nearly 10 years playing in the best league on Earth.

After Kevyn retired, he got into the business side of the sport and has now worked his way up to becoming the General Manager for the Buffalo Sabres.

Going through a rebuild with an NHL team is no small task.

The Buffalo Sabres have not found much success over the last few seasons, however, they have a promising future.

With a team full of young talent, the Sabres are primed to turn the corner in the next season or two and begin putting together successful seasons with the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup.

However, in order to get there, there are significant challenges and obstacles that Kevyn and the rest of the organization must overcome.

With the recent demotion of captaincy for their star forward Jack Eichel, it is now up to the rest of the young core to fill the leadership role that Jack once filled.

This episode discusses leadership, character, and what it takes to make it in the National Hockey League.

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Dave MacIsaac is an N.C.A.A champion, a Calder Cup champion, and long-time pro.

However, like many hard-working and talented players, he never actually played a game in an NHL jersey. But there is a lot of hockey being played outside of the NHL, and Dave has seen a lot of it.

In this episode we discuss Dave's career and how he made a career as a professional hockey player without playing in a single NHL game.

A new Netflix documentary premiered on Tuesday called "Untold: Crime & Penalties," offering "fresh eyes to epic tales from the wide world of sports." 

In its first installment of the five-part series, the film highlighted the story of the Danbury Trashers — the 2004-2006 hockey team known for its brawls at Danbury Ice Arena.

Dave was actually the captain of the Trashers during their time in the league and has some must-hear stories to go along with his time there...

Enjoy the episode!

This episode is sponsored by Verbero, the exclusive jersey partner of the Danbury Trashers. If you want to get your official Gallante Trashers jersey or your own custom number, follow the link below:
https://www.verbero.com/podollan

For Up My Hockey gear and merch check out this link:
www.verbero.com/pages/up-my-hockey-team-store

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Carsyn is one of the newest members of the Jr. A Cranbrook Bucks of the BCHL. He’s 18 years old and has been a client of mine for a year and a half. 

When Carsyn and I started working together, he had a big goal (earning a D1 scholarship), but he was a player without a lot of confidence and without an identity. 

Carsyn and I started playing the long game. We figured out what was going to have to happen for Carsyn to get the results that he wanted. Carsyn bought in and worked hard at his craft on and off the ice. He developed the mindset required to improve as a hockey player while also improving as a person. 

The road is never smooth, but there are opportunities at every corner and Carsyn kept raising his standards and his commitment. He put one good day on top of the other and he ended up with a job in the BCHL – one huge step closer to reaching his goal of playing for a D1 university in the USA. 

There are many lessons to learn from this interview and plenty of inspiration. Enjoy! 

If you are a hockey player with big dreams too, and you’d like to know more about how mindset can help you grow your game, check out the Peak Potential Hockey Project! It is a 4 – week mindset program for hockey players designed and coached by me! It includes everything Carsyn and I talked about in this episode and it is making a huge difference for all those who have enrolled. 

Check it out at: 

www.umyhockey.com/peak-potential 

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Derek Plant was a NCAA Division 1 hockey player at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

From there Derek was drafted in the 8th round of the NHL draft but still found himself in the mix for the Calder trophy as one of the top Rookies in the NHL the following season.

Derek is known for scoring a game 7 overtime playoff winner with the Buffalo Sabres.

He played nearly 500 NHL games and won a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars.

While Derek Plante has had an incredible career as a player, what excites me most about this interview is his current insights into the world of hockey for young athletes.

After retirement, Derek went on to become a skills development coach with the Chicago Blackhawks before earning the role as head coach for Minnesota Duluth.
The past summer, Derek was named head coach of the U18 USA development team where they earned a bronze medal at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Derek works with world-class prospects on a daily basis and he knows what scouts, coaches, GM’s and teammates are looking for in a player.

Listen up, and get ready to elevate your game.