The final 2025 season episode of Hockey Guys is an energetic, heartfelt, and occasionally hilarious wrap-up featuring Jeff Bredahl, Crazy Eddie Christian, and Doc Phil Johnson (kind of... he's got a rough phone connection and may or may not be calling from a cruise ship bar 😄).
The crew digs deep into what it really takes to win a college hockey national championship, using Western Michigan’s gritty, “thick and heavy” team as the season’s blueprint for success.
Along the way, they:
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Roast their buddy Dean Wilson live from a beach resort 🍹
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Reflect on NIL and the transfer portal’s role in team building
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Welcome Coach Eric Lang, newly named head coach of RPI, who shares recruiting insights and the challenge of building a winning team from scratch
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Chat with legendary Air Force coach Frank Serratore on how the game is evolving in a “transactional era” of college hockey
And of course, there’s love for the game, cold Ham’s beer, and Red Pepper sandwiches 🌯.
📝 Key Takeaways:
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Winning in college hockey isn’t about glitz—it’s about grit, leadership, and building “thick and heavy” teams that grind every shift.
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Coaches now have to be part-GM, part-therapist, and full-time recruiters in the NIL era.
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Programs with committed administrations (like RPI and Western) have a real shot—even against the “money teams.”
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“Man management” and navigating family/advisory influences are the new off-ice challenges.
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There's nothing quite like wrapping a season with good laughs and hockey brotherhood.
✨ Listener Favorites:
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Dean Wilson’s beach call (complete with background bar noise) 🍸
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Discussion on whether college hockey needs 5 coaches on a bench 🤔
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Coach Lang’s recruiting hustle + Coach Serratore’s spicy NIL takes 💰