Sharpening Your Edge Podcast: Elevate Your Hockey Game, Mind & Culture
In hockey, success isn’t just about speed or strength — it’s about mindset, preparation, leadership, and continual growth. The Sharpening Your Edge Podcast delivers exactly that — a platform built to dig into what really moves the needle in player development, team performance, and hockey culture.
🎙️ Who Hosts the Show?
The podcast is co-hosted by Chuck Verdolino and Erik (Eric) Melanson.
- Chuck Verdolino is the founder and lead instructor of CV3 Hockey Development. He played Tier-1 hockey on Long Island through age 18, participated in the USA Hockey Select Camp, captained his high school team to a state championship run, and later served as a general manager in pro hockey. Today, he applies that deep playing and organizational insight to mentoring athletes and leaders in the sport.
- Erik Melanson is a retired Marine Corps Intelligence Officer who brings a high-stakes leadership background to the mic. He grew up on the ice in Boston, coaches youth hockey with the Philadelphia Little Flyers, and competes with the USA Warriors when he can. His unique fusion of military discipline, team leadership, and hockey experience creates a perspective that bridges sport and life.
Together, Chuck and Erik anchor conversations with elite coaches, performance specialists, and hockey minds from all corners of the game. Their aim? To push past the surface and unpack what truly drives development — from training and recovery to mindset, leadership, nutrition, and culture. iHe
🧭 Podcast Focus: Beyond the Ice
What sets Sharpening Your Edge apart is its holistic view of hockey. The hosts don’t just talk about drills or tactics — topics range across mental performance, team dynamics, development strategies, and the less glamorous but critical areas that separate good players from great ones. Guests include performance coaches, strength & conditioning experts, pro and junior hockey leaders, and more. iHeart+1
Here are some recurring themes:
- Mindset & Mental Toughness — how players build resilience, overcome slumps, and sustain growth under pressure
- Leadership & Culture — what it takes to lead from the locker room, create healthy team norms, and develop future leaders
- Training, Recovery & Nutrition — integrating best practices in strength, conditioning, rest, and fueling for performance
- Youth Development & Long-Term Growth — guiding younger players (and parents/coaches) toward sustainable progress
- Game IQ & Strategy — deeper conversations about systems, adaptation, and thoughtful hockey decisions
Listeners come away with actionable insights — not just theory — that can influence their training, coaching, or approach to the game.
✅ Why You Should Listen
If you’re a hockey player, coach, parent, performance professional, or passionate fan, Sharpening Your Edge offers conversations that matter. The blend of high-level guests, grounded experience from the hosts, and a refusal to stay at the surface means every episode becomes an opportunity to sharpen not just your skills but your thinking.
The show is available on all major podcast platforms. Subscribe, tune in, and join the community pushing for better performance on and off the ice.