These Packs Puck

We’re back with another edition of hockey romance book club! This week, we’re diving into the hugely popular Game Changers series with the mastermind behind it, Rachel Reid. She explains that her fun, moving, and extremely spicy books were born out of one simple question–what would NHL culture be like if gay players felt free to come out? This is a question Anya and Madison have thought about a lot, and they chat ...

The PWHL season may be over, but the Packers still have plenty to say about women’s hockey. In this solo episode, they recap playoff highlights and look ahead to the expansion draft for Vancouver and Seattle. Plus, in a fun game, they play GM for each of the existing teams and pick which players they’d protect from being drafted. Listen to see who the Packers pick and if you agree.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Hockey can be a platform for positive change. The Packers know this well and so does their long-time friend and colleague, Kate Whitman Annis. As Executive Director of the New Jersey Devils Youth Foundation, Kate promotes equity in the Devils’ surrounding community by inspiring kids, particularly young girls, to get into hockey. To Madison and Anya, Kate is also an exceptional leader–one who navigated tough discussions ...

Madison and Anya have never shied away from talking about mental health — and in past episodes, Anya even shared her initiative to bring a sports psychologist onto the Riveter’s team. Today’s guest is the doctor at the heart of that effort: Dr. Joe Galasso. Together, they explore the powerful intersection of athletics and mental health, and why support systems are essential for athletes navigating public scrutiny,...

It’s a post–Mother’s Day special! Anya sits down with her amazing mom, Lori—the woman who taught her discipline, compassion, and the importance of family. Lori reflects on what Anya was like as a child, shares her best parenting advice, and talks about the joy of watching her daughter become a parent. She also opens up about Anya’s coming out journey and how she supported her through some of her most c...

Madison and Anya are no strangers to hockey romance — but they had no clue hockey romance novels existed, let alone were a wildly popular genre! Author Lexi LaFleur Brown joins to talk about her spicy, hilarious new hockey rom-com, Shoot Your Shot. Lexi talks about how her experience growing up immersed in hockey as a kid in Canada and her own real-life hockey romance inspired her book. She also shares how sliding into DMs le...

It’s been nearly six months since Madison’s retirement, so today the Packers are finally catching up on what life looks like now. Madison gets real about the tough transition to more time at home and tries to answer the daunting question: what’s next? Anya shares her own, very different post-retirement struggles and how they altered her sense of identity. Together, they talk about the importance of a support netwo...

Women’s sports are gaining momentum—and brands are finally catching up. The Packers dive into Coach’s multi-year WNBA sponsorship and why more brands should invest in rising stars. Then, they talk to Brianna Salvatore Dueck, former pro-basketball player and founder of Uplift Sports and Entertainment. Passionate about the power of sports to drive social change, Brianna shares her journey from playing professionally...

This week, the Packers are all about Detroit. It's Madison’s hometown and the site that broke the record for US women's hockey attendance on the PWHL Takeover Tour. Anya and Madison recap that Takeover Tour — the highlights, the strategy behind it, and what it might mean for expansion in the league. Then they chat with their good friend Kris Smith: a Detroit local, pro trainer (to the Packers and Madison’s mom!), ...

Social media has become an essential part of our daily lives, from sports figures to parenting influencers. In this episode, bestselling author, podcast host of Under the Influence, and mom of three, Jo Piazza, shares her unique perspective on the powerful business women behind some of our favorite (and sometimes least favorite) social media accounts. Jo pulls back the curtain on the media empires these influencers have built, reve...

Women are breaking barriers on and off the ice — and sports journalists like Jamie Hersch are leading the charge in elevating women’s sports through powerful storytelling. In this episode, Jamie reflects on her early career as a trailblazer in a male-dominated field, where she had to prove her skills and passion as the only woman in the room. She, along with the Packers, discuss how women athletes often connect with fan...

Every mom needs her village, and Ali Krieger is a great example of someone committed to building community, both in sports and in her personal life. As a soccer star, she and her teammates fought for equal pay with U.S. Soccer--a move that helped women's sports as a whole. Off the field, Ali embraced the power of a supportive community after a very public divorce and remains dedicated to nurturing her relationships with mom friends...

If you’re anything like the Packers, Robin Arzón might have gotten you through the pandemic. Currently the VP of Fitness Programming and Head Instructor at Peloton, Robin’s rides are known to be uplifting and healing, which is definitely true for Anya who was saved by those rides in the thick of postpartum depression. Robin turned to running after a traumatic experience in college and has relied on physical stren...

Madison’s retirement introduced a whole new structure to the Packer household. While Anya used to bear the brunt of childcare, those roles are now swapped. This creates challenges on both ends that the couple hash out on air. Luckily, today’s guest, Eve Rodsky, can relieve the tension. Eve is dedicated to helping couples split domestic labor evenly–a mission she detailed in her NYT Bestselling book, Fair Play. She...

Women’s sports has a money problem--from funding and player salaries to wealth management post-career. Stephanie Dobbs Brown, former CMO at Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and the New York Stock Exchange, is working to address this issue by promoting financial literacy and equity in women’s sports. She sat down with the Packers to discuss why this issue matters to her and how financial education empowers women. Plus, sh...

Kaleigh Fratkin and the Packers go way back. The story starts in high school, where Madison and Kaleigh threw hits on the ice and butted heads off of it. Later, fate brought Kaleigh and Anya together as college roommates in Boston, cementing them as lifelong friends. Now that Madison and Anya are married and all three have endured the highs and lows of storied hockey careers, they’re closer than ever. In this episode, Kaleigh...

One of the best pieces of representation for women’s hockey came out last year. It’s Inside Out 2, the sequel to the hugely popular Pixar movie beloved by children and adults alike for helping us understand the emotions whirling around in our minds. Its main character, 13-year-old Riley, is a hockey player, which means the Packers have feelings about this film. They chat about what it meant to see a woman’s hockey...

As 2024 wraps up, the Packers take a moment to reflect on a year like no other. From the groundbreaking inaugural season of the PWHL to the explosive growth of women’s sports, and the personal shifts following Madison’s retirement, it’s been a whirlwind. Madison and Anya look back on the highs and lows of the past year and share their resolutions, hopes, and dreams for 2025.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy ...

In sports, the bond between teammates often goes beyond the game — you become family. In this episode, the Packers reunite with one of their own, Emma Woods, to reflect on the unforgettable moments of last season. Emma, who lived with Madison and Anya while playing for the Sirens, quickly became a "pseudo-mom" to their kids, forging deep and unexpected connections. Join us as we dive into life off the ice —...