These Packs Puck

The WNBA All-Stars demanded what they’re owed — and the Packers are all in. Madison and Anya dive into the fight for fair pay and the importance of Collective Bargaining Agreements in sports. They revisit the early days of pro hockey, from Anya’s time leading the Players’ Association to the PWHL’s still-imperfect CBA. Finally, they unpack why women athletes keep getting shortchanged — and imagine...

The Packers are stuck in Michigan and catching up on all things parenting— from hot takes on gentle parenting to the hilarious story of how their one-week vacation turned into three. Then comes the main event: sleep coach and Why Won’t You Sleep?! author Macall Gordon joins to talk about Waylon’s sleep drama (which they spilled a couple weeks ago). Macall specializes in deeply feeling kids and explains why tempera...

In this solo episode, the Packers get into two very different but equally heated topics. First, they speak out on how horrific it is that the government defunded 988, the suicide hotline that provides support for LGBTQ+ youth. They discuss why this is essentially an attack on the queer community’s mental health and provide resources for where to go if you’re in crisis. Then they discuss the person who always sends women...

This week, the Packers talk to someone who has beaten the odds at every turn. Eva Erickson is a lifelong hockey player who holds her own on men’s teams, an engineer who is getting her PhD at Brown University, and most recently the runner-up on season 48 of Survivor. She got there by being authentic in a game usually known for lying and deceit, but that’s not the only way she's defied expectations. As a baby, doctors tol...

The Packers are tired. Their son, Waylon, is going through a new phase where he won’t sleep. As believers in being transparent about the messy parts of motherhood, they get into what's been going on—the funny stories, the frustrations, and the sleep deprivation. Now they’re turning to you, our listeners, to seek help and solutions for this problem. So please, send advice! 

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Rivalries, locker room laughs, and the chaos of parenting — the Packers cover it all with Tessa Bonhomme, retired Canadian pro ice hockey player, sports broadcaster, and host of the Jocks & Jills podcast.  Together, they dive into the highs and lows of women’s hockey, the reality of working moms in sports, and why there’s no “off-season” for badass women on and off the ice.

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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.

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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...