The Christian Kuntz Podcast - Episode 46 | Eric Tangradi on NHL Culture, Fighting, Youth Sports & Mental Battles

What’s up, everyone? The Christian Kuntz Podcast is back with Episode 46—and this one’s for the hockey heads, the grinders, and anyone who's battled adversity. We’re joined by Eric Tangradi, NHL vet and the first hockey guest on the pod. He breaks down what it’s REALLY like to go from inner-city Philly to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the evolution of toughness in sports, and what today’s young athletes need to hear.

From fighting on the ice to fighting mental battles off it, Eric keeps it real about the grit, the grind, and what gets lost in the highlight generation.

🔥 In this episode, we cover:
✅ Eric’s wild journey from YMCA floor hockey to the NHL
✅ Learning to skate as a figure skater—yes, really
✅ Playing for the Penguins and protecting stars like Sidney Crosby
✅ The NHL code: why fights happen, how they start, and what they mean
✅ Hockey’s softening rules and the cost of overprotecting athletes
✅ Social media pressure, youth sports culture, and raising mentally tough kids
✅ Building grit vs. faking grind—what’s missing in today’s game
✅ Transitioning to coaching and raising the standard the right way

Eric opens up about mental health, coaching high school hockey, and how losing himself in the NHL grind taught him to live with purpose. It’s powerful, it’s funny, it’s real—and it’s one every athlete and parent needs to hear.

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