
#63 - Denver Barkey| The NHL Call, Mental Game & What It Really Takes to Stick
From The Hockey Lab Podcast by Gary Roberts Performance Productions
February 16, 2026 · 27 min
About this episode
Denver Barkey discusses his journey to the NHL and the mental aspects of becoming a professional player.
Denver Barkey returns to The Hockey Lab Podcast to break down the moment every player dreams of — getting the call to the NHL. From packing his bags in under an hour… to skating at Madison Square Garden… to learning how to be a pro every single day, Barkey shares what the jump from junior to the AHL — and then to the NHL — actually feels like. This episode dives deep into: • Coachability at the highest level • Why he stopped using the iPad mid-game • The mental performance work that changed his career • Compete habits that separate players • How goals are really scored in today's NHL • Why the next two years matter more than the last ten For young players chasing the dream — this is a blueprint in real time. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Hosts Coach Adrian (A) @championshiplifestyle Head Strength Coach at Gary Roberts Performance. Fun Fact – Fought professionally in MMA for nearly a decade. Coach Ryan (Gards) On-Ice Coach at Gary Roberts Performance. Veteran of over 1000 NLA (Switzerland's Top League) games, 5 Spengler Cups, 3 World Championships, and 1 Olympics. Fun Fact – His grandfather Cal is a "Top 100…
People in this episode
Hosts: Coach Adrian, Coach Ryan
Guest: Denver Barkey
Topics covered
- NHL call
- mental game
- junior to AHL
- AHL to NHL
- coachability
- mental performance
- compete habits
Keywords
- NHL
- mental performance
- junior hockey
- AHL
- coachability
- hockey training
- player development
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Gary Roberts Performance
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- #61 - Coach A & Gards | ODR Stories, World Junior Fallout, and the Path to the NHL (Zhilkin & Barkey) · January 15, 2026 · 24 min
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