#63 - Denver Barkey| The NHL Call, Mental Game & What It Really Takes to Stick

#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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