Stay to Pay... errr... Play: The Mafia of Youth Hockey

Michael & Angela kick things off with a look back at both kids’ hockey weekends—which, in a rare hockey-parent miracle, were ALL at the same rink! They also discuss the NHL’s new uniform rules and what they mean for players.Then it’s time to tackle one of the most painful phrases in youth hockey: Stay to Play.What may have started as an innocent way to bring teams together for tournaments has evolved into what many hockey parents see as a complicated, expensive and restrictive. Michael and Angela break down how Stay to Play works, how hotels are selected, the rules parents and teams have to follow, and why the hotel portion can become the biggest headache of the entire tournament.They also share a few Stay to Play hacks that might help parents get a little more value out of the system, talk about national cases where teams and organizations have challenged Stay to Play policies, and dive into feedback from hockey parents who have experienced the good, the bad, and the downright ridiculous.And finally, Michael unveils his brilliant idea for the Pucked Up Parents Stay to Play Tournament—an idea Angela is, unfortunately for Michael, not exactly sold on.Because nothing says youth hockey like paying a fortune for a hotel room that you could have gotten cheaper elsewhere.