Send us Fan Mail

In this powerful episode of the Up My Hockey Podcast, Jason Podollan sits down with 18‑year‑old Jackson Drum, a former CDA (Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy) player whose life changed in an instant after a devastating on-ice collision left him with a C1–C2 “Christopher Reeve” spinal cord injury.

Jackson shares his journey from being a late-start, underestimated hockey kid in Minnesota—told he’d be a “C player” forever—to outworking everyone around him. He walks us through shooting 500 pucks a day until his hands bled, waking up at 3:30 a.m. for extra ice, and grinding his way into CDA’s 17U prep program with a growth mindset and deep faith.

Then he takes us inside the night of the injury: the hit, the immediate paralysis, the eight minutes without breathing, and the string of “coincidences” that kept him alive—a highly trained nurse, a firefighter in the stands, and emergency intervention that saved his life. Jackson describes waking up intubated, unable to move or speak, communicating only with tongue clicks and an alphabet board, enduring a misplaced feeding tube, and living through excruciating pain with no effective medication.

Through it all, he talks candidly about his mental battle: praying for “the opportunity to get better,” refusing to accept doctors’ predictions, celebrating tiny wins like the first leg “flicker” and feeling returning to his left arm, and shifting his dream from playing to walking, coaching, and ultimately “changing the world” and helping others living with paralysis.

Jason and Jackson dive into themes every player and parent can learn from:

• The difference between saying you want it and actually doing the work.
• How a growth mindset and faith prepared Jackson for the hardest moment of his life.
• Setting big, long-term goals (walking, independence) and breaking them into small, daily wins.
• Gratitude and perspective when life doesn’t go to plan.
• Why you should chase your hockey dream fully—so you never live with regret, no matter what happens.

If you or someone you love needs a reminder of what courage, perspective, and persistence look like in real life, this conversation with Jackson Drum will stay with you long after it’s over.

To contribute to Jackson's dream you can support him at https://www.givesendgo.com/prayforjackson

If Jackson’s story hits you, share this episode with a teammate or parent, and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. After listening, leave a review and tell us: what’s one small goal you’re committing to this week?

Send us Fan Mail

We sit down with Nick Kypreos to trace a path from a career-ending concussion to a 25-year run in broadcasting, unpacking what resilience looks like when you feel unready and afraid. Along the way we debate Canada’s modern hockey identity, Olympic roster choices, and why competitive edge still wins in the spring.

• resilience after a concussion and job loss
• early broadcast failures, nerves, and growth
• finding your lane as a glue guy
• trust, consistency, and people skills in teams
• media access, distractions, and focus
• playoff style: why heavy, old-school hockey still wins
• Sam Bennett’s value and Olympic snubs
• best players versus best team roster building
• Canada’s identity and hunger in junior pathways
• McDavid’s professionalism and sustainability

If you're somebody out there that hasn't rated the show, and if you're an Apple iPhone user and use the App Store or Apple Podcasts, by all means get out there and and and send a review

Get on the UMH68 watch list at UpmyHockey.com under the UMH68 section

Use code UMH2026 at AYCANE.com for a discount on cut-resistant base layers

Send us Fan Mail

We dig into the craft of pro scouting with Mike Gensel, from how Utah builds a contender to why second effort and playoff habits separate prospects from producers. Jake Guentzel’s evolution from pass-first center to elite net-front finisher becomes a blueprint for players, coaches and parents.

• pro vs amateur scouting roles and objectives
• trade valuation, cap pressure and fair-deal philosophy
• Utah’s move, facilities and culture shift
• rebuild strategy, targeted adds and roster fit
• projecting AHL to NHL roles and usage
• playoff hockey as a different skill demand
• Jake Guentzel’s mindset shift and scoring identity
• development paths across NCAA, CHL and Europe
• due diligence, late bloomers and context
• parenting athletes with standards not control
• Utah’s needs: skill with second and third effort