The PDA Newsletter | Introduction

Written By Chase Rochon

The PDA Newsletter — Hockey Content That Actually Moves You Forward

There’s no shortage of hockey content out there — highlights, rankings, takes, and more noise than ever.

What’s harder to find?

Development-focused insight built for the players trying to grow, the parents trying to guide them, and the coaches trying to keep it all in perspective.

That’s where we come in.

The PDA Newsletter is built for the long game.

We publish twice a week, delivering sharp, grounded, and practical hockey content designed to help players evolve — not just get exposure.

No fluff. No filler. Just structure, stories, and tools that help.

How It Works

Each week, we rotate between two high-value content tracks:

WEEK A: The Player Journey

MONDAY → NHL Case Studies

THURSDAY → U16AAA Coverage

Our Case Studies are deep-dive stories about NHL players who built their game differently — players who earned their way, beat the odds, or shaped skillsets that actually scale to youth hockey.

Each story follows a proven structure:

A compelling hook, the development path, the player he became, key takeaways, and actionable advice.

Some upcoming examples include:

  • The Relentless Rise (Zach Hyman) — how elite habits and reliability made him undeniable

  • The Road Less Travelled (Cale Makar) — why freedom, patience, and timing changed everything

  • No Permission Needed (Martin St. Louis) — betting on yourself when nobody else will

On Thursdays, we shift to U16AAA — where tomorrow’s draft picks are earning their stripes. We track Ontario’s top players, risers, and key moments across the season’s calendar — from the Titans Tournament to Wendy Dufton, Silver Stick, Marlies, Steve Richey, Oakville Classic, playoffs, and the OHL Cup.

You can expect to find:

  • Trending Players and Teams

  • Regional Rundowns

  • Tournament Previews and Recaps

This pairing gives you both ends of the spectrum: long-view lessons from the pros, and real-time progress from the players chasing that path right now.

WEEK B: Development + Support

MONDAY → Elite Habits (Player Development)

THURSDAY → Parent Insights

Our Elite Habits series is for players who want to build repeatable value — the kind that shows up on video, earns shifts, and compounds over time.

We break down small, impactful skills that create clarity in the game and are backed by science:

  • Scanning & Awareness

  • Deception

  • Mental Focus & Resilience

  • Decision Making Under Pressure

  • Off-Ice Training & Habits

  • Shift Management

Some upcoming articles include:

  • Skill Blockers

  • How to Train Focus Like a Pro

  • Practice Like a Gamer

  • Fuel Like a Pro

  • Play Fast Without Rushing

  • Stick Details

Then on Thursdays, we step off the ice with our Parent Insights series — a guide for families trying to support their young athletes without losing sight of what’s really important.

These stories cover the emotional and mental side of the journey:

confidence dips, communication gaps, comparison traps, identity, and long-term perspective.

Some upcoming favourites include:

  • The Car Ride Home: what to say (and what not to) after a tough game

  • The 10-Year View: zooming out from short-term pressure

  • The Confidence Dip: how to help your kid when belief gets shaky

    This pairing offers both the tools for on-ice performance, and the mindset to handle what comes with it.

What PDA Stands For

PDA stands for Player Development Analysis — and that’s exactly what we deliver.

We combine scouting, video, and analytics to get a complete picture of a player’s game. Then we use that clarity to help athletes build something sustainable — whether they’re chasing the next level or just trying to elevate their ceiling.

Everything we send is rooted in the same mission:

Help serious players and families make sense of the game, the process, and themselves.

Welcome to the Journey

You’ll hear from us every Monday and Thursday.

Sometimes it’ll be a case study on an NHLer who refused to fade away.

Sometimes it’ll be a breakdown of a tournament that’s shaping the draft class.

Sometimes it’ll be a development concept worth mastering.

Sometimes it’ll be a conversation you need to have — or stop having — as a parent.

Whatever it is, you’ll walk away with clarity — not confusion.

📬 Subscribe. Save. Share. Stay grounded. Stay sharp.

This is hockey content with purpose.

Ready to take your game to the next level?

Reading is a great start. But growth demands more than insight — it requires structure, feedback, and clarity.

At PDA (Player Development Analysis), we combine professional scouting, high-level video analysis, and performance analytics to gain a comprehensive understanding of your game — and use that insight to build your path forward.

Whether you’re preparing for a key tournament, chasing the next level in your development, or just want to know what’s really driving your impact on the ice, we deliver:

  • Custom highlight reels and shift-by-shift video breakdowns

  • Scouting reports that reflect how you think, move, and compete — not just what shows up on a stat sheet

  • Analytics-backed evaluations that reveal the habits and patterns that make or break your performance

We don’t guess. We assess. With scouting, video, and analytics working together, you get the full picture — and a real plan.

Unlock your full potential with cutting-edge, personalized development plans — where tailored feedback and data-driven insight combine to deliver game-changing results.

Chase Rochon