Built Different Hockey: Mike Fournier on Non-Traditional Paths, Teaching the Game & Mental Toughness

Marc Genest introduces Between the Shifts and Stop and Start Hockey’s mission of guiding players through youth, junior, and pro hockey decisions, then welcomes former teammate Mike Fournier, founder of Built Different Hockey (BDH). Fournier shares his non-traditional path from central Massachusetts (no AAA) to the Boston Junior Bruins, the QMJHL (which ended his NCAA eligibility), the USHL and Maritime League, and a cutthroat minor pro career (234 games). He explains why he joined the Air Force, served 20 years as an analyst with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and recently retired. Returning to hockey through coaching his son Zachary, Fournier describes BDH’s small-group, classroom-style sessions focused on game details, off-puck skills, and teaching concepts, and both discuss the importance of coaching quality, long-term development, and choosing teams for true development over a “shiny nickel” pathway. 00:00 Show Intro 00:19 Stop and Start Mission 01:09 Meet Mike Fournier 03:34 Growing Up in Mass 07:21 Jump to the Q 09:32 Built Different Origins 11:18 Minor League Reality 14:04 From Pro to Air Force 16:10 20 Years of Service 18:18 Back to the Rink 20:14 Partners and Sponsors 21:50 Youth Hockey Today 25:21 Teaching Game Details 27:41 Coaching vs Teaching 28:40 Why Skating Matters 29:46 Built Different Model 30:44 Teaching Real Hockey IQ 34:14 Bad Coaching Problem 38:55 Developing Hidden Gems 42:50 Coaches Who Shaped Me 44:20 Lessons From Mentors 51:59 Advice Choosing Teams 54:33 Wrap Up And Links https://builtdifferenthockey.com/