We’re back with another edition of hockey romance book club! This week, we’re diving into the hugely popular Game Changers series with the mastermind behind it, Rachel Reid. She explains that her fun, moving, and extremely spicy books were born out of one simple question–what would NHL culture be like if gay players felt free to come out? This is a question Anya and Madison have thought about a lot, and they chat with Rachelabout why it’s so important to have queer representation in men’s hockey. With a TV adaptation of Game Changers on the way, they predict how Rachel’s work might translate to real change sooner than we think.

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The PWHL season may be over, but the Packers still have plenty to say about women’s hockey. In this solo episode, they recap playoff highlights and look ahead to the expansion draft for Vancouver and Seattle. Plus, in a fun game, they play GM for each of the existing teams and pick which players they’d protect from being drafted. Listen to see who the Packers pick and if you agree.

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Hockey can be a platform for positive change. The Packers know this well and so does their long-time friend and colleague, Kate Whitman Annis. As Executive Director of the New Jersey Devils Youth Foundation, Kate promotes equity in the Devils’ surrounding community by inspiring kids, particularly young girls, to get into hockey. To Madison and Anya, Kate is also an exceptional leader–one who navigated tough discussions as general manager of the Riveters and expertly handled the chaos of raising four boys. Listen to hear how she learned to lead by example and to hear her and the Packers reminisce about their wild days on the Riveters.

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Madison and Anya have never shied away from talking about mental health — and in past episodes, Anya even shared her initiative to bring a sports psychologist onto the Riveter’s team. Today’s guest is the doctor at the heart of that effort: Dr. Joe Galasso. Together, they explore the powerful intersection of athletics and mental health, and why support systems are essential for athletes navigating public scrutiny, intense competition, and personal identity. Dr. Galasso also discusses the growing destigmatization of mental health, crediting role models like Anya and Madison for helping shift the narrative. Plus, he shares insights from his work with Baker Street Behavioral Health, a practice that supports patients across the lifespan — starting as young as age two.

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It’s a post–Mother’s Day special! Anya sits down with her amazing mom, Lori—the woman who taught her discipline, compassion, and the importance of family. Lori reflects on what Anya was like as a child, shares her best parenting advice, and talks about the joy of watching her daughter become a parent. She also opens up about Anya’s coming out journey and how she supported her through some of her most challenging mental health struggles as a teenager.

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Madison and Anya are no strangers to hockey romance — but they had no clue hockey romance novels existed, let alone were a wildly popular genre! Author Lexi LaFleur Brown joins to talk about her spicy, hilarious new hockey rom-com, Shoot Your Shot. Lexi talks about how her experience growing up immersed in hockey as a kid in Canada and her own real-life hockey romance inspired her book. She also shares how sliding into DMs led to marrying an NHL player and spills the tea on what real hockey world drama made it into her pages.

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It’s been nearly six months since Madison’s retirement, so today the Packers are finally catching up on what life looks like now. Madison gets real about the tough transition to more time at home and tries to answer the daunting question: what’s next? Anya shares her own, very different post-retirement struggles and how they altered her sense of identity. Together, they talk about the importance of a support network, the challenge of too much free time, and the need for better resources for retired athletes.

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Women’s sports are gaining momentum—and brands are finally catching up. The Packers dive into Coach’s multi-year WNBA sponsorship and why more brands should invest in rising stars. Then, they talk to Brianna Salvatore Dueck, former pro-basketball player and founder of Uplift Sports and Entertainment. Passionate about the power of sports to drive social change, Brianna shares her journey from playing professionally to working with the UN after retirement, to now helping athletes build platforms that amplify their voices. She offers insights on the growth and challenges of women’s sports, the impact of NIL deals on college athletes, and how losing her mother at a young age led her to find healing and community through sports.

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