From Getting Cut to 12 Years Pro: Kevin Carr on Resilience, Confidence, and the Goalie Mindset

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What if getting cut from your hockey team turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to your career?

In this episode of The Goalie Mindset Podcast, Pete Fry sits down with former professional goaltender and Certified Goalie Mindset Coach Kevin Carr, who shares the ups and downs of his 12-year professional career and how learning to let go of past disappointments changed the way he played.

Kevin grew up playing AAA hockey alongside future NHL players like Steven Stamkos, Michael Del Zotto, and Cody Hodgson. For years, making the team was almost automatic. Then, just before his OHL draft year, he got cut.

It was a tough moment, but one that Kevin now looks back on as a turning point. Instead of blaming the coach or giving up, he took responsibility, got back to work, and eventually built a professional career that took him across North America and Europe.

Pete and Kevin discuss:

• Why getting cut doesn't mean your hockey career is over
• How taking responsibility can turn setbacks into opportunities
• Why comparing yourself to other goalies can hold you back
• The importance of having a clear picture of where you want your career to go
• How to let go of past mistakes instead of carrying them into the next game
• Why managing your mental energy matters during a long season
• How visualization can help goalies build confidence and prepare for big moments
• Why the lessons learned through hockey can help you long after your playing career ends

Kevin also shares one of the toughest stretches of his career. After finally earning an opportunity in the AHL, he found himself moving between teams and leagues, getting called up and sent down 13 times in one season. By the time it was over, he felt like he had let himself and everyone around him down.

Those feelings followed him into the next season, and he struggled to find his game. That's when he discovered Pete's mindset training and began learning how to move forward without carrying the weight of everything that had happened before.

One of the biggest lessons Kevin shares is that setbacks are speed bumps, not roadblocks. You can learn from what happened without letting it define the rest of your career.

Now, Kevin is helping the next generation of goalies through Kevin Carr Goaltending and his work as a Certified Goalie Mindset Coach.

🎧 If you've ever been cut, struggled with confidence, or felt stuck thinking about the past, this episode is a reminder that your next opportunity could be closer than you think.

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