Brandon Convery’s story is one that many other former NHL draft picks share. After being a high, first-round selection (8th overall for the Leafs in 1992), his career never quite hit high gear at the highest level of competition. Of course, there is no single explanation as to why, but for Convery, it’s clear that media pressure had something to do with it. 

That’s where The Convery Group steps in – helping mentor junior or minor-league players through the ups and downs of trying to crack the big league. While every NHL team these days employs a sports psychologist or two to help the players’ mental health and focus, it’s uncommon that those psychologists have comparable athletic experience that helps them relate to players.  In short, Convery knows a lot about it, and he was kind enough to spend some time answering some questions.

We spoke at some length about being a first round draft choice in Toronto, how prospects are handled (or at least were in the past), and the negative pressure that the media can inflict on a player – one of our "favourite" columnists even gets named in particular. So have a listen, and enjoy some Leafs-related hockey talk.