Outdoor Hockey Etiquette

[SarichFan]

To me outdoor hockey is one of the best Canadian passtimes however, i've got some beefs.

1) Too many players on the ice, if 20 people can't organize a good game on 5 on 5 with changes, I fear for our future. It's dangerous for one having so many people on the ice, and if there's that many people you'll usually find at least 2 puck hogs per team.

2) Since when did wearing a Hockey jersey for shinny become taboo? 90% of people wear a black or grey hoody and pretty much look exactly the same. I played last night and was one of TWO people of 16 with a jersey on. Which goes back to the too many people on the ice thing. If you can't distinguish who the heck is on your team, how are you supposed to make plays? ect?

3) I know you want to teach your kid the game... but for the love of god having one or two 4 ft tall kids on the ice surrounded by huge men is dangerous for the kid and even more dangerous for everyone else.. Keep your kid for the family ice time, the kiddy rink.. or get them involved in organized hockey. I seriously think there should be a 13 year old rule for rinks after 8pm.. I've seen so many times, someone innocently ragdoll someones kid, or see someone fall and hurt themselves to avoid the little ones.

4) The Stanley Cup isn't on the line, lay off the gas a bit and keep passes low. I usually stay back a bit and play D and usually if it were contact you could check the hell out of someone. Or at least stand them up. Nothing is funnier to me than making a guy wipe out because he's trying to score a stanley cup winning goal on an empty net..

5) Don't be a puck hog.. You make yourself look like a giant tool if you try to go coast to coast more than once or twice.

That's all I got for now. Still love the shinny but man the experience is really hit or miss.

[Bench Warmer]

6) If playing with a hard puck and you have guys volunteering on each team to play net with no equipment, keep the friggin puck on the ice. Nothing worse than an unprotected tender leaning to cover the bottom part of the net and some tool decides fire an 'intended for the top corner' wrister right into the tender's rocks.

[Kipper is King]

Excellent post.

Shinny is incredibly hit or miss. I've had some games where there is real flow, and some games where there is so many people all over the place, the puck gets stuck in the neutral zone.

[lifer]

7. If you use the frigging rink, shovel the friggin rink. Don't watch me do it and then want to get in my way...I might Phaneuf you.

[Nufy]

8). The hockey game is in the rink not the skating area.

My kid was almost knocked down a bunch of times this sunday from a-holes who decided to start a separate game on the skating oval.

[SarichFan]

Originally Posted by Nufy

8). The hockey game is in the rink not the skating area.

My kid was almost knocked down a bunch of times this sunday from a-holes who decided to start a separate game on the skating oval.

Yeah, which also brings ...

9) If you aren't on the ice to play in the game, stay the eff off the hockey ice.

I don't mind people shooting pucks as long as they get out of the way when the game moves to the end their in. But we don't need figure skaters getting in the way

10) If you don't have actual goalie gear, don't bother playing on outdoor ice as a goalie. It's pointless, and if you don't have real goalie gear you're most likely a sieve and it's easier to score on you than nailing the post.

[Gravitykillr]

10) if a goalie shows up don't try to take his head off with your slapshot, it makes a nice sound against the board but hit a goalie in the face with it and he'll be rather displeased.

[CaptainCrunch]

CaptainCrunch's outdoor pickup hockey Etiquette

1) If there's a goalie in net, whiz one by his head, you want to make sure that he flinches every time you shoot

2) Don't be afraid to drop the gloves with that skinny little twerp with the glasses, pull off his jersey and shred it on the bench

3) When your on the bench it never hurts to have a smoke, at least your lungs will be warm

4) Have about 6 beers before you get to the game, it doesn't hurt to feel like superman, and when you pee your pants after a hit it will keep your legs warm

5) Its ok to have an edge, heavy training and steroids will give you the edge that you need

6) If everyone is wearing hoodies, it becomes a shirts and skins game, make sure that your on the shirts team. When your skating by a skin's player, show him comrade ship by giving his a friendly slap across the belly

7) If there are young kids playing in the game, its a perfect time to impress your friends and any girls watching with the high light reel type of hit. Extra points are awarded if you leave your feet and follow through

8) When you score a goal, flail your arms, jump up and down, scream yahoo, and then autograph the puck with the sharpie that you tucked into your glove

9) Everytime someone breaths on you scream "Penalty", then argue the call

10) There's nothing more satisfying then throwing the perfect hip check on a senior citizen, then when he's lying on the ice writhing in pain lean over and laugh at him while you say "Got Milk"

11) there might be scouts somewhere in the same city, so just in case, take all of the pressure on you, don't pass the puck to those useless players that are just going to screw it up. Mutter to yourself "You guys are useless, I'll do it myself"

12) After the game, when you go out to have a beer, duck out on the tab, your friends will admire your fiscal conservatism.

13) Just as the play is getting intense in your end, yell out "Car" and push the net out of traffic.

14) When your talking to strangers, tell them that "I was good enough to go pro if it wasn't for this damn knee", then give him a hard look and mutter "You'd better have your head on a swivel tonight gramps"

[Engine09]

You would think that all of these points are common sense, but people sure are strange. The group I play with twice a week are great guys for the most part but a few of them behave quite stupid from time to time.

-When teams are very lopsided, swap jerseys to even things out. Especially when someone asks you to switch sides, don't stare blankly and say "no" because your friends are on your side. Just do it to make the game more fun, that's whole point.

-Calm down, no need to skate into the corner at full speed and get overly aggressive. You're not trying out for an NHL team. And while you're at it, wipe that serious look off your face, you don't need to intimidate anyone. It's just shinny.


There's another group of guys I play with who are all a bit older, those games rule. Everyone has a blast, we have some pretty spirited battles for the puck and always skate away smiling and laughing.

[foofighter15]

Agree with everything you said.
If anyone wants to play I'm always down. And I'll wear a jersey too!

[foofighter15]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

CaptainCrunch's outdoor pickup hockey Etiquette

Dude can I be on your team?

[Azure]

I hate players that take it too serious....breaking your stick against the boards because you missed a simple SOG is taking it too serious.

But I also hate players who play with absolutely no drive. Kinda ridiculous when you go into the corner for the puck and no one follows you because they're too lazy.

[McG]

the best times are when you have folk of all skill levels. some real nice passes etc.

rule 11) back off the obviously non skilled guy. give him a chance to enjoy having the puck and making a nice pass and he just might come back and be better next time.

rule 12) when you are beaten...don't take a major league hack at the dude's skates, legs, or hands. he's around you...let it go. no cups or trophies will be won or lost on that play.

[jayswin]

Calgarypuck Shinny anyone?

[Berger_4_]

I've got a couple...

13. If there are little kids playing, slow up a little and let them go end to end once in a while. Nothing I hate more than other guys who are just out to steal the puck from the little kids. Jerks...

14. No raises mean no raises. It doesn't mean try to saucer a pass through 15 pairs of legs. If there's a guy wide open, by all means go for it. But otherwise, nyet! Nyet I say!

15. If you're just out to shoot the puck around with your two friends, go down to the other end of the rink. I don't want to try to dodge you.

16. Keep the cursing to a minimum. C'mon, there's little kiddies out there trying to have fun to.

17. Keep it fun. We've had games break out in fisticuffs and slashie-stick fights before. Not good for anybody involved.

18. When sticks get split up, stay on that team until it's decided if the teams are close to fair. Don't go sneaking over to the other side. It just screws with the numbers.

19. STOP STEALING MY DAMN PUCKS! Gawd I hate that. Go to the rink with 5 or 6 pucks and come home with 2. Go buy your own, or at least give me mine back.

[stang]

Doesnt anyone like an ol fashioned "4 Brothers" type game of Hockey?

[monkeyman]

ugh, i used to love playing outdoor shinny. a few years ago, i was playing a game of pick up. 3 on 3, that's all the guys there were. we were kicking butt. one guy on the other team was playing in front of his own net when the puck comes out from the side boards. what does he decide to do? take a huge slapshot from his own goal to clear the puck. it hit me square in the mouth, i lost two teeth. makes me mad to this day when i think about it. i wish people would use some common sense.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Calgarypuck Shinny anyone?

I'm actually surprised it hasn't been organized.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by monkeyman

ugh, i used to love playing outdoor shinny. a few years ago, i was playing a game of pick up. 3 on 3, that's all the guys there were. we were kicking butt. one guy on the other team was playing in front of his own net when the puck comes out from the side boards. what does he decide to do? take a huge slapshot from his own goal to clear the puck. it hit me square in the mouth, i lost two teeth. makes me mad to this day when i think about it. i wish people would use some common sense.

I would wear a mouth guard. Always....anywhere....any game.

Even with shinny.

You can't depend on the next guy to not do something stupid....especially in the 'heat' of the game where anything can happen.

[SarichFan]

There shouldn't be any "Heat" to the game. It's the lowest form of competition there is in hockey, I just like to set up plays, make passes to people, ding a few posts and that's it.

It blows my mind how competitive some people are when they play. It should be fun for everyone, not just 3 buddies out of 12 + people.