Ice Hockey

[Athletics fan and runner]

Does anybody here play ice hockey?

I just learned how to skate last fall (I grew up in California) and I am ok at it. I have discovered that I love the sport of ice hockey. I have a friend who plays it at a high level and I have seen a lot of his games. I think the sport is awesome to watch in person and I enjoy playing (shinny, it is called?) pick up hockey. I tend to be the worst player out there becasue of my lack of ability to skate, but it is still fun.

[Malcolms Billy]

Don't play - can't even skate properly! - but it's something I've always fancied being able to do.

[wannalift]

i would have loved to play ice hockey as a kid, but it was way too expensive and there was no sponsorship at all from the school. i'm a big Penguins fan and its nice to once again have the best player in the world on our team (Lemieux, Jagr, and now Crosby).

[Fruitbat]

its a violent and fast game but oh so much fun - one of the few team sports that i can tolerate playing (though hate watching it) - as a kid in switzerland in a town where there was a big major league ice hockey team in switzerland, it was exected that eveyr little boy would do ice hockey and with school every 2 weeks we spent an afternoon at the ice rink learning and playing ice hockey. I was always bunged in goal for girls only games and was usually in attack in mixed games... but watch out for that pucc cos if it hits it HURTS!

[Athletics fan and runner]

All the ice has melted here so I will not be able to play for awhile.... I think that it might be the perfect team sport because of the fitness and skill that it requires and I wish that I would have been able to play it as a kid.

It is certainly violent. I like how the players have to go out of their heads a little bit in order to play. I feel like that when I race sometimes....

[xJimx]

Massive hockey fan right here. It's a real minority sport here in the UK but my dad used to play many years ago and passed on the hockey bug to me. I actually played roller hockey a lot more than ice hockey due to the lack of ice rinks in this country. I was pretty useful in my teens/early twenties (played roller hockey for Britain) but then I got injured and haven't played for many years now.

For my sins I am a St Louis fan (please feel free to mock); not a great season in 05/06 to put it mildly!

[Athletics fan and runner]

I do not really have a favorite hockey team. I have a good friend who is a serious hockey player and I tend to root for the team he is on. If he goes pro I will root for that team.....

I do root against the leafs though.... I know several leafs fans and that makes it fun to root against them hard!!!

[44 on D]

hockey rules! I play at least twice a week all year round.

[vectoranalysisgo]

hi... topping this thread because I just started playing ice hockey.. they have a women's ice hockey clinic at a rink nearby that I decided to try, so I spent the summer working on my skating/stopping skills and hunting down used pads and equipment. my brother played hockey growing up and I always wished I had been more athletic in high school.. I had an athlete buried inside me but I didn't like sports in school.. so now I get my chance at age 25. I'm pretty psyched.. we've only had two classes and everyone is quite wobbly, but we got to do a little scrimage (if you could call it that) at the end of class this week and it was the most fun I've had in ages...!

I was curious if anyone here who plays does anything particular in terms of weight training that helps/translates over to hockey strength.. from what I've read a lot of athletes focus on the core, and also lower back strength because you spend so much time standing in a low hockey stance.. I already do deadlifts and good mornings but still found my back pretty sore after each session.. I also don't work my abs as much as I probably should..

do you find squatting helps with speed? I can't tell if having stronger legs means more speed or just larger thighs..

[WildD]

I love to play hockey, but can't stand watching it at a pro level, they just don't have any passion. I've played for ten years, had a chance to take it seriously, but opted out...I just wasnt ready to be that sweaty/exhausted 7 days a week. But i still love it and have made some of my closest friends through it.

[trainwreck]

hockey rules! I play at least twice a week all year round.

Ayyyy! me too. It's a great workout

[Cosmo]

Sorry to bring up an old thread...

I have played hockey since I was 5 (I'm 34 now). I played all through school and my first year in college. I then played 3 games professionally before breaking both bones in my lower left leg during practice. I played in the ECHL in the US. A couple steps below the NHL, but still I got paid to play.

I took a year or so off after being hurt, and have only recently started playing again. I'm amazed at how far the equipment has come in recent years.

And, while we're on the subject, does anyone know of any non-animal gloves and skates? I'm still using the same equipment from my pre-vegan days (mostly due to budgetary reasons) but I'm in the market for new equipment. I've been having a hard time getting any info regarding construction materials from the manufacturers.

[Jr.]

I played hockey from age 8 to 24.I'm 31 now.Played professionally from 18-22 although i never made much money.You must have been pretty good Cosmo.There is a lot of guys come from the ECHL to play in Britian.The standard is well below the Canadian and American Leagues but i've played against a few ex NHLers that have played here at the end of their careers.I also played for Great Britian at U16,19 and 21 level.We toured Ontario two years in a row playing lots of teams with the U16's and played a game against a Swedish club team at the Joe Louis Arena before a Redwings game.I also played in a few European Championships in places like Romania and Slovenia with the 19's and 21's.My brother still plays for Dundee and is the tough guy of the Scottish League.His two sons play and your right about the equipment coming a long way.I still have my hockey kit in the spare room but its getting out of date.I still think about going back and playing for a year but i'd have to loose a load of weight and i love competing in strongman now.I stopped playing to concentrate on bodybuilding which led to strongman but when i watch my brothers games i do miss it.

[line]

I grew up figure skating..

Hockeyplayers and figure skaters should ALWAYS have separate arenas, or at least wardrobes on separatee planets, because the hockey player outfits STINK.

..where I come from, the relationship between the hockey players and figure skaters sharing the same arena is not the most loving..

[Nepenthe]

I love hockey. I don't play. But I go to games often.


PS: There is nothing sexier than watching massive men collide.