pick up hockey (shinny) pet peeves

[Zjack38 46]

Cosmic, I share your observations.

In the '70s (when I started) there were coaches and players against curves in blades; they had to be "straight as a ruler", or else it wasn't proper. Ballistic nylon skates and gloves would never be as good as all-leather ones. Those Bobby Orr plastic Tuuk holders would never be as good as the metal tube blades.

In the '90s sticks had to be "wood" to be "good".

When I started using a wheeled bag for beer league, it was the (by far, the) worst players on the team that were against it. Joined a second team, same thing; it was the worst player again (the only one, he was horrible, useless, and hopeless). Joined another team, same thing (the two "apple turnover" machines). Joined a better team, everybody used wheel bags. Current team: everybody uses wheel bags.

A lot of players get into traditionalist mindsets during high school, when people are afraid of standing out. So when they play their high school game as adults, it's understandable that they regress to this kind of mindset.

Look at the serious young players today; unless they need to (because their coaches are traditionalist? or because their equipment managers have carts that, themselves, have wheels? or they're using an elite team bag with the elite logo, even though they were cut?), if they're transporting their own bag, that bag has wheels.

Now a days, I'm pretty sure it's this "if your bag has wheels then you probably don't"

[bunnyman666 445]

To calm down, perhaps consider some anger management exercises.

Or just let him know that it's not appreciated, yeah, better than attacking the guy don't you think?

What got to me is that I did control myself without saying a word. I should have said something besides muttering "that was a trip!!!" and starting to skate after him. I calmed down and went about my game.

I don't have a problem with an errant shot ringing off of my helmet (happened twice thus far) or a slapper hitting my shin pads at full speed. Heck, I don't even get mad about pucks getting up high or the occasional high stick. Those are the reasons you had better wear a helmet and full pads at shinny. I don't chirp about stuff like that; it's part of the game.

9/10 high sticks are unintentional. Lacing the stick between a blokes legs and hooking a leg IS intentional 9/10 times. I expect a slash on my stick, and it doesn't bother me. But a trip is something else.

[bunnyman666 445]

I got in touch with my inner Gordie...

...Howe, that is. Remember the bloke who tripped me last week? Well, he got his. We were behind the net and I was trying to get the puck off of the back. I was being held, slashed, and generally man handled. Well, he got a little too much on my body and damn the luck I made room ala my hero Gordie Howe!!!! He backed off, I got the puck, and my team scored!!!

[Neo5370 132]

I got in touch with my inner Gordie...

...Howe, that is. Remember the bloke who tripped me last week? Well, he got his. We were behind the net and I was trying to get the puck off of the back. I was being held, slashed, and generally man handled. Well, he got a little too much on my body and damn the luck I made room ala my hero Gordie Howe!!!! He backed off, I got the puck, and my team scored!!!

You held a grudge over a trip for a week?

[bunnyman666 445]

You held a grudge over a trip for a week?

Yes. Now I feel better.

Let me clarify- he gets into EVERYONE'S grille... That's just the player he is. He actually does apologise for a high stick (I don't get mad over 999/1000 high sticks as most are unintentional). He grabs, clutches, and is a general pain in the arse.

[McDugan 89]

I got in touch with my inner Gordie...

...Howe, that is

Thanks for clarifying. ;)

[SBRH1 1]

I am a goalie and I can't stand the try hards who need to show everyone up and then take slap shots from 10 feet away at my head. It never fails, there is always 'that guy' at pick up games.

[bunnyman666 445]

I am a goalie and I can't stand the try hards who need to show everyone up and then take slap shots from 10 feet away at my head. It never fails, there is always 'that guy' at pick up games.

I guarantee a kitten could stop my slap shot from 10' away!!!!

I know what you're saying.

[SBRH1 1]

I guarantee a kitten could stop my slap shot from 10' away!!!!

I know what you're saying.

Its not even my self I'm worried about...its the goalie at the other end who's been playing for 2 weeks and doesn't even have a good mask on...or the 17 year old kid who is getting dumped by the former pro. Just pisses me off lol. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way!

[bunnyman666 445]

Its not even my self I'm worried about...its the goalie at the other end who's been playing for 2 weeks and doesn't even have a good mask on...or the 17 year old kid who is getting dumped by the former pro. Just pisses me off lol. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way!

I want the goalie to COME BACK NEXT WEEK!!!

One bloke who has GRACIOUSLY volunteered to be goalie doesn't have a GOALIE cup got a high shot in the highest part of the five hole!!!! He had to leave; he did return today as a skater. Can't say I blame him...

None of us is EVEN close to the NHL; we shouldn't go out of our way to scare the lesser skilled players off; that includes ME.

[SBRH1 1]

I want the goalie to COME BACK NEXT WEEK!!!

One bloke who has GRACIOUSLY volunteered to be goalie doesn't have a GOALIE cup got a high shot in the highest part of the five hole!!!! He had to leave; he did return today as a skater. Can't say I blame him...

None of us is EVEN close to the NHL; we shouldn't go out of our way to scare the lesser skilled players off; that includes ME.

Exactly, we're there to shoot some pucks and have fun...open hockey isn't suppose to be super competitive lol. Wish there was something I could actually do about it...I've seen people boarded and dumped mid-ice at pick up games...also had my cage dented from a slapper. I've seen it all haha.

[JoeyJ0506 191]

The guy that runs the local Sunday morning pickup constantly complains that we do not have enough guys there to cover the cost of the 1.25 hours of ice time. Has been begging people to give him emails for friends that play hockey so he can invite them. I went the past Sunday... THERE WERE 45 PEOPLE THERE! I got my money back and went home.

I understand needing to cover your cost of renting the ice, but c'mon. 45 people is way too much.

[wrangler 157]

I wonder how many told him they were coming, or if he even asked them to check with him ahead of time.

[Souldriver 64]

as for slappers in pickup here is my thoughts.

there are times where a slapper would be ok to do but i remind myself that its only pickup and i know some people dont wear full pads. so i either hold it back or take a baby slapshot where my wind up starts at about my shins and i make an attempt to keep it low. i think the only time i took a full one is at my friend who was goaltending because man sometimes he can be a baby.

there are times i go to clear the puck high during inline and people are very cautious about that too

[JoeyJ0506 191]

Our ideal number on Sunday morning is about 13 per side plus 2 goalies. (4D, 9F, 1G Per Side). That gives us enough to keep everyone fresh for the whole skate and more than covers the rental fee. We get that number consistently, but still get emails saying "we could use some more guys please send emails of people that would be interested in playing."

It has been building to this over the last two to three months. It used to be that we would get one crowded skate every seven or eight weeks which would scare people away then we'd be back to normal. Now, people just keep coming. Odd.

[bunnyman666 445]

Ever since the weather got a bit cooler here, there has been consistent attendance to the stick and puck time. We were even lucky enough to have two goalies on Wednesday (until the family jewels got injured) and have anywhere from 4-on4 to even five-on-five with subs. Yesterday, the practise board was the goalie.

[SBRH1 1]

as for slappers in pickup here is my thoughts.

there are times where a slapper would be ok to do but i remind myself that its only pickup and i know some people dont wear full pads. so i either hold it back or take a baby slapshot where my wind up starts at about my shins and i make an attempt to keep it low. i think the only time i took a full one is at my friend who was goaltending because man sometimes he can be a baby.

there are times i go to clear the puck high during inline and people are very cautious about that too

I personally don't care if I get hit with a slapshot. Its more or less how the shooter could possible think its OK to take the slapshot from 10 feet away. If you want to take a slapshot from 2 feet away, be my guest. But I can't stand when they do it to a goalie who has clearly hasn't been playing very long. Slap shots from the point are ok 90% of the time...but when people are clearly in the way its probably not a wise shot choice. If you can keep it low then its good pretty much all the time but most people can't keep their slapper low. After all it is just pick up. I think I'm done ranting about open hockey for now lol.

[bunnyman666 445]

I personally don't care if I get hit with a slapshot. Its more or less how the shooter could possible think its OK to take the slapshot from 10 feet away. If you want to take a slapshot from 2 feet away, be my guest. But I can't stand when they do it to a goalie who has clearly hasn't been playing very long. Slap shots from the point are ok 90% of the time...but when people are clearly in the way its probably not a wise shot choice. If you can keep it low then its good pretty much all the time but most people can't keep their slapper low. After all it is just pick up. I think I'm done ranting about open hockey for now lol.

That's how I ended up with this terrible stinger on my left ankle. I didn't complain, as it is part of the game. I was trying to block the lane, after all. I wouldn't like it if a new goalie were facing one from ten feet; that's silly.

[doodman 0]

What I can't stand is guys that coach you up, especially the ones who aren't very good themselves.

It's pick up, were all gonna make mistakes and we all do things we wouldn't normally do in a game.

I didn't pay for a clinic, I paid to get a good skate and work on some things.

[Beflar 53]

I hate the "cool kids" that sulk if the play is not perfect. Cool kids only want to play with other cool kids.

[Stewie 721]

there is a drop in at a rink by me where about 99 percent of the time everyones cool. Its like some sort of gem or something, I am almost afraid of jinxing it. They are always careful to balance teams and try to get everyone into the action. Theres also this older guy that comes for exercise, and last time i went one of the younger guys stopped play to grab a third net for him so he could do his own thing behind the play, and shortened up our playing section so he could have room. This younger guy is maybe in his early 20s, and could school most everyone else who shows up easily if he wanted to, but he usually keeps it in check.

It gives me hope for drop ins! thought id share this positive experience with everyone since obviously drop in has tons of negative stories.

[Cosmic 178]

I personally don't care if I get hit with a slapshot. Its more or less how the shooter could possible think its OK to take the slapshot from 10 feet away. If you want to take a slapshot from 2 feet away, be my guest. But I can't stand when they do it to a goalie who has clearly hasn't been playing very long. Slap shots from the point are ok 90% of the time...but when people are clearly in the way its probably not a wise shot choice. If you can keep it low then its good pretty much all the time but most people can't keep their slapper low. After all it is just pick up. I think I'm done ranting about open hockey for now lol.

I have said something similar in another post; I do not understand why people do not just get out of the way, as you see someone wind up for a clapper from the point. It is such a basic part of hockey: Shoot hard, knowing that it likely won't go in, but will make the goalie have to react and be out of position temporarily, while someone buries a rebound. It is called a "shooting lane" for a reason, not a "stand in front of the net, and just get in the way, hoping that no one will shoot, because they see you are in the way lane." I guess the guys I play drop in with all play on teams, so we treat drop in like practice. And if we are not seeing and experiencing events similar to what we will see in a tournament, then we are essentially just tooling around (which is fine, but we would rather get a little better if we can, without injury of course, and one can't get hurt if one steps aside as slapshots are whizzing by).

[Stewie 721]

I have said something similar in another post; I do not understand why people do not just get out of the way, as you see someone wind up for a clapper from the point. It is such a basic part of hockey: Shoot hard, knowing that it likely won't go in, but will make the goalie have to react and be out of position temporarily, while someone buries a rebound. It is called a "shooting lane" for a reason, not a "stand in front of the net, and just get in the way, hoping that no one will shoot, because they see you are in the way lane." I guess the guys I play drop in with all play on teams, so we treat drop in like practice. And if we are not seeing and experiencing events similar to what we will see in a tournament, then we are essentially just tooling around (which is fine, but we would rather get a little better if we can, without injury of course, and one can't get hurt if one steps aside as slapshots are whizzing by).

its really quite simple. In your leagues, it might seem easy for people to just get out of the way, or out of the line, but in pickup your usually dealing with guys from multiple skill levels who it might not be easy enough to just get outta the way of your roaring slapper. Drop ins, around here at least, are meant to be fun and exercize, and risk of injury should thus be minimized if at all possible. Most of us dont treat it like a competitive event, thats what leagues are for. There has to be hockey opportunities for all levels to enjoy, and people who like all levels of competition or lack therof. City rinks operate drop ins for the community, anyone 18 and over (sometimes even younger, 16 and over etc) can attend and should have fun, so maybe your drop in with the super secret top shelf club is different.

Not only that, but not every slap shot travels in a defined lane. My comment on the other post which you criticised involved a guy who felt it was necessary to double up on upper body protection, just for a drop in. this would suggest the level of competition is perhaps a bit too high for him if he doesnt feel comfortable without the doubled protection, not even pro level players have to do that. You can cover all the body you want with equipment, and that still doesnt mean your fully covered.

Yes, you can get injured at just about any hockey related thing, but that doesnt mean you shouldnt minimize the chances, especially at drop in.

[Souldriver 64]

When I play drop in I also go to practice on a couple of things and not get hurt or be in an overly competitive situation. When I see someone winding up my instinct like in a game is to square up and block it. There are also times where I realize it's just pickup and I try to get out of the way but keep a stick in there but in the end I still any to practice getting in an blocking the shooting lanes so I can do it in a game.

I may also be fortunate that the higher guys around me know who the better players are and turn it up against them but then see an averaged skill guy and play at my level so it's still fun for me. I came with my goalie to one pickup and the whole game I couldn't score on him and he was getting cocky and we were to Bing each other back and forth. The other guys recognized this and played extra soft on me so I could go coast to coast (i announced that I was going to do this btw) and get a goal. but that's what's fun.

[MThockeydad 469]

I may also be fortunate that the higher guys around me know who the better players are and turn it up against them but then see an averaged skill guy and play at my level so it's still fun for me. I came with my goalie to one pickup and the whole game I couldn't score on him and he was getting cocky and we were to Bing each other back and forth. The other guys recognized this and played extra soft on me so I could go coast to coast (i announced that I was going to do this btw) and get a goal. but that's what's fun.

I feel fortunate to have a similar drop-in situation around here. The better players will go easier on us newer players...until we start challenging them for position or the puck. They do a great job of dialing the intensity to match the person they're facing.

I kind of feel like a dick, though, as one of the women on the opposing team on Sunday night was blocking the puck with her skates. I poke checked the puck just as she was turning to skate and she went down. I did not hook or pull, but the trip was still there. I let the play go on and apologized as she got up.