Hockey's Simple Pleasures

[mills 0]

one puck. one player. one sheet of ice. dimmed lights.

i just jizzed.

[Jackal_17 0]

*Seeing some of your teammates get better as the season goes on.

*Meeting and develop new friendships just through shinny hockey.

*Teammates sticking up for each other when things get rough.

*Teammates encouraging each other after a bad game.

*Meeting people who are passionate about the game.

*Being better at a skill each and every single day.

[Jackal_17 0]

*Seeing some old timer, day in and day out at shinny, still playing for the love of the game.

*Gear talk with some random people

[lotus 2]

Last week, for the first time in my life, I had a whole sheet of ice to myself. And about twenty pucks.

I always wanted to just have a stack of pucks to fire recklessly until I got tired of it. And then I just skated until I was exhausted, and fired another two dozen pucks. The confidence that builds for me in my shot is amazing, wish I could do it every day.

:edit: jackal just reminded me!

Also I remember once, an older heavy-set guy joined our rec team and he had his struggles, but then out of nowhere he gets the puck along the goal line, halfway to the boards, and roofs it under the bar, short side. Then he just skates away - no big deal! Everyone was wondering what the guy was like in his prime.

We also had an older guy join our roller team a few years back, another big guy, in his 60s I believe - showed up on quads! Thing was, he was the most responsible d man we had. The least goals against came when he was on the ice - simple stay at home d man. No b.s. Got the puck and made smart chips out of the zone, took away the passes on odd man rushes, and made the nice outlet when it was there. Now that I think about it...it's sad that has to be a simple pleasure. But everyone wanted to do the coast to coast dangle fest.

[DaveTheWave 0]

Screening the goalie and posting in front of the net when no one can move you (including the goalie)

[Clark12 0]

*Seeing some old timer, day in and day out at shinny, still playing for the love of the game.

I played in an inline league last season with a team who were short of a few guys so one of the guys brought his dad along to help make up the numbers. The guy who was almost 30 years our elder (51) couldnt get enough of it. I was chuffed for him when we eventually lifted the trophy at the end of the season so I can totally relate to that one.

Here's a few of my simple pleasures:

* Being the underdog and upsetting the big boys.

* Winning a penalty shoot out after a dramatic game.

* Calling a play and then executing it perfectly.

* Seeing one of the guys who never scores get a goal.

* Watching the kids you've coached becoming better and smarter.

* Redirecting a puck and watching the goalie being left stranded.

[Chadd 916]

There's a guy on my team that is 62 and can still skate better than half of us.

[TBLfan 25]

I love watching the older guys that are slow as crap but have such great hands that they make everyone look bad. They're also some of the nicest and most entertaining guys on the bench.

[Jackal_17 0]

I love watching the older guys that are slow as crap but have such great hands that they make everyone look bad. They're also some of the nicest and most entertaining guys on the bench.

Yeah... There is this old timer that I play shinny with, old school equipment (shin pads look like it's falling part) great skater, soft hands, pass if a guy is open and even back checks. He talks about Jean Beliveau and Maurice Richard like they are stars of today... It's just fun listening to him tell stories.

[lampliter87 8]

Guy comes to one pick up session who is probably 55+, old Jofa "Gretzky" bucket, wood stick, ancient Tacks skates, and motors around us like its his job. Awesome guy, too.

[Doctor Hook 0]

I hope to be that old guy someday. I'll still probably suck, but hey, I'll show up and play.

[fedorov#91 0]

* Being the underdog and upsetting the big boys.

* Winning a penalty shoot out after a dramatic game.

Us blaze have did both those, with me scoring the penatly shootout winner

;)

haha

[thekingsingh 0]

One of my hockey simple pleasures - those few quiet moments just after the zamboni cuts the ice, but before they open the door to get on the ice, where I get all introspective and focus on the game just ahead. It's all like zen and crap.

[mgoblue 0]

I find it interesting how so many guys are posting individual achievements in this thread. In my opinion, that goes against the spirit of the thread.

* Being the underdog and upsetting the big boys.

* Winning a penalty shoot out after a dramatic game.

Us blaze have did both those, with me scoring the penatly shootout winner

;)

haha

[adam14 182]

going to a stick puck session with your dad, and still having a great time with him, and the lesser talented players there, being happy to play on a saturday afternoon.

[Karly14 21]

-First shot of the warm up going bar and down

-Doing something good on your first shift that gives you confidence to just relax and have fun the rest of the game.

-taking the puck off your skate to your stick in stride

-getting, or giving a clean bank pass

[fedorov#91 0]

I find it interesting how so many guys are posting individual achievements in this thread. In my opinion, that goes against the spirit of the thread.

* Being the underdog and upsetting the big boys.

* Winning a penalty shoot out after a dramatic game.

Us blaze have did both those, with me scoring the penatly shootout winner

;)

haha

joke betwen me and him

[theWB 2]

Cutting and taping a new stick

Unpacking new equipment when it comes to the shop.

Breakaways

Getting to pick-up early and seeing that the ice is clean and no ones been on it for at least two hours

Backchecking

When someone brings a beer that I haven't had before

When the teams are even at pick-up

Sharpening my skates

Seeing that the oldest guys there usually have the most fun

Turning on the flood lights for the pond and just playing for hours

[M.W. 0]

-The feeling on the bench when you're down a couple and the momentum shifts. When everyone digs in and sort of realizes that you're going to come back and make a game of it.

-Blocking shots. Seeing teammates block shots. Just generally being part of a team that doesn't think twice about sacrificing the body.

-Having kids you've coached come back and help out with coaching the team.

-Seeing the kid who is new to the game pot a few goals and feel good about their contribution to the team, and seeing them come out of their shell around their teammates.

-Seeing kids who have played a while helping out new players.

-Working your ass off in a drill at practice and having it be contagious.

-Showing up early for an early morning practice, and getting some ice to myself.

-Getting a C or an A. I started late, and was horrible for my first few seasons (still am, in the grand scheme of things), so it felt really good to be looked at as a leader on a team.

-I've only played outdoors on natural ice once, so probably the best one I've ever experienced is walking out to a frozen pond, taking a minute to watch the game of shinny that's going on, and then hopping on the ice and joining in and immediately having it feel like you've known a bunch of strangers for years. Probably the most fun I've ever had with hockey.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

There's a guy on my team that is 62 and can still skate better than half of us.

I played against a guy one time that was... I believe 87. The incredible thing was I didn't even know he was an older guy until I saw him take off his helmet. After the game he hit on my grandma. :lol:

[lyle.m23 0]

realising that you are now better than the people that you looked up 2 or douted you

[phunky_monkey 6]

I think one of those great pleasures that I take from the game is the comaraderie during/after a really tight, hard fought game. A game like that really brings a team together and rise to the challenge, whether you're a new team or have been playing together for some time.

[saveourpens 0]

-outdoor pick up hockey at Schenley Park 8am every Sat morning ,,and when youre deking through people, scoring, everyones making nice passes, I can't really imagine anything more fun.

(the rink is the very first one in the Crosby ad

you went to prom liar!)

-the comraderie of my high school team, pretty much the only thing I miss about that shithole school

[Aussie Joe 0]

- Seeing my junior goalie go from wall flower to power house hybrid goalie. Also, knowing that if he keeps the strong PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) he's going to play Melbourne Ice for sure.

- Having a guy thats never skated before ask me for advice, taking it well, following it and improving! Seeing the smile on that guy's face when he strides around as opposed to steam training around the rink.

- Having one of my juniors tell me he said I was the best coach he ever had, after my 1st season of coaching ice.

PS: We all play or coach because we take something personal away. Otherwise what justification do we have for spending so much time and money on this sport? I say all of the above with no Ego, I love coaching anyone thats willing to listen.

[njd07 0]

just getting out on the ice and forgetting all the everyday life stress, almost feeling like a kid again for that 50 mins of ice time.