Shift length

[rebel96 0]

From what everybody says, shifts should be some where in and around 30-45 seconds long flat out.

Would this only be confined to high levels of play of would most of you guys playing beer leagues and just for recreation stick to this rule of thumb?

I guess most organized teams would have some sort of a coach/bench manager who can regulate the shifts. So if you don't have someone to manage the ice time how long would your shifts be usually? And how do you keep people from taking excessively long shifts?

[Chadd 916]

If you try to push beer league guys into going 30-45 seconds per shift, you will have a riot on your hands.

[phunky_monkey 6]

It depends on what level you play, but you're gunning for the optimal time for the people on the ice to be able to put in maximum effort, and allowing the player on the bench to catch a breather. It also depends on how many lines you're playing with.

Usually you will know when it's time to come off. If you've been playing hard you'll be tired, then it's time to come off. Or when your linemates start coming off due to fatigue then it's time for everyone to come off when it's safe to do so.

Nobody should be taking excessively long shifts in anything but a drop in game, otherwise they'll be throwing the lines out.

If it's a drop in game then you should regulate yourself to be fair to everyone.

[Gwyren 0]

I try to stay at a minute.

However, my team has a few guys who seem to like to coast through 3 minutes or so.

[rebel96 0]

If you try to push beer league guys into going 30-45 seconds per shift, you will have a riot on your hands.

That's what I'm saying, if you're out there just for fun you're gonna want to be on the ice for longer.

But you might have some guys going hard for a short time and then you've got guys who just stay out there forever (or what seems like). Just doesn't seem fair. I guess I don't have a point with that.....more of a statement really.

Just wondering how others keep it even or is it all just one big honour system?

[roller to ice 0]

If you try to push beer league guys into going 30-45 seconds per shift, you will have a riot on your hands.

That's what I'm saying, if you're out there just for fun you're gonna want to be on the ice for longer.

But you might have some guys going hard for a short time and then you've got guys who just stay out there forever (or what seems like). Just doesn't seem fair. I guess I don't have a point with that.....more of a statement really.

Just wondering how others keep it even or is it all just one big honour system?

More of less yea it just a honor system. Also ya got to think if it beer leagues only despite the lack of seriousness of the league everyone still want to win so its also whats best for the team to a certain degree.Or at least thats how i think it should be lol.

[15yearsofhistory 0]

In ice, the average shift should be around 45 seconds of hard work. If you keep your feet moving the whole time, you'll be gassed within that time frame.

[Chadd 916]

If you try to push beer league guys into going 30-45 seconds per shift, you will have a riot on your hands.

That's what I'm saying, if you're out there just for fun you're gonna want to be on the ice for longer.

But you might have some guys going hard for a short time and then you've got guys who just stay out there forever (or what seems like). Just doesn't seem fair. I guess I don't have a point with that.....more of a statement really.

Just wondering how others keep it even or is it all just one big honour system?

More of less yea it just a honor system. Also ya got to think if it beer leagues only despite the lack of seriousness of the league everyone still want to win so its also whats best for the team to a certain degree.Or at least thats how i think it should be lol.

You should have a leader that will step up and let guys know they've been on the ice too long.

[Guitarmy 0]

For rec league, I'd say between 60 to 90 seconds.

[tdjb 0]

I would say one minute in beer league is good. The problem is (at least from what I've seen), most guys half ass it unless the puck is directly in front of them. This usually leads to three minute shifts. Like someone mentioned above, if you are moving your feet and working, one minute should be perfect. I think I am a bit more competitive then some others so even in beer league I expect my teammates to be going full out each shift.

I've noticed that in leagues where you don't have a coach, talking with your guys/girls before the game can help. Say something like "let’s stick with short, intense shifts" or something. I think most adult players will get the hint or follow your lead if you give them a chance and if they don't, let them know about it. There is nothing wrong with calling for a change if they are out there half-assing it.

Pick-up is another story :)

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

I play U14's for an inline team here in England. Our shifts are usually about one and a half minutes long, flat out, however if we get tired, we come off but if were doing well, we'll play a little longer.

for example im playing my first tournament today after a major injury and ill only be playing a few short shifts a game whereas my friend james will probably be on the rink twice as long as i am. We just see how we do.

[greech 4]

I find it hard to believe for anybody playing at a semi-competitive level to say they can go 1:30 for a shift. I know in the last couple leagues I was playing in any more than :45 and you become a liability because of fatigue. Of course when you're playing beer league or pick up it's a whole different story.

[ktang 34]

I think that, until you hit 13 or 14, the shifts can be longer because there is not as much muscle mass etc. You can see this in some mixed off-ice training sessions, where the young guys can go up to 2 mins and the older guys can only go 40 secs.

Beer league: for us, it's usually 1:30 per shift for the forwards because of the coasting around. I played on 1 team with this hero defenseman that would stay on for 5 mins at a time, but never get past the top of the circles.

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

I find it hard to believe for anybody playing at a semi-competitive level to say they can go 1:30 for a shift. I know in the last couple leagues I was playing in any more than :45 and you become a liability because of fatigue. Of course when you're playing beer league or pick up it's a whole different story.

we do really play for that long a shift without getting exhausted.

[15yearsofhistory 0]

I find it hard to believe for anybody playing at a semi-competitive level to say they can go 1:30 for a shift. I know in the last couple leagues I was playing in any more than :45 and you become a liability because of fatigue. Of course when you're playing beer league or pick up it's a whole different story.

we do really play for that long a shift without getting exhausted.

It's different in roller because of the way the game is played. Since ice is normally dump-and-chase, you need to skate harder to get past the defensemen and to the puck first. In roller, the game is more controlled, resulting in more breakout plays and such. I play both and a regular shift for me (a defenseman) in roller is around 1:30-2 minutes. In ice I can only last about 45 seconds before I'm done.

[hockeyplaya97 0]

My high school team is coached to go two times hard into their zone and then dump and change the third time. Of course, if we're pinned in our zone it's always dump and change.

[mrusse01 0]

For rec league, I'd say between 60 to 90 seconds.

That's about right I'd say, for beer/rec leagues. A minute or so off the clock is usually when we start looking to change.

[rebel96 0]

My high school team is coached to go two times hard into their zone and then dump and change the third time. Of course, if we're pinned in our zone it's always dump and change.

I like it. That's a good and fairly consistant way of doing it. If you're pinned in change the first chance you get because when they break in the next time you might get pinned again and then you're screwed.

[Jarick 5]

I like the concept of two hard shifts in their zone, then dump for the third, but that never seems to happen. In the third period, I usually tell my linemates to go hard in their zone once, then dump and come off for a change.

[phunky_monkey 6]

I find it hard to believe for anybody playing at a semi-competitive level to say they can go 1:30 for a shift. I know in the last couple leagues I was playing in any more than :45 and you become a liability because of fatigue. Of course when you're playing beer league or pick up it's a whole different story.

we do really play for that long a shift without getting exhausted.

Ice hockey is a lot more taxing than inline hockey though, which is why you can take the long shifts. I'll play a pickup inline game for a solid hour and a half with a 10 minute rest halfway through, or play a serious game with 6 skaters if need be. Could never do that playing Ice

[rebel96 0]

Played a full inline tournament with 6 guys. We had a pretty good rotation going though. Nobody took long shifts. 1:30 max. also it was on a pretty small rink.

[numberthirteen 0]

I find it hard to believe for anybody playing at a semi-competitive level to say they can go 1:30 for a shift. I know in the last couple leagues I was playing in any more than :45 and you become a liability because of fatigue. Of course when you're playing beer league or pick up it's a whole different story.

5th Game of the season i was on the rink for 27 minutes (out of 30) in a roller game. I had 4 shifts (as it were), had half time and 2 time-outs and i was fine, and yes, i was going flat out most of the time, but when you're dropping back at point for a D-man thats joined a rush, or taking a shooting wing position in a PP where you don't have to move as much, you can should easily be able to recover to some extent.