Un-Written Rules of Hockey

[FattyL 0]

It depends what the arena has setup though. At the arena in Pierrefonds (Montreal), you're only required to wear skates, gloves, helmet and a stick, full gear is not a requirement.

[Law Goalie 147]

But is that for 'stick-and-puck', or for semi-organised 5-on-5 shinny with goalies?

[FattyL 0]

But is that for 'stick-and-puck', or for semi-organised 5-on-5 shinny with goalies?

At the arena I play at, they don't specify, it's sort of a free for all and we end up by usually making a game Light vs Dark jerseys. We don't usually aim high or take slap shots when their are people in the way either.

[RecLeagueHero 0]

I haven't seen many rinks that require adults to wear anything besides a helmet (and skates obviously) to drop-in games. Just because no one is going to grab my wrinkles to see if I'm wearing a cup doesn't mean it isn't a good idea to wear one.

[Chadd 916]

I haven't seen many rinks that require adults to wear anything besides a helmet (and skates obviously) to drop-in games. Just because no one is going to grab my wrinkles to see if I'm wearing a cup doesn't mean it isn't a good idea to wear one.

Local rinks require near full gear for open hockey but very little for stick time.

[RecLeagueHero 0]

I haven't seen many rinks that require adults to wear anything besides a helmet (and skates obviously) to drop-in games. Just because no one is going to grab my wrinkles to see if I'm wearing a cup doesn't mean it isn't a good idea to wear one.

Local rinks require near full gear for open hockey but very little for stick time.

Been to more than a few drop in's at more than a few local rinks with guys playing in sweat pants, gloves, and a bucket. I suppose you could call it lack of enforcement if you're one of those asinine "I've always gotta be right" types. But unenforced rules don't carry much more weight than non-existant ones.

[Chadd 916]

I haven't seen many rinks that require adults to wear anything besides a helmet (and skates obviously) to drop-in games. Just because no one is going to grab my wrinkles to see if I'm wearing a cup doesn't mean it isn't a good idea to wear one.

Local rinks require near full gear for open hockey but very little for stick time.

Been to more than a few drop in's at more than a few local rinks with guys playing in sweat pants, gloves, and a bucket. I suppose you could call it lack of enforcement if you're one of those asinine "I've always gotta be right" types. But unenforced rules don't carry much more weight than non-existant ones.

Evidently I need to clarify, the rinks local to me require near full gear for open hockey.....If they see anyone out there without pads, they get tossed. I wasn't aware that you had been to the rinks near me lately to see the contradictory evidence.

[n3ss 0]

you're required to have everything gear wise but shoulder pads here. required to have a cage or shield as well.

[NYRSinceBirth 0]

If you're dumb enough to show up to a drop in game with nothing but your bucket and gloves you pretty much deserve what you get. Never really understood the logic behind the "I'm so good I don't need pads" line of thought. Doesn't really matter whether you're Wayne Gretzky, or putting on skates for the first time, getting hit with the puck, falling, and running into the boards are just part of the game.

Not to mention it freakin' hurts. My 6k shins were a little long, so I gave them to a buddy. I use cheepo S1's now and you feel everything. Even congratulatory taps to the shins sting sometimes. I really don't see how difficult it is to just bring equipment, or why some people think it's ok for them to be different. But who am I, I don't own shoulder pads anymore.

[dsjunior1388 81]

you're required to have everything gear wise but shoulder pads here. required to have a cage or shield as well.

Never heard of the cage rule...all though we might need it. Last year, we had a guy get cut on the chin with a stick, three days before his wedding. 6 stitches, and my uncle who runs the game got an "unpleasant" email from the bride to be. The groom has never been seen without a cage since. :D

[cptjeff 0]

They require full cages here. Possibly so as to not make the varsity guys feel bad.

[Ahriman 1]

you're required to have everything gear wise but shoulder pads here. required to have a cage or shield as well.

Never heard of the cage rule...all though we might need it. Last year, we had a guy get cut on the chin with a stick, three days before his wedding. 6 stitches, and my uncle who runs the game got an "unpleasant" email from the bride to be. The groom has never been seen without a cage since. :D

I have a theory that 1 out of every 8 guys over the age of 18 who wear a full cage or full face shield at hockey have had some horrible injury to the face. I figure only about 12% of the population has the foresight to prevent the horrible injury. Everyone in a visor just hasn't had it happen yet.

[MLSman 22]

I have a theory that 1 out of every 8 guys over the age of 18 who wear a full cage or full face shield at hockey have had some horrible injury to the face. I figure only about 12% of the population has the foresight to prevent the horrible injury. Everyone in a visor just hasn't had it happen yet.

Not true.

Many of us that wear visors wear it because we just can't get used to the cage, and full shields were too hard to prevent from fogging. I wore an Itech II full through high school and in college during the season, and switched to the half shield in the summer at that time. I could never get used to the cage.

I have taken many a stick and puck to the chin. I bear the scars from my decision, but choose to live with the consequences.

[Kevin 5]

Definitely not true. I wear a half shield and knowingly assume the risk as evidenced by my prior trips to the ER for stitches.

[theWB 2]

Stitches aren't what I would worry about if I was going to wear a visor. I'm a pretty big fan of my teeth and eyes and even if I was to play with only people who kept their sticks down, I've seen too many random face injuries to risk it.

[Law Goalie 147]

The main reason I wear a full cage whenever I skate out (very rarely) is that I know I don't have the wherewithal to play without one, and I don't play at a high enough level to trust the sensibility of the players on the ice with me.

[BlackIce 1]

If you're dumb enough to show up to a drop in game with nothing but your bucket and gloves you pretty much deserve what you get. Never really understood the logic behind the "I'm so good I don't need pads" line of thought. Doesn't really matter whether you're Wayne Gretzky, or putting on skates for the first time, getting hit with the puck, falling, and running into the boards are just part of the game.

Yeah sometimes guys show up with just the helmet, gloves and skates. These are the same guys who think they are hot shots and when they fly past you or beat you to the puck they think they are God. Buddy, I'm wearing full gear of course you are going to have a few steps on me.

[Kevin 5]

Leave your sticks by the door of the locker room. Crowded rooms become more crowded when skaters prop their sticks on the locker room benches next to themselves.

[CAmmon 2]

Yea but on the other hand someone always knocks them all over.

[sinkhole84 0]

Haha full gear. My buddy's pants got ripped so he just wears Glove Helmet Shins and skates. Yeah I screw with him and sause passes into his legs. :D

[SidCaeser 0]

Don't show up to open hockey without a helmet.

One guy did that the other night, and skated the whole time with no helmet. We couldn't believe someone actually did that, one of the guys asked him and he said he forgot it. I was really hoping he would get kicked off the ice, but it was late and the only person left working there wasn't paying any attention.

We have a guy that played in the IHL/CHL in the 70's and has yet to wear a helmet. He only plays drop-in, but the new guys always get hung up on the fact he's helmetless. The regulars get used to it, and in fact, it's sort of iconic/legendary.

[cptjeff 0]

I'm really surprised your rink allows that. A one time forgot the helmet is one thing, but to regularly do that is another. With liability these days...

[english15x 3]

there's a guy at my rink in the adult league that isn't medically allowed to wear a helmet. he has a cyst on/in his head and signed a waiver at the rink so he can play without one.

[th6252 25]

i guess this is more of a general locker room bag rant than stick time/open hockey rant.

for those of us who skate at places with smallish locker rooms, PLEASE KEEP YOU SHOCK DOCTOR BAGS OUT!

those things are huge and take up so much space as they are not collapsible...man, they really get in the way.

[cptjeff 0]

Too bad. We have them, we use them. You can't exactly keep a bag anywhere else but in the locker room. I agree that they can be a pain to walk around, but you really just gotta deal with it.