Checking in Non-Contact Leagues / Open Hockey

[mug25 2]

Just curious, how many of you guys who play in Non-Contact leagues either throw in a check here or there OR have been the recipient of a check every now and then?

Whether it's in a league or in open hockey — whether it's from a complete stranger or a buddy of yours, what are your thoughts on this?

[WSjo22 1]

Just curious, how many of you guys who play in Non-Contact leagues either throw in a check here or there OR have been the recipient of a check every now and then?

Whether it's in a league or in open hockey — whether it's from a complete stranger or a buddy of yours, what are your thoughts on this?

Happened to me in both settings. I personally don't care as long as it happens in the course of playing the puck or they aren't trying to smoke me with a highlight reel hit, but I always take a number and get them back cleanly. I figure if you can dish it out you better be able to take it

[Chadd 916]

I've been known to do it to guys that are swinging sticks or playing like idiots in a league game. A good, clean check isn't going to hurt anyone and gets my point across pretty clearly. Guys that go for the head will get jumped, and deservedly so.

[maxamillion 3]

We played a playoff game that got out of hand a few years ago. I got lined up coming across the middle, and was able to avoid it at the last second. It was one of those plays where the Dman ties me up, and the other point guy tries to blow my head off ala Scott Stevens. I was pretty pissed after that and nailed one of their guys later on along the board. felt good to get it out of the system.

[17D1998 1]

I'm ok with checking as long as it's not dirty

[pass the bisk 0]

I was at drop in on monday with a bunch of friends from school and they were all taking the body on each other lol. They all play for the same team and they were just kind of messing around. Didn't bother me any. They only went after each other.

[Thepandamancan 0]

I play roller so checking is supposed to be foreign to us. If it's incidental contact one way or another, it's fine. Most guys aren't dicks and say sorry or ask if you're ok.

Then there's the dicks that intentionally run into guys and use the excuse, "I don't know how to stop quick enough," which is total bs. I'm usually the forward parked in front of the net so I end up taking a good amount of abuse, but some guys think running me over is gonna work and all it does is gets my team on the power play.

I actually enjoy a physical game. Every time I get smashed up against the boards, it brings a smile to my face.

[fatwabbit 93]

Only play inline, so non-checking all the way. However I do average a check a game or so, mainly during the course of play. Normally its the other guy that takes the brunt of the hit... so far when I do try to hold back, I end up on my arse instead. So just follow thru leaning into the hit, knees bent etc.

[Secti0n31 0]

I play in a 'light checking' Beer league, so we are allowed to 'bump' and play the body, but if you lower the shoulder and crack somebody you'd better fall down too, or you'll get boxed for roughing or boarding. Once in a while I'll see somebody get destroyed, but it's always called.

My favorites were the ice-to-inline converts that were 'too cool' for inline hockey and had a habit of lowering the bare shoulder into a bare sternum on a polished cement floor. F*ckin ouch! I guess I'm lucky and I haven't seen anyone get clobbered at an open hockey, but I've only been to 4-5 of them since i took the sport back up. Don't worry, if we get a goon at any of our drop in sessions, he'll end up eating someone's shoulder cap, guarantee it, but so far it's been nothing but pure tactical hockey.

[Jason Harris 31]

When I was a kid, I loved checking and contact. However, because most of us don't expect to be checked in non-checking leagues, we skate differently. Maybe we turn our backs more in neutral ice, or maybe we allow our chests to be open to the player in front of us. Because of that, we're not ready to take a hit, so I don't like it when guys give legitimate checks.

I played a tournament five years ago when a defenseman absolutely nailed me, to the point of breaking my stick and feeling a pinch in my neck. He was about 30 feet pounds away from me as a entered the offensive zone and turned left. Some guys will step up and put a hand in your chest to slow someone down, although generally not when someone is skating side-to-side, but this guy just laid a shoulder into my chest. He was obviously proud that he smoked me, because he stood over me and said, "Next time, keep your head up buddy!," as well his teammates yelled at him throughout the game, "Dave, take it easy......Dave, there's five minutes left." Believe me, I wanted to retaliate, but the score was 2-1, and the tournament was in Vegas, so it cost most of us $500 to get there and play. I knew guys would be pissed if I took a stupid penalty, and the opportunity never arose to hit him in the flow of play.

The point of all this is if I had built up speed carrying the puck through the neutral zone and then threw my shoulder toward the guy because I knew he was about to hit me, he would have felt the hit just as much as I did. But I had no expectation of being hit because, 999 times out of 1000 in non-check hockey, players don't check in those circumstances. My head was up the whole time, but my guard wasn't.

[xrickyb86x 1]

I don't mind clean stuff. It happens and refs know it and let it go. I got drilled the other night right before a whistle. It was shoulder to shoulder and I was close to the goalie and I understood. The dude was huge and asked if I was ok. I said no problem. My shoulder is fucking killing me still. I thought about getting it checked out at the doctor the next day but it looks like it's just a big bruise. I'm contemplating switching from my classic Sher Wood shoulders to something a little more protective. Haha.

[tareatingrat 4]

I'm not a fan of it, simply because it shouldn't happen in a no-checking league.

I don't mind physical play (especially along the boards), and there is going to be contact because it's hockey, but if a guy purposely plays the body hard with no intention of going for the puck first, I get a little miffed because I don't play that way and I have to get up for work the next morning.

And I'm not exactly small, so if I started throwing my weight around, I could do some damage, but that's not the point.

That said, I would prefer a little more clean contact versus the stick work that invariably arises when you can't use your body to separate someone from the puck. A little bit of a bump is preferable to a slash across the wrists.

[mug25 2]

Some great replies.

Personally, I am for it so as long as it's clean and on the ice. (I tend not to think of roller hockey anymore since a lot of the rinks have been closing down and no one really plays it here anymore). There are a few occasions where another player is a total jerkoff and I've given him a light check along the boards — nothing major, but when they retaliate with a slash or a totally dirty move in return that's when I've taken it up a notch or two.

For instance, recently during a scrimmage another guy was just flat out on everyone's bad side, even his own team. He plays dirty. Hacks, slashes, trips. Over-celebrates goals (rides the pony, dives on the ice, glove in the air, aim, shoot etc.,). Well, he and I exchanged a few light hits here and there but then he caught me in the mouth with his stick. I decided that since he was going to continue to play dirty that I'd turn it up a notch. He knew it was coming — tried to skate around me but I ended up angling perfectly into him and shoulder to shoulder hit. He was laying flat on his back on the ice, looking at the ceiling as the ref checked on him. Ever since then, he's stopped playing dirty, has started passing and has stopped over-celebrating. Not to brag but seeing as I flat out leveled him to the point that he thought I "dislocated his shoulder" I felt really guilty about it afterwards but I definitely. feel less guilty about it after reading the replies in this thread :D

So, I like to think that in some cases, contact is NEEDED in non-check leagues/pickup games to set some people straight.

[WSjo22 1]

What are everyones thoughts on dealing with guys that routinely go between their legs with their head in their feet or try to pull a move by putting the puck between yours? I let it slide the first time, the next the puck gets knocked off your stick with a verbal warning to knock the harlem globetrotter crap off, and third time they end up on their back

[Chadd 916]

What are everyones thoughts on dealing with guys that routinely go between their legs with their head in their feet or try to pull a move by putting the puck between yours? I let it slide the first time, the next the puck gets knocked off your stick with a verbal warning to knock the harlem globetrotter crap off, and third time they end up on their back

An assertive poke check that may or may not leave the guy trying to figure out what happened often clears that up. Especially when the ref tells the guy that I was just going for the puck and if he doesn't want that to happen, he shouldn't put the puck in his feet.

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

I play on ice year round, switching from my main contact league to a non-contact, maybe more beginner level league. Most of the guys/gals are good, the only hitting would be brushing into the boards nothing actually serious. Or whenever I play a friend we'll give a bit of a nudge here and there.

Talking about hitting in general, I'll get into it as long as it's not dirty. But then again, I don't take those big hits much. I'm not too tall, but I've got broad shoulders and usually have a fair amount of speed taking a puck around. I can count on my hand the number of times I've been "laid out". Just wanna know too, what are your guys' thoughts about hitting kids with a big size difference. There's a bit of an "unwritten rule" in my league that you don't nail kids that are whose helmets don't pass your shoulder. You give them a regular hit or whatever, you only try to crank them if they step out of line.

[iceNsteel 0]

There's a core group of us at the drop-in's I go to, and we have a gentleman's agreement on what kind of hitting is allowed. Basically bumping someone off the puck in the zone and/or along the boards is cool. But the hit should just be enough to separate the player and the puck, the object isn't to level someone. But no big open ice hits, it's just to dangerous to be worth the risk for a game of drop-in hockey. For people that show up that aren't part of that core group, they don't get checked. There has to be some contact in hockey, just the nature of the game. Maybe if someone tries to just run straight at the goalie I might put a shoulder into them.

[WSjo22 1]

I play on ice year round, switching from my main contact league to a non-contact, maybe more beginner level league. Most of the guys/gals are good, the only hitting would be brushing into the boards nothing actually serious. Or whenever I play a friend we'll give a bit of a nudge here and there.

Talking about hitting in general, I'll get into it as long as it's not dirty. But then again, I don't take those big hits much. I'm not too tall, but I've got broad shoulders and usually have a fair amount of speed taking a puck around. I can count on my hand the number of times I've been "laid out". Just wanna know too, what are your guys' thoughts about hitting kids with a big size difference. There's a bit of an "unwritten rule" in my league that you don't nail kids that are whose helmets don't pass your shoulder. You give them a regular hit or whatever, you only try to crank them if they step out of line.

Can't say I was taught this or anything but I've always tried to play with respect when it comes to something like that. When playing I never eased up on smaller players or someone that couldn't defend themselves but there's other ways to play them that don't involve knocking them into next week. I guess I have the thought to play has hard and physical as possible while respecting the safety of the other team

[danno25nh 3]

An assertive poke check that may or may not leave the guy trying to figure out what happened often clears that up. Especially when the ref tells the guy that I was just going for the puck and if he doesn't want that to happen, he shouldn't put the puck in his feet.

Agreed. Knocking them on their butt sends a message but occasionally things get escalated. A good solid poke check just embarrasses the guy to the point he quits.

My biggest issue with non-contact leagues is the inability to give those guys that hack and slash behind the play a warning without resorting to the same thing. I recently leveled a guy behind the net that was skating head down. The guy had been slashing and hooking behind the play all night. The ref yelled at me "There's no need for that!" along with a double minor. After the game I talked to the ref about all the crap behind the play. He laughed and told me his partner talked him out of giving me a major because he had seen a bit of it and understood what I was doing. They double minored me to keep things under control.

[adam14 182]

I'm still getting used to playing in a non checking league this year playiny intramural. I think its ok to bump a player along the boards or in front of the net, i dont look for a big hit, and tend to make sure I only do it to players who look like they've been playing hockey long enough to be able to take it, i dont knock down beginner players and turn into "that guy" and like its been mentioned, I'm ready to get bumped back, as long as its clean and guys aren't going around with the intent to injure, it doesn't bother me, just makes the game a bit more intense in my eyes, and I like it if it's a bit more competitive. In one of our first games, A buddy that I played competitive hockey with cut across the middle and I wasn't used to the non hitting, so i layed him out, i had no shoulder pads on so i felt it as much as he did, I got a penalty and stopped playing made sure he was ok and was a fair sport about it.

[Chadd 916]

There's a bit of an "unwritten rule" in my league that you don't nail kids that are whose helmets don't pass your shoulder. You give them a regular hit or whatever, you only try to crank them if they step out of line.

There's no need to try and "crank" anybody. Why not a "regular" hit on everyone?

[Jason Harris 31]

A lot of the responses here seem to be addressing whether people don't mind contact, while the original question asked what were opinions regarding checking. I think the only people who react negatively to contact are people who are new to the sport, confusing contact with checking. Most of us who have played long enough recognize that bodies will collide, usually at lower intensity when there is intent or higher levels accidentally. It's the higher intensity hits that appear to be intentional which bother a lot of us, because we're generally not expecting that type of hit, so we're not set to absorb the blow.

[Chadd 916]

A lot of the responses here seem to be addressing whether people don't mind contact, while the original question asked what were opinions regarding checking. I think the only people who react negatively to contact are people who are new to the sport, confusing contact with checking. Most of us who have played long enough recognize that bodies will collide, usually at lower intensity when there is intent or higher levels accidentally. It's the higher intensity hits that appear to be intentional which bother a lot of us, because we're generally not expecting that type of hit, so we're not set to absorb the blow.

I don't think some people understand the difference between contact and checking. I hear no-check leagues described as "no contact" all the time and that leads to a lot of misunderstandings.

[Jason Harris 31]

I don't think some people understand the difference between contact and checking. I hear no-check leagues described as "no contact" all the time and that leads to a lot of misunderstandings.

I agree, but I don't think too many people who've played for a significant amount of time confuse the two. Newbies, however, are a different story.

[mug25 2]

A lot of the responses here seem to be addressing whether people don't mind contact, while the original question asked what were opinions regarding checking. I think the only people who react negatively to contact are people who are new to the sport, confusing contact with checking. Most of us who have played long enough recognize that bodies will collide, usually at lower intensity when there is intent or higher levels accidentally. It's the higher intensity hits that appear to be intentional which bother a lot of us, because we're generally not expecting that type of hit, so we're not set to absorb the blow.

EXCELLENT post. What bugs me is when people get upset of the slightest bump or shove. If you're in front of my net camping I am going to shove you out of the way no matter what. People whether newbies or not should expect that.