Gifts for hockey players and fans

Player, parent or fan

Hockey gifts fall into three groups. Players want to get better and keep their gear working. Hockey parents spend a lot of time in cold rinks and driveways. Fans want something that shows they follow the game. Pick the group first, then the gift.

For players, avoid gear that needs a fitting. Skates, sticks, gloves and helmets depend on size, flex, curve and position, and most players are particular about all of them. Buy around the gear instead: training aids, tape, wax and edge care. These get used every week and need no sizing.

Age matters too. A young player gets the most from training aids and mini sticks, since they will use them in the basement all winter. A teenager on a competitive team usually cares more about edge care and tape. An adult rec league player often wants something for the bag, or warm layers for the outdoor rink.

Off-ice training that gets used

Ice time is expensive and limited, so most young players practise at home. The Green Biscuit Pro puck is the best single gift here: it slides flat on a driveway or basement floor instead of rolling like a normal puck. The Halloween two-pack adds a shooting puck. The Bauer stick handling ball is the cheap version, though it bounces more.

For a committed player, the Bauer Reactor trainer builds puck-control drills on any smooth floor. The SKLZ reaction ball suits a goalie working on reflexes against a garage wall. For a goalie playing street hockey, the Road Warrior junior mask is for ball hockey only and should never be used against ice pucks.

Think about where they will practise. A smooth basement floor is best for pucks and trainers. Rough asphalt wears off-ice pucks quickly, and hard balls can mark walls.

Small gifts that get used up

Tape and wax are the easiest hockey gifts there are. Players tape their sticks constantly and run out at the worst time. The Howies TJ bundle puts tape, scissors and wax together, and the pink stick wax is a cheap extra on its own. A pocket honing kit fixes nicked edges between sharpenings, which helps a player who skates hard on dull or damaged blades.

These cost less than $25 each and suit teammates, coaches and stocking stuffers. Nobody minds getting more tape.

If you are buying for a whole team, tape and wax scale well. A tin of stick wax per player is a cheap end-of-season gift that every player will use, and it avoids the problem of guessing sizes, positions or stick curves for a dozen kids at once.

For hockey parents and fans

Hockey parents mostly need to stay warm. A merino base layer and a heavy toque from Stanfield's will get worn at every early practice. They are plain on purpose. For a family with several players, the Sparx home sharpener saves repeated trips to the pro shop, but it is a large purchase with ongoing ring costs, so only buy it if the family sharpens skates often.

For fans, the Toy Maker of Lunenburg cribbage board suits a grandparent who plays cards and watches the game. The Little Book of Toronto Maple Leafs Stories is a cheap stocking gift, but it stops at 2020. For new parents who follow hockey, the Loulou Lollipop swaddle and Petit Lem blanket are rink-print baby gifts that are not more gear.

A gift that is not gear can be welcome in a hockey house. Families already own a garage full of equipment, and a cribbage board or a summer item gives them something to do together away from the rink.

Timing

Most of these shops sell in Canada and the US, and many items are Canadian. Seasonal colours like the Halloween pucks and the pink wax sell out, so buy those early. Ordering before the season starts means the training aids get used through the winter instead of sitting in a box until spring.

Questions people ask

What do you get a hockey player who has everything?

Consumables and training aids. Tape, stick wax and a skate honing kit always get used, and most players will happily take more. For practice at home, an off-ice puck like the Green Biscuit or a stickhandling trainer helps between ice times. Avoid sticks, skates and gloves unless they have told you the exact model and size.

What are good stocking stuffers for a hockey kid?

A stickhandling ball, a Green Biscuit puck, a tin of stick wax or a roll of tape all cost little and get used. For kids who play mini sticks at home, a set of mini sticks and a soft ball or a mystery pack of knee-hockey balls works well. Avoid hard balls for indoor play if you care about the walls.

How can a hockey player practise at home?

Off-ice pucks slide flat on driveways and basement floors, so a player can stickhandle and pass without ice. A stickhandling trainer adds drills, and synthetic ice tiles or a shooting pad give a better surface. A reaction ball thrown against a wall helps goalies. A smooth concrete floor works best, since rough asphalt wears pucks down quickly.

What is a good gift for a hockey parent?

Warmth, mostly. Hockey parents spend hours in cold rinks and at outdoor games, so a merino base layer or a heavy toque gets real use. For a family with several players who sharpen skates often, a home skate sharpener saves trips to the pro shop, though it is a big purchase with ongoing costs for grinding rings.