Colander

WTF - is this how everyone else plays shinny? For the groups I play with, probably 30% of my GA are because my D gave it up below the dots after I froze the puck and then handed it off. I used to play with a group that, when the puck was frozen at the other end, if my team went for a line change - and that was a painfully slow process - the other side would quickly set up the old 5 on 2 rush up the ice...

OK the controversy starts - I don't agree with your point 2 - the red line only separates the offensive/defensive zones on the breakout. On the attack it's still the blue line "In order to gain the attacking zone, the blue-line remains as the line of entry for the purposes of the offside rule. Once the line has been gained and possession has been established, the red line now becomes the clearance line. Until the defending team clears the puck past the red line, the puck remains in the attacking zone."

Remember when you were a kid and you played scrub baseball, and there was always at least one point where there was a big argument over whether someone was safe or out? Remember how that used to chew into the playing time?

I think it's in the genes: I'm one of those guys who can't get their pads on the proper legs if I am chewing gum while changing. One goalie I used to play against, would come into the change room 15 minutes before ice time (i.e 15 minutes after I started getting changed), BS with whomever he was sitting beside as he got dressed and still be suited up before me. What a prick

Yeah, I hear Coronavirus can't survive in sub-zero temperatures

Steve - thanks for this - great video which I hope it strikes a chord with a number of people!

OK – I know there’s a lot of young guys here ( for me young = <35) so there’s probably not a lot of consideration for this, but one of the bigger issues as we get older is exactly that – cardiac. As per @Lucky Pucker's comment, especially with a return after a layoff like this, there is always a concern with respect to over-stressing the system. And yes, even the young guys probably play with some older goats (present company included). The bigger issue here is, at least in Canada, while I believe most arenas/rec centres are mandated to have an AED, the "missing link" is, do you know where it is in your facility? Remember most facilities are multi-purpose, so the AED won’t necessarily be near the rink. When you sit in the change room, poll the people in there: if there isn’t at least 2 people that know where one is, I’d suggest you rectify that situation . BTW I f you are interested, check out “PulsePoint” (https://www.pulsepoint.org/). I haven’t tried it, but apparently the app allows you to locate the nearest AED – who knows… Oh, yeah - stay safe from me too

Yeah, that's when you get to see all the pretty lights!

Interesting - if I recall in that rink, you can see the dressing room doors from the ice surface, correct? It would be a bit difficult in some rinks where the dressing rooms are down a walkway not visible from the ice.

New Rule: You guys and gals lucky enough to get on the ice have to describe the experience to the rest of us - vicarious living is all the rest of us have to go on! Kudos to @Ken35

Considering their roots, they should have not only given you a free coffee but thrown in a donut as well... P.S. How was the session?

Two of the rinks I frequent had a "no goalies" rule at stick and puck. I approached them and said I just wanted to go out to work on technique, moves etc. As I assumed, the rule was actually written to mean they didn't want people shooting on goalies (yeah, I know, stick and puck here is different from most other places). It actually took about a week to get cleared in one rink because they had to talk to the director of programs or something like that, but after considering what I wanted, they didn't have any issues with it and were happy to let me on the ice. Of course I barely made it into my second stick and puck session when the rink attendant comes up to me and says "hey, do you want to get in net and we can do some shootout practice?" I suggested to him the rink didn't really want that happening to which he just shrugged and said something to the effect of "meh, its not a problem with me". Two points from this story: First, a lot of times people (when I say people I mean those behind the counter) read the rules and parrot it it without considering what is really desired or practical. Second, as I said in an earlier post, it really doesn't take long before apathy sets in...

Yeah, what could go wrong with that?

Agreed. I keep thinking if all else fails, they could still use the "lobby option". Most Rinks I play at have relatively large lobby. You could put up separator curtains like they use in ERs (plastic sheet, so easily washed down) and light to move out of the way. If they made even just a few of these "cubicles" in the lobby then at least goalies could get changed. This seems to be yet another example of where rule-makers didn't think it out - one size does not fit all and in the case of goalies, some extra thought needs to be put in, Unfortunately I bet none of the rule-makers are goalies... Would be nice to get one of them, throw a bag of goalie gear in a Corolla and say, "there ya go - hop in and suit up".

The reality is, the more rules there are, the more there is to police. At some point people (both participants and enforcers) fall into a comfort (or more likely, apathy) zone that typically falls short of the rules. I am all for following the rules and trying to flatten the curve, but we are presently in a time where people are sanitizing the pin pad after I tap my credit card – not too sure what that is doing. BTW – I keep seeing where they say no spitting on the ice – that’s such a natural occurrence inn hockey that I suspect if they were to enforce it everyone would be off the ice less than 5 minutes into a game.

He was a Leafs goalie for his first couple of years - that's like Superman living in a Kryptonite condominium

Can you clarify: are you saying the only players there will be the standard compliment on the ice and no one on the benches? I assumed they would limit each bench to say 3 spares. That would allow a good physical distance but still reduce the need for an AED I have heard of a number of places where they say "No one allowed in the stands". Yeah, so status quo with my hockey....I actually saw the Zamboni operator run and cover his eyes to keep from being emotionally scarred when we got on the ice.

Well I recall you said you were born in Campbell River. @Naz - good news - we can blame it on the Surrey (edit - general Vancouver) School system...

Unfortunately for the island I think @coopaloop1234 went to school on Campbell River....

Makes perfect sense to me, but then I do the exact same thing. It took me a while to figure out why a lot of goalies were having issues shooting the puck, but then I realized playing the way you and I do, (assuming you shoot left, which I do) makes it a lot easier. I think the “logic” behind fullrights catching with their right hand is, that’s what you would need to do in baseball – catch right throw left (indirectly, that is why I play "regular"). A lot of people probably can’t comprehend the idea of catching with different hands in different sports making sense. Having said that, I can’t count how many people I know who are right handed that golf or shoot left… The fact is, as a left-handed person, you get used to making modifications in a lot of things you do in life to fit into a right handed world (along with the consequential mockery). Personally, I can cut paper with left-handed scissors as I never owned a pair in my life

Thanks for all the responses - interesting to hear what is happening (and hopefully working). I should have suggested, if people don't mind, stating what general part of the country/continent/world you are describing. Otherwise, keep the info coming. With any luck, we can get some good ideas of what is working, or not, to help all easing back onto the ice!

Hi all: I have seen over the past week or two people talking about getting back on the ice in the coming weeks. I am interested in what people are seeing, have heard or believe this will look like, specifically for the beer-league/shinny guys. I have heard talk of training camps with low numbers and the participants showing up with equipment on sans skates (let’s see a goalie drive to the rink like that…) I am assuming no showers, limitations on change room capacity, possibly limited number of people on the benches, full cages or face shield? Let me know what you have heard, experienced and what you think… Thx

8.3% alcohol!!! (Looks like time for a post lunch nap....)

Clearly, the definition of a "sale" differs between the vendor and the buyer - check this "chopped to the bone" deal from a few years ago

At 62 & same height, I hear ya! I've always said it's better to play with a group that has a few boomers on the blue line. It sure clears the sight-lines when they wind up !