For an updated list please see our 2012 edition of the best gifts for hockey players

Last year I wrote a guide for buying Christmas gifts for hockey players and it got a great response from our visitors. I thought I would update the list this year with some more cool Christmas gift ideas for hockey players. Here it is in no particular order

A hockey Shooting Pad

When I was a kid (about 13) I saved up $50 to buy a tiny piece of fake ice. I loved it and shot off of it almost every day. A hockey shooting pad will help your hockey player improve their stickhandling and shooting BIG TIME. The one I bought was tiny, but I used it for about 5 years until it got misplaced. These things are great and last forever, every hockey player should have one!

Where to buy a hockey shooting pad: Hockey Shot has a great variety of sizes and varieties (roll-up, pads, tiles, etc) Visit this page to shop. Use our coupon code   HOWHCKY001     to save $10 on orders over $100

An Outdoor Rink

If you live in the colder regions of the world an outdoor hockey rink is the place to be in the winter. As a hockey player I spent quite a bit of time on our pond, I don’t know what I would have done in the winter without a place to play puck! (probably gone crazy) If you want to build your own rink you can use a rink kit, but you should probably order it right now and get started on building (early Christmas present)

Where to buy: If you wan’t to make it really easy you can buy a backyard rink building kit Here is a list of tips for building a backyard rink

A Green Biscuit

This is by far my favourite puck to use off the ice. I am VERY skeptical when it comes to hockey training aids and I thought this would be a huge gimmick and waste of money, but when I tried it for the first time I LOVED it. This thing slides like a dream on cement, no other off ice puck comes close to it. If you have a hockey player that likes to practice at home grab a few of these for them. Pro tip: If you order just one the shipping is almost as much as the puck, order a 4 or more and give them as a package. That way the player has extra in case they lose or break one.

Where to Buy: You can order these on this page of Hockey Shot. Use our coupon code     HOWHCKY001    to save $10 on orders over $100

A new Hockey Stick

I always loved getting a new twig for Christmas (my mom would hide it under the couch so I didn’t know I was getting a stick), I would imagine all the goals I would score with it, take my time putting on the perfect tape job, and then practice my dangles and shooting for a few days before I could use it on the ice. You can get some good deals for hockey sticks online

Where to buy: I have seen some really good deals on Hockey Monkey, check their clearance section for 50% or more off hockey gear

Rock’em Sock’em Hockey (Don Cherry Hockey)

Since I can remember I have gotten this video for Christmas, it has all the best hits, best goals, best plays and best saves from the previous season. This is like a new playbook every year, I would watch the movie over and over and practice the new goals and moves on my outdoor rink. I remember inviting my friends over on new years and we would all watch Rock’em Sock’em and then play some late night hockey (with the lights on our rink)

Where to buy: The video above is Rock’em Sock’em 22, the newest version is Rock’em Sock’em Vol. 23 (amazon.ca link)

NHL 12 Video Game

When I was a kid I was playing Blades of Steel for Nintendo, or going to my friends house to play NHL 94 for Super Nintendo, needles to say the graphics are a lot better today but I think I have just as much fun playing NHL 12 as I did with NHL 94. If you hockey player is into video games you can always grab the newest hockey video game, I have it and it is a lot of fun!

Where to buy: You can get it here for XBOX 360 and here for PS3

Tickets to a Hockey Game

If you are looking for some good bonding time with your hockey fan then nothing beats going to a game with them. If you can’t afford NHL tickets you could always look for other semi-pro teams in your area, even a Junior A game will be exciting and a good time out with your favourite hockey player. In most areas NHL tickets are fairly affordable so take a look, the hockey player on your list will love you for it!

Where to buy: Ticketmaster.com is always a good place to look for pro sports, and semi pro hockey tickets.

A Hockey Net

If your kid plays hockey, and does not have a net THEY NEED ONE. Also if their net is held together with duct tape and shoelaces they probably need a new one! When it comes to buying nets there are three categories

• Road hockey nets
• Usually made with plastic or VERY thin steel, these are useless to use with pucks as any shot harder then 20mph will either shatter the plastic (especially in cold weather) or bend the posts, the mesh is also pretty terrible. If you buy this type of net only use tennis balls on it
• A recreational net
• The are the nets that are solid enough to withstand the force of a puck. They vary in quality and the netting is usually all the same. For a good need look for 1.5 inch posts or bigger, and decent netting. The net I use and also recommend is the EZ-Goal. You can actually fold it up, it comes with targets and a backstop is optional (and recommended). The posts are durable and the netting is decent. I did need to repair the netting though, but I was shooting 100 shots a day for a while.
• A regulation net
• These nets are practically invincible, the only problem is they cost A LOT (starting at $600) and they are very heavy. If you do get this type of net you will want to buy it locally and not move it around too much.

Where to buy: Most road hockey nets can be found in your big-box stores, for a good recreational net I suggest the EZ-Goal you can Buy it here (Use our coupon code    HOWHCKY001     to save $10 on orders over $100), for a regulation net you should ask the guys at your local hockey rink on how to get one.

A Hockey Jersey of their Favourite Player

Every hockey player (kid, or adult) has a favourite NHL player, whether from the past or currently playing. A great gift for a hockey player is a jersey of their favourite hockey player. When I was a kid I got a Pavel Bure jersey and I wore it all the time. Right now I think it would be cool to get a vintage Wendel Clark Leafs jersey.

Where to buy: If you live where hockey is popular you can get custom jerseys at most sports stores, you can also shop online at this page on Hockey Monkey otherwise try this page on Amazon

 Under Armour

I know this might sound like a lame gift (who wants socks and underwear right?) and I thought the same thing when my mom bought this for me one year. She asked the salesman at the store what hockey players like and he suggested this. I never wore it before my mom bought it for me and I didn’t plan on ever wearing it, but since then I have worn it every time I’ve stepped on the ice. Under armour really does make playing a bit more comfortable, it wicks the sweat away from your body and helps it evaporate. This helps keep your gear dry, makes it easier to do laundry, and also (I find) helps stop my gear from stinking.

Where to Buy: They make a lot of stuff so make sure you get the gear made for hockey. I have linked to the hockey pages for  Under Armour Canada (for Canadians) Under Armour USA

Hockey Swag from Gong Show Gear

Most hockey players would wear there jerseys to school if they didn’t smell so bad, but lets be honest you can’t wear a jersey to school everyday, that’s where Gong Show Gear comes in. They make sweet hockey swag for hockey players. Their entire line of clothing is made for hockey players, they have shirts, sweaters, hats, and more.

Where to Buy: Check out Gong Show Gear

Hockey Stocking Stuffers

Here is a quick list of ideas for stocking stuffers

The Obvious

• Stick tape
• Skate laces
• Stick wax
• A stone
• Hockey Pucks

The Ultra Cool

• Weighted Hockey Pucks
• Stickhandling Balls
• A Green Biscuit (or get a few and give it as a gift) my favourite off ice puck and all the kids on the hockey team I coach love it -Get it here (I recommend the Green Biscuit, and stickhandling balls as a combo)
• Magic Stick – This is a cool tool that you can use to put an edge on your skates. I use it all the time when I forget to get my skates sharpened and it works much better than a stone! check it out here
• Hockey Skate socks – I used to peel my dripping wet socks off my feet and slop them into my hockey bag where they would stew for about a month before I would wash about 10 pairs of them. Then I started skating barefoot to avoid that mess and ended up with stinky skates. Eventually I used hockey skate socks which are ultra moisture absorbent and nice and thin. I bought 4 pairs and use them about 2-4 times in a row before I even need to wash them, they are almost dry when I take them off! Check them out here

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone

How To Hockey Christmas Gift Contest

If you would like to be entered to win prizes all you need to do is like this post on facebook (twitter too if you are in the festive spirit) buttons are below for sharing and then leave a comment about what hockey item you want the most for Christmas. Remember to leave a valid email because that is how we will contact the winners

Prizes

From HockeyShot.com

Grand prize of a hockey shooting pad, and two prize packs including a green biscuit and a stickhandling ball

From Gongshow Hockey

5 prize packs of one t-shirt and one hat

To enter just like this post on facebook and then leave a comment below telling us what hockey gift you want for Christmas!

Pass the puck share on Twitter or Facebook

• Bio
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Jeremy Rupke

Coach

Hi my name is Jeremy. I LOVE hockey and I am passionate about improving and helping others improve. My goal is to break every hockey skill down into easy to understand articles and videos. I explain everything step-by-step to help others improve. If you want to learn more about me you can read my about page. Thanks for reading and sharing!

Latest posts by Jeremy Rupke (see all)

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