Gifts for hockey players and fans in Canada

Player, parent or fan

Hockey gifts sort into three piles. Players want to get better between ice times. Parents spend their weekends in cold arenas and on outdoor rinks. Fans want something that says which team they follow. Pick the pile first.

For players, stay away from anything that needs a fitting. Skates, sticks, gloves and helmets come down to size, flex, curve and position, and players are fussy about all of it. Buy around the gear instead: off-ice training, a net for the driveway, things for the bag.

Practice at home

Ice time costs money and there is never enough of it, so most kids practise in the basement or driveway. The Green Biscuit Pro is the one gift we would buy for almost any player: it slides flat on concrete like a puck does on ice. The Bauer stickhandling ball is the cheap version, and it bounces more.

For a kid who is serious about it, add the Bauer Reactor trainer for puck-control drills on a smooth floor, and a mini steel net for the driveway. For a goalie, the SKLZ reaction ball off a garage wall trains reflexes, and the Road Warrior junior mask is for street and ball hockey only. Never let it face an ice puck.

Mini sticks are the best family gift on the list. Two sticks and a foam ball and the hallway becomes a rink until bedtime.

For the people in the stands

Hockey parents need to stay warm. Stanfield's, from Nova Scotia, makes the merino base layer and the heavy toque here, and both are plain on purpose. They will get worn at every six a.m. practice.

For fans, the Toy Maker of Lunenburg cribbage board moves the pegs around a rink, which suits a grandparent who plays cards and watches the game. The Leafs story book is a cheap stocking stuffer, though it stops at 2020. A PWHL e-gift card lets a fan of the women's game choose their own jersey. An engraved puck with a name and a date makes a good coach's gift at the end of the season.

For a new baby in a hockey house, the Loulou Lollipop swaddle and the Petit Lem blanket are rink prints from Canadian makers. Families like these because they are not more equipment.

The big one

The Sparx home sharpener only makes sense for a family with several players who sharpen often. It saves a lot of trips to the pro shop, but it is a serious purchase and the grinding rings need replacing. If you are not sure, buy the puck and the net instead.

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.