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It’s seems obvious, but some people forget that ice hockey is played on ice – and if you can’t skate, you can’t really play. So, the first step is enrolling your child in a good ice skating program. Don’t be put off if the instructor at your local rink is a figure skater. That’s not unusual at all. Figure skaters understand how to use the edges of the skates and can teach your child the important basics about how to move forward, make turns and, most importantly, how to stop. Typically, a learn to skate program would be about 8 – 12 weeks of weekly instruction.  You can usually rent hockey skates from the ice rink at this stage.

Once your child knows how to do the basic skating moves, it’s time to move onto hockey instruction. In this class they’ll learn the basic hockey equipment, the rules of the game, and will start to get a feel for using their new skating skills in conjunction with the hockey equipment. This class is a must for kids who want to play. Often, the facility will rent out the hockey gear so you won’t have to make a major investment in equipment until you’re sure your child likes it and wants to continue.

The most prominent and famous images are the fight scenes that regularly occur in these games. When a fight occurs, the game is put on hold whilst two or more players have a punch up. The ice hockey game is considered as one of the more dangerous games that one could participate in.

This is one major reason why players who play the game need to protect themselves as best as they can. The most successful way of doing this is to buy ice hockey equipment that protects against the roughness of the sport.

This is a game where the puck can reach speeds of 100mph and players put their entire momentum behind speeding around the ring. The equipment that looks after the safety of players has never been more important.

When most kids start out (especially if they are Mites – ages 7 and 8), they will need to start out in a “house” league, also known as a “rec” league. This is the best place for kids to start out and develop their game. All the kids sign up and usually there is some sort of an evaluation session.  All the coaches for all the teams are present and they have the chance to take a look at all the kids during this practice session.  Then, the teams are selected, making an effort to even out the talent so the teams are balanced.

In most house leagues, everyone plays an equal amount of time. No one is benched for lack of skill. The team will usually have two practices for every one game they play.  At most rinks, the younger players have the earliest time slots, so don’t be shocked if your player has a 6:00 AM ice slot on both Saturday and Sunday mornings.  You’ll need to be at the rink 30 minutes early to give your child plenty of time to change into their equipment.  These early morning sessions give the parents a chance to moan and groan together and, believe it or not, is quite a good bonding experience – especially if there’s coffee involved.

Just last summer Ehrhoff was one of the most highly coveted free agent defenseman. He initially said he was looking for a multi-year deal with a contender, but opted instead to sign a one-year deal with the Penguins for $4 million. The plan backfired as Ehrhoff posted a lousy three goals and 14 points, although he missed more than 30 games of the season with a concussion.

His signing with LA has the potential to be a win-win for both Ehroff and the Kings. By only committing one-year at $1.5 million to him, the Kings aren’t in too deep if Ehrhoff struggles this season. Similarly, if he exceeds expectations, Ehrhoff could again position himself as a highly coveted talent come next summer’s free agency period.

By Chris