Hello Folks,
Before I start this article, I would like to give a shout out to Colorado Avalanche first round pick Alex Newhook for plugging me in the most recent ShowBound Podcast! Video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6ITB8AhuJM&t=13s
Alright, here we go. ODR season is in full swing, and I’m getting a lot of questions about ODR equipment – what’s good, what isn’t? Do I need this, that and the other thing? There’s so much out there… how do I sift through all the clutter?
First of all – you do not need much. I don’t care how big your ODR is. If you are going to purchase a couple of things, check out my recommendations below.
Second – ditch the products that make you look down. Some of these ‘training aids’ as people like to call them have the smallest little slot to slide the puck through that I don’t care if you’re Nate, Sid or Leon, you’re going to have to look down to fit it through. The game is played with the head up, especially as you get older and there’s body contact. Ditch the products that foster a ‘look down culture’, they’ll just create bad habits and decrease player safety.
Third – Look at equipment as an investment. Some of my recommendations below are expensive, but they have a proven track record of lasting even in the toughest conditions. These recommendations aren’t indestructible by any means, but they can handle a little wear and tear. You will have these item(s) for as long as your son or daughter is playing on the backyard rink, and when their careers are over, throw the item(s) on Facebook and recoup some of the up-front cost.
*** Note *** I have personally used every item below, and would strongly consider owning them if I had an ODR
Item #1 – Give n Go Hockey 60 inch “passers” or “bumpers” (https://www.givengohockey.com/store.html)
These devices are durable, high-quality, and anchor into any ice surface. These aids are heavy and somewhat clumsy to carry around, and I would not put them in the back of your car because of the sharp teeth on the ends (lesson learned); however, pucks come back really true off them as long as you pass the puck properly. These devices provide good feedback to players, because if you make a wobbly pass to the passer, you won’t get a true pass back so it forces players to have proper passing fundamentals (which usually start with how a player holds his or her stick).
These babies come in 2 sizes – the 60 inch and the 30 inch – I would not recommend the 30 inch to anyone. The 30 inch isn’t heavy enough to anchor into the ice and not move around after roughly 2 passes. The 60’s are expensive, but they are well-made and create so many drill opportunities for players who don’t have a large ODR space to work with, or don’t have a parent/friend to pass to them all the time.
There are a lot of “passer” devices on the market, and I have used most of them – none compare to the Give n Go 60 inch.
Item #2 – Broken off hockey sticks
Cost – free. Pop by your local arena, and I guarantee that they have some broken off sticks that they are willing to part with. Try and get broken sticks that are broken off at the blade – this way, you can cut the blade off and have the whole shaft to use as a training aid. The reason why I like broken off sticks is when you’re practicing – say – sauce passes, saucing a puck over a hockey stick shaft emulates a game situation. Unless you’re Erik Karlsson in the playoffs a few years ago… still marvelling at that pass, but anyhow!
Item #3 – Give n Go Hockey Shooter Tutor (https://www.givengohockey.com/store/p16/Professional_Grade_Shooter_Tutor.html)
Save time, save your frustration, improve your game – these shooter tutors accomplish all 3. The traditional hook-on, tarp-material shooter tutors are like using land line phones in 2021.. get with the times and purchase one of these babies. I don’t know how many times I have tripped up in the dangling hooks of the traditional shooter tutors over the years, so maybe my vendetta against them is more personal. But in all seriousness, the Give n Go model is a Rolls Royce.
If you’re looking at a cost-effective way to re-create the Give n Go shooter tutor, I would suggest checking-in with a place like United Sail Works in St. John’s (not sure if they are still open, their web site is not operating as of this writing and their Facebook page hasn’t been updated since 2018) or a local welding shop.
Items #4, 5 and 6 – The Essentials
Every ODR needs the following – a net, pucks, and a tarp.
Most people start out with the classic street hockey net – they’re light for easy transport, but they aren’t made to last a winter of pucks banging off the posts. As you get older, your posts will look more like the letter C than hockey posts. My suggestion here would be to check with a local arena to see if they have any ‘net frames’ that they aren’t using, and re-mesh the net on your own. If this isn’t an option, check with a local welding or metal works company. Most small businesses in NL could definitely use any business they can get right now!
Pucks can be purchased at a local hardware or sports store in your area. If you’re looking at buying a large amount of pucks, you can go the Amazon route by clicking here https://amzn.to/3qepMAQ .
Tarps are great if you want to keep your backyard fence in one piece, keep pucks from hitting the neighbours house, or keep your pucks from disappearing into the abyss behind your property. The size of tarp that you will need will depend on lots of factors, and some people scrap the tarp idea and go full-on behind the net meshing. Whichever you choose – if you want to be invited to the neighbours 2021 Xmas party, I would suggest some behind the net insurance!
Until Next time,
AP