smaller puck for younger players?

[linden17]

Not sure if this should be in another forum so forgive me if it should. I was reading the Don Cherry hockey stories book and in it he suggested what him and walter gretzky have talked about which is having the younger players play with a smalller or lighter puck. So the players in tyke, atom, peewee would play with a lighter puck. this is interesting. i guess they would be able to stick handle and shoot better and gain more confidence at a younger age? i dont know how i feel about it? do u guys think this would be a good thing? there is many view to look at it. does this player score a bunch of goals and make a bunch of passes he wouldnt normally make with a regular puck and then flounder off with the heavier puck? or does it progress the player who wouldnt normally make a goal or pass with the current weight and give him confidence to grow in other aspects of the game? it could be that technical. anyways. lets weigh in shall we?

[linden17]

55 minutes ago, The 5th Line said:

I'm just picturing young goalies getting lit up.  I think our young kids are just fine.  McDavid played with a heavy puck and he seems to be doing okay.  Some coaches will bring out lighter pucks for practices, individual stick handling drills etc

see... this is good. i never even considered younger goalies being lit up. what would that do to their confidence? could it benefit them or not?

 

[-AJ-]

I could see benefits for real young ages, but I'd be hesitant to apply it to older ages, even pre-teen ages (Peewee). I feel like it takes time to get used to the weight of a real hockey puck and starting at a young-ish age would help players get used to that and build up some strength. 

[Neko]

I'm in disagreement with the idea, I started playing when I was 6 and never had problems with the standard puck.  I did have trouble for a short while when I got into roller hockey where the roller puck was lighter and it was awkward at first then going back on the ice to the regular puck, it threw me off.

 

So no, it's not like Pop Warner Football and pee-wee football where the ball size being smaller than college/professional ball.

[timberz21]

It wouldn't be a bad idea for age 4 to 6 (novice) IMO, when kids are learning to skate and barely able to stand up, but after that.. No!

 

Also lighter pucks would be easier to flick upward and at a reasonable speed, therefore making dangerous for the kids to get one in the neck or side of the head.  Even though they would be lighter, flicked with enough speed it could still hurt he kids.

[Heretic]

In Ringette, I have seen smaller rings - but those are used for practice - teaches the kids accuracy - but yeah, for the bunnies (like tykes ) they are great.

 

I think smaller/lighter pucks would be great for hockey as well (don't worry about the goalies - at the younger ages they tend to rotate them anyways - plus a lighter puck won't travel as fast).

[Slegr]

Given the fact that the height and weight of the average NHLer has likely increased substantially since the modern puck was first introduced, perhaps we should be considering a bigger, heavier puck for the NHL. That would be funny.

[Johnny Shotgun]

When does the bubble wrap on the kids start to prepare them for Bettman's slide to wimpy hitless NHL style hockey?

[etsen3]

28 minutes ago, Johnny Shotgun said:

When does the bubble wrap on the kids start to prepare them for Bettman's slide to wimpy hitless NHL style hockey?

Sarcasm? I think that's overreacting a bit, I think a lighter puck could be useful for young kids to play with.  Pucks were designed for full grown adult men, not 5 year olds. What's the harm in being open to useful development tools that will make better players?  I think by atom kids should be using a full sized puck but my coaches did have lighter pucks for use in practice.  A powerlifter doesn't go straight to squatting 500 lbs on their first try.

[babych]

On 5/20/2016 at 11:54 AM, Slegr said:

Given the fact that the height and weight of the average NHLer has likely increased substantially since the modern puck was first introduced, perhaps we should be considering a bigger, heavier puck for the NHL. That would be funny.

This.

[smokes]

On 5/20/2016 at 5:04 PM, linden17 said:

Not sure if this should be in another forum so forgive me if it should. I was reading the Don Cherry hockey stories book and in it he suggested what him and walter gretzky have talked about which is having the younger players play with a smalller or lighter puck. So the players in tyke, atom, peewee would play with a lighter puck. this is interesting. i guess they would be able to stick handle and shoot better and gain more confidence at a younger age? i dont know how i feel about it? do u guys think this would be a good thing? there is many view to look at it. does this player score a bunch of goals and make a bunch of passes he wouldnt normally make with a regular puck and then flounder off with the heavier puck? or does it progress the player who wouldnt normally make a goal or pass with the current weight and give him confidence to grow in other aspects of the game? it could be that technical. anyways. lets weigh in shall we?

A lighter puck may actually help with scoring in the NHL. With a lighter puck, players can shoot the ball wth less exertion and still achieve the speed and accuracy of a heavier puck and also give it potential to be faster as well. Smaller would be a harder sell for me simply because as a fan, it is sometimes hard enough to see the puck now, with a smaller one, I would have a hard time keeping up with the play.

[Me_]

On 5/20/2016 at 5:04 AM, linden17 said:

Not sure if this should be in another forum so forgive me if it should. I was reading the Don Cherry hockey stories book and in it he suggested what him and walter gretzky have talked about which is having the younger players play with a smalller or lighter puck. So the players in tyke, atom, peewee would play with a lighter puck. this is interesting. i guess they would be able to stick handle and shoot better and gain more confidence at a younger age? i dont know how i feel about it? do u guys think this would be a good thing? there is many view to look at it. does this player score a bunch of goals and make a bunch of passes he wouldnt normally make with a regular puck and then flounder off with the heavier puck? or does it progress the player who wouldnt normally make a goal or pass with the current weight and give him confidence to grow in other aspects of the game? it could be that technical. anyways. lets weigh in shall we?

Let's give them medals just for participating. Regular weighted pucks might be the first filter of future NHLers.

 

Soccer moms...

[Losing With Pride]

Keep the game the way it is. 

 

Everyone wins