When you think about hockey, what comes to mind? Chances are, the image of a couple of cool-looking folks in cool-looking helmets and uniforms with cool-sounding nicknames like “Sid” and “Bobby” probably come to mind. If you’re looking for an easy way to remember the rules and jargon of hockey, check out this cheat sheet. We’ve gone over some of the most common words and phrases you’ll encounter on the ice. Don’t worry—we didn’t forget about the fans. We always like to give the audience some fun phrases to cheer and/or scream at the players.
Table of Contents
Goals
In hockey, a goal is defined as “a point, worth three, four, or five points, awarded for reaching a specified objective.” In other words, a goal in hockey is three points if the player scores, four points if the player assists, and five points if the player scores and helps their team to reach the objective.
For example, if a player scores a goal and their team is up by one point, they would receive a point for the goal and an additional point for successfully navigating their team to a tie or better. In some cases, a goalie may intentionally draw a penalty to give their team a better chance at winning the game.
If you ever hear the officials call a goal “no goal”, it simply means that the goal was disallowed for some reason. Reasons for a goal being disallowed include, but are not limited to: if the puck crosses the goal line while the whistle is still being played, the puck being touched by a non-player, or the puck being deflected into the net by an intentional hit from a player.
Defensemen
A hockey defenseman is generally a player positioned in the front of the net who is responsible for preventing goals by their opposition. When it comes to the nicknames of hockey defensemen, you’ll hear a lot of interesting combinations. Some of the more common ones include:
- “Shorthand” for short – this refers to a player whose full name is not included in the NHL registry and does not have an “S” as a suffix (e.g., Aaron Ekblad).
- “Big Buff” – this is a popular nickname for a defenseman who uses their large frame to their advantage. There’s also another nickname for a hockey defenseman specifically designed for when they’re protecting a lead—”The Grim Reaper”. (No, we’ve never heard of Luc Robitaille either.)
- “Rebound Kid” – this is a hockey term used to describe a puck-skating defenseman who is able to beat more experienced players to the puck and get the puck in the opposing team’s zone. (More on this later.)
- “Queen’s Speech” – this is a play on the common practice of presenting a Queen with a bouquet of flowers after her speech. The nickname is a nod to the fact that many defensemen are exceptionally good at speaking the language of hockey. (Translation: they know the rules and can explain them easily and clearly.)
- “Puck Daddy” – this is a play on the fact that many NHL defensemen are good at throwing and catching a puck. It also refers to the fact that many of them are “dad” types who are often the ones giving their teams the best ideas on how to play the game.
- “Ironman” – this is a term used to describe a player who can go an entire game without a single penalty being called against them.
- “Black Panther” – this is a combination of the player’s surname (Kerrigan) and the name of the famous superhero (T’Challa). (Yes, seriously.)
- “Puck Walker” – this is a phrase used to describe a skilled player who is able to walk the puck up the ice without having a single care in the world. The nickname comes from the fact that many puck walkers are exceptionally graceful while doing it. (Translation: they are beautiful.)
- “Fingerless Wonder” – this is a reference to the iconic character Dexter Morgan, played by Anthony Dexter in the U.S. television series, “Dexter.”
- “Blond Bomber” – this is a nickname given to players who are exceptionally skilled at setting up plays and scoring goals by taking advantage of the fact that the ice is usually lighter in color during the summer. (Translation: they are extremely good at blowing up penthouses.)
- “Sawbuck” – this is a play on the common practice of referring to the person who is winning as the “Sawbuck”. The nickname comes from the fact that a winning defenseman is usually the one wearing the buck, as this is the symbol of the American buffalo.
Forwards
The forward position in hockey is a little bit different than what you might be used to. While most forwards play a simple role in scoring goals and creating opportunities for their team, there are some who take on a more substantial role. More often than not, when a forward scores a goal, the entire team will celebrate as much as the player who scored the goal. We suspect this is because the forward position is usually occupied by the players who are contributing the most to the success of their teams. (Translation: they are usually the superstar players on their teams.)
Here’s a list of some of the more common forwards and what they mean when they are used in hockey terminology: