A dangler in hockey is a hockey player who can’t keep his or her limbs still while in motion. They constantly have their hands in the air, ready to catch a bouncing puck as it comes flying in.
While there are no exact statistics available, it is estimated that there are about two to three “problem” players in every NHL team. Since the puck often moves quickly during gameplay, it is important for the defense to be ready to stop it. However, due to their constantly moving hands, the defensemen often struggle to keep track of the puck and successfully clear it from the zone of play. This makes them extremely dangerous since they can steal the puck and score despite the team’s best efforts to defend it.
Dangling in hockey is a common problem that can be caused by a number of things. Athleticism, height, and reach are all factors that can increase one’s risk of dangling. However, skill level and hockey experience also play a role. Regardless, once dangling has occurred, it is usually a life-long issue that the player has to deal with.
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The Causes Of Dangling
There are several factors that can cause someone to dangle. Below we will discuss each cause and how it affects hockey players.
Athleticism
Athleticism tends to attract coaches and scouts to a player. It also makes a good indicator of what type of hockey player one will become. There are three primary qualities that make up athleticism – speed, mobility, and strength. The more one has of these qualities, the better. However, size and height are also important since most hockey players are shorter than the average human. This ensures they can keep their balance while on the rink and increase their reach when handling the puck.
In some sports, such as track and field, it is common for children to grow out of their awkward stage and learn to control their body in proper throwing mechanics. Unfortunately, this doesn’t tend to happen in hockey since the sport requires a lot of physicality and most children are not born with this ability. This is where training wheels and youth hockey help out – allowing beginners to develop their skills safely and comfortably.
Height
Being tall is always a good thing in sports, but it’s especially important for hockey players. Having a tall frame allows for better reach and increased stability while on the ice or in the corners. The problem is that sometimes parents can be overzealous when it comes to their children and try to make them taller than they need to be. This is especially prevalent in junior hockey where parents want their kids to stay within the “proper” height range for their age group.
There is also the issue of “growing into” your height. As children get older, they start to show growth spurt and grow into their taller stature. This makes it even more difficult for parents to tell how tall their child should be. It wasn’t that way when they were younger and it is often hard to reverse this process once it starts.
Reach
An ability to reach is important for all athletes and in hockey it is even more important. Being able to reach high places allows for better vision and gives the player a better chance of scoring. However, sometimes the position the player is in is physically preventing them from reaching the puck or the goal.
Sometimes it is better to be able to reach high places and work your way around instead of just trying to jump over the opposing team. This is where another important factor – technique – comes in. By using proper throwing mechanics and positioning, the player can increase the distance of their throws and improve their reach immensely. This allows them to increase their number of goals and assists as well as decrease their amount of turnovers and penalties.
Skills
The last thing any aspiring hockey player wants to be is a problem player. Even worse, many kids enter the sport with the intent to cause problems and avoid being a “good” player. While there is no exact statistics available, it is estimated that about two to three players in every NHL team are “problem” players and constantly dangle. This makes them dangerous as they often get a head start on the defense and can steal the puck or score despite the team’s best efforts to defend it.
Having said that, sometimes kids are just born with the wrong body type and lack the coordination needed to play the sport safely and successfully. This is where training wheels and youth hockey come in – allowing beginners to develop their skills safely and comfortably.
Being proficient at something isn’t the same as being excellent at something. There are many hockey players who lack the coordination needed to be a successful one. However, with training wheels and coaching, most kids can develop the required skills to at least have a decent shot at the game.
Mental Makeup
Last but not least, we have the issue of the players’ mental make-up. Just because a player lacks the physical qualities needed to succeed in hockey doesn’t mean they don’t have the mental capability. There are many successful hockey players who lack the height and strength to be considered “true” giants, but they manage to keep their heads up and stay positive. While the statistics aren’t available, it is estimated that about 75% of the players in the NHL are able to maintain a positive mental outlook. This allows them to focus on the task at hand and not let setbacks get the best of them.
Being a successful hockey player is not a question of physical capability but rather a matter of mental resolve. Sometimes the right words of encouragement can turn a game around and help a player keep their head up when all else seems to be going against them.
If you want to know more, here are some interesting factoids about hockey.
Interesting Facts About Hockey
According to a 2014 report, there are more Canadians playing hockey now than there have been in over 30 years. Canada’s national sport also saw an increase in popularity when compared to other sports, such as football and baseball. The growth of women’s hockey is also responsible for some of the increases in popularity. There were about 80,000 registered players in 2014 but it is estimated that there are now over a million Canadian hockey players. This figure does not include players from the United States, whose numbers have also increased.
The most popular hockey equipment is also changing. There has been a shift toward faster, more agile skates, fitted with specialized boots. According to Mark Hardy of SkateCanada.com, the most popular equipment and style for young players is currently the Bauer Vapor 9 hockey skate with the O.U. logo. This is followed by the CCM Lavalette hockey helmet, the NHL 70s logo’d CCM Authentic hockey jersey, and the Molson Canadian Ice Hockey jersey.
Hockey remains a popular sport in Canada, with the country hosting the men’s and women’s hockey world championships in 2015. The upcoming Olympics in 2018 will also give the country a reason to celebrate.
The 2015 World Hockey Championships will be hosted in Edmonton and Regina. The city of Edmonton is also the host for the 2019 Men’s Hockey World Cup. In addition, the country of Canada will host the women’s hockey world championships in 2020. This provides ample reasons for hockey fans to rejoice.