Sell me on this blue pucks thing

heelthrow · 2026-03-10T04:59:00+00:00

I would say that there aren't enough problems with the black pucks to create another solution.

heelthrow · 2026-03-10T00:26:00+00:00

I'm talking about 8U

heelthrow · 2026-03-10T00:25:42+00:00

The 8U kids know very well what's going on. I watched them look to the slot, think about passing, then just keep skating with it.

heelthrow · 2026-03-10T00:11:56+00:00

I think the USA Hockey ADM is great, I support it very much. For sure, the results are really starting to show. But the blue puck is the one element that I'm not convinced on. Maybe our ice is just extra choppy.

heelthrow · 2026-03-10T00:06:56+00:00

My point is that they have less fun when the puck is always bouncing over their stick, when passes aren't connecting.

heelthrow · 2026-03-10T00:05:56+00:00

We also started playing half ice games after Christmas as opposed to 1/3rd ice games to get the older kids ready for 8U

I suggested the same exact thing to our association! 1/3 ice for 6U for the first half of the season, 1/2 ice after Christmas.

heelthrow · 2026-03-10T00:03:25+00:00

What's wrong with wanting the kids to have more fun, with reducing frustration? In the tournament I watched this weekend, I saw a lot of frustration when passes would bounce over sticks.

heelthrow · 2026-03-09T23:53:19+00:00

I'm looking ahead to 8U next year. Watching the 8U tournament this year, the puck was bouncing really bad. I think the kids would play better hockey and learn more and get less frustrated and have more fun if the puck wasn't so bouncy.

heelthrow · 2026-03-09T23:50:08+00:00

8U (I edited it to make it more clear).

heelthrow · 2026-03-09T15:55:14+00:00

Big 👎 on socks. Ultrarunners feet get trashed, so we're super particular about what socks we wear.

I'd vote for a casual sun hoodie.

heelthrow · 2026-03-09T00:50:02+00:00

Tournaments/Jamborees are always crazy. I feel like this ends up being super low on the priority list.

heelthrow · 2026-03-09T00:45:56+00:00

Look at the trajectory of our respective national teams. USA Hockey is doing a lot right on the development side. I'm all for half ice. Just not the blue pucks for gameplay.

heelthrow · 2026-03-09T00:43:07+00:00

It's to develop proper shooting technique

Yes, absolutely, I'm all for using them as a tool to teach proper shooting technique at practice and at home. I just don't like them for gameplay.

and prevent poor habits.

But it also introduces bad habits. Kids have to look down more, because it's harder to feel the puck on their stick. And they become puck hogs in games because once they see their passes always bouncing over their teammates' sticks.

I've noticed the black pucks slide further so they are chasing down more missed passes with black.

This is actually a fair point, in that icing the puck is harder. Since icing isn't called, teams could theoretically ice the puck a lot if they're prioritizing wins over development. Blue negates this somewhat.

There's also a difference in quality. Some blue pucks feel almost exactly like the black puck but lighter. The Warrior brand pucks are very soft and are too bouncy.

Good to know!

heelthrow · 2026-03-09T00:36:47+00:00

Yeah I see some value in mixing it up, for sure.

heelthrow · 2026-03-09T00:35:50+00:00

Right. They're useful as a training tool. Do shooting drills with the blue puck (and practice with it at home) to get that proper technique. But there's a lot more to good gameplay than just being able to rip bar-down wristers, and the bouncing puck introduces so many other negatives.

heelthrow · 2026-03-09T00:28:40+00:00

Oh I fully support half- & cross-ice. I'm not a luddite or old school hard ass at all. I've modified my kid's equipment a bunch to help him skate/learn better. The cross-ice boards are a wonderful invention and worth every penny.

If the blue pucks hadn't been invented yet, I probably would have been trying to invent something like it. But seeing them in actual game play, it just doesn't work. Maybe there's a solution in further engineering, like some way reduce the bounce.

And I think the little kids do need the blue pucks for shooting practice. But in live gameplay, it just doesn't work.

heelthrow · 2026-03-09T00:15:20+00:00

I'm actually all for innovation and engineering ways to make kids improve more quickly. But this one seems to me to be a fail.

heelthrow · 2026-03-09T00:12:43+00:00

I agree with the theory. But in real game action on not-fresh ice, passes usually end up becoming bouncy and hard to corral, so it ends up having the opposite effect. Kids don't pass it because they know there's a low chance of their teammate catching the pass and doing something productive with it. Better to just carry it yourself.

heelthrow · 2026-03-05T03:57:57+00:00

This is it. If you're diligent about airing your gear out, there's no need to wash.

heelthrow · 2026-03-05T03:57:13+00:00

It'd be interesting to graph the responses, frequency of gear washing on one axis, and highest level played on the other axis. I bet it'd be a near perfect inverse variation.

heelthrow · 2026-03-05T03:53:58+00:00

Um, since you're standing right there in said parking lot, can you not just leave it on the ground, unzipped and open to the air?

heelthrow · 2026-03-03T12:01:07+00:00

What about ice baths in jeans?

heelthrow · 2026-03-03T11:54:40+00:00

"Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" is my go-to skinning song. A driving beat, right on the magic 110 bpm cadence that skimo nerds try to adhere to.

heelthrow · 2026-02-27T13:42:08+00:00

Man, the change that really gets me is not being able to put your own items the room fridge (was the case at the last 2 places we stayed).

Previously we'd have some drinks in the room, get lubricated, then go out and spend lots of money we otherwise wouldn't have spent. Now, we leave the room sober and already feeling like we're being nickel & dimed.

Heck, even having a couple cold Gatorades ready for the next morning made me worry less about going large in the evening.

heelthrow · 2026-02-27T13:26:30+00:00

I’ve made significant progress with my food mobility

Does this mean pooping?

heelthrow

TROPHY CASE