Guide to Hockey Terms, Definitions & Slang

In today’s article, we will cover hockey terms most have not seen or heard of for all the moms, dads, and kids out there who need to expand their hockey terminology. You may have thought you knew the English language proficiently, but I'm here to tell you that hockey has its very own language. Well, take a deep dive into some lingo to keep you fresh in the stands and on the ice. So, before you head to the rink for your next game, take a few of these with you to indulge in the culture of hockey. 

• Important Hockey Terms and Hockey Slang.

1. Barn Burner: unfair matchup and the score is lopsided 10-1.
2. Bender: somebody who skates like their ankles are broken or someone who physically tapes their ankles.
3. Biscuit: puck.
4. Blowing a Tire: losing an edge on the ice and falling down.
5. Bread Basket: typically shooting into the goalie's stomach/logo.
6. Bottle Rocket: a great shot up high knocking the goalies' water bottle off the net.
7. Beauty: an all-around guy who is loved by everyone on and off the ice.
8. Bucket: helmet.
9. Celly: celebration after a big goal or hit.
10. Chach: typically someone trying to act cool.
11. Change on the fly: switching lines while the puck is on the move up or down the ice.
12. Chicklets: teeth.
13. Chippy: a play or player getting aggressively rough typically having a lot of stoppages throughout the game.
14. Chirp: insulting a person, player, ref, or coach.
15. Clapper: slapshot.
16. Dance: a fight or playing in a championship game.
17. Dangle: when a player has the puck and gets around an opposing player with ease and style.
18. Deke: when a player has the puck and gets around an opposing player with ease and style.
19. Dish: a beautiful pass to set up a goal or a great shot.
20. Diving: the act of a player falling on purpose to enforce a penalty on the other team.
21. Dust: a player who does not leave the bench, collecting dust.
22. Electric: describing somebody's playing style as extremely good/great.
23. Face Wash: soaking a player's glove into the face of an opponent to start a fight or spraying the goalie with ice when you stop.
24. Filthy: another term for great pass or deke.
25. Flash the Leather: when the goalie makes a glove save and exaggerates his movement with the glove.
26. Flow: typically great hair that flows out the back of a helmet.
27. Goon: typically a player that is only sent on the ice for a fight, not known for their skills.
28. Gino: a goal that is scored.
29. Gordie Howe: goal, assist, and a fight in one game.
30. Gretzky’s Office: Wayne Gretzky has a part of the ice named after him from where he made a history of historical plays behind the net in the attacking zone.
31. Grinder: a player usually of lesser skill that overworks everyone and throws his body.
32. Hoser: one of the oldest terms in hockey, when the opposing team loses they have to water the ice for the next game before Zambonis came along.
33. Howitzer: an extremely hard shot.
34. Kill: being a man down, penalty kill.
35. Kronwalled: when you take a huge hit, made famous by Niklas Kronwall.
36. Lettuce: wavey long hair.
37. Muffin: a whiff of a shot still managing to go in the net.
38. Mits: pair of gloves or hands.
39. On the Fly: while play is still going on changing lines.
40. Pepper: numerous shots in a quick amount of time.
41. Pylon: typically a defenseman that can't skate effectively.
42. Pigeon: relies on other players to feed him the puck and pick up garbage.
43. Riding the Pine: when a player never leaves the bench, leaving ice time for players with more skill.
44. Rocket: extremely hard shot or describing an attractive man/woman.
45. Sauce: a pass inches over the ice to get over a defenseman's stick.
46. Sin Bin: penalty box.
47. Stone Hands: players who cannot seem to find the back of the net upon many chances of scoring.
48. Sweater: jersey.
49. Undress: typically a one-on-one when the attacking player proceeds past the other team with ease.
50. Yard Sale: typically a one-on-one when the attacking player dekes around the defenseman causing him to lose a piece of equipment.

Hopefully, this has helped many of you learn a new language to engage in the game with your peers. Now you’re able to use these as an advantage to have some fun with other teams. So turn some heads at your next game or tournament and let the lingo fly.