Defining Hockey Jargon

After going to my first game in 2000, I was a casual hockey fan for a long while. I put little effort into really learning the game. I was more caught up in the crowd and didn't put too much thought into the specifics of what was going on in the game. There were fights and hits, and that's about all I would pay attention to during games. I didn't know why there were whistles and stoppages in play or why players were going to the box. I had really no clue what was happening, I just knew it was hockey and I was having fun.

Once I began learning the rules, the penalties and their corresponding ref hand gestures, the zones, etc, I began paying more attention to the games. I began making sense of what was happening. I am much more knowledgeable now, but to be honest, there are still little things that I haven't been able to work out, certain questions that perhaps I am just too chicken to ask someone face to face for fear of being labelled a hockey moron.

It's hard being a new fan. There's only so much you can learn from books and people can be quite snobbish towards those that don't fully understand the game, or to those who are just getting into it. They've long forgotten what it's like to just begin learning this sport and its intricacies.

I began this blog with the intent of using it to make sense of what I see on the ice, as a new hockey fan. This is the first blog where I will reach out and ask the experienced hockey fans to help me define some hockey slang/terms/phrases that I commonly hear during games, interviews, expert panel analyses and broadcasts.

These are my guesses, my rationales, for what these terms might mean, so feel free to correct and/or mock me if I am way, way off on any of them.

So, let the schooling begin:

"He's a North South player" or "He's a East West player"

I can only imagine this does not refer to what hemisphere a player was born in. My theory with this descriptor is that it refers to the way a player attempts to enter the offensive zone. North/South being a player more willing to just rush up the centre of the ice and crash the net, an East/West being someone that tries to wheel up the sides of the ice or zig zags into the offensive zone.

"He's a two way player"

I believe this refers to a player that is competent at both ends of the ice, offensively and defensively.

"Natural Hat trick"

I've heard a few definitions of this one. I have heard that it refers to a player who has scored three consecutive goals in a game. I have also heard that it refers to someone who scores three goals: one on the PP, one on the PK, and one even strength. And the Gordie Howe Hattrick, if I am not mistaken, is a fight, a goal and an assist in a game.

"He could stickhandle in a phone booth"

I would imagine this is a good thing to be able to do. The player is so good with the puck, he needs very little room to maneuver.

"Boy, can he dangle"

This never ceases to make me giggle like a schoolgirl for some reason, but I believe it is in the same vein as the above term, it means the player has great control with the puck.

Forecheck and Backcheck

Are these not essentially the same thing? Forecheck being when you pressure the opponent into coughing up the puck, the backcheck being pressuring the opponent into coughing up the puck in the neutral or defensive zones. Is the only difference here where you are pressuring them to cough up the puck on the ice?

The Slot

I believe this is the area in front of the net, between the face off circles. I am not sure how big the slot is considered to be, is it just directly in front of the net or is it from the goal lines outwards to the faceoff circles?

The Trap

I know what the trap is, but how many different names and forms of the trap are there?

Transition Game

I believe this refers to when a team manages to gain possession of the puck in their own end and transition from a defensive game to an offensive game, so how easily they can go from playing defensively to playing offensively.

Faceoff Win

I have never quite gotten a hold of how exactly you win the faceoff. Do you or one of your teammates have to end up with possession of the puck? Can you win a faceoff but not end up with the puck?

Headmanning the puck

I've only heard this one once, but I am not sure what it was referring to exactly, is it passing related or is it in the same vein as the phonebooth term, where a player is just good with the puck?


I hope that anyone reading this can help me become a more well rounded knowledgeable fan. I also hope that it helps any new fans that might be reading.

I also hope more people join in!

Cheers!