We all have that hockey player in our life who’s super into the game. Like, really into it.
That friend who’s a hardcore fan and catches every game, even if that means resorting to watching it on their phone under the table. Or that sibling who hits the ice multiple times a week with the hopes of dominating their league.
Heck, maybe it’s you that’s the diehard fan and player!
Whoever the hockey lover is in your life, what better to gift them than something hockey-related! Whether it be for a birthday, anniversary, or graduation, the hockey lovers in your life will go wild for any of these 14 best gifts for hockey players!
1. Synthetic Ice to Play All Year Round
Imagine gifting your hockey player an entire hockey rink! Sounds impossible right?
Well, not anymore!
A synthetic ice rink might just be the perfect gift for hockey players!
Synthetic ice is made of extremely durable plastic and is designed for skating using regular, metal-bladed skates.
But what does that mean exactly? Essentially, it’s a rink made of non-melting, fake ice that you can skate on all year round!
PolyGlide Ice is a leader in the synthetic ice industry and can get you set up with a state-of-the-art synthetic ice rink of any size, for either indoor or outdoor use! Get your hockey player the gift of PolyGlide’s synthetic rink so they can play their favorite sport whenever they’d like (use code lifeinminnesota for a 15% discount)!
2. A Great Hockey Stick
Great hockey sticks are some of the best gifts for hockey players out there! They’re a necessity of the game that players are always looking to stock up on.
So give your hockey player the gift of an epic slapshot with a brand-new stick! Want to really impress? Add on a few courses for online hockey training with an NHL pro!
Now, the hockey player in your life may be a little particular about which sticks they use, so our recommendation would be to take a peek at their gear and buy multiples of whichever stick is their preference.
If you aren’t able to get a preview of their preferred stick though, don’t you worry! You can’t go wrong with a stick like the Bauer Nexus E3, which is designed for performance and effortless shooting.
3. The Perfect Hockey Bag
A list of the best gifts for hockey players wouldn’t be complete without the perfect hockey bag!
Hockey players have tons of gear to carry, and having the perfect bag makes it so much easier to move all that stuff around!
Also, if you live with a hockey player you know how badly one of their old bags can smell. So it’s time to treat the hockey player living in your home, as well as yourself as an added bonus, with a new and fresh-smelling bag!
Hockey bags like the Pacific Rink Player Bag are high quality and huge, so it has space for all your hockey player’s equipment. Beyond its optimal size, the Pacific Rink bag also comes in multiple colors, so you’ll be able to get it in a look your hockey player will love!
4. Fresh Hockey Gloves
Hockey gloves can get sweaty and worn out pretty quickly, so a new pair of hockey gloves is definitely up there on our list of the 14 best gifts for hockey players!
A good pair of hockey gloves are essential for keeping your hockey player’s hands protected and comfortable while they’re on the ice. Gloves like the Bauer Vapor 3X Hockey Gloves are built with a close-to-the-hand tapered fit and are a great option for both the casual and competitive player!
5. A Bucket of Pucks
Whether the hockey player in your life is practicing on the rink or in the backyard, pucks will undoubtedly go flying!
They’ll blast off over the boards and into the stands. Or past your backyard net and into the nearby woods. Sometimes, they may even end up on the roof clogging up your rain gutters.
Wherever the pucks end up, the story is the same: hockey pucks get lost easily and often!
And that’s what makes a good old bucket of pucks one of the best gifts for hockey players out there! Simple, sure, but perfect!
Buckets like the InClasco Puck Pail come with plenty of pucks (in this case 18) for your favorite hockey player to enjoy… and hopefully not lose on a roof!
6. A Hockey Goal
So maybe your hockey player has plenty of pucks to shoot, but do they have something to shoot them at?
A home hockey goal is a wonderful gift for hockey players looking to up their game and hone their skills!
From inflatable nets to goals made with solid metal frames, there are plenty of different options when it comes to getting a new goal. If you’re buying a net as a gift, we definitely recommend checking out the Bauer Performance Folding Steel Hockey Goal! This goal provides the same durability as an on-ice net and folds down flat for easy storage when needed—a perfect gift for the hockey player that may be a little short on storage space, but wants the experience of a full net!
7. Shooting Targets
If the hockey player in your life already has a goal, or if you’re getting them a net and want a fun accessory to add to the gift, shooting targets are the way to go!
For a hockey player, what could be more fun than absolutely ripping pucks at some targets? Not much really, outside of playing an actual game. So give the gift of improved precision and accuracy by snagging your hockey player some great little shooting targets.
The Winnwell Metal Skill Bell Targets, for example, are tiny targets that come in packs of two and can be hung from the goalposts of your net. Not only will they up your hockey player’s game, but they’ll ring out a satisfying “ding” with each shot on target!
8. Stickhandling Trainers
Stellar stickhandling is a coveted skill hockey players aspire to achieve. So help your hockey player get there by gifting them some stickhandling trainers!
Hockey players of all levels can benefit from some fun stickhandling drills, and stickhandling trainers are devices that make those drills all the more effective.
Gift a trainer like the Speed Deke and watch your hockey player’s skills improve immensely. The Speed Deke is a durable and lightweight stickhandling trainer that can be used on any surface. The hockey player in your life can set the trainer up at different heights and arrangements to create a variety of different drills. They can even attach multiple Speed Dekes together to create a longer and more challenging stickhandling course!
9. A Slide Board
It’s an undisputed fact that all hockey players want absolutely jacked legs. Okay, maybe not all, but definitely most!
The legs are the powerhouses behind each skating stride. And your hockey player can absolutely train their legs and increase their power output with one of the best gifts for hockey players out there… the slide board.
A slide board is a small surface that typically rolls out like a yoga mat. The surface of the slide board is nearly frictionless, like ice, allowing you to glide across it. Hockey players, as well as other fitness enthusiasts, use slide boards for great leg workouts and to improve their skating power.
Slide boards, like the Slip Slide Board made by PolyGlide Ice, will help the hockey player in your life achieve that rapid-fire skating stride (use code lifeinminnesota for a 15% discount)!
10. A Hockey Jersey
One of the most classic gifts for hockey players—that you simply can’t go wrong with—is the traditional hockey jersey!
Sure, you can get your hockey player all the fancy equipment out there and they’d absolutely love it, but sometimes just a simple jersey is the best route to go!
Do some digging and find out their favorite team. Then gift them that jersey and catch the elated surprise on their face. Or, even better, get matching ones and head out to watch a game together!
You can get an assortment of jerseys for all of your favorite NHL teams on Pure Hockey, like this Adidas Minnesota Wild Authentic Jersey!
11. Hockey Socks
Just like a hockey jersey, hockey socks are also a classic gift that any hockey player will love!
Pick your hockey player’s favorite team or color and get them socks to match! Whether the hockey player in your life wears them on the ice to play, or just has them as a keepsake, they’ll definitely appreciate this thoughtful gift.
12. Some Great Hockey Apparel
Hockey players and fans are always looking for cool hockey apparel that they can wear day-to-day!
Let’s be real though, do you really want the hockey lovers in your life walking around in team jerseys or NHL socks all day? It’s not exactly the most appropriate attire for the office.
That’s where some trendy hockey apparel—that is appropriate for daily wear—comes in to save the day! Apparel that pays homage to the sport your hockey player loves, but is suitable for everyday wear definitely makes our list of the best gifts for hockey players and is absolutely perfect for the hockey fanatic.
Pieces like the Bauer Core Hoodie are comfortable, casual, and still appropriate to wear in public on a regular basis! Essentially, it’s a hockey hoodie without looking like one!
13. New Skates
Whether your hockey lover is a casual player or an elite performer, new hockey skates are any player’s dream! So if you’re looking to give your resident hockey fan a gift they’ll remember their entire lives, definitely consider some fresh blades.
Finding a great pair of skates at an affordable price can be tough, though. Thankfully, we’ve already got a list that’ll help you pick which skates are best for your hockey player’s needs—so if you’re going to be blessing them with some new boots, definitely check out our list of the best hockey skates for 2023.
If you really want to splurge and gift your hockey player a pair of top-of-the-line, National Hockey League (NHL) level skates, look no further than the Bauer Vapor Hyperlites. These are elite skates that are guaranteed to impress all of the hockey players in your life!
14. Dryland Hockey Tiles
If you’ve spent much time around hockey players, or if you are a hockey player yourself, you’ll know that dryland is a huge part of improving your game!
Gift your hockey player an elevated dryland training experience with some dryland hockey tiles.
Dryland hockey tiles are flooring surfaces used for off-ice training. The tiles mimic the ice and improve shooting, stickhandling, and passing, compared to a normal flooring surface like hardwood or carpet.
The All-Star Dryland Flooring Tiles from HockeyShot deliver a supreme stickhandling experience and can be clipped into one another so you can customize your dryland rink size.
Shoot Your Shot With These Great Gifts For Hockey Players
From socks to synthetic rinks, small gifts to massive presents, we’ve covered some of the best gifts for hockey players out there!
You can’t go wrong with any of these gifts for hockey players, but get to know what your player loves most about the game to be able to pick the best present for them!
And you know what would really be the best gift of all? If you’re not a hockey player, consider becoming one! We’ll even make it super easy for you with our beginner’s guide to the rules of hockey. Then hit the ice with all the other hockey players in your life!
Still want more hockey content? Then check out our hockey page for training guides, equipment rankings, and fun facts about our favorite sport!
- About the Author
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Born in Madelia, MN, to a now 5-generation Minnesota family, Ryan’s MN roots go deep.
A painter by day, Ryan founded Life in Minnesota in 2013 with his wife Kelly to chronicle their musings on everything Minnesota. Ryan and Kelly are raising their 7 kiddos in Maple Grove, MN.
When he’s not shuttling his kids around to hockey practice, you might find him in the shop working on his leatherwork. Undoubtedly, there will be a family trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area every summer, and of course weekends at Grandpa’s cabin up north in the summer.