Hockey 101
For anyone who loves the players more than the rulebook.
Billet/Billeting: The arrangement where a young player living away from home boards with a local host family for the season. The family is the player’s billet.
Butterfly (stance): A goaltending style where the goalie drops low to the ice to block the lower section of the net, particularly the “five-hole.”
C (captain’s letter): The letter “C” stitched onto a player’s jersey, symbolizing their role as the official team captain and leader.
CHL: The Canadian Hockey League, a major junior hockey development system in Canada.
Crease: The area directly in front of the goal net where the goalie plays.
Crossbar: The horizontal metal bar forming the top of the goal post.
Cycle (the puck): An offensive strategy to maintain possession of the puck by passing it along the boards in the opponent’s zone.
Defenceman: A player position focused heavily on defending the zone and preventing the opposing team from scoring.
Deke/Deking: Performing a quick fake or deceptive movement on the ice to bypass a defending opponent.
Draft: The league’s annual selection process where professional franchises draft promising young prospects to join their rosters.
Draw: A face-off where two opposing players battle to gain possession of the puck immediately after it is dropped by the official.
Dump (the puck): A tactical move where a player shoots the puck deep into the corners of the opponent’s zone and pursues it.
Edge work: A player’s ability to skate dynamically and control their balance using the edges of their skate blades.
Five-hole: The open space between a goaltender’s leg pads.
Game misconduct: A severe penalty that results in a player being ejected from the match.
Glove side: The section of the goal net corresponding to the side where the goalie wears their catching glove.
Goalie/Goaltender: The player positioned in front of the net whose job is to block opposing shots.
Hooking: A penalty assessed when a player uses their stick to pull back or obstruct an opponent.
Icing: A stoppage called when a team shoots the puck the length of the ice without anyone touching it. The face-off goes back into their own zone as the price of the shortcut.
Jumbotron: The massive screens hanging above centre ice showing live video, replays, and crowd reactions.
Line change: Swapping active players on the ice with teammates resting on the bench, either during active play or a stoppage.
Linesman: An on-ice official who handles offside calls, icings, and breaks up brawls.
Offside: A stoppage called when an attacking player crosses into the opponent’s zone ahead of the puck. Play restarts with a face-off outside the zone.
One-timer: A fast, powerful shot taken instantly when receiving a pass, without stopping or controlling the puck first.
Overager: An older player permitted to remain on a junior-level roster.
Pads: The heavy protective leg guards worn specifically by goaltenders.
Penalty box/Sin bin: The enclosed bench area where players serve designated time for committing penalties.
Penalty kill: The defensive play style used when a team is short-handed due to a penalty and must prevent the opposing team from scoring.
Playoffs: The elimination tournament at the end of the regular season to crown the champion.
Plus/minus: A running tally of goals scored for and against while a player is on the ice at even strength. A minus-two night means two more goals went in against his team than for it while he was out there.
Power play: A team’s numerical advantage on the ice when one or more opposing players are serving a penalty.
Puck bunnies: Derogatory slang for female fans assumed to be pursuing players rather than the sport.
Q, the: Nickname for the Quebec major junior league, one of the three regional leagues that make up the CHL.
Red light/Horn: The light and siren behind the goal net that trigger immediately to signal a goal is scored.
Referee: The head on-ice official responsible for calling penalties and monitoring play.
Right-winger: An offensive forward position playing on the right side of the ice.
Rookie: A player in their first year of professional play.
Save percentage: The share of shots a goaltender stops, written as a decimal. Around .900 is the professional standard. Anything in the .700s means roughly a quarter of everything he faces ends up in the net.
Scrum: A tight crowd or collision of bodies on the ice, or a post-game media gathering around a player.
Slashing: A penalty assessed for swinging a stick hard at an opponent’s body or stick.
Snipe/Sniping: Shooting the puck with extreme accuracy, typically finding the top corners of the net.
Toe drag: A move where a player drags the puck backward using the toe of their stick blade to evade a defender.
Top-shelf: The highest portion of the goal net, just beneath the crossbar.
Unsportsmanlike conduct: A penalty assessed for actions or words that violate the spirit of fair play.
Visor: The protective plastic shield attached to the front of a player’s helmet.
Warmups: The pre-game skate period where players stretch and practice shots on the ice before the game begins.
Wheel: A hockey slang instruction meaning to skate hard or carry the puck down the ice with speed.