Hockey has a lot of terms. Here is our very own Kids Canes Glossary to help you remember, along with a translation from “The Most Junior Hurricanes Reporter” (MJHR) when available. Check back with us regularly to learn new hockey terms. Don’t forget Kids Canes articles come out every Wednesday at 12:04 right here at Cardiac Canes!
American Hockey League or AHL:
The AHL is a professional hockey league. The AHL is one step down from the NHL. Players from AHL might one day play in the NHL, but AHL teams and NHL teams would never play each other.
Amateur: An amateur is someone who does a job but does not get paid.
Assist: When a player helps another player score a goal. There is a primary assist, when only one player passes to the goal scorer. A secondary assist is when a player passes it to a player, and that player passes to the goal scorer.
Broadcaster: Someone who tells what is happening at a sporting event over the radio or TV. The Carolina Hurricanes have great broadcasters named Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracey.
Defensemen: There are 2 defensemen on the ice at a time for each team. Their main job is to keep the other team from scoring. Brent “Kit-Kat” Burns is a defensemen
Draft or Draft Pick: When teams (of any sport) pick new players to come play for them. MJHR translations: Hey player, come play for us!
Face-off Percentage: How often a player wins face-offs. 50% is half of the time or 1 out of 2. Brent Burns won all of his face-off last season, so he had a 100% record.
Fighting: Two hockey players punching each other. Fighting is a major penalty, and is the big no-no. MJHR translation: Hey players, NOT NICE!
Finns Get Wins: So many Carolina Hurricanes have come from Finland, and have been so good that many folks have started saying “Finns get wins.” Sebastian “Fishy” Aho is from Finland
Forward: There are 3 forwards on the ice at one time for each team. Their main job is to score. Seth “Nap Time” Jarvis is a forward. MJHR translation: He shoots, he scores!
Glossary: A list of terms. You are reading a glossary right now!
Goalie: There is only one goalie on the ice for each team. Their only job is to keep the other team from scoring. Antti Raanta is a goalie. MJHR translation: “Other team, you cannot score!”
Hat Trick:
When a player scores three goals in one game. We celebrate by throwing hats on the ice.
Hooking: When a player uses the blade of their stick to grab onto a player on the other team. Hooking is a minor penalty.
Major Penalty: Results in a player sitting in the penalty box for 5 minutes. Major penalties are spearing, or fighting. Some major penalties can have a player kicked out of the game.
Minor Penalty: Results in a player sitting in the penalty box for 2 minutes. Minor penalties are tripping, or hooking.
National Hockey League or NHL: The NHL is a professional hockey league. It is the highest hockey league in the US. It is what the Carolina Hurricanes play in.
Penalty Kill: When a team has one less player on the ice because of a penalty.
Power Play: When a team has all of their players on the ice, but the other team does not due to a penalty.
Professional: A professional is someone who is paid to do a job
Icing: Icing is when a player sends the puck all the way to the other side of the ice where there are no players except the goalie.
InterLIbrary Loan: When a library checks out a book from another library, then lets you check it out. You can ask the librarian at your local library to help you InterLibrary Loan a book.
Spearing: When a player uses the other stick like a spear on a player from the other team. Spearing is DANGEROUS and you should NEVER do it. It is a major penalty
Trade: A trade is when two, sometimes three or four, people have something other folks want, and they will give up something to get that.
Tripping: If you trip a player on the other team with your stick, it is tripping. A tripping penalty will get you two minutes in the penalty box as it is a minor penalty.