Hockey Vs Lacrosse
Anyone serious about hockey should play
box lacrosse too!
From Gretzky to Tavares, Shanahan to
Stamkos, Canadian born NHLers recommend
playing lacrosse in the Summer to improve
hockey skills.
“It’s lacrosse that helped teach me to spin off
checks, take shots and protect the puck
under pressure. My stick skills, the way to
read the play quickly comes from lacrosse.
The hand-eye coordination, is just one of the
little things that helps you in hockey.”
John Tavares, two-time World Jr Hockey Champion
“I couldn’t wait for hockey season to end so I could
pick up a lacrosse stick again.”
Wayne Gretzky
Hockey and Lacrosse are very similar
sports.
Both hockey and lacrosse are high tempo, physical team
sports that have similar elements to the game. Both sports
utilize 5 players and a goalie, three periods and a strategy
of developing odd-man situations to create scoring
opportunities. Hockey players excel in Lacrosse, and in
turn, they become markedly better hockey players.
Comparatively, lacrosse is a much less expensive sport
than hockey and uses much of the same protective upper
body equipment.
“If a sport has a high point of the year it must be the
first week of spring. When I was growing up, I used to
love this time of year. It was when I put my hockey
equipment away and I was absolutely ecstatic to see
the end of the hockey season. One of the worst things
to happen to the game, in my opinion, has been year
round hockey and, in particular, summer hockey. All it
does for kids, as far as I can tell, is keep them out of
sports they should be doing in the warmer weather.
I could hardly wait to get my lacrosse stick out and start
throwing the ball against the walls and working on our
moves as we played the lacrosse equivalent of road
hockey. All the good hockey players seemed to play
lacrosse in those days and every one of them learned
something from the fame to carry over to the other things athletes can only learn by mixing up the games
they play when they are young.”
Wayne Gretzky, National Post, March 2000
2014 Olympic Men’s Hockey Team
The no look shot Drew Doughty scored as Canada’s
first goal had us wondering whether Drew Doughty
ever played lacrosse. A right handed shot defensemen
scoring with a no look shot from the left side of the ice.
That can’t be a coincidence. Sure
enough, Drew played minor lacrosse in London, Ontario.
So, we have David Bolland (a former Mimico lacrosse
star) scoring a Stanley Cup winning goal and Drew
Doughty scoring the only goals for Team Canada in a big
game against the Finns. Both were lacrosse players.
Hockey players benefit from playing
Lacrosse because Lacrosse…
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Develops stick handling creativity
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Increases hand-eye coordination
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Reinforces the importance of quickness and
agility around the net
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Teaches leadership skills
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Helps scoring skills be honed by shooting at
smaller targets and picking corners
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Teaches the creativity of fakes, back passes and
shots.
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Develops the use of both hands
Develops creativity in tight areas
Reading the play offensively
Develops strong, dynamic defensive tactics
Builds up strength and endurance
Help prevent sport burn-out by playing a new,
fast paces sport
Teaches players to play with their head up and to
be more aware of their surroundings
Helps players learn to play both offensive and
defensive positions and make a quick transition
from defense to offense and vice versa
Just ask N.H.L Players
Not only did the “Great One” play lacrosse in hockey’s off
season, but there is also a longlist of NHL players who have
polished their hand-eye coordination and physical
endurance by playing lacrosse in the summer. Here are
some other N.H.Lers who also participated in lacrosse
Wayne Gretzky
Bobby Orr
Gordie Howe
Jonathon Toews
Adam Oates
Steve Stamkos
Brendan Shanahan
Joe Sakic
Sam Gagne
Paul Coffey