How we recommend
We recommend gear by category and use, not by brand, and do not quote prices. We may earn a commission on purchases at no cost to you.
Before you buy: what the rules say
Most small gifts sit outside the rulebooks entirely, but three points are worth knowing:
- Stick tape of any colour may be wrapped anywhere on the stick under the IIHF's 2026/27 Rule 10.1, and Hockey Canada's 2026-28 Rule 3.3 also allows any colour.
- Pucks for games are 2.5 cm thick, 7.6 cm across and 156 to 170 g under IIHF Rule 13.1. Hockey Canada's Rule 3.8 allows a lighter, clearly identified puck for U9 and below.
- Anything worn on the head or neck is checked against a certification rule that depends on where the player plays: CSA and BNQ in Hockey Canada play, HECC for helmets in USA Hockey play. That is why we leave those items out of this guide.
Nothing on this page says a product is certified or legal for play.
Our picks by category
Stick tape
The IIHF rule allows tape of any colour anywhere on the stick, for reinforcement or puck control. Black, white or a mix are all within the rules we read.
Best for: Every player who uses a stick
Practice pucks
A bag of pucks is useful for shooting and stickhandling away from the rink. For a child U9 or below playing in Hockey Canada, the lighter puck allowed in their games may suit home practice. See pucks.
Best for: Players who practise at home
Skate guards
The Pashby fitting guide says to use skate guards when walking off the ice or in transport, and Sparx, a maker of sharpeners, says hard floors, boards and posts can damage edges (claim). Ask what size skates the player wears before buying.
Best for: Any skater; ask their skate size first
Equipment drying racks
The Pashby guide says to dry all equipment after every game or practice to slow its deterioration, and Hockey Calgary says to take skate insoles out after use so they do not stay wet. A rack makes that routine easier. The Pashby guide warns never to dry skates over direct heat.
Best for: Families with gear drying in the hallway
Hockey bags
We found no governing-body guidance on bag types. A 2013 Hockey Calgary post, written to promote a gear-cleaning service, advised opening the bag to air it out after use. Ask whether the player prefers to carry or wheel a bag.
Best for: Players whose bag has seen better days
Stickhandling and shooting aids
Our sources include no study of these aids, so treat them as practice tools. Hockey Canada's Coach 1 manual (2022) ranks accuracy as the most important shooting quality, which is worth bearing in mind with any shooting target. See the training aids guide.
Best for: Players who practise in the garage or driveway
Hockey books
Instruction and history books need no fitting. For a rules book, check the edition: Hockey Canada's 2026-28 Playing Rules took effect at the start of the 2026-27 season, and the IIHF's current rule book is the 2026/27 edition.
Best for: Readers, fans and new coaches
Base layers
The Pashby guide says undergarments should be washed after every use, so a spare set is useful. The IIHF's 2026/27 Rule 9.5 strongly recommends cut-resistant socks, sleeves or undergarments; a cut-resistant layer is not a neck guard, and whether it meets any rule is for the player's association to say. Clothing needs a size, so check it first.
Best for: Players, if you know their size
Gifts to leave to the player
Helmets, face protection and neck guards
These must carry the certification the player's association requires and fit the player's head and neck. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 Rule 3.6(b) requires a CSA-certified helmet and facial protector, and Rule 3.6(c) a BNQ-certified throat protector in minor and female hockey. In USA Hockey play, a helmet's HECC sticker carries an expiry date, and USA Hockey's 2013 memo says HECC set the certification life at six and a half years. The Pashby guide describes fitting each one on the player. If you want to help, offer to go with them to the shop. See helmets and neck guards.
Mouthguards
Some leagues require a mouthguard of a particular type, and the Pashby guide recommends having one fitted by a dentist.
Skates and pads
The Pashby guide says never to buy equipment to grow into, because oversized gear slides away from what it protects. Skates and pads need trying on. See the skate guide and the protective gear guide.
Sticks
A stick is personal: length, flex, lie, curve and the side the player shoots from all vary. Retailer Ice Warehouse, for example, suggests choosing flex by body weight (claim). Unless you know all of these, ask first. See the stick guide.
For a new player
Some entry programmes supply the kit. The NHL/NHLPA Learn to Play programme page for the Nashville Predators, for example, says first-time players aged 5 to 9 receive head-to-toe equipment to keep. Our beginner gear guide explains what else to check.
Sources
- IIHF Official Rule Book 2026/27, Version 1.0 (PDF, FISG copy)
- IIHF Official Rule Book 2026/27, Rule 10 Sticks (online edition)
- Hockey Canada Playing Rules 2026-2028 (PDF)
- USA Hockey, HECC sticker enforcement memorandum, 26 September 2013 (PDF)
- A Guide to Fitting Hockey Equipment, Hockey Development Centre for Ontario and the Dr. Tom Pashby Sports Safety Fund (PDF)
- Hockey Calgary, equipment care
- Hockey Calgary, gear care post (19 February 2013)
- Sparx Hockey, sharpening 101 (manufacturer)
- Hockey Canada, Coach 1: Intro to Coach, Skills and Key Teaching Points (2022, PDF)
- Ice Warehouse, how to select a hockey stick size and flex (retailer)
- NHL Learn to Play, Nashville Predators programme page