Choosing hockey pucks by training purpose
Selecting the right puck depends on how you plan to practise on the ice. Standard game pucks suit team scrimmages and flow drills, because they are the same vulcanised rubber pucks a game is played with. Lighter youth pucks weigh less than a standard game puck, so younger players can work on hand position and wrist release. White goalie pucks blend into the white boards and the ice, so a goaltender has to pick the puck up against a low-contrast background. Weighted pucks are heavier than a game puck, which adds resistance to stickhandling drills.
Distinct puck designs for shooting and stickhandling
A puck made for passing and stickhandling is not always meant for shooting; when shooting practice is the goal, choose a puck the maker states is for shooting. Edge texture also changes how a puck feels on the blade, because a knurled rim catches stick tape more than a smooth edge does; check how the edge is finished if saucer passes and cupping the puck are what you practise. Off-ice pucks are built to slide on dry ground instead of ice, and they differ in how they do it, so check which surfaces the maker names: asphalt, a shooting pad and a gym floor each ask for a different design.
Choosing for the surface and caring for your pucks
Which puck suits a session depends on the surface you are on. A vulcanised rubber puck drags on asphalt and scuffs stick tape, so keep it for the ice or for a shooting pad the maker states it suits. Rubber also stiffens as it cools, which is why a puck straight out of the freezer bounces less on the ice. Storing your collection in a dedicated bag keeps youth, weighted and game pucks sorted for quick access.