Dealing with Long & Short Benches In Beer League

[Yukon Joe]

Game this weekend had an almost unprecedented 13 skaters. I guess we recruited a couple of players (one of whom had defected to another team, but decided the grass wasn't greener and came back). So we ran 9 forwards / 4 defence.

3 forward lines works out fine if everyone takes short shifts. I like working my ass off for 60 seconds then getting off. So our game started out fine, but as one guy starts taking longer and longer shifts, then so does everyone else and it starts to go to crap. Penalties also mess things up.

 

[Dueling Banjos]

Game this weekend had an almost unprecedented 13 skaters. I guess we recruited a couple of players (one of whom had defected to another team, but decided the grass wasn't greener and came back). So we ran 9 forwards / 4 defence.

3 forward lines works out fine if everyone takes short shifts. I like working my ass off for 60 seconds then getting off. So our game started out fine, but as one guy starts taking longer and longer shifts, then so does everyone else and it starts to go to crap. Penalties also mess things up.

Happens every time i swear.

Kinda funny but it seems automatic.

Pick up games, 2 forward lines usually, everyone is pretty much gassed after 15 mins but shifts get longer, less and less skating, static game, only one trying is puck carrier.

 

[ConnorMcBackcheck]

I play hockey to have fun and it isn’t cheap. In the last city I lived in, it was 35 minutes each way to the rink. Some nights you’d play two or three shifts a period and that was it. It was pretty great once we got LiveBarn and you could post screenshots of your teammates standing around during their six minute shift the night before.

I know the time goes by quick while you’re on the ice but some guys are the worst when it comes to insanely long shifts.

 

[tarheelhockey]

3 forward lines works out fine if everyone takes short shifts. I like working my ass off for 60 seconds then getting off. So our game started out fine, but as one guy starts taking longer and longer shifts, then so does everyone else and it starts to go to crap. Penalties also mess things up.

I have never seen it work effectively in a beer league, but in theory it should be as simple as verbal communication when the shift is up. People are shy to verbally call for a change (understandably... I don't like doing it either) and that leaves the players on the ice blind to the fact that they're overstepping.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I have never seen it work effectively in a beer league, but in theory it should be as simple as verbal communication when the shift is up. People are shy to verbally call for a change (understandably... I don't like doing it either) and that leaves the players on the ice blind to the fact that they're overstepping.

Yeah - it's beer league. Nobody wants to be overly serious about it, there's no coach or anyone else in charge, so I feel really awkward about calling someone out for being on the ice way too f***ing long.

But really - if your shift length is going on five minutes, get the f*** off the ice and give someone else a chance.

 

[Pez68]

Those complaining about shift length need to find new teams. I don't play on a single team where anything more than a 2 minute shift is tolerated.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Those complaining about shift length need to find new teams. I don't play on a single team where anything more than a 2 minute shift is tolerated.

It depends entirely on team leadership and culture. In lower-level leagues you have a lot of folks who barely learned the game or are still learning it. I've been in that environment with a guy who constantly complained about his teammates' shift length and called them off the ice if they went long. He quickly became the most hated person in the room and the rest of the team (including those who didn't have this issue) were glad to see him go.

 

[Pez68]

It depends entirely on team leadership and culture. In lower-level leagues you have a lot of folks who barely learned the game or are still learning it. I've been in that environment with a guy who constantly complained about his teammates' shift length and called them off the ice if they went long. He quickly became the most hated person in the room and the rest of the team (including those who didn't have this issue) were glad to see him go.

Yeah, I would be that guy. Shift length is a big part of learning the game. There's a reason guys in the NHL are on the ice 40-60 seconds tops. In lower-level leagues especially, there's absolutely no way guys are effective after a minute. I guess I'm just thankful I play on teams where everyone understands the game, and that bullshit isn't tolerated. Five to six minute shifts are absolute nonsense. We routinely run three lines on my higher level teams, and it's rare to be on the bench for more than 4-5 minutes at a time. Even in pickup skates around here, there's a zero percent chance you take a long shift, and don't have the most of the skate calling you out for it.

 

[miscs75]

I’m always hoping we have enough forwards for 2 lines plus an extra. The extra shift or two off saves us late in close games.

 

[Outl4w]

Yeah, I would be that guy. Shift length is a big part of learning the game. There's a reason guys in the NHL are on the ice 40-60 seconds tops. In lower-level leagues especially, there's absolutely no way guys are effective after a minute. I guess I'm just thankful I play on teams where everyone understands the game, and that bullshit isn't tolerated. Five to six minute shifts are absolute nonsense. We routinely run three lines on my higher level teams, and it's rare to be on the bench for more than 4-5 minutes at a time. Even in pickup skates around here, there's a zero percent chance you take a long shift, and don't have the most of the skate calling you out for it.

Not going to lie. Nothing aggravates me more than a guy taking a 3 to 5 minute shift who is not skating hard or back checking. I have told a few guys that floating and taking ice time from people who want to actually skate and play is not fun. Most guy get the point after a few times and don't realize they are doing it. I just politely tell them on the bench and not singling hem out. I did have to tell a guy who was a repeat offender and our worse player that if he continued he would not be invited back. Magically after that he started skating harder and taking normalish shifts. We all have had a shift that goes longer due to flow of the game from time to time . You should never take long shifts if you aren't skating hard.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Not going to lie. Nothing aggravates me more than a guy taking a 3 to 5 minute shift who is not skating hard or back checking. I have told a few guys that floating and taking ice time from people who want to actually skate and play is not fun. Most guy get the point after a few times and don't realize they are doing it. I just politely tell them on the bench and not singling hem out. I did have to tell a guy who was a repeat offender and our worse player that if he continued he would not be invited back. Magically after that he started skating harder and taking normalish shifts. We all have had a shift that goes longer due to flow of the game from time to time . You should never take long shifts if you aren't skating hard.

But the thing is nobody is skating hard on a 5 minute shift. Nobody. It's just not possible.

Look I'm a terrible player. I never want to criticize someone else for not playing very well, because I don't play well. So I'd never call someone out for not back checking. But what you can control is your shift length, so that's what I will reluctantly mention to a teammate.

 

[LeafGrief]

I'm a captain and those are the numbers for how I run my team. 10 really is best. I play C/RW and two lines is perfect. I'm not hustling at NHL pace, so I like 90 second shifts. Enough time to go around the ice a few times, enough time on the bench to recover.

11 skaters is annoying, but I just go 5 wingers, 2 centres, 4 d. 12 skaters is six wingers. 13 is 9F-4D. Anything more is a miracle, even when you've got 17 guys swearing up and down they're coming.

 

[Richard]

That's awesome. It's a pity that 2 goalies is not common, because that would be perfect for when 1 goalie is hurt or unavailable. The other goalie is already dressed and steps in. Then, the sub goalies become EBUGs available to the other team, just like in the NHL, assuming both teams have a 2nd goalie. 2 goalies would also give a chance for a less experienced goalie to practice with a higher level team, and play a normal game with his lower-level team.

Why would anyone pay to sit on the bench and watch a game?


What happens, at least in my experience, is that a lot of good goalies who played at a higher level (ours is a junior level goalie - published stats and everything! haha) don't want to play goalie in beer league (ours plays defense and is really good). Our actual beer league goalie started as an adult. Our Junior leaguer brings his pads incase something happens (one time, our goalie got hit with the shits midway through the first- junior guy had to come in and post a shutout to the pissing and moaning of the other team).

Most teams I have played on have a guy who either was, or thinks he is, a goalie, and so brings pads as backup. I'd say 75% of my games have been this way.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Why would anyone pay to sit on the bench and watch a game?

I don't think I've played in a league where goalies paid to play. The teams would just pick up their fee and distribute it to the other players.

If they're not paying, then if someone wants to be a backup goalie more power to them. Most likely they're just there for the beer and to be a sideline comedian.