OT: Local Hockey Thread

LTIR Trickery

Plz stop pucks
Jun 27, 2007
23,821
2,587
Scrip Club
Got a chance to check out Germain Arena down in Estero as well (home of the everblades) during a tryout - beautiful facilities. No idea on the price of leagues there, but its very well maintained, the ice was a little rough on the rink nearest the door (for obvious reasons) but otherwise excellent.
 

Razzmatazz

Registered User
Feb 2, 2010
391
0
Hey, does anyone know a good place close to Brandon to get a skate sharpening that isn't the Ice Sports Forum?

They don't do a very satisfactory job; my skates come out duller than before the sharpening half the time, and $8 is extortion for inexperienced shop guys who don't really care or know what they are doing and have a high volume of skates to get through
 

Bolt32

Registered User
Aug 24, 2004
4,627
809
Palm Harbor, FL
Hey, does anyone know a good place close to Brandon to get a skate sharpening that isn't the Ice Sports Forum?

They don't do a very satisfactory job; my skates come out duller than before the sharpening half the time, and $8 is extortion for inexperienced shop guys who don't really care or know what they are doing and have a high volume of skates to get through

Other rinks really. TBSA is a hit or a miss, I haven't had a problem with Clearwater with skate sharpening. THought he new league manager is screwing everything up and will probably be my last season playing there......Man I cant wait for my game on sunday, I'm really itching to play!
 

TBLHoser

Registered User
Jul 2, 2009
1,946
0
Sunshine State
Other rinks really. TBSA is a hit or a miss, I haven't had a problem with Clearwater with skate sharpening. THought he new league manager is screwing everything up and will probably be my last season playing there......Man I cant wait for my game on sunday, I'm really itching to play!

Can you just drop off skates at any rink and get them sharpened even though you aren't in a league etc?

I haven't been skating for like, 10 years...heck, I don't even know if they fit anymore but I'm looking to get back on the ice recreationally but I think I should look into sharpening them first. Last time I went was at the TBSA when it first opened and haven't been back since.
 

TBLHoser

Registered User
Jul 2, 2009
1,946
0
Sunshine State
Other rinks really. TBSA is a hit or a miss, I haven't had a problem with Clearwater with skate sharpening. THought he new league manager is screwing everything up and will probably be my last season playing there......Man I cant wait for my game on sunday, I'm really itching to play!

Can you just drop off skates at any rink and get them sharpened even though you aren't in a league etc?

I haven't been skating for like, 10 years...heck, I don't even know if they fit anymore but I'm looking to get back on the ice recreationally but I think I should look into sharpening them first. Last time I went was at the TBSA when it first opened and haven't been back since.
 

EbencoyE

Registered User
Nov 26, 2006
1,958
5
Is there any minor ice hockey leagues in Tampa? I only ask because I live in Montreal so I wouldn't know.

You mean youth hockey? Yes, the Bay area youth teams play in the Central Florida Hockey League.
 

EbencoyE

Registered User
Nov 26, 2006
1,958
5
Just a heads up, Brighthouse Sports Network is showing a high school hockey double-header right now from the Tampa Bay Skating Academy in Oldsmar. Dinger is one of the commentators!
 

EbencoyE

Registered User
Nov 26, 2006
1,958
5
Anyone have any updates on local roller leagues?

There's three levels of adult league hockey at the USA Skatezone on Busch Blvd. A, B, and C levels.

That's all I know of though. I believe there's a rink on Armenia as well but I have no idea if they have hockey there.
 

TheDaysOf 04

[ 2 6 ] [ 4 ]
Jun 23, 2007
52,501
22,359
NJ
An interesting article in the tribune today about the Lightning's summer camp.

http://www2.tbo.com/sports/sports/2...//t.co/YqwKEoVM&shorturl=http://tbo.ly/NiwLAc

Twenty-five children ages 6-15 made the trek from Sweden to take part in the five-day Lightning youth summer camp this week at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon
...according to Thomas Johansson, who helped to coordinate the trip from Stockholm, selling the idea of Florida as a vacation destination with a weeklong hockey camp included. On Wednesday, many of the children wore T-shirts with "I'm going to the hockey camp in Tampa 2012'' printed on the back.

"The families can come here, spend a week with the camp, and then they have the beaches, shopping, the sunshine while their kids are on the ice,'' said Johansson, who brought 10 kids over for the Lightning camp last summer and registered 22 this year. "Then, when the camp is done, they can spend time at the beach, go to Busch Gardens or any other options.''
While the vacation time is a selling point, what about the hockey? After all, Sweden is one of the world's top nations when it comes to producing hockey players and enjoying success in international tournaments, while Florida is not exactly a hotbed for NHL prospects.

After watching how the Lightning ran their youth camp last summer, however, Johansson said there was not much of a dropoff in the instruction the kids receive. Former NHL players such as Brian Bradley, the Lightning's director of youth hockey; Chris Dingman, Dave Andreychuk and Pat Jablonski have taken to the ice at some point this week.

"I would say it's a high-quality camp,'' said Johansson, a veteran in the Swedish Elite League, mainly with Djurgardens. "I have the guts to come here and see it for myself and I see what they do, I know this works.''
Johansson hopes to expand upon the success of this season by bringing as many as 50 kids next year, which might force the Lightning to add a camp to accommodate the group and have room for local campers. Word continues to spread, with a website set up to provide information in Sweden — www.sunshinehockeycamp.se. Johansson hopes to grow to the point where they can sell entire vacation packages, including airfare, hotel and theme park tickets.

"The word is starting to get out as we have six different teams from the Stockholm area that are here this year,'' Johansson said. "We hope it's more next year.''
 

TheDaysOf 04

[ 2 6 ] [ 4 ]
Jun 23, 2007
52,501
22,359
NJ
http://www.tampabay.com/news/briefs/downtown-ice-rink-to-reopen-nov-16/1254274
Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Tampa Bay Lightning cheerleaders are expected to hit the ice first this year when Tampa's downtown skating rink reopens Nov. 16.

The rink, at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, will be open through January 5, sponsors announced Monday.
Ninety minutes of ice time will cost $10. The rink will be open Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 9 p.m. Around Thanksgiving and Christmas, when school is out, the rink will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
 

MattM92

Registered User
Dec 8, 2010
6,925
516
FL
I would love that. Bring some of my noob buddies there and beat the hell out of them :laugh: It's a lot closer than any other rink is. The closest one now is the tiny rink in Countryside mall, and even that is almost an hour away.
 

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