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17 Things Every Hockey Player Needs in Their Bag
1. Stretch bands - Resistance bands are really good for pregame stretching, which is important for injury prevention.
2. Foam roller - These are great for warming up your muscles before a game. Spend a minute massaging trigger points like the hamstrings, quads, glutes and lower back.
3. Snacks - Throw in a banana, orange or some snack high in potassium. This keeps you fueled before or after games and helps prevent muscle cramps.
4. Running shoes - Always warm up before hitting the ice. To get your legs loose, kick around a soccer ball or run through a short, dynamic warm-up routine.
5. Extra tape - Include tape for your stick and your shin guards. (Don’t be the one begging for a roll!)
6. Scissors - Having these will make you the locker room hero. Just don't run (or skate) with them.
7. Skate stone - A stone is great for getting rid of small nicks or burrs on the blade. It’s not a replacement for sharpening your skates, but it’s good for quick fixes.
8. Skate guards - A must for keeping the edges on your skates safe. Plus, they protect other equipment in your bag from getting sliced up by the sharp edges.
9. Golf balls - Great for puck handling drills when you’re warming up.
10. Extra pucks - Throwing in a few extra pucks is helpful for skills and drills too. Lay them out to form a triangle and practice handling by tossing the golf ball between pucks.
11. Your good luck charm - Lots of players have superstitious good luck charms. Anaheim Duck's Center Brandon Pirri tapes a Loonie (the Canadian one dollar coin) to his lucky puck. He marks the top of his blade with that lucky puck.
12. Screwdriver - This comes in handy to tighten up any loose screws on your cage or visor.
13. Anti-fog and a microfiber cloth - For helmets with shields, this helps to prevent it from fogging up. Use a microfiber cloth to apply the spray between shifts and to avoid scratching your shield.
14. Soap - After a long practice or hard game, the most important step is cleaning up. Give your buddies on the bus a break and wash twice!
15. Flip flops - The showers in most hockey rinks are questionable, so flip flops are essential.
16. Spare laces - Keep a backup pair of laces (or two) in your bag just in case yours rip or get cut by a blade.
17. Stick wax - This is up to your personal preference, but some players use wax to give them extra grip or to prevent ice from soaking the tape.
#ProTip: Gear bags are usually packed to the max. Before heading out for practice or a game, unpack and repack your bag every time. This will help you make sure you have everything you need to #PlayHuge.