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Last-Minute Holiday Gifts for the Hockey Fan on Your List

12/22/2015, 1:00pm CST
By Steve Mann

From Tickets to Equipment to Time Together on the Ice, Options Are Aplenty

Credit: Totalhockey.com.

Credit: Totalhockey.com.

It’s only a few days before Christmas and Black Friday is well in the rear view mirror, but that doesn’t mean the malls and stores are quiet. In fact, it’s quite the contrary, as procrastinators (and frankly, people busy with work, families and life in general this time of year) flock to brick-and-mortar and online stores in droves, hoping to wrap up their holiday gift buying before it’s too late.

If you’ve got hockey fans on your list, there are plenty of simple and traditional, as well as creative and personal, items you can grab last-minute. Following are a few ideas to help keep yourself out of the holiday penalty box.

1. Game Tickets – In Minnesota, there’s a National Hockey League club, five Division 1 college programs, D3 college teams and junior and high school teams throughout the State of Hockey. Depending on level, a pair of tickets to a game may run anywhere from $10 - $100 or more, but lacking options shouldn’t be a problem. No matter the team or level, tickets to a live hockey game (like the 2016 Stadium Series or the MSHSL State Tournament) are the perfect stocking stuffers.

2. New Equipment – We’re a few weeks into the high school and youth seasons, so refreshing things like sticks, tape, laces, mouth guards and the like are always appreciated. Of course, your hockey playing friends and family will love you forever if they open up a new pair of skates or gloves or a helmet or pads. Total Hockey has pretty much everything equipment-wise, including some great deals for hockey gifts under $50.

3. Hockey Movies and Books – Classic hockey movies on DVD such as "The Mighty Ducks," "Miracle," "Youngblood" and "Slap Shot" make for great gifts. Drop the Puck: Shoot for the Cup is a wonderfully written, new hockey-themed book with a character, “Ace,” based on Jack Jablonski, the former Benilde-St. Margaret’s player. Besides the character based on Jablonski, there are several other references to the State of Hockey. The book is set in “Hockeytown, USA” and the two female players are Paisley (named for Jordan Leopold’s daughter Paisley) and Avery (named for former University of North Dakota Head Coach Dave Hakstol’s daughter, Avery).

4. Jerseys/Team Apparel – For the Wild fan on your list, look no further than the Hockey Lodge at Xcel Energy Center, Southdale or Maplewood malls or online. Fans can purchase sweatshirts, jackets, hats, customized jerseys, game-worn items and more.

5. Time on the Ice – There’s really nothing our kids want more than to spend time with us and what better place to do that than at the rink or out on the frozen pond. Throw your gear in the trunk and take your son, daughter, niece or nephew or a whole team of rink rats for a few hours of shinny hockey. Not only will it be a lot of fun, but you may create some lasting memories and a new holiday tradition. If you’re really ambitious, offer to build someone their own backyard rink.

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Tag(s): State Of Hockey  News  Overtime