Curious hockey terms in your language

[Albatros]

Penalty killing is called Boxplay especially in Switzerland. Box refers to the typical 2+2 formation rather than the penalty box.

Hockey stick blade is called Schaufel, a shovel.

Like in many other sports, a dive is called Schwalbe in German after the low-flying swallow bird.

 

[Fjorden]

A couple of my favorite terms in hockey are ones quite common in Swedish that I don’t know whether they exist in other languages.

One is “Hawaiihockey”, and what does that mean? “Hawaiihockey” is when the game flows back and forth, neither team has control or structure over the game and are taking turns rushing and attacking with a constant sense of a goal being inevitable. Basically, it refers to a game that’s typically exciting and entertaining for fans to watch because anything can happen and someone is likely to score any second, but at the same time a coach’s nightmare since their team isn’t able to take control of the game — and anything can happen. I imagine that the term comes from the way the traditional Hawaiian song “Aloha’Oe” sounds, as well as a crude imagining of hula dancing, with back and forth flowing movements, so I’m not sure how well the term ought to fly nowadays, but it strikes me as a pretty unique term.

Another term I like, that’s probably quite easy to figure out but one that I don’t think I’ve seen used by English speakers, is “propagandahockey” or “hockeypropaganda”. It’s simply used to describe a team giving a dominant, beautiful display of hockey at its best. Historically, it applies I guess to how our national teams would routinely be decimated by the Red Army teams, where we often could not help but find ourselves marveling at the immense skill and eye catching team play on display once it’s clear we’re out of the game, while at the same time acknowledging/winking at the perceived threat of Soviet propaganda and how sports was used as a tool to impart the supremacy of the Soviet system during the Cold War.

Lastly, what is the Swedish word for a grinder?

The nice term is “grovjobbare”, literally “rough worker”, or someone who’s doing dirty work or heavy lifting without much finesse.

What’s another word for a grinder in Swedish?

“Brunkare”. The word “brunka” is a portmanteau of the words “bajsa” (to poop) and “runka” (to jerk off), and the literal meaning of the word “brunkare” is “someone who is jerking off while taking a dump”, which has the wider application of a person who’s combining two physically taxing activities at once, giving 110%, maximizing his output, getting the job done without it necessarily looking pretty: grinding away.

Alright, those were some words in Swedish. What are some hockey terms in your language that you find interesting, funny, creative or unique?

We have the word "Hawaiihockey" in Norway as well.

But we have some in Norway:
"Naken i slottet" english "Nude in the slot"
Means:Standing alone in the slot, without being marked by the oponent.

Egg i buksa. means: Eggs in your pants.
This means you are a chicken and cant play physical.

Pute pass. English: pillow pass
Soft passes that are easy to recieve.

Strøm i kølla. English: Electricity in your stick.
Means bad stick handling.

Opp i redet: English: Up in the nest
When a shot hits between the woodwork and the poles behind the woodwork

 

[Realgud]

"méchante garnotte" (in qc french)
literal translation -> "mean gravel" or I guess "wicked gravel" would make more sense here
actual meaning -> a powerful shot

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Sexpoängsmatch(-er)

Lit. Six-point game(-s)

Not specifically a hockey term, and I’d think there are equivalents for this in other languages.

In the SHL (and many other leagues, of different sports, in different countries) three points are awarded the winning team in regulation.

If an SHL game extends into overtime or a shootout, the winning team receive two points and the losers one.

“Sexpoängsmatch” refers to a game of particular importance for the league table, between the two teams. If three points separate one team from the other in the table, one match between them carries greater significance than the 3 points at stake. The trailing team may either find itself trailing by a rather massive six points after a loss (and conversely, the leading team gets a firm grip on “safe ground”), or they can entirely close the distance trailing or even leapfrog the opposing team, provided their goal differential is better (goals scored in practice also being worth twice as much).

“Sexpoängsmatcher” are similar to “do-or-die” situations, but not necessarily the same. The SHL table as of today is separated by places 1-6 (directly to the playoff quarterfinals), 7-10 (“play-in”: best-of-3 playoff round to make the quarterfinals), 11-12 (“no man’s land”: no playoffs but avoids relegation), and 13-14 (relegation playoff). Technically a “sexpoängsmatch” can be played in September and carry minuscule impact in February. In general, the term is used to refer to key matchups later in the season, in the battles to avoid relegation, make the playoffs, or improve playoff seeding.

 

[weklof]

There's "sjukhuspassning" which translates to "hospital pass".

We also the expression "en indianare" ("an indian") to describe mistakenly passing the puck to an opponent. I don't know the origin of the expression.

 

[Ozolynch]

Some more slovak ones:

when a goalie catches the puck with a glove and then continues the upward motion its called "semafor" = traffic lights in english

the slot is often called "medzikružie", which literally translates to between-circle. i like this term because it sounds almost archaic in slovak, yet its a fairly new term

another one is "poslať na párky" which translates to "send to get sausages" - it is used similarly as an "ankle-breaker" when you beat a goalie/defender

when a goalie stood on his head, he "zatiahol roletu" translating to "he shut the blinds"

on the other hand, when a goalie doesnt make some easy saves and is bound to be changed, we sometimes use the term "je zrelý na uterák" which translates literally to "he is ripe for a towel"

 

[NyQuil]

I remember from my days as a kid playing hockey in West Germany where teams would chant “Schauspieler” at divers which basically means actor.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

I remember from my days as a kid playing hockey in West Germany where teams would chant “Schauspieler” at divers which basically means actor.

Same as the Swedish word, “skådespelare”.

When players are caught or known for embellishing there’s no holds barred on the epithets. Next stop Hollywood, Oscar-worthy performance, movie star…

But the most universal term for an embellishing/diving player would be “filmare”, which basically means someone making films. And the act of embellishing or diving is in turn called “filmning”: capturing something on film.

 

[MadArcand]

But the most universal term for an embellishing/diving player would be “filmare”, which basically means someone making films. And the act of embellishing or diving is in turn called “filmning”: capturing something on film.

Just the same in Slovak, filmovanie/filming.

A slash is often called sekera, i.e. axe.
A saucer pass is called žabka, i.e. froggy.

 

[GotTheMovesLikeJagr]

We have the word "Hawaiihockey" in Norway as well.

But we have some in Norway:
"Naken i slottet" english "Nude in the slot"
Means:Standing alone in the slot, without being marked by the oponent.

Egg i buksa. means: Eggs in your pants.
This means you are a chicken and cant play physical.

Pute pass. English: pillow pass
Soft passes that are easy to recieve.

Strøm i kølla. English: Electricity in your stick.
Means bad stick handling.

Opp i redet: English: Up in the nest
When a shot hits between the woodwork and the poles behind the woodwork

The literal translation of "Naken i slottet" is "nude in the castle".

Norwegians seem to use some of the Swedish hockey terms as well ("hawaii-hockey", "indianer")

Some other Norwegian terms:

• "Japan-bytte" ("Japan change": When all players leave the ice at the same time during a line change, causing a good opportunity for the opponent.
• "Du er uti hagan" ("You are out in the yard/garden"): When a player is shunend and not allowed to do anything. For example, if a player has made too many mistakes, the player will quickly end "uti hagan" and won't receive passes etc. from teammates.
• "Flip-pass": Passes which are lifted over the ice (and over the opponent's stick blade). Variations include "flip-pass med majones og reker" ("flip pass with mayonnaise and shrimps") meaning a particularly good version of the pass.
• "En Hermansen" ("A Hermansen"): Named after the unlucky and clumsy police detective Hermansen in the Norwegian version of the Olsenbanden movies, is a poorly received backhand pass.
• "Kongen av Danmark" ("King of Denmark"): A type of goal where you skate behind the net and pivot, passing the puck back to your teammate who then scores a goal on a quick release.
• "Kokkos" ("Crazy/silly/stupid"): When you do something stupid or thoughtless.
• "Kårabbi" ("Rutabaga"): When a player or team is bad.
• "Obos-svinger" ("Obos turns"): Instead of immediately turning arround to backcheck after having lost the puck to your opponent, you instead make a long, slow turn.
• "Helt Karl Johan i egen sone" ("being Karl Johan in your defensive zone"): means you are playing bad defensively and giving your opponent a clear way to your goal. Karl Johans gate is the main street in Oslo leading up to the Royal Palace.
• "Opp i ringa" ("Up in the rings"): when you are playing poorly and you have to get your act together by metaphorically "pulling yourself up with the gym rings".

 

[Nogatco Rd]

The literal translation of "Naken i slottet" is "nude in the castle".

Norwegians seem to use some of the Swedish hockey terms as well ("hawaii-hockey", "indianer")

Some other Norwegian terms:

• "Japan-bytte" ("Japan change": When all players leave the ice at the same time during a line change, causing a good opportunity for the opponent.
• "Du er uti hagan" ("You are out in the yard/garden"): When a player is shunend and not allowed to do anything. For example, if a player has made too many mistakes, the player will quickly end "uti hagan" and won't receive passes etc. from teammates.
• "Flip-pass": Passes which are lifted over the ice (and over the opponent's stick blade). Variations include "flip-pass med majones og reker" ("flip pass with mayonnaise and shrimps") meaning a particularly good version of the pass.
• "En Hermansen" ("A Hermansen"): Named after the unlucky and clumsy police detective Hermansen in the Norwegian version of the Olsenbanden movies, is a poorly received backhand pass.
• "Kongen av Danmark" ("King of Denmark"): A type of goal where you skate behind the net and pivot, passing the puck back to your teammate who then scores a goal on a quick release.
• "Kokkos" ("Crazy/silly/stupid"): When you do something stupid or thoughtless.
• "Kårabbi" ("Rutabaga"): When a player or team is bad.
• "Obos-svinger" ("Obos turns"): Instead of immediately turning arround to backcheck after having lost the puck to your opponent, you instead make a long, slow turn.
• "Helt Karl Johan i egen sone" ("being Karl Johan in your defensive zone"): means you are playing bad defensively and giving your opponent a clear way to your goal. Karl Johans gate is the main street in Oslo leading up to the Royal Palace.
• "Opp i ringa" ("Up in the rings"): when you are playing poorly and you have to get your act together by metaphorically "pulling yourself up with the gym rings".

What’s the origin for “King of Denmark?”

 

[mattihp]

A couple of my favorite terms in hockey are ones quite common in Swedish that I don’t know whether they exist in other languages.

One is “Hawaiihockey”, and what does that mean? “Hawaiihockey” is when the game flows back and forth, neither team has control or structure over the game and are taking turns rushing and attacking with a constant sense of a goal being inevitable. Basically, it refers to a game that’s typically exciting and entertaining for fans to watch because anything can happen and someone is likely to score any second, but at the same time a coach’s nightmare since their team isn’t able to take control of the game — and anything can happen. I imagine that the term comes from the way the traditional Hawaiian song “Aloha’Oe” sounds, as well as a crude imagining of hula dancing, with back and forth flowing movements, so I’m not sure how well the term ought to fly nowadays, but it strikes me as a pretty unique term.

Another term I like, that’s probably quite easy to figure out but one that I don’t think I’ve seen used by English speakers, is “propagandahockey” or “hockeypropaganda”. It’s simply used to describe a team giving a dominant, beautiful display of hockey at its best. Historically, it applies I guess to how our national teams would routinely be decimated by the Red Army teams, where we often could not help but find ourselves marveling at the immense skill and eye catching team play on display once it’s clear we’re out of the game, while at the same time acknowledging/winking at the perceived threat of Soviet propaganda and how sports was used as a tool to impart the supremacy of the Soviet system during the Cold War.

Lastly, what is the Swedish word for a grinder?

The nice term is “grovjobbare”, literally “rough worker”, or someone who’s doing dirty work or heavy lifting without much finesse.

What’s another word for a grinder in Swedish?

“Brunkare”. The word “brunka” is a portmanteau of the words “bajsa” (to poop) and “runka” (to jerk off), and the literal meaning of the word “brunkare” is “someone who is jerking off while taking a dump”, which has the wider application of a person who’s combining two physically taxing activities at once, giving 110%, maximizing his output, getting the job done without it necessarily looking pretty: grinding away.

Alright, those were some words in Swedish. What are some hockey terms in your language that you find interesting, funny, creative or unique?

Swedish also has gnuggare for someone who just goes out there and does their jobb unremarkable. Some commentators seem to think it is a synonym for grovjobbare or brunkare though.

 

[mattihp]

“TV-puckshög”, literally ”TV puck pile”. Comes from a youth tournament called “TV-pucken” where 15 year olds from around the country have been selected to compete for their districts in a televised hockey tournament going back to 1959. The typical image of the eventual champions celebrating would be the players piling themselves on the kid who scored the game winning goal. You may see teams in all kinds of sports celebrating their victories in a “TV puck pile” nowadays, but the term has stuck.

TV-puckshög has replaced the other hög..

When I was in New York and we played some with Robban Nilsson and Sean Bergenheim, we made said kind of hög.

Then he asked.... What did you call this now again?
"b*ghög"

"Ok, we will never mention this to anyone".