Hockey without an ice rink

Ice time is expensive and rinks are not everywhere. Roller, ball, pond and sled hockey are all real hockey, with their own governing bodies and their own rules — and several of them are cheaper and easier to start.

  1. Inline / roller hockeyUsually four skaters and a goalie on a smaller surface, with a puck or a ball depending on the league. Most rule sets drop offside and icing entirely, which makes for a faster, more open game. World Skate governs it internationally.
  2. Ball and street hockeyShoes instead of skates, a ball instead of a puck, and the cheapest possible entry into the sport. It has a "floating blue line" instead of conventional offside and is governed internationally by the ISBHF, with national bodies in Canada and the US.
  3. Pond hockey and outdoor rinksThe oldest version of the game. Tournament pond hockey is typically played without goalies on small nets, with rules against lifting the puck. If you are playing on natural ice, read our ice-safety guide first — it is the one topic on this site where we only publish figures from recognised authorities, and they do not all agree.
  4. Sled (para ice) hockeyPlayed seated on a sled with two short sticks, each with a blade at one end and picks at the other, under World Para Ice Hockey rules. USA Hockey and Hockey Canada both run sled programs, and there are also blind, deaf and hard-of-hearing, special, standing/amputee and warrior hockey disciplines.
  5. Women's and girls' programs exist in all of theseAsk locally; they are often less advertised than the men's equivalents but they are there, and they are growing fastest.

Ages, rules and certification requirements above were checked against USA Hockey, Hockey Canada and the certification bodies in September 2026. Details vary by association and change between seasons — always confirm with yours.

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