what does anyone think of NHL breakout

[morrisville75]

i think it seems nice but could use some work

[xport_urself]

what exactly is the NHL Breakout?

[spiderman]

My team played in the NHL Breakout this year but we dropped out because it was the biggest waist of time. First of all its played on blacktop and they use a ball. After you have played so many years with a puck it is just so hard to get use to the feel of a ball. They also need to organize it alot better then they do!

[RichardGraham]

Hi Spiderman,

I think it all depends on what you're looking for. If you're a die-hard indoor player, you're probably not going to like Breakout as much as someone who plays a lot of pickup outdoors.

I love Breakout. It's a blast. Bouncing off those inflatable boards certainly adds an element of NEW strategy to a game! LOL. Playing outdoors in the sun, getting a tan and, at least in Santa Monica, having beach babes in bikinis watching you play... well, it doesn't get a lot better than that. :)

And beating Roller Hockey Magazine during my days at InLine Hockey News, circa 1995, was fun too... lol

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

http://www.inlinehockeycentral.com/images/editphoto2.jpg

[RichardGraham]

Hi Xport,

NHL Breakout is an outdoor inline hockey festival produced by the National Hockey League and played with a ball in inflatable rinks. Check out the NHL Breakout story on the IHC Home Page for more information.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

http://www.inlinehockeycentral.com/images/editphoto2.jpg

[JohnHopkins]

I have had a lot of fun working as a referee at NHL Breakout.

We had it in Buffalo for 3 years, 97-99 but it will not be back for the second straight year. That's probably because the tournament has always been held in Buffalo in mid-September...a dicey time...usually battling nasty rain forecasts.

I like the street hockey format with the ball...it brings back the feel of the neighborhood street game. It's not supposed to be about how badly you can beat your opponent.

NHL Breakout has been nothing but a positive experience for me. I miss it. I would LOVE to see it come back to Buffalo in late July or August...a dead time for popular city festivals and such. (they're top-loaded in June and early July, for some reason)

Sincerely,

John Hopkins

Sincerely,

John Hopkins
Buffalo Wings

[showstoppr67]

I tried to get a team together once for it but no one wanted to do the blacktop/ball format. Personally, I'm very happy to have a lot of indoor/sportcourt rinks near me and I haven't played outdoors in about 6 years. But if I could get a team into it, I probably would just for fun. Of course I wouldn't be wearing my normal attire. Blacktop= equipment tears= money

[Rollerhockyman]

Breakout is cool cause you get to test the speed of your shot for free, but the drawbacks are the horrible refs and unlevel surfaces you play on. When i went there 2 years ago the other team not one player had a mouth guard, all the other team did was spear our players and the ref didn't call one thing and then when you would yell at him he would say "What do you think you can do a better job then me." So i wouldn't recommend going to breakout.

[reaper_rider]

Hell, I dont care if it's with a nice gliding puck, ball or people who are playing are not "good". I would just be glad to be playing hockey (because its all the same thing you know? HOCKEY) hang out and make some friends. Oh yeah, and SUPPORT a HOCKEY event like this...since you know, we don't have a whole lot of them.

Don't complain and play!

[ChloroFiend]

Ive never played in it, but i DO think it would be fun. Lots of the teams playing do take it very seriously...ClarkAddison from this board and his team practiced with balls at my league's rink for several weeks before the Chicago event this year. I would have liked to play, but unfortunately never found a team to compete with...the appeal of playing competitive pick-up style hockey is definitley there...brings me back a few years all right! Too bad there's no Chicago event this year...thats definitely too bad.


-Jon Gucinski #16
-<A HREF="http://www.stuorg.iastate.edu/rollerhockey" target="_new">Iowa State Roller Hockey</A>

[morrisville75]

wow i got a lot of replies to my post

[SpeedDemon]

Exactly. Anyone who doesn't enter a kids team in BreakOut strictly on the fact that it's a "waste of time" or its not true hockey, needs to deflate the ego.

Play hockey because it's fun, not because you're trying to relive your youth through your kid or something. I've seen too many parents go to events like NHL Breakout and if they don't win, refuse to come back because of all the excuses in the book.

Plus, frankly, if you can't win or come close to winning at NHL Breakout and you think your team is awesome, you probably suck really bad ;)

[morrisville75]

SpeedDemon you are right about that.

i think breakout is nice to the youth hockey players but when you get older i think it may be a little easy for the really skilled hockey players out there

[xport_urself]

ok thanks, just one more question. Are there any NHL players or coachs etc... at the NHL Breakout??

[RichardGraham]

Hi Xport,

Some of the younger teams have coaches, but most don't. There are usually players from the local NHL team at every Breakout event. I know that I saw Rob Blake and Steve McKenna at NHL Breakout Los Angeles when they played for the Kings, and Luc Robitaille, a current L.A. Kings player, often plays pickup at the beach in Santa Monica during the summer. Once he sent me on a breakaway and I missed the trash can that serves as a goal.

He said, "You gotta make those, eh?" LOL.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

http://www.inlinehockeycentral.com/images/editphoto2.jpg

[Billk00]

My son will be playing in the NHL Breakout (Philadelphia) for the fourth year in a row tomorrow. I have coached in the past but will be going as a parent this time. You have to remember that the breakout is for fun. The rinks are smaller, the ball gets lost under the inflated boards, and the refs. are just ok. The games are three 7-minute running clock periods. The best strategy I have found is to take a shot from anywhere on the rink. Of course there will be plenty of crazy coaches and parents who just don?t get it.

Richard

I have always e-mail you photos of the breakout still want them this year??

Bill Kennedy

[showstoppr67]

OK you guys, all this talk actually makes me wanna play in the tourney, if I can get enough players to do so. :) Since I am not an "outdoors" player, a few questions if anyone can help:

1) I would plan on using my regular shaft (Easton Ultra-Lite). What type of street blade would you recommend, preferably Easton)?

2) Of course my normal wear is roller hockey pants. What is very durable/flexible to wear on my bottom half (and over a CCM girdle)?

3) What outdoor wheels will work for me (preferably Labeda)?

I guess that I'll buy myself a street hockey ball and try to start shooting around in my garage just to get some practice with a ball. Hey if the rest of my hopeful teammates aren't ready, at least I'll be! The St. Louie tournament falls on my birthday---hope my family wasn't planning anything!

[headhunter]

All this talk of NHL Breakout has made me want to go too. I started ou6t as an outdoot player five years ago, but I play almost solely indoor now. I'll try and get a team together from my house league in Montgomery, especially since the registration fee is only $180.

Headhunter

[evman117]

use an abs blade, easton makes them, and i wouldn't plan on using the girdle. the ball won't hurt, and its sorta an easy style game, not much checking. when i played, i didn't use pants, just taped on my shins and went at it. it is a blast for those less skilled players

[reaper_rider]

Damn, $180 reg fee?! That's SUPER cheap.

[morrisville75]

as you say it for the less skilled players

we all here have great skills right

[showstoppr67]

Yeah you are coming from the same boat as me. I started out playing roller hockey outdoors in late 1993. By late 1995 I was playing indoors exclusively and swore I'd NEVER go back to outdoors. But this sounds like it might be fun. Just for the record I JUST got back from hockey practice, and out of 14 players and 3 goalies....I got ONE "maybe I'll play" answer. Oh well. Gotta keep on searching!

[SpeedDemon]

Just to let you know, you are only allowed to roster 8 players and a goalie (total of 9 for math impared)... you are given 3 games, each 18 minutes long (3 6-minute periods) or sometimes 24 minutes long (3 8-minute periods).

After that, if you don't make the playoffs via record, you're done. That's why it's so cheap. Possibly as little as 54 minutes of hockey.

[headhunter]

It is cheap, but three games for $20 a person is a good value. Besides, you get to meet players from all around your area. This will be my first time to play in atlanta and its sure to be an experience

Headhunter

[morrisville75]

the prices sounds good
now if i could only get a team together

[RichardGraham]

Hi Bill,

Yes, sure! I'd love to have them so I can put them on Inline Hockey Central for those who'd like to see them.

Thanks, Bill!

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

http://www.inlinehockeycentral.com/images/editphoto2.jpg

[Billk00]

Richard

Sorry no photos this year NHL Breakout turned into NHL Rainout. Both days were cancelled.
Bill

[RichardGraham]

Hi Bill,

Sorry to hear that. Weather is certainly a factor outdoor tournaments have to deal with. (On the other hand, I've been to several indoor tourneys where it's raining outside... AND inside... LOL.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

http://www.inlinehockeycentral.com/images/editphoto2.jpg