It is an estimated(from a 2012 survery) $3,000 per year for hockey. Gear, registration, tournaments, etc. Probably more now. Some places are less, some are more. One thing that i remember was a recent article, in which Wayne Gretzky was interviewed. He said that the way it is today, there is no way his parents could have afforded to put him in hockey. Imagine a world where there was no Wayne Gretzky, or other greats simply because their parents couldn't afford to put them in at a young age.

EDIT: Google hockey costs and you will find articles dating back to the mid 2000's about how the costs are keeping kids out of the sport. Imagine how much better hockey would be today if more kids could have played over the last 15 years. Imagine a draft where McDavid wasn't considered generational because of the talent available.
- Retinalz

It probably cost more than $3k for me to play minor hockey 40 years ago.

The thing that kids in many areas of the country are outdoor rinks.

Giants winning 1-0 in the second

Is it me or would you take Kappo Kakko over hughes just because his name is wayyyyy cooler and they are super close talent wise
- Jkuzzi

You have to actually think Kakko is clearly better to rank him #1, because if it’s close you take the kid who can play Center

You have to actually think Kakko is clearly better to rank him #1, because if it’s close you take the kid who can play Center
- Nucker101

Exactly,
and if his skating is suspect, you need only look at Tarasenko struggling and realize how skating really separates players. Unless you are physical enough to create some space, you have to have the wheels.

I find it quite comical when people state that Canada isn't as good as other countries, yet they have been in 3 of the last 4 championship games, winning gold twice.
They have been in the gold medal game 9 of the last 16 years.
What a terrible record .

I posted a link in here a few weeks ago about how much money the nil pumps into USA hockey, how much goes to many other nations when a player gets signed etc.
Guess which country/ development league gets the least, Canada of course.

I find it quite comical when people state that Canada isn't as good as other countries, yet they have been in 3 of the last 4 championship games, winning gold twice.
They have been in the gold medal game 9 of the last 16 years.
What a terrible record .
- Reubenkincade

the best Canadian players don't always go, ala Crosby

if Canada was serious about this tourney , we would never lose

Hahahahaha 3000 per year lol. How about 1 to 2 k per weekend with travel hotels gas food gear oh man. Im willing to guess roughly 10k to 15 k per year easy
- Jkuzzi

If hockey costs are 1 to 2k per weekend for 6 year olds something is wrong. If you are meaning junior players I would believe it.

My son played that paint drying sport at the provincial level in the late nineties and it was costing us about 12k a year

If hockey costs are 1 to 2k per weekend for 6 year olds something is wrong. If you are meaning junior players I would believe it.

My son played that paint drying sport at the provincial level in the late nineties and it was costing us about 12k a year
- Makita

My buddy has 2 kids. Both play hockey. Registration every year. Almost new gear every year with how fast they are growing and basically there is an out of town tourney between the two of them id say 3 times a month ie almost every other weekend per kid. Gas hotels food for a family of 4 is easily 1k for 2 days with travrel. We live in a small town but im telling you it adds up real fast. Its obviously not all year but during hockey season its pretty pricey

the best Canadian players don't always go, ala Crosby

if Canada was serious about this tourney , we would never lose
- onesmallleap

The tourney itself is a bit of a joke so you will never see all the top level talent there. Can't really blame them. It's a bit of a no-hit tourney but still lots of risk of injury just really isn't worth it unless it's the Olympics or something else super high level.

The tourney itself is a bit of a joke so you will never see all the top level talent there. Can't really blame them. It's a bit of a no-hit tourney but still lots of risk of injury just really isn't worth it unless it's the Olympics or something else super high level.
- LordHumungous

I base my opinion on Juniors , the draft, U18, The Olympics.

If hockey costs are 1 to 2k per weekend for 6 year olds something is wrong. If you are meaning junior players I would believe it.

My son played that paint drying sport at the provincial level in the late nineties and it was costing us about 12k a year
- Makita

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. My 8 year old plays hockey and the costs are no where near $1k a season.

His soccer enrolment fee is the same as hockey. Big difference in equipment cost but his cleats cost just as much as his skates. The rest of his hockey gear was handed down or given to him by family friends, or purchased through consignment.

He doesn’t go to tournaments so there is no travel costs. He just does it for fun.

I’m not planning on him having an NHL career. lol.

I base my opinion on Juniors , the draft, U18, The Olympics.
- VANTEL

I think it’s awesome that other countries are catching up on talent. Makes for an overall better game. I hope the next Crosby comes from Mexico.

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. My 8 year old plays hockey and the costs are no where near $1k a season.

His soccer enrolment fee is the same as hockey. Big difference in equipment cost but his cleats cost just as much as his skates. The rest of his hockey gear was handed down or given to him by family friends, or purchased through consignment.

He doesn’t go to tournaments so there is no travel costs. He just does it for fun.

I’m not planning on him having an NHL career. lol.
- bloatedmosquito

Running an Arena for a living and talking to the parents around here prices vary.

Minor Hockey fees are actually fairly affordable from $450 per kid (atom-peewee) to $1100 if you are playing Bantam or midget AAA levels.

It's the equipment that just kills then as the kids are growing. Yes there are hand me downs and used gear but most kids want the latest and greatest. Sticks and skates are the biggest at $300 sticks and $1000 skates now if they need the top-level stuff.

Talking to a Hockey Mom here a while back and it was around $8000 for two teenage kids for the year in Minor Hockey. But that includes all the fees, travel stuff and such plus all the latest gear.

Equipment manufacturers are gouging big time nowadays. Prices in relation to wholesale and cost is insane. That's what keeping alot of kids from playing IMO.

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. My 8 year old plays hockey and the costs are no where near $1k a season.

His soccer enrolment fee is the same as hockey. Big difference in equipment cost but his cleats cost just as much as his skates. The rest of his hockey gear was handed down or given to him by family friends, or purchased through consignment.

He doesn’t go to tournaments so there is no travel costs. He just does it for fun.

I’m not planning on him having an NHL career. lol.
- bloatedmosquito

I'm not planning on my son having an pro careers either, but I want him to try them all and hopefully be good enough in one sport for a scholarship.

Running an Arena for a living and talking to the parents around here prices vary.

Minor Hockey fees are actually fairly affordable from $450 per kid (atom-peewee) to $1100 if you are playing Bantam or midget AAA levels.

It's the equipment that just kills then as the kids are growing. Yes there are hand me downs and used gear but most kids want the latest and greatest. Sticks and skates are the biggest at $300 sticks and $1000 skates now if they need the top-level stuff.

Talking to a Hockey Mom here a while back and it was around $8000 for two teenage kids for the year in Minor Hockey. But that includes all the fees, travel stuff and such plus all the latest gear.

Equipment manufacturers are gouging big time nowadays. Prices in relation to wholesale and cost is insane. That's what keeping alot of kids from playing IMO.
- LordHumungous

Most families can't afford 4k for one kid, let alone 8k for 2. One of the articles I read is that parents are forgoing retirement savings in order to keep their kids in sports, even taking on debt to keep them playing the games they love. Liberals killed tax deductions for that as well. I can't wait for the Liberals to be voted out, get someone in there that will handle the legalization of marijuana properly so the country can start making money off of it. Use that money for schools, hospitals, roads, etc.

I'm not planning on my son having an pro careers either, but I want him to try them all and hopefully be good enough in one sport for a scholarship.
- Retinalz

If you want a scholarship then you must invest in that. So thousands of dollars a season should be expected. But if parents just want their child to experience hockey on a purely recreational level then it ain’t too expensive.

In no world should a parent pay $300 for a child’s stick. Blame the parents for that silliness, not the sport. In fact, fanatical hockey parents have (frank)ed the sport. I see it all the time. Some dads want to be the father of the next tiger woods or Sidney Crosby. Fulfilling a fantasy they were never able to achieve.

It is an estimated(from a 2012 survery) $3,000 per year for hockey. Gear, registration, tournaments, etc. Probably more now. Some places are less, some are more. One thing that i remember was a recent article, in which Wayne Gretzky was interviewed. He said that the way it is today, there is no way his parents could have afforded to put him in hockey. Imagine a world where there was no Wayne Gretzky, or other greats simply because their parents couldn't afford to put them in at a young age.

EDIT: Google hockey costs and you will find articles dating back to the mid 2000's about how the costs are keeping kids out of the sport. Imagine how much better hockey would be today if more kids could have played over the last 15 years. Imagine a draft where McDavid wasn't considered generational because of the talent available.
- Retinalz

This might be true if you expect your kid to play in the NHL (spoiler alert, he/she won’t). You can buy used gear - there is so much available it isn’t even funny - and if you are playing House hockey, registration is not that much. My son is going into his first year of midget later this year. League registration is $700. He might need new skates this year, but we buy used gear when he needs it, and not top of the line stuff. They might enter two tournaments, one locally, another on a short road trip. Now, if there is talent there, and want to play rep hockey, or at somewhere like BWC or NSWC then yes, it’s expensive.

If you want a scholarship then you must invest in that. So thousands of dollars a season should be expected. But if parents just want their child to experience hockey on a purely recreational level then it ain’t too expensive.

In no world should a parent pay $300 for a child’s stick. Blame the parents for that silliness, not the sport. In fact, fanatical hockey parents have (frank)ed the sport. I see it all the time. Some dads want to be the father of the next tiger woods or Sidney Crosby. Fulfilling a fantasy they were never able to achieve.
- bloatedmosquito

This ^

This might be true if you expect your kid to play in the NHL (spoiler alert, he/she won’t). You can buy used gear - there is so much available it isn’t even funny - and if you are playing House hockey, registration is not that much. My son is going into his first year of midget later this year. League registration is $700. He might need new skates this year, but we buy used gear when he needs it, and not top of the line stuff. They might enter two tournaments, one locally, another on a short road trip. Now, if there is talent there, and want to play rep hockey, or at somewhere like BWC or NSWC then yes, it’s expensive.
- 1970vintage

Although it is unlikely he ever gets good enough for the NHL, you can't say they won't. $700 for registration, say used gear every year is $700 and then one tourney with hotel is another $600. That's still $2,000 a year. Like I said in a previous post, I don't care if he is good enough to ever be pro, I would just like him to be good enough at a sport to get a scholarship and an education. Like me with lacrosse before knee injuries took those away.

Most families can't afford 4k for one kid, let alone 8k for 2. One of the articles I read is that parents are forgoing retirement savings in order to keep their kids in sports, even taking on debt to keep them playing the games they love. Liberals killed tax deductions for that as well. I can't wait for the Liberals to be voted out, get someone in there that will handle the legalization of marijuana properly so the country can start making money off of it. Use that money for schools, hospitals, roads, etc.
- Retinalz

Absolutely. TruDope has been a disaster in so many ways it's embarrassing as a Country. Recent numbers suggest he only has an 8% chance of being re-elected so hopefully it's one and done for that tool.

Most families can't afford 4k for one kid, let alone 8k for 2. One of the articles I read is that parents are forgoing retirement savings in order to keep their kids in sports, even taking on debt to keep them playing the games they love. Liberals killed tax deductions for that as well. I can't wait for the Liberals to be voted out, get someone in there that will handle the legalization of marijuana properly so the country can start making money off of it. Use that money for schools, hospitals, roads, etc.
- Retinalz

You're asking for a government to handle money more wisely yet give big tax write offs for hockey.

Sorry, I don't see a correlation between the two.

There are families in Canada in much worse situations than not being able to afford hockey.

If you want a scholarship then you must invest in that. So thousands of dollars a season should be expected. But if parents just want their child to experience hockey on a purely recreational level then it ain’t too expensive.

In no world should a parent pay $300 for a child’s stick. Blame the parents for that silliness, not the sport. In fact, fanatical hockey parents have (frank)ed the sport. I see it all the time. Some dads want to be the father of the next tiger woods or Sidney Crosby. Fulfilling a fantasy they were never able to achieve.
- bloatedmosquito

$50 sticks are good enough for my son. Used gear for everything else. If he is talented enough it won't matter if he has the best gear or not, and if he isn't then hopefully he just has fun playing.

Although it is unlikely he ever gets good enough for the NHL, you can't say they won't. $700 for registration, say used gear every year is $700 and then one tourney with hotel is another $600. That's still $2,000 a year. Like I said in a previous post, I don't care if he is good enough to ever be pro, I would just like him to be good enough at a sport to get a scholarship and an education. Like me with lacrosse before knee injuries took those away.
- Retinalz

Lol, you don’t need new gear every year (new/used). Our son has had 3 different sets of shin pads, pants, shoulder pads, gloves and elbow pads in 8 years. Two helmets, and four pairs of skates. He bought new helmets and one time we bought new skates, but they were $150, not $1000.

If your son turns out to have the aptitude and desire to play hockey at a level high enough to earn a scholarship then yes, you will need to invest significantly more than our family has. Maybe you’ll get lucky and he’ll really love jump rope, those aren’t that expensive. Though I bet tournaments and travel are the same...

You're asking for a government to handle money more wisely yet give big tax write offs for hockey.

Sorry, I don't see a correlation between the two.

There are families in Canada in much worse situations than not being able to afford hockey.
- golfingsince

Once marijuana is properly being sold in Canada it will provide a huge economic boost. Billions per year more than we have now. That will more than cover it. Yes asking them to handle the money wisely is as likely as me winning the lottery, but one can dream. The revenue possibilities that marijuana provides will be able to increase budgets in hospitals, school and extra curricular activities, which is needed throughout the country. It also provides money to help more families in need. With better education, and more possibilities for post secondary education, young kids will finally have the tools to lower the % of struggling families in the future. Fixing all of our problems starts with better education for our children, so they don't make the same mistakes their parents did. Imagine schools providing breakfast and lunch free for students because they have the funding for it. That would take 10 meals(more if you include snacks) out of parents budgets each week. They would also lessen the load on food banks as families won't need as much food to support their children. Imagine lower cost child care, for my daughter it would have cost over 12k/year and only 8k can be wrote off at years end. That is how you help struggling families, take the biggest cost away and give them the opportunity to work full time, without worrying about 1/2 their paycheck going to child care and the other 1/2 to rent.