Hockey Awards Guide

Hockey Awards & Superlatives

Choose hockey awards for performance, effort, improvement, leadership and team spirit. Start with these ideas, then choose the award format that fits your game, tournament or team banquet.

Shop Hockey Puck Stickers Browse Award Ideas

16 Hockey Award Ideas

Mix performance awards with effort, character and team culture recognition so the same type of player is not rewarded every time.

  • MVP

    Recognize the player with the biggest overall impact.

  • Most Improved

    Celebrate progress from the start of the season.

  • Best Teammate

    Recognize someone who supports and includes others.

  • Team Spirit

    Celebrate encouragement and positive energy.

  • Hardest Worker

    Recognize consistent effort in games and practices.

  • Sportsmanship

    Reward respect for opponents, officials and teammates.

  • Leadership Award

    Recognize someone who leads by example.

  • Unsung Hero

    Celebrate contributions that do not appear on the scoresheet.

  • Rookie of the Year

    Recognize a standout player in their first season.

  • Best Goalie

    Celebrate saves, positioning and composure.

  • Best Defenceman

    Recognize reliable defensive play and good decisions.

  • Top Scorer

    Recognize scoring achievement over a defined period.

  • Best Chirper

    A lighthearted award for an adult team that enjoys the joke.

  • Golden Pylon

    An inside joke for a willing adult teammate.

  • Best Hockey Hair

    Celebrate memorable flow with a friendly superlative.

  • Locker Room MVP

    Recognize the person who brings the team together.

For youth teams, focus on progress, effort and positive contributions. See our hockey awards for kids guide for 25 age appropriate ideas. Save teasing awards for people who genuinely enjoy the joke.

Choose the Award That Fits

Choose the contribution first, then name the award. When you present it, use a specific example of what the player actually did to earn it.

What you want to recognize Award to consider
A standout game Player of the Game
Consistent effort Hardest Worker or Heart & Hustle
Quiet contributions Unsung Hero
Personal progress Most Improved or a rookie award
Fair play Sportsmanship
A full season A mix of performance and character awards

Turn the award into a keepsake

Hockey Puck Award Stickers

A regular hockey puck can become a simple game award or keepsake. Choose a ready made puck sticker, apply it to your own clean puck and add the player or game details.

Current sticker collections include Player of the Game, Heart & Hustle, Mixed Hockey Awards and Happy Birthday.

Sticker packs contain 20 stickers. Birthday includes 10 front and 10 back stickers for 10 complete birthday pucks. Hockey pucks and markers are not included. Canada only.

Want to compare designs, sizes, pack contents and bundle options? See the complete Hockey Puck Stickers collection.

Compare All Hockey Puck Stickers
Hockey puck stickers for awards, birthdays, Player of the Game and Heart and Hustle

Player of the Game

Recognize the player who made the biggest overall impact in that game.

Shop Player of the Game

Heart & Hustle

Recognize effort, determination, compete level and team first hockey.

Shop Heart & Hustle

Mixed Hockey Awards

Six award designs for different achievements including Hardest Worker, Game Changer and My First Goal.

Shop Mixed Hockey Awards

Looking for a hockey birthday instead of a game award? The full puck sticker collection also includes Happy Birthday.

Choose a Puck, Sticker or Trophy

Hockey puck stickers

Use a ready made award design and add the player, date or game details. You supply the puck.

Compare Hockey Puck Stickers

A personalized puck

The Puck Drop includes a real hockey puck with your selected message around the edge and your chosen top style.

Shop The Puck Drop

A shared team trophy

Pass a hat, belt or trophy to the next recipient after each game and record who earned it and why.

Compare Hockey Trophy Ideas

Need wording for a keepsake? Browse hockey puck message ideas or read the custom hockey puck guide .

Find a Detailed Hockey Awards Guide

Go deeper on the type of recognition you are planning.

Game Awards & Effort

Character & Team Culture

Banquets, Tournaments & Trophies

Funny Awards & Adult Leagues

Coaches & Player Keepsakes

Looking for team names, chirps or more hockey resources? Visit the Hockey Hub .

How to Present a Hockey Award

  1. Name the contribution. Tell the team what the player did.
  2. Give a specific example. Mention a play, practice habit or act of support.
  3. Present the award. Add the player’s details if the format allows.
  4. Keep recognition consistent. Apply the same criteria and notice different kinds of contribution.

Example: “Today’s Heart & Hustle award goes to Liam for chasing loose pucks and supporting his teammates through every shift.”

Hockey Awards FAQ

What are good hockey awards for a youth team?

Start with Most Improved, Best Teammate, Hardest Worker, Sportsmanship and Team Spirit. Add performance awards where they fit your team’s goals.

What is a hockey superlative?

A superlative is a short title that recognizes a player’s skill, personality or contribution, such as Best Teammate, Hardest Worker or Best Hockey Hair.

How many awards should we give?

Choose a number that fits your roster and event. For a youth team celebration, consider meaningful recognition for every player. A recurring game award can recognize one player at a time.

How is Heart & Hustle different from Player of the Game?

Heart & Hustle recognizes effort and determination. Player of the Game recognizes overall impact in that game. Either can recognize a player whose contribution goes beyond scoring.

Which puck sticker pack includes My First Goal?

My First Goal is one of the six designs in the Mixed Hockey Awards pack . The pack contains 20 stickers in total.

Are hockey pucks included with puck stickers?

No. Hockey puck sticker packs contain the stickers only. Hockey pucks and markers are not included. You can compare all Hockey Puck Sticker packs here . The Puck Drop is a separate product that includes a physical hockey puck.

What size are hockey puck award stickers?

The current puck sticker designs are approximately 2.74 inches in diameter and are designed for the flat face of a standard 3-inch hockey puck. See the Hockey Puck Stickers guide for pack options and fitting information.

What should I write on an award puck?

For the award sticker packs, add the writable player, date or opponent details shown on that design. For a personalized gift puck, choose a short message that fits the available personalization options.

What makes a funny hockey award work?

Choose a joke the recipient enjoys. Avoid awards that embarrass a player about their ability, appearance or circumstances.

Ready to make the award?

Turn a Hockey Puck Into a Keepsake

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