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The Most Important Character Traits in Hockey: What Truly Separates Great Players

  • Writer: Kevin Geist
    Kevin Geist
  • 2 days ago
  • 3 min read

When people talk about great hockey players, they usually jump straight to skill:

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skating, shooting, passing, puck handling. But at every level—from youth development to the NHL—coaches will tell you the same thing: character is the real separator. Skill gets you noticed. Character keeps you in the lineup, accelerates your development, and earns the trust of teammates and coaches.


Here are the most important character traits in hockey—the ones that consistently show up in players who rise, improve, and make an impact.

1. Coachability


The best players aren’t the ones who already know everything—they’re the ones who show up ready to learn.Coachability means listening with intent, applying feedback quickly, and being willing to adjust habits even when it’s uncomfortable. A coachable player makes every drill, every rep, and every mistake count.

2. Compete Level


Talent without compete level is wasted potential. High-compete players consistently win puck battles, finish races, and fight for body position. Compete is not about hitting everything that moves—it’s about effort, urgency, and refusing to be easy to play against.

Players with high compete elevate practices and energize games.

3. Resilience


Hockey is a game of failure: missed passes, turnovers, goals against, bad shifts, tough bounces.Resilient players take the punch and bounce back stronger. They don’t spiral. They don’t sulk. They reset, refocus, and respond with purpose.

Coaches trust resilient players because they know they can withstand pressure and adversity late in a game or deep in a season.

4. Accountability


Every great teammate owns their choices—good and bad. Accountability isn’t about blame; it’s about responsibility.Smart, mature teams are built on players who:

  • Admit mistakes quickly

  • Fix habits without excuses

  • Take pride in details

  • Uphold standards in the locker room


Accountability creates a culture where everyone feels both supported and challenged.

5. Hockey IQ (Curiosity + Awareness)


Hockey IQ isn’t just knowing systems—it’s the ability to read, react, anticipate, and solve problems at game speed. What most people forget is that Hockey IQ is built on curiosity: the desire to understand why something works, not just what to do.


Players who ask questions, study the game, and watch others succeed naturally develop elite awareness.

6. Selflessness


Hockey is the ultimate team sport. Selfless players don’t need the spotlight—they need the win. They:

  • Make the extra pass

  • Block shots

  • Change on time

  • Support below the puck

  • Put team success ahead of personal stats


Teams filled with selflessness don’t just play better—they play harder for each other.

7. Work Ethic


Every skill in hockey is earned, not gifted. A great work ethic shows up in the weight room, during skills sessions, and in the final reps when most players mentally check out.

Great players don’t do the work when they feel like it—they do the work because success requires it.

8. Discipline


There’s visible discipline—like avoiding avoidable penalties—and then there’s hidden discipline:

  • Sleeping enough

  • Eating right

  • Training consistently

  • Keeping emotions under control

  • Making smart choices away from the rink


Disciplined players are steady, reliable, and prepared for big moments.

9. Leadership


Leadership is not a letter on a jersey—it’s a behavior. Strong leaders bring energy to the rink, communicate well, support teammates, set the tone in warmups, and raise the standard in practice. They make everyone around them better.


Leadership scales at every age level—from U8 to the NHL.

10. Passion


Hockey is too demanding to play halfway. Passion fuels the early-morning skates, the extra shots after practice, the frustration of bad games, and the joy of breakthroughs. Passion creates longevity. Passion keeps players hungry.

And passion makes the sport fun—which is the most important part.

Final Thoughts: Character Drives Development


Stick skills, skating mechanics, and systems matter—but character is the backbone of a hockey player’s long-term growth. Players who commit to developing these traits don’t just become better athletes; they become better teammates, leaders, and people.


At every level—Mites to Midgets, JV to Varsity, juniors to college—coaches look for these traits first.


Because character never slumps.

 
 
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