Jason: To play hockey at a high level your skating must be second nature. In short you can't be thinking about your skating. Took years of practice and 1000s of hours practicing and playing to get to that point before I started playing in college.
Its a great sport but to play at higher levels its limited as to those who can really play. It looks easy on T.V. but probably the most difficult sport to play at a high level.
But even if you can't really skate that well its still a hoot to play in a beginners league. Try it. You might like it unless your back is really a problem since falling is part of hockey.
Fortunately I haven't lost any teeth over the years so I still have a beautiful smile ; ). I have had teeth chipped from getting hit though (one time from being punched in a "spirited disagreement"), stiches in the inner lip, fractures of the metatarsals in my feet (both feet each at different times, the right foot twice!) being hit with slap shots causing said fractures and multiple bruises (comes with the territory as a defensemen), concussion, multiple times having the wind knocked out of me and my latest achievement (5 weeks ago) diving to save the puck from going out of the offensive zone and hitting the boards with my head and shoulder first and partially tearing my left rotator cuff. That was a treat.
. All this in only the past 3 years.
Lets just say I buy the top of the line cup.
My slap shot sucks. Maybe 60 mph approx. Best on the radar gun last summer was 64 mph. 70mph if I blow my shoulder out. Most of the guys in my league are good for 80mph shots. Some former AHLers and my defensive partner are good for 90mph! My snap shot is better. My wrist shot is fair. I'm not a big goal scorer. Maybe 5 goals a season over 25 games. My strength is that I am a very strong backwards skater if I don't say so myself (kinda like my thinking on Cobras : ) and am good at standing forwards up at the blue line or forcing them to the outside corners and into the boards. My major thought offensively is to pass the puck up to open center or wingers or dumping the puck out of the zone.
As to the NHL they were actually thinking of increasing the size of the rinks in the NHL due to the ever increasing size of the players. I'm 5'8" (well almost
) and 205lbs.and pretty fit. I work out every other day and skate and average of 8 hours a week when I'm not playing hockey. I'm borderline as far as size for NHL scouts today. I would have to have super skills to be drafted at my size. Any smaller than 190lbs your probably not going to cut it for the NHL scouts.
As far as openning up the scoring in the NHL they did make some rule changes to help in that department. For instance overtimes are now 4 on 4. Much faster and more wide open.
Also I understand the NHL institued a policy requiring player to put their false teeth in during t.v interviews to help the image of hockey.
I don't think sticks will ever be allowed to be used in fights. That went out with the Roman Gladiators but most hockey players I know would probably welcome the idea!
Seeing the puck at speed and keeping track of it in a game is part of the difficulty of playing hockey. Takes practice and effort and concentration and good health insurance. Man those suckers hurt when they hit you!
You don't have to be crazy to play hockey. But it helps.
Sorry for the hockey rant (again)