02/06/2026
Why Roller Hockey is Good for Ice Players -- By Peter Dale
*Updated Feb 1, 2026: Olympic Edition!
We all know that USA Hockey advocates cross-training and playing multiple sports. We also know that there is still a huge majority of players who continue to play spring ice hockey and skate throughout the summer with little break. I have been teaching, training and coaching both Ice Hockey and Roller Hockey for nearly 30 years and I am here to say, roller hockey will absolutely make you a better ice hockey player…period! Before you roll your eyes, please read on…
I grew up playing ice hockey and continued to play through college. After college, I was burned out on ice and jumped on the inline craze of the nineties. Little did I know that it would take me around the world as a player on the USA National team as well as allow me to achieve my dream of playing professional hockey. I was even on ESPN. How cool is that?! There is no question that my ice skills helped me excel at roller hockey. What I did not realize at the time is how much roller hockey would change my ice game as a player and how I approached it as a coach and trainer. Here is why….
*Roller Hockey is played 4 v 4 with no off-sides and no icing. This type of game encourages puck control, puck support and finding open space. While most people understand this, many fail to realize how good it is for 1-1 battles. There is nowhere to hide in roller. With no off-sides and no icing, all the players are exposed. You are forced to talk, to pick up an open man and to win those 1-1 battles. There is a HUGE Compete element to the game!
For those of you thinking, “yeah but you cannot stop on rollers or it’s slow” THINK AGAIN. The technology of skates and wheels today is amazing. The speed of players and the game has increased just like any other sport. It’s actually faster in many ways as there is not as many whistles or stoppages of play. This forces players to learn how to see the rink and make decisions quickly. It changes from a ‘dump and chase’ – North-South mentality to moving laterally and back, bringing in an East-West component often overlooked in ice. It is all about PUCK POSSESSION! That is also what top ice teams preach!
If you need proof or validation of the game, look no further than the 3 v 3 overtime that the NHL is using! Everyone is in awe of the speed, the skills, the odd man rushes and back and forth play. The truth is that people like to see talent showcased. They like watching players score goals! Hello, Roller Hockey!
I always hear, “that’s a roller move if they tried that on the ice they would get hit/laid out”. Have you watched NHL highlights? Or have Instagram? The players of today are bigger, stronger, faster and are making these same skills moves…on other NHL players! Guys have done the Michigan in NHL games, Zegras and Bedard BOTH did a Michigan on the same day. Zegras has even flipped the puck over the back of the goal for a baseball swing goal. Today’s players are pushing the envelope of skill and creativity. Roller Hockey allows players the freedom to work and develop in more creative ways! All without the pressures and grind of the ice season!
Strong is strong, Fast is Fast and Sick Moves are Sick Moves! If you have not seen the top youth and adult players play roller hockey, you need to go to a NARCh, State Wars, or TORHS event. It is unreal. You will be impressed…and discover that many of the top players are AAA ice kids, NAHL, USHL, College D1 and even pro ice players!
Then there is always the big debate if roller hockey hurts your stride and skating. Many skeptics will tell you it’s bad for their form. Roller players do circles and not stops and starts. NEWS FLASH…kids not stopping and starting has nothing to do with roller. It has to do with lazy players. As an ice hockey coach I am continually breaking that same habit. Ethen Frank holds the record for the fastest skater time in the American Hockey League (AHL) with a time of 12.915 seconds. Frank set this record in 2023 at the AHL All-Star Skills Competition. He repeated his victory in 2024, completing the lap in 13.032 seconds. No NHL player has gone Sub 13. He gave credit to growing up in a roller rink, playing roller hockey for his Dad, Dave Frank who owned the roller rink.
In reality, I can make a huge case that starting out on inline skates will actually help you excel at a much quicker pace than starting on the ice. HUH? Skating on rollers is like having exercise balls under your feet, you are constantly trying to find your balance points. After learning how to skate in rollers, the transition to ice is much easier…and quicker. Kids find their balance and edge work much quicker. I watch it happen first hand on a regular basis, year after year, player after player!
There is a skate company, Marsblade that is changing the way ice players can skate and train. Their O1 skate is more similar to the edge of an ice skate making the transition to using inline skates easier and better to work on Off-ice Skills Training (aka, roller hockey)They even have an R1 skate, a roller version for competitive play and tournaments! It's awesome.
Here is a little-known fact as well for all the roller bashers…Over the past two decades, there has been an invasion of inline speed skaters crossing over to ice speed skating. Skaters like, Chad Hedrick, Derek Para, Jondon Trevena, Jennifer Rodriguez, KC Boutiette, Joey Cheek and even Apolo Anton Ohno started on inline skates. Most recently, Joey Mantia made the switch. These skaters not only transitioned but became Olympic Champions. In fact, about 65 percent of the United States Olympic medals in ice speed skating during the last three Olympics were earned by former inline skaters who made the transition from inline to ice.
** This year, check out Zach Stoppelmoor. He is a West Des Moines native who grew up inline skating at Skate South in Des Moines and built a life off his love of speed skating. Now he's heading to the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina!
Yeah, ok, but that is speed skating…this is HOCKEY. Well, FYI, the number of players playing juniors, college and pro are growing. Oh yeah, and that other league, the NHL. We have those roller alums too! Check your facts. Connor Bedard is the hottest young NHL player. He has played roller hockey in the summer since he was a kid. Even Connor McDavid used to practice on inline skates in his garage and it does not seem to have hurt his skating or playing abilities! Olympic Teams will have roller players on the roster too. If you want to see lists of who actually plays roller there is a great list from our friends at RollerDad News. Visit their website: RollerDadNews.org
**This year check out Cayla Barnes and Joy Dunne, long time roller players who will be playing on the Women’s Olympic Ice team. USA-USA-USA!
*Are you getting the picture yet? Roller Hockey can be your secret weapon. Roller hockey can be your way to get off the ice, give your mind a mental break while still developing your skills and game awareness.
In 1996, I started USA Clinics, a traveling roller hockey camp that toured the USA teaching young players the game of roller hockey. What I soon discovered was that after getting the bug for hockey, the roller players would make the switch to ice hockey. The result…they soon were among the best players on their team and in their own organization.
After having started our own Farm Tough Roller Club in 2011, I have seen first hand our kids go back to their respective teams/clubs and excel. Every year after roller ends and ice begins, parents will call or email and tell me what a difference roller has made. Other people stop and ask them what they did over the summer. I love it! When people ask me what do my kids do? Why are they so good? It’s simple…we play roller hockey! And it’s NOT just in the spring and summer. We do Off-Ice Skills Training on rollers during ice season the results are amazing!
*I am not saying that if you play roller hockey you will automatically be the best player. But I will tell you that no matter what your skill level, be it, Tier 1, A, B or C player, that if you do play Roller, you will be among the best Tier 1, A, B or C players over those who do NOT play roller hockey. It can definitely provide the confidence boot for those bubble kids to push them up a notch too.
As we move into spring and summer, take a look on social media and see just how many top players and instructors use roller hockey as a tool for improvement in the off-season. If you have not tried it, please don’t bash it. If you have tried it and it’s not your cup of tea, no problem, move on, thanks for exploring and best wishes!
Remember there is no one path to greatness, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that playing roller hockey will without a doubt make you a better ice player. Check out your local area for roller programs and leagues!
If you are in or near the Milwaukee area, We have two great Roller Hockey Programs. For REC or Competitive players! Visit FarmToughHockey.com for details.
Check out your surrounding area for roller opportunities and get wheeling!
