This is a little difficult for me because I'm a Devils fan and obviously, we have history.
However, there is a chance I could be moving to NC probably around the Mooresville area. Are there any ice rinks? How many teams do you typically see? Talent level?
Mooresville is in the Charlotte area. I think most of the people on here are probably closer to Raleigh. Charlotte has a few rinks, but I don't know the exact number. But I do know that adult and youth hockey around the Raleigh area is strong. We have several rinks, and they stayed booked. There is hockey played every day, ice time is hard to come by, and honestly, the area could probably support a couple more rinks.
I don't live in Charlotte, but my son plays in the Raleigh area has played down there a few times. In Charlotte, you have a great rink in Indian Trail (Matthews area) that has two sheets of ice and has been used to host the U-12 (I believe) US National Championship a few years back. Also, there is a rink in Pineville on the south side of Charlotte that isn't as nice, but is still pretty good.
Overall, the Charlotte area is not as big on hockey as the Raleigh area, but it is growing. I would assume that since the Checkers are now there, both the Canes and Checkers will step up their support of local hockey. Just as frame of reference--when the Canes came to Raleigh, they supported less than 100 youth players--now there are over 1500 and still growing--so you won't find the levels you do up north, but it is growing and there are many transplants from the rust belt that still play.
I live in Charlotte. The game and interest in both the Checkers and the Hurricanes have grown leaps and bounds more in the past two years when the relationship started, than it ever did before.
As far as I know, the only ice rinks in the area are the ones that ONO94 mentioned. There are a couple of temporary outdoor rinks that operate during the winter, but I think those are only used for general ice skating. There were plans to build a rink in Huntersville (about 15 minutes south of Mooresville) about 4 years ago, but the recession halted those plans.
Good news is the Checkers is good fun. The TWC has a bunch of good places to go before the games. If you eat at Brixx pizza, they will comp your parking.
To be clear about the geography -- if you are in the Mooresville area, either of Indian Trail or Pineville will be about an hour away. You are not really close to any rink.
Thanks for the feedback. If I were to move my job would be in Davidson. An hour away from any icerink would be rough but I would make it work. How is the talent?
Thanks for the feedback. If I were to move my job would be in Davidson. An hour away from any icerink would be rough but I would make it work. How is the talent?
Just depends on the level you play. My wife plays C2 at one rink and D at the other. These levels are for beginners who are new to the game.
I've seen some of the A and B games and it looks pretty darn fast with some pretty wicked shots. These guys are most likely transplants from up north.
My sons Pee Wee team is playing in Raleigh this weekend so I'm about to leave from PA. 7 hour drive for kids hockey, ugh. Excited to see Raleigh, though.
In Raleigh area the A and B levels have all the talent you can handle as there are
players that played Pro, College and high level junior. You will suck wind!
Stivhaler York Devil? living in Lancaster You know the Steele's.. We play with them.
In Raleigh area the A and B levels have all the talent you can handle as there are
players that played Pro, College and high level junior. You will suck wind!
.
Yeah I didn't see THAT high a level when I played a few years back, but it was pretty good hockey nonetheless.
Funny story - when I first started playing in Raleigh, it was a Saturday night league at the IcePlex off of Capital. First game, I walk into the dressing room and the only guy there looks like the comic book shop guy from the Simpsons and he's fully dressed already. Only guy there. "Do you play hockey" he asks me...oh boy. What the hell is THIS going to be like. I guess it was my fault, I played down my ability a little bit when the league organizer asked me...had played about 3 times/year in the previous 4 years so i wasn't exactly confident that I was going to be any good. Well...the Saturdsy night league was...confidence boosting. Probably averaged three goals per game, we were easily the best team despite having three good players.
Now a year later when I joined the A-B league at RecZone, now we're talking. That's pretty decent hockey. The funniest thing was that there was all this talk about these young guys that every team had, like 19 and 20 year olds, and that they were so much better than anyone. And invariably, they'd be just ok. They'd have all the moves, like sick Playstation NHL moves, but after that they couldn't score. It was pretty funny. Anyways. That's my story.
If moving to Raleigh area and want the highest level.... A or B in Cary/Garner or Wake Forest as they are back to A/B this season. There are some invitation-only pick-ups in area as well.
If your C level.. there are a bunch of these teams at all rinks Iceplex, Cary/Garner, WF, RCI and HBO in Triangle area.
Yep, York Devils. The Best Western was dumpy, but the bikers who hung out in the parking lot revving their engines until 1AM helped soothe me to sleep. All in all I had a great time. One rink had a ceiling that was way too low and the other had no seats, but the games were good and I got some Clyde Coopers BBQ.
Yeah--the rinks around here are not known for their creature comforts. It doesn't help that some had prior lives as roller rinks as well.
If you want a real peach of a rink--try the one in Virginia Beach (not Chilled Ponds which is really in Chesapeake)--I think that is at the bottom of the ones I have seen. Although they do have seats, the rink is about 3/4 size, low ceilinged, grungy, some of the locker rooms are too small to fit even a small mite team and the best part, you had to use a handheld airhorn to signal the end of the period because the one on the scoreboard didn't work.
I used to live in Mt. Holly and theres a rink right by a big mall about 30 min from me. I think it was Pineville, but I cant remember. Its a pretty nice rink.
I used to live in Mt. Holly and theres a rink right by a big mall about 30 min from me. I think it was Pineville, but I cant remember. Its a pretty nice rink.
