In 2018, several initiatives and resources were available for individuals interested in hockey, offering opportunities to try the sport at no cost or participate in simple, free fantasy pools. The available information details national development programmes, youth tournaments, and a free playoff box pool system. These resources were primarily aimed at introducing children to hockey and providing a straightforward method for fans to engage with the NHL playoffs.
Try Hockey For Free Days
USA Hockey organised national "Try Hockey For Free Days" in the 2018-19 season. These events were sponsored by Chipotle, Liberty Mutual, and Pure Hockey. Two specific dates were scheduled: Saturday, 10 November 2018, during Come Play Hockey Month, and Saturday, 23 February 2019, as part of Hockey Week Across America. The programme aimed to introduce children to the sport. According to the source, nearly 25,000 children participated in the two days during the previous season. Since the programme's inception eight seasons prior, it had introduced more than 177,000 children to hockey.
Associations and arenas interested in hosting one of these events were directed to a registration page. The programme provided participating associations with marketing resources and other support to promote hockey at the grassroots level.
The 2 and 2 Challenge
USA Hockey also ran the 2 and 2 Challenge programme for youth hockey associations. This initiative provided a season-long plan and support for increasing participation among children aged 4 to 8. The programme's goal was for associations to add two new players and retain two more players compared to the previous season’s total.
The challenge was structured into three phases: retention, acquisition, and conversion. USA Hockey offered step-by-step guidance, tools, and national resources to support associations through each phase. Associations could learn more about the programme or accept the challenge for the 2018-19 season via a provided link. Marketing resources were also supplied to support the promotion of this programme.
2018 USA Hockey Youth Nationals
Information was available for the 2018 USA Hockey Youth Nationals. The event featured a tournament structure, and participants were encouraged to download an official tournament app for additional content and to follow teams. The source provided a final score for one tournament, indicating a champion and runners-up, though it noted that a selected tournament had been deleted or was unavailable.
Free NHL Playoff Box Pools
A resource for free playoff player boxes was available for those wishing to run simple pools, such as in an office setting. This was offered annually, with boxes posted online for the NHL playoffs in April and for the regular season in August. The system was designed for simplicity, requiring no buttons to click or complex programmes. Instead, it provided spreadsheets meant for printing, ready for use with friends and colleagues.
For the 2018 playoffs, a specific spreadsheet titled "PlayoffBoxes2018" was made available. This file contained boxes for centres (C), wingers (W), defencemen (D), and goaltenders (G) on one tab, with a second tab featuring "teams" instead of goaltenders. The source explicitly stated that these were spreadsheets for printing and were not a pool tracker or a formal programme. To receive reminders when the box pools were ready, users were directed to "LIKE" a Facebook page called Fantasy Hockey Box Pools.
Conclusion
The available 2018 resources for free hockey engagement centred on grassroots development and simple fan participation. USA Hockey's Try Hockey For Free Days and the 2 and 2 Challenge provided structured, no-cost opportunities for children to begin playing hockey, supported by marketing materials for local associations. For fans, a free, print-based box pool system for the NHL playoffs offered a straightforward way to participate in fantasy hockey without the need for complex software or registration. These initiatives collectively supported both the introductory and recreational sides of the sport during that year.