SportsKlub Orillia Hockey returns with a new vision: Fast, fun and built for everyone

Registration now open for 2026–27 season as SportsKlub introduces a pond hockey-inspired format focused on creativity, community and player safety

 Registration is now open for the 2026–27 SportsKlub Hockey season, featuring a new fast-paced, four-team format designed to deliver a fun, non-contact hockey experience for players of all skill levels.

SportsKlub Orillia ice hockey is back, but this season is bringing a fresh approach.

Registration is now open for the 2026–27 SportsKlub Friday Night Puck Around, an 18-week recreational hockey season designed to be fun for all skill and experience levels.

The new format strips away many of the things that make recreational hockey intimidating and instead leans into what made so many people fall in love with the game in the first place.

Think pond hockey.

Fast shifts. Lots of puck touches. Creative plays. Big smiles.

"We want this to feel less like organized league hockey and more like the games you played with your friends growing up on the pond," said SportsKlub founder Tyler Evans. "The goal isn't to create a competative hockey league. It's to create a place where people can laugh, meet new people and play hockey without feeling any pressure."

Four teams, Endless action

Instead of traditional hour-long games, SportsKlub Orillia ice hockey will use a rotating four-team format inspired by gym class.

Two teams play at a time in three-minute games.

The winning team stays on for up to three consecutive victories before rotating off, while the team that has been waiting the longest jumps onto the ice. If a game ends tied, both teams rotate off.

Depending on attendance, games are played 3-on-3 or 4-on-4.

The result is a fast-paced, arcade-style experience that creates constant action and plenty of opportunities for everyone to get involved.

With fewer players on the ice, there is more room to skate, possess the puck, make passes, try a deke or simply enjoy having the puck on your stick.

Whether you're a lifelong hockey player or someone dusting off the skates for the first time in years, every shift is designed to be approachable and fun.

Safety starts with the culture

SportsKlub's biggest change this season comes with player equipment.

The league remains non-contact, but organizers say reducing heavier equipment is another step toward creating the type of hockey experience SportsKlub wants to offer.

Players are required to wear:

• CSA-approved hockey helmet

• Hockey gloves

• Skates

• Hockey stick

Elbow pads and shin pads are optional. Players are asked to leave traditional hockey pants and shoulder pads at home.

The reasoning isn't about removing protection — it's about removing the temptation for players to unintentionally use heavily padded equipment during puck battles or collisions.

"If someone gears up in full equipment while everyone else is wearing lightweight gear, it changes how people play," Evans said. "We don't want players throwing their bodies around in corners or using shoulder pads and hockey pants to win puck battles. That's not the environment we're trying to create."

For players who would like additional protection, SportsKlub encourages safer alternatives that don't add bulk or encourage physical play, such as padded compression shirts or protective referee style pants with built-in tailbone padding.

The goal is for everyone to feel comfortable while keeping the game light, respectful and truly non-contact.

Hockey without the pressure

SportsKlub Orillia ice hockey has never been about championships or standings.

It's about showing up on a Friday night, getting some exercise, meeting great people and creating memories.

The league welcomes adults of every skill level—from experienced players looking for a relaxed skate to beginners taking their first strides on the ice. Players register individually and are assigned to one of four teams.

"We want the games to be close and exciting," Evans said. "But at the end of the night, nobody remembers the score. They remember the laughs, the incredible plays, the people they met and the stories they leave with."

2026–27 SportsKlub Friday Night Puck Around

Season: November 6, 2026 – March 9, 2027

Ice Times: 18 Friday nights at 8:30 p.m.

Location: Brian Orser Arena, Orillia

Registration:

• Players: $295

• Goalies: $80

Each registration includes a SportsKlub hockey jersey to keep.

Registration is now open. For more information or to reserve a spot, click here.