Hockey Gifts for the Holidays: Tanks & Hoodies Fans Actually Wear

What is the best hockey gift for a fan?

The best hockey gift for a fan is their team, on something they'll actually wear.

Every fan has a shelf of hockey Christmas gifts they didn't ask for: the mug, the ornament, the towel with a rink on it. Those stay on the shelf. A tank or a hoodie goes to the game, the bar and the couch for the third period.

Start with hockey hoodies if it's cold where they live. If they already own three hoodies, go with men's hockey tanks or women's racerback tanks. Not sure of the team? Check their phone wallpaper, their back window or the last hat they wore.

Is a hockey tank a good Christmas gift?

Yes, and it's a better winter gift than it sounds.

A tank goes under a hoodie at a cold rink and comes out when the seats fill up. At a packed bar or on a warm couch, it's all they need. Then the playoffs hit and it's the first thing they grab.

Our tanks are lightweight polyester, machine washable, with none of the weight of a hockey sweater. For how fans stack them, read our Hockey Game Layering Guide.

What do you get the hockey fan who owns everything?

A team that doesn't exist anymore.

Fans who grew up in the '90s watched these logos leave. The Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas in 1993. The Quebec Nordiques went to Colorado in 1995. The Hartford Whalers became the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997. Hand one of those logos to a fan who lived it and watch what happens.

Our NHL Defunct & Retro collection covers the teams that left, and the #RetroRevival tanks go further. Want the story to go with it? Read how Minnesota lost its Stars.

Who are you buying for?

Match the gift to how they watch.

• The fan with season tickets. A hoodie for a cold building, from our NHL hoodies or AHL hoodies.
• The couch coach. A tank. They run hot when the power play is bad.
• The hockey parent. A hoodie for the 6 a.m. practice. The Hockey Dad and Hockey Mom gift guides have more ideas.
• The kid. Youth hockey tanks and youth hockey hoodies.
• The office gift exchange. Start with The Best Hockey Gifts Under $75.

What size should I buy for a hockey gift?

Buy their usual size, and check it against a sweatshirt they already own.

Lay one flat and measure across the chest, armpit to armpit. A large NHL hoodie measures 26 inches that way, and our tanks run slightly larger than a normal T-shirt. The numbers for every garment are on our sizing chart.

Stuck between two sizes? Go up. Large and XL are the two sizes our customers buy most. Our standard return and exchange window is 14 days from the day the order arrives, for unused items with hang-tags attached, so check the size before you wrap it. The full details are in our returns policy.

When should I order hockey Christmas gifts?

As early as you can, and earlier for anything made to order.

Every product page tells you the timing. A red line at the top of the description means it's made for you: most say it ships in about 2–3 weeks, and some NHL hoodies say about 2 weeks. That's when it ships, so add delivery time on top.

No red line usually means it's already on our shelf, which covers most NHL tanks. Buying both? Plan around the slower one.

What if I don't know their team?

Get the gift card.

A BenchClearers.com gift card lets them pick their own team and size. Or send them everything we make and wait for the hint.