How to Get an NHL Autograph at a Game

Professional autograph seekers consider hockey players to be amongst the most accessible athletes. That's the good news. The bad news is that getting an autograph at an NHL game is still difficult, depending on a mixture of good timing, luck and a loud voice. Preparation is key to getting that autograph. Take steps to make sure that when the moment happens, and the player's standing right in front of you, you know how to take advantage of the situation.

Things You'll Need

  • Item to be signed
  • Pen
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get insider information. On message boards, such as HFBoard, fans exchange information about hockey players. There you can find out how punctual a particular player is, how early he comes to practice, what route he takes to the stadium, how friendly he is, even what type of car he drives. The more you know, the better you can position yourself to nab that autograph.

    • 2

      Familiarize yourself with what the players look like. You might not recognize your target player in his every day clothes. A mask and uniform change a person's looks. You can find pictures of all the players on official team sites.

    • 3

      Prepare yourself with the right materials. If you want to have a puck signed, have the puck and silver permanent ink. For a jersey or hockey stick, black ink is better. Make sure your pen will work on a photograph or the material you want signed. Your goal is to make it as easy as possible for the player to sign.

    • 4

      Get to the stadium early. Players show up around two to three hours early on game day, depending when practice time is scheduled. Be patient. You'll also have a window of around half an hour after the game, when players are leaving.

    • 5

      Make yourself stand out to the player. Wear his jersey. Look enthusiastic. Depending on the player's nationality, you might want to call out a few words in Russian or Czech, or wish a player a happy birthday if it's close to that event.