There are three forward positions: center, left wing and right wing.  Centers serve as the focal point for the offense.  A center is normally a good passer who can get the puck to his left or right wings. The left and right wings skate on their side of the rink. The wings should be good shooters, so they can receive the puck from the center and score.  The primary responsibility of the forward positions are to score goals however it is not uncommon to see a forward play defense since they are free to skate to all areas of the rink.

The primary job of the defenseman is to prevent the opposing team from scoring.  The defenseman will also attempt to gain possession of the puck and pass to a teammate to initiate a goal. Each defender skates on a specific side of the rink. Agility, strength and great skating skills are imperative for this position.  A defense player must be able skate backwards as well as forward. Each team will have two defensemen in the rink during a game, right defense and left defense. Since there are positions named but no rules regarding specific skating areas, a defender could score on occasion.

The goalie is responsible for guarding his team's net and stopping the opponent from scoring on his goal .  A good goalie should be quick and agile and have excellent puck handling skills.