Hockey grinder

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In ice hockey, a grinder is a player who is known for his toughness and hard work, as opposed to a player with crowd-pleasing puck handling skills or other flashy abilities. Generally, due to their lack of finesse, grinders do not earn many goals or assists. Their role is usually limited to wearing the opposing team's players down (thus, grinding), by checking hard and playing a physical game in order to gain momentum for the team. They often engage in fights as well.

Often at the end of a hockey game, an announcement will be made naming players who performed particularly well during the game. In some arenas, the "Grinder of the Game" is included in this special recognition.