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A CCM rep is posting in one of the skate threads, other reps have chimed in from various companies. But again, equipment IMO is in a period of diminishing returns. In the last year I would say discussions around profiling/pitch have been of the most interest to me. Various people with some pretty deep knowledge chimed in and various research studies were referenced and posted. To each their own.

I have to be honest, I find the topic you chose for this thread to be offensive - or at least overly provocative. There is a man behind the site that works incredibly hard for this community and that should always, in ,my opinion, be remembered. You could have just as easily asked the question, "why isn't more information about products being posted on MSH" This would have been valid and far nicer. As many have said the market has changed considerably. The way manufacturers deal with online information outlets has changed as well. I also think the way people consume news and information has changed and many prefer to listen to a video rather than write and discuss. I could get into what that says about us as people (not a good thing) but I will pass on it. Low hanging fruit as it were.... The good thing is we can do things to help.... post good topics. Share your experiences and reviews. Tell your friends about the site and, when the pandemic is over, come to events. In the end this site is what WE make of it.

To be fair - gear has stagnated completely and either innovation is at an all time low, or we’ve reached a point of diminishing returns on currently available materials. I have a hard time getting excited about CCM moving their logo from the bottom of the Ribcore shaft to the top, or Bauer adding different pops of chrome every year and calling it a new stick. Protective hasn’t really gone anywhere in about 8 years since the CL line released and skates, aside from steel/holder enhancements haven’t really gone anywhere aside from perhaps better baking results. We’ve also seen a decline in unique products. We’ve been P92/P28/P88’ed to death and quirky stuff like custom Franchise gloves have completely disappeared. Did I also mention that all of this stuff has been increasing in price at an absurd rate? It’s hard to generate buzz when there is nothing to buzz about. /rant.

+2 for both.

The reason for the perceived "slow down" on MSH these last few months is because nobody is playing or watching hockey right now. Nobody has seen anything to get excited about. On top of that, for many people hockey is extremely far down the list of priorities as they deal with the pandemic, home offices and home schooling, work uncertainty, and unemployment through no fault of their own with no end in sight. I am one of the lucky ones that can work from home and doesn't have to deal with educating children or caring for older relatives. Many don't have that same luxury so we'll have to excuse them if they aren't doing cartwheels over the latest Bauer reveal. The broader topic of less catalog reviews and the like is due to the shift in the industry. With manufacturers taking a firmer hold on when and how their new product is dropped, there is less opportunity for pre-launch buzz. MSH enjoys a positive relationship with the manufacturers and isn't about to jeopardize that. With their embracing of social media, manufacturers want to control their message and timing of information and MSH respects that.

This, for me, is a really big part of it. I realize inflation has a hand in it to some extent, but I remember 15 years ago when gloves like the Vapor XXX were selling at around $129.99 I think? Fast forward to the present day when the 1X Lite retails for $219.99 (not counting the recent markdown on account the 2X line set to hit the market soon). Have gloves really come that far so quickly that they're worth nearly double the price? Not in my eyes, at least. As for things like sticks, they're expensive in general for what they are. I don't mind paying a high price for something that feels good, performs well, and lasts me for a reasonable period of time, but when I shell out top dollar on something like the 1X Lite I bought a few years ago that dies after just a few months playing once or twice a week, I don't feel like I got good value for my money. I normally always shoot for top-of-the-line gear because I like the idea of a product being made as good as it can be, but I haven't felt comfortable paying more than $200 for a stick since. This is to say nothing for those who pay top dollar only to have the stick snap on them and be SOL because the warranty expired just a week beforehand. It's hardly a wonder people load up on pro stock sticks at $100. I'm sure sticks aren't cheap to make and the profit margins are slim even on the higher-end, but I also don't like the idea of pointing the blame at consumers just trying to get their money's worth and people selling pro gear on eBay just hoping to make a little pocket change on the side. I feel bad for retail stores who end up being punished as a result of all this, but maybe it's not a great business model in general? I don't know. Someone feel free to step in and correct me on any of that. Anyway, to get back on topic, rinks are closed, people aren't working, the economy is screwed, a virus is running rampant, and the streets of major US cities are filled with a whole lot of anger and hate. I wish I could say I was spending a lot more time worrying about hockey (among many other things) right now, but the world is a very different place than it was three months ago.

Watch a vintage game from 20 years ago or more on NHL Network now and just look at all the brands that are gone. Each brand drove the others to innovate and punch through the envelope back then. Now ? Not so much. The access to Pro Stock is also another pipeline that has effected everyone in the chain.

I agree with all of this. As player who also owns multiple hockey stores and also does team sales I think we have hit a point where the only innovations are decreases in weight. The problem is the materials they are incorporating to decrease weight by such a very minimal margin are also making equipment less durable and more costly. The good news is that the second or third from the top price points are now just as good as the top of the line product from a year or two ago. So anyone thats not playing at a ridiculously high level no longer needs to buy top of the line sticks and such to get a high quality product. For example, the new AS3 skate is very nice and I don't see many people wanting to spend the money on an AS3 Pro unless they are wanting to go custom. Otherwise it seems like a poor investment, unless you are getting it for cost, your team is paying for it, or you have money laying around and want to waste it. I think other companies such as TRUE are also recognizing this as well with their retail strategy. Lastly, the market has been flooded with pro stock items so even if you want to go with a top of the line product you can usually find it the very same thing in pro stock with equal or better specifications for significantly less than retail. There is an equipment manager for a WHL team that sells a ton of stuff on the side and he has made my life miserable for some time now. Why would anyone spend $250 on a top of the line stick when they can get the same stick in a pro stock model from him for $100?