DarkStar50

On warmup suits, our Pro Shop takes a credit card number with expiration date when we do the fitting with sizing samples in the spring. When the warmup suits are picked up in the shop in late August/early September, the customer pays at that time. We clearly state during the fitting session and it is written on the order form which they sign to confirm the size they tried on is the size they are getting(that's another story) that if they do not pick up the warmup suit by September 10, we will charge their credit card. There have been no problems with this procedure. Our Pro Shop does stock the custom team gloves, pants, and shells. They are mandatory as part of the player contract to purchase. The rink does own the Pro Shop however, we have had hardly any problems with that either in selling our inventory. Having a private organization come to you is certainly a risk as the people in charge usually only stick around for as long as their kid is a player in the organization.

That's not related to what this post is about. 🙂

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.

Given that there will be no new FFS from Bauer this season, I thought it was in the public interest to share the information for those thinking of moving from wire to a bubble. I think you may have misunderstood my post. 🙂

Bauer pulled full face shields from Bauerbiz for dealers. I contacted my rep and all FFS are on allocation. I placed a few orders for fall delivery. I don't know if I will get all that I asked for. Word was that big box wanted all the inventory. I can't confirm that but wouldn't be surprised. CCM also pulled FFS from their B2B. So if don't hesitate if you are thinking of going away from wire to a bubble.

^^ oh yeah, lots of back checking pressure from 39 Blue. !! Next time, show us in real speed,!!

The only question that matters : With the $400 stick, did you at least score a goal ?? !!! JK, thanks for your info.

At least five years ago Bauer started cutting corners on steel on skates. They would put LS2 Edge steel on the $210 price point skate and LS1 on the $325 price point skate. I remember the first time they did this when the rep was showing the new skate lineup. I asked about this immediately and there was no good answer. Obviously, Bauer was cutting corners on product cost for steel in order to squeeze some more $$ out of dealers/customers. LS1 was never offered in the catalog but there it was on product. Even given Bauer's change in management over the last few years, this LS1 steel is still used on their skates. While this info is a bit off topic, it is an example to me of how Bauer has dumbed down their own statement products. After all, Bauer earned their name as a skate company !! We sold LS5 in the shop the first few months it was available. As sharpeners, we were not impressed. Once we sold our intial inventory, we never reordered. The difference in sharpening Step vs Bauer steel is so noticeable on the wheel. It really is pleasurable to sharpen Step. I have it on my skates. I've been given Bauer steel but am not interested in using it.

In other words, the home machine is only worth a single skating use per sharpening ? Constantly sharpening your skates after single use would seem to directly effect the longevity/life of your steel ? Expense of using your ring constantly leading to quicker replacement ?

I have seen so many Olympic gold medal figure skaters train and coach at my rink since 2001. The best skaters in the world can teach hockey players a lot about edge control, balance, power skating(figure skaters keep their skates on the ice through most of their program) and skating efficiency of motion. Elite figure skating coaches can recognize the tiniest flaw in their skater's technique. A friend of mine is a former NHL linesman that used to work with a figure skating coach every summer deep into his career just to maintain his edge control and remain at that top level. The best skaters in any rink are the figure skaters, not the hockey players.

You know your gear is old when your pants and shoulder pads are branded NikeBauer as mine are. No need to get anything new there. The old Reebok 7K elbows are fine and Nexus 600 shins are good enough. I did get new FT1 skates a year ago after the Supreme NXG died after 5 years. I used to rotate my gloves but now wear the same pair of 2015 CCM 4 rolls every game. As long as the palms are good, why bother switching. As a buyer for the shop, I think that innovation in gear upgrades peaked quite a while ago. So many items were just reskinned after every 2 year product life cycle, that it was just blah. I know the guys on the inside at Bauer and CCM will want to crosscheck me for that comment but I can speak softly and carry a big stick. I do believe that one thing to consider in terms of skate tech/improvements is that as Bauer was blowing up financially and at management levels, a lot of their key leaders in R D & D and skate design were let go. This downsizing in staff and financial resources had to have some impact. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't worry about it. However, I don't see the innovation that was happening 10-12 years ago in skate design by the leader in the category.

^^ Surfer dude isn't into sharpening eh.

Summer starting year 3 on Marleau's deal at $6mil+ cap hit is when 34, 29, and 16 all come off 3 year rookie deals? If so, this can't be good. They are going to want to give 34 a long term deal, no bridge deal, and we are going to be talking $$$$. 29 and 16 won't come cheap either. IMHO, this "character guy, in the room, leadership" role is the most over-hyped thing in hockey chemistry, Are you basically saying your vets from this past year didn't have it or just an excuse to justify signing a few vets on light $ deals?

Here is another analogy to placing too much emphasis on the VT results: just as they run crash tests with cars to determine the "safest" car in an accident, the fact of the matter is that you are still in an accident !! Chances are good that at some point in playing hockey you are going to get hit in the head. Buy the helmet that fits your noggin the best.

Home run helmets. Both extremely comfortable. CCM has two great models for retail. Plus they hit the price points and leave money left over for tape and sharpening !!

I understand the point you are making and it is valid. I wasn't clear about mine by referencing the coffee machine analogy. The market for coffee machines and then K-Cups is huge as well as your car sales point. My point, made not clear at all by me, was just the smaller size of the market for Sparx. That will be the challenge after the first wave of sell-through. Axxion89, sorry for the misunderstanding.

Comparing an appliance that you can buy for $100 and makes your daily cup or two or three of coffee to a $900 machine sharpening your skates once a week or every two weeks is not the comparison you want to make. And that edge needs to be level in that picture.

^^^ ha, after seeing this, he will offer MSH one in a nano-second. Gotta push that product out the door because the product life cycle clock is ticking. Early adopters phase is over.

Cows don't leave barns. Horses do.

Write his mom and dad. Ask his linemate to ask him. Hang out in the hotel lobby where the Oilers stay on the road.

Write him a fan letter ! That's what we did when we were kids.

I believe pros skate more alike than you may think. The best place to watch a pro skate is behind the goal line. Watch any NHL skater perform a C cut breaking out of his zone as you watch his stride from the ass end and think what you may have in common with him. Sorry, but for most of us, probably not much. And if you really want to have some fun, google any Youtube clip of Paul Coffey from the 80s power skating(that would be without lifting either leg off the ice, just shimmying his hips from side to side like elite figure skaters do for speed before jumps) goal line to goal line to see how stride and technique take professional hockey and figure skaters apart from everyone else.

End of the day, there is how we skate and there is how pros skate. Sorry folks, ROH has nothing to do with it. Those guys flat out know how to skate.

Only the goalies and Kessel below 1/2". An older chart from a few years ago had Crosby at 7/16", now 9/16". I wouldn't be surprised if McDavid is above 1/2" for more glide.