bunnyman666

Power skating lessons from a figure skater really helped me. I am actually thinking of learning honest to goodness figure skating.

The only thing in new gear that excites me is if it can still be made the old way. I am still excited over my Eagle goat skin player gloves, and I have had them for YEARS. NOS “pro fit” CCM HT2 helmets excite me, though I use a Kustom Composites player helmet. Goalie gear can excite me, but only if I do some sort of customisation. I just got a pair of Vaughn pads that require no strapping change for me to use them; the plus 2” thigh rise will need to be corrected. Guess what I will be addressing whilst out for my surgery? Lastly, vintage gear and restoring it REALLY excites me. The vintage gear I have collected is not pressed into service again, but making it suitable to be used makes me excited. There is something about the old stuff that stirs the imagination for me.

Another small victory: played goal at drop in today. New exercise regimen has paid off as I was nowhere nearly as winded as normal when playing. I let in a few muffins, but it’s not like I get to play all that regularly at this point.

Not a dick move for all reasons stated.

I love my VH/True skates! (me trying to steer us back on topic)

I have not worn a boot strap in four years and mine go right back to centre. I wear a Brian’s ZeroG with an elastic system to hold the pads onto my legs, as well as elastic toe ties. I used the Brian’s smart toe, then other styles of shock cord/velcro style toe ties. What Reactor series do you have @sconnie? The later Reactors (pro model was 9000, I think it went 5000, 7000 and 9000) were a bit stiffer than the older Reactors (2000, 4000, 6000); may have nothing to do with your rotation problem. @psulion22 the boot strap ala Lundquist also raises the pad up, effectively giving you a taller thigh rise without using a taller pad, extremely useful in the thigh rise restricted NHL. Never tried the Lundy loop, and found boot straps run conventionally to be constricting for me. I could see the boot strap run like Lundy as an area the NHL may crack down on in their quest to increase scoring, all joking about the boot strap save a couple of days back.

Penny Marshall

All that it has taken for me to be a “rarin’ to go!” is the fact I can’t do it right now...

You like your partner that much, eh?

I am certain it is; but you could change a few features and call it something else...

Two things I am wishing for on the consumer machine: 1) cross-grind wheel 2) Asymmetrical hollow wheels for goalies. I miss the HELL out of A-Trap (when done correctly, of course!) Jeremiah Sparx- I know you read this board, please entertain offering these items!

Find a friend with a ventilator and have them call on your shift and have them ask for you? You’re welcome 🤡

I particularly like mine.

I imagine it to be a love or hate proposition, no?

I may have to have you sharpen a pair of steel with that and see how I like it, JR. Thanks for the answer!

@JR Boucicaut a buddy of mine is considering an at home sharpener, do you think I should steer him towards this one or a Sparx? How technically proficient does one need to be with the Prosharp home unit versus the Sparx? I am actually considering one of these if I end up liking the Channel Z hollow; do you like that hollow for a goalie?

I get it!!!

So I guess you’re saying not to throw a hissy, then? 😆

Could be... Ugh.

IMO The new chesty was hastily rushed to market, though I do detect some kicking and screaming to go along with the new specs. That being said- it seems that the one manufacturer that is “getting” it could be Kenesky. It seems that some manufacturers are merely chopping the chesties down, rather than re-engineering them. I do think the WHOLE game should be nurtured and not just the scoring orgy that Boris is demanding. To me, great saves are JUST as exciting if not MORE exciting than a goal. Of course I think this fascination with scoring is an American thing.

Admittedly, I was not a fan and am STILL quite skeptical about the continual whittling down of goal equipment; however- this could ACTUALLY produce a more exciting to watch game. Because the chest protector is getting whittled down (and STILL needs a LOT of work because goalies are complaining about stingers and bruises), this will start to end the “drop and block” style of goal tending. I don’t see the return of the “stand up” tender by any means, but what I do see coming, ESPECIALLY from the standpoint of gloves starting to shrink more and the net eventually growing is a return of a goalie challenging the shooter and a bit more action on the part of the goalie. Again- I was very publicly against the further shrinkage of goal equipment, especially since this was done hastily and WITHOUT safety in mind. On another forum, I have proclaimed many times that “Boris (Gary) Bettman wants goalies fatigued and hurt, which will start his goal orgy!” and I STILL feel that way, but the smaller equipment will result in a more athletic goalie. But this may actually make the game more exciting because a new style of play will evolve as a result of the ever-shrinking equipment. The mask will CERTAINLY need a makeover. Pro goalies are getting concussed like crazy with the 1970’s tech. I know- concussions can happen “like that”, but it is time for some 21st century tech as the modern goalie mask traces its origins to Dave Dryden’s combo and not all that much has changed since! This could end up being a very interesting development, as the evolving game may necessitate different head gear. I famously was using old-spec equipment. That stuff is BLOODY hard to play like an athletic goalie in! When I moved back to modern spec, I could move better. I bought a new Brian's Sub Z 3 chesty, and ended up grafting my Warrior floaters on in order to make the chesty a little more mobile and not have them pop up into my mask all the time. I did not get my arms narrowed on this unit, but did get them beefed up as I was feeling shots there. Since I am on the brink of being an “intermediate” size, I am also thinking of spec’ing my pads as intermediate width. This is only to allow me to move better. I think that modern Intermediate sized gloves will be the new pro template for the NHL. What say you, modsquaders?

I use a very shallow hollow wheel for nicks like that on my runners. That being said, I, TOO want to see the return of the cross-grind ring!

Pops made pads up into his ‘90s. Before Cooper, Koho, Jofa and Brown, Pops Kenesky was the only game in town for a long time from the early 20th century into the late ‘60s or early ‘70s. D&R probably got into market in the ‘70s. CCM only made goalie gloves back then. Brian Heaton and Mike Vaughn did not get into the game until the ‘80s. Ron Hextall was the last pro in the NHL wearing Kenesky, ending a long, long association with the league. The number of brands literally mushroomed from the ‘70s through the ‘90s!!!!! Your buddy had quite the experience hitchiking, then hanging on Pops’ door step! What a cool story!

I am uncertain. I know John Brown famously refused to pay the fees and it ended up that only his chesty and other things covered up make it on NHL goalies. Of course his pads and gloves scream ‘80s. I think Kenesky were prepared to (AND were actually hoping to) pay the fee to be in the NHL last year. They were QUITE chuffed to have their leg pads appear on a pro in camp last year. Sorry to veer slightly off subject, but seeing the availability of new, old style pads, this proves that if there is a market for old stuffed pads, someone could still make a few bucks making cowlings for skates! Okay- back to Kenesky trying to make waves!

@IPv6Freely Kenesky had a set of pads or two in NHL training camps last preseason. But it seems they may carve out their space in the NHL. Vaughn did whine a bit on social media because someone grafted a pair of Kenesky shoulder floaters onto a new VE8 chesty! That was awkward to watch...