Player Reps?

[#96 0]

I'm watching the Kings-Wings game and the commentators were saying that Styles is having problems with his skates hurting his feet. Now I know he's been using Easton skates for a long time now, so it's weird that they hurting now. The guys went on to say that a few different skate companies were showing him their skates to try on.

My question for those in the know is do reps. just hang around the arena toting gear around? Or do they have to be called in for a reason? I'm guessing it's like being a salesman and doing a sales call, but as a rep. I assume you have territories and accounts.

That's a pretty cool gig though. Getting to hang around players and rinks, showing the guys all the new stuff.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

I know reps who are in NHL locker rooms pretty much every day, so yeah...

[#96 0]

I bet they have soooome stories lol.

[Jimmy_Wolf 0]

It definitly is a cool job for many aspects. However, the reality isn't always nice. Players are extremely picky, and they change their mind all the time. If they're on a good serie of scoring, the skates/sticks are the reason why. As soon as they don't score for a few games in a row, then the products are the reason why.

Each rep has a territory. They visit their regular players before/after team practices, but still always try to attract the attention of other players using competitive stuff. The objective really is to get as many guys as possible on each team, but mainly the key players.

It's a lot of travelling too, which is always cool. Each NHL rep also takes care of CHL or AHL teams. From what I know, it's a pretty demanding job.

[Chadd 916]

And they're all trying to steal the other reps players.

[Jimmy_Wolf 0]

Chadd Posted on Oct 13 2005, 10:44 PM

  And they're all trying to steal the other reps players. 

That's the fun part. It forces the reps to be the best all the time with their players.

Look at Mission with all their helmet in the NHL. That definitly is because the Mission reps went after all the players to ask them to give it a try. It worked pretty well so far.

[Chadd 916]

Having a large checking account helps too.

[#96 0]

Cool insight Jimmy. That's what I was looking for when I posted the topic.

Do reps. give "perks" in order to get players to switch or is that illegal?

Any players notoriously picky?

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Cool insight Jimmy. That's what I was looking for when I posted the topic.

Do reps. give "perks" in order to get players to switch or is that illegal?

Any players notoriously picky?

Naaaaaaah...never been done before.

I've heard some great stories.

But yeah, I've hung out with a pro rep for a day and it's something that sounds pretty exciting til you witness it first-hand...it is very interesting to see what they do day in and day out.

[Jimmy_Wolf 0]

#96 Posted on Oct 13 2005, 10:53 PM

  Cool insight Jimmy. That's what I was looking for when I posted the topic.

Do reps. give "perks" in order to get players to switch or is that illegal?

Any players notoriously picky? 

Let's just say that some companies are more subject to do that kind of stuff.

For picky players, just look at which NHL'rs keep changing sticks or skates brands over and over.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Cool insight Jimmy. That's what I was looking for when I posted the topic.

Do reps. give "perks" in order to get players to switch or is that illegal?

Any players notoriously picky?

In radio it's Payola...in sports would it be Playola?????

[Chadd 916]

Cool insight Jimmy. That's what I was looking for when I posted the topic.

Do reps. give "perks" in order to get players to switch or is that illegal?

Any players notoriously picky?

In radio it's Payola...in sports would it be Playola?????

That was one of the things that bothered me so much in radio. So many decent bands were ignored because we would get an extra case of CDs or tickets if we played a song an extra 5 times a week.

[iceholes 0]

Its one of those jobs that "sounds like a dream job" until you do it....

demanding isnt the word...

compare it to say an avid boater who thinks he wants his dream job to be selling boats... then finds out the demands,dirty parts and hours of it and doesnt like boating so much

[Justin 1933 134]

There is no chance in hell I would ever want that job...Some players are great to work with, but the other ones....OMG....

[sogaduch 0]

yeah that and the fact most nhlers dont even know what they need, they have in there mind what they want but what they want may not work for them at all. I feel sorry for the traner in florida with gary roberts because he when he came in we had to tel him what he needs and what he doesnt need. but yeah i feel sorry for pro reps just because of the travelling involved, i know some of our reps in-store have different parts of ontario some have the norther parts i.e sudbury,thunderbay,timmins,muskoka,pattawawa,places where its takes 2 days to get too.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

You're telling me you had to call Rob McLean to tell him how to service Roberts?

[DarkStar50 679]

At St Jerome BNH headquarters I met a pro rep. He handled from Michigan to Florida! Talk about travel!! Martin St Louis was there as well. He told a story about working with Martin on his Vapor XX skates. The first pair lasted8-9 months. The next pair were built "exactly" the same but didn't feel right. It took awhile but they got the problem solved. The time and effort though is pretty demanding when the pros need your attention.

I'll bet the pro reps are glad Messier finally retired. The word is that he was beyond demanding, just basically nitpicking on everything. I heard he complained his pants were too long and wanted like a 1/4" shorter on the thigh! His skate demands were even worse. I know one company tried to keep a certain skate away from him because they didn't want to go through the problems he always created for his skates.

At the end of the day, being a pro rep is a JOB, not a picnic.

[DarkStar50 679]

Yeah, Nick was the guy. We had round robin tourney on ice as well. Nick played and let go a rocket in front of me. I deflected the blast and almost had my stick knocked out of my hands! He is a good guy and shared a few stories that day.

[sogaduch 0]

You're telling me you had to call Rob McLean to tell him how to service Roberts?

no, roberts came in during the lockout and we serviced him telling him what he needed and not doing what he thinks he needs. im said i feel sorry for him because gary roberts is abit of a nut with his skates like hed think his boot was soft or his foot was hurting in certain areas where it was just him doing the skates too loose or too tight. we helped him out for the past year JR, hell we even had belak in the store to mount a pair of lightspeeds on a pair of missions which were stiff as hell.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

At St Jerome BNH headquarters I met a  pro rep. He handled from Michigan to Florida! Talk about travel!! Martin St Louis was there as well. He told a story about working with Martin on his Vapor XX skates. The first pair lasted8-9 months. The next pair were built "exactly" the same but didn't feel right. It took awhile but they got the problem solved. The time and effort though is pretty demanding when the pros need your attention.

At the end of the day, being a pro rep is a JOB, not a picnic.

You must have met Nick Perrault. Great guy!

While you are correct in "At the end of the day, being a pro rep is a JOB, not a picnic", it is a rollercoaster ride that few would trade.

Yep, Nick is based out of here, I met him up here. Seems like a nice guy.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Darkstar, when did you came in St-Jerome?

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

In June...they flew up the top BNH dealers from around the country. My store went, but I wasn't there and I probably wouldn't have been the guy they chose.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

ok, off topic, I heard the hockey show will be in Vegas, then Boston and then MTL. Is it true.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Nope, there are two shows.

Big one is in Boston, then the small one in Vegas. Next year the Boston show will be in MTL.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

ok, I think that's what I heard or similar. Thanks another time.