Kevlar Vest For Skates?

[SLake 0]

Shot-blocker extraordinaire: He hasn't played in nearly as many games this season as most of his Predators teammates, but defenseman Greg Zanon still leads the team in one important category: blocked shots.

Zanon had blocked a team-best 63 shots in just 24 contests. Only one other Predator, Kimmo Timonen, has totaled as many as 40 this season.

"Players like Zanon value the fact that they are not going to be scored on, and they will put their body in harm's way to block a shot,'' Trotz said. "The puck will go to the point and a lot of guys will say they couldn't get in a lane (to block a shot). A lot of times they can get there. It is a matter of whether they want to or not.''

Zanon's recently added some equipment that should help him stay healthy while getting in the way of speeding pucks. He's now wearing skates that have a protective, lightweight covering made of graphite and Kevlar.

A California-based company makes the product, which is being worn by a handful of players around the league.

"It's sort of like having a bulletproof vest for your feet because it's designed for pucks to deflect off them,'' Zanon said. "It's just a little extra padding on your feet and I think it's especially good for guys that are on the penalty kill a lot.''

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../612310403/1028

Just interested if anyone knows if they are talking about an external product that wraps around/attaches to the skates or if they are talking about Zanon getting new skates altogether.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

Back in the day, they used to make ankle guards for skates. Sounds similar in premise.

[Buzz_LightBeer 974]

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/72902341.j...F01FB5509921DF7

[Sven 1]

What the heck?

[DamnLocust 0]

looks like a kevlar wrap over the forefoot of his stealth S15s. Kinda like what Pronger was wearing, but snug fit to the skate itself, as opposed to kinda just hanging there.

Nice snag, buzz

[lawryde 0]

Here is a similar product for sale online. They sell them at our local hockey shop in Peoria as well. I would imagine that they would make it harder to flex your ankles and make tighter turns if you were a forward though. Might be worth it if you bang enough pucks of your ankles

[Slapsht25 0]

Here is a similar product for sale online. They sell them at our local hockey shop in Peoria as well. I would imagine that they would make it harder to flex your ankles and make tighter turns if you were a forward though. Might be worth it if you bang enough pucks of your ankles

love the oldschool grafs in the ad too

[The Stranger 0]

The ones Zanon has look like a much better design. Those other ones seem like they would be awkward the way they lace in, and Zanon's look like they have better forefoot protection.

[Tikkanen 1]

Can you get either of those products online? I don't want to have to call Canada to order a product.

[Miike 1]

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/72902341.j...F01FB5509921DF7

Is it just me, or does that SE look like a shaft/blade combo?

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

My father still has some old school ankle guards (his are from the 70's) and he never had issues turning or what not. Strictly to prevent injury from an errant puck or stick to the ankle bone.

REGARDLESS, during a game a year or two back one of the refs told him they were illegal (I think he said it was something about modifying equipment) and he made him take them off. Sounds like a bunch of hooey to me.....

[Jake 0]

Jay McKee has something identical. Looks ridiculous, but I'm sure it's very effective.

[G60 0]

darcy tucker was wearing something similar tonight, his was just on his forefoot though.

[SLake 0]

darcy tucker was wearing something similar tonight, his was just on his forefoot though.

Yeah, they were talking about that on OLN during the Leafs-Bruins game tonight. I don't think that Tucker's are a premade product at all, rather it looked like a piece of plastic that the equipment managers fit over his skate and under his laces.

[Dougie8 0]

darcy tucker was wearing something similar tonight, his was just on his forefoot though.

Darcy Tucker was wearing that because he was just coming back from a broken toe or foot. I have no clue at all if it was this product or not, but I know I heard announcers say that he was wearing some sort of protection over his recently injured foot.

This whole product is kind of a neat invention though, I've never thought of/seen anything like this before.

[TheSnake22 0]

good look on the shaft/blade combo... you can definitely see a line above the blade of the stick... didnt even look at his stick the first time i saw the picture... and all the black at the bottom of the blade is also unique... probably spraypaint...