Sherwood files for bankruptcy protection

[TML4LIFE 0]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008...ng.html?ref=rss

If this has already been posted I apologize, just saw it on the CBC news..

[rubberduckie 0]

Can't say I didn't see this coming, and it is sad. Not a big enough player in OPS and equipment. Got buried by the big 3 i guess. It is sad... who hasn't played with a good old 5030 woodie! And I will really miss my wood tapered crosby blades...

[adam14 182]

is somebody gonna buy them out or something? what happens to guys like spezza who use there gear?

[Garpenlov 0]

That blows - I don't know anyone who hasn't at one time used Sher-wood gear, sticks or blades. Personally, I'm going to miss the Coffey curve blades. Very low lie and moderately deep mid curve.

I don't know if it would be a blessing or curse to have CCM buy what's left of their assets. At this point, it's just the Sherwood brand and whatever unsold inventory that's left - I heard they closed their last Canadian factory sometime last year.

Just add them to the list: Koho, Jofa, Vaughn (?), etc...

[deadmanjolt 1]

Easton could buy them to get in on goalie gear...<_<

[VakarLajos 5]

That blows - I don't know anyone who hasn't at one time used Sher-wood gear, sticks or blades. Personally, I'm going to miss the Coffey curve blades. Very low lie and moderately deep mid curve.

I don't know if it would be a blessing or curse to have CCM buy what's left of their assets. At this point, it's just the Sherwood brand and whatever unsold inventory that's left - I heard they closed their last Canadian factory sometime last year.

Just add them to the list: Koho, Jofa, Vaughn (?), etc...

It's not like they're not making sticks. They moved their factories overseas.

Either way, it will be shame if this brand disappears completely.

[theWB 2]

Easton could buy them to get in on goalie gear...<_<

Not funny. Seriously not funny. Don't even joke about easton making goalie equipment.

[thejackal 46]

i ran into the backup goalie for the mcgill girl's team a while back (they're sponsored by sher-wood), and she was telling me how she bought her own pads because she didnt like any of the sherwood goalie stuff.

[Law Goalie 147]

Easton could buy them to get in on goalie gear...<_<

Not funny. Seriously not funny. Don't even joke about easton making goalie equipment.

Uh, Easton already makes some of the best goalie pants you can find. Admittedly, they're pro-stock only, but they're still phenomenal pants.

I think they're just waiting for an opportunity. Unfortunately, buying into Sherwood for their goalie operation would be about as effective as prospecting for gold in downtown New York. Sherwood killed whatever momentum they might have had from the 9980 (best Koho 580 clone ever) and the original Cerberus (C-10, C-8) lines with the abominable 9990 and C-12. The C-5 may be the best price-point pad on the market, but it's still only retailing for $300 - margins like the edge of a sheet of paper.

[DarkStar50 679]

I had a friend of mine call me today about his SOP 7000 woodies. I guess I better call the factory in Sherbrooke tomorrow and find out if the Customs will ever be shipped. I placed a booking order about two weeks ago on a Tuesday and received the sticks 3 days later on Friday. Now I know why! BTW, all the sticks were still stamped "Made in Canada."

[VakarLajos 5]

All of our sticks were "Made In Canada" except for the 9950 Spezza which were marked "Made in Ukraine".

I remember our rep saying the 9950s had been made in Ukraine for a while and distributed to their European market.

[McDougalfaschnitzer 32]

Uh, Easton already makes some of the best goalie pants you can find. Admittedly, they're pro-stock only, but they're still phenomenal pants.

My brother just ordered a pair. They seem to be very well made.

[Chadd 916]

Easton could buy them to get in on goalie gear... <_<

Yeah, but wouldn't Easton want to make GOOD goalie gear?

[Law Goalie 147]

Uh, Easton already makes some of the best goalie pants you can find. Admittedly, they're pro-stock only, but they're still phenomenal pants.

My brother just ordered a pair. They seem to be very well made.

Did he get them through The Crease on eBay? They seem to be the only people who have them...

He'll love them: they're like 620.PRO's but incredibly light. Only drawbacks are that Easton's a one-piece pant (and some prefer that) and the thighs are quite long. If he finds they jam the tops of his pads and interfere in the 'fly, they can be easily hemmed up an inch or two.

My Ideal Frankenstein pant is a 620.PRO built with Easton's secondary materials (the primary padding on the 620s is from a different universe), and the Bauer Reactor armadillo-knee with a set of Brown knee-pads replacing the lowest piece. Paging Todd Brown... :)

[JGraz15 53]

I don't know anything of their financials, but I would guesstimate that TPS and Graf can't be that much of a better position.

[sdcopp 1]

I don't know if I'd look at TPS and Graf, they both offer current products desired by their niche fans. Sherwood despite trying to get into OPS and composites is still a big wood shop, and is losing to the composite market. TPS and Graf are both niche players, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're floating along okay

[chole 0]

I better go pick up a truck of 5030's. I am also glad I just picked up a pair of the 5030 shin pads. It was sad when they moved out of Canada but this takes the cake.

[Law Goalie 147]

TPS also has substantial markets beyond hockey, and Graf is (I believe) still #1 in retail figure skating. That's not to say they're in fantastic shape, but probably a lot better than Sherwood, which was heading from tenuous to disastrous.

[adam14 182]

plus graf is Swiss! when was the last time a swiss company went bankrupt!?!!?! except UBS doesnt count, they were just in debt.

[Reaper 0]

plus graf is Swiss! when was the last time a swiss company went bankrupt!?!!?! except UBS doesnt count, they were just in debt.

Graf Canada isn't Swiss and they are the only way to get Graf Skates at retail in North America.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

TPS also has substantial markets beyond hockey, and Graf is (I believe) still #1 in retail figure skating. That's not to say they're in fantastic shape, but probably a lot better than Sherwood, which was heading from tenuous to disastrous.

TPS is no longer a division of Hillerich and Bradsby/Slugger. H&B sold off to an group led by John Pagotto two years ago.

Graf isn't even close to being #1 in figure - they only make two models and they're both high-end.

[english15x 3]

TPS also has substantial markets beyond hockey, and Graf is (I believe) still #1 in retail figure skating. That's not to say they're in fantastic shape, but probably a lot better than Sherwood, which was heading from tenuous to disastrous.

TPS is no longer a division of Hillerich and Bradsby/Slugger. H&B sold off to an group led by John Pagotto two years ago.

Graf isn't even close to being #1 in figure - they only make two models and they're both high-end.

yeah I think Riedell is #1 figure skating.

[Law Goalie 147]

I stand corrected - I had no idea that TPS had been spun off. Silly me. And I really should have remembered about Riedell, since I used to have a pair of custom goalie skates from them...

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

That's why about 4 yrs ago they were taking the "Louisville" name off the product.

[Jarick 5]

Here's the question, if Sher-wood goes belly up, do you think the other companies will step up to the plate in terms of wood stick production? Sher-wood had a pretty big market share on wood sticks...could be an opportunity for the others.