Kukla's Korner Hockey

Category: Hockey-Equipment

The Hockey Puck Celebrates 135 Years

by Paul on 02/07/11 at 10:41 PM ET
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Take a look at some famous pucks.

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Visors- Still A Personal Decision

by Paul on 12/23/10 at 02:38 PM ET
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from Adam Proteau of The Hockey News,

For the first time since THN began compiling visor statistics in 1998-99, the number of NHLers wearing eye protection has plateaued. And a pair of personal stories from two players on opposite sides of the issue sheds light as to why.

First, though, the hard numbers: of 647 players polled this year, 59 percent (381) wore a visor, while 41 percent (266) did not. That is the same percentage as our 2009 visor poll. Of course, the overall numbers of visor-wearing players has skyrocketed since 1998-99, when just 15 percent donned a shield, and the percentage had risen each year until now.

But in talking to current players who have put a visor on, or taken one off, the overall message is clear: players still want the choice. Washington defenseman Tom Poti began wearing a visor this season after sustaining a serious eye injury (and a temporary loss of vision) in the first round of the 2010 playoffs.

continued

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Video- Softer Equipment

by Paul on 12/09/10 at 04:29 PM ET
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Pierre LeBrun of ESPN talks to Kris King of the NHL regarding the change in equipment.

Also, much more on concussions from Pierre at ESPN.

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Say Goodbye To The Wood Stick

by Paul on 11/23/10 at 01:43 PM ET
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from Ian Walker of the Vancouver Sun,

There is no longer a single NHL player wielding the true meaning of the word twig. Like zero. Zilch. Zip.

Even more upsetting is there probably will never be again.

“It’s the end of an era,” said Phoenix Coyotes defenceman Adrian Aucoin, one of the last holdouts, who switched last season. “In my case, Reebok changed factories with their shaft and the wood stick they produce now is a completely different stick. It was just not close to what I used to. I wasn’t so thrilled about it, but times change and you have to move on.”

The same thing happened to Ottawa Senators centre Jason Spezza when his brand of choice, Sherwood-Drolet, decided to farm out the mass production of wooden sticks to such far-flung places as Estonia and China in order to concentrate on the production of composite models.

Same goes for 24-year-old Paul Stastny, the last of the Luddites. The Colorado Avalanche centre switched from a Sherwood wooden to a Sherwood one-piece at the start of this season.

more

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KK- Chrstmas Comes Early

by Paul on 10/27/10 at 01:22 PM ET
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Yesterday I received a nice surprise- An Easton Synergy EQ50 hockey stick.

Now all I need to do is find some ice.

Thanks Easton.

Filed in: KK Website Business, Hockey Equipment, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: easton

Mesh Pads

by Paul on 09/07/10 at 10:18 PM ET
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from Dave Waddell of the Windsor Star,

Trevor Leahy’s daydreaming in a high school chemistry class two years might not have done much for his grades, but it’s having a healthy effect on his bank account.

With a sketch pad at hand, Leahy began doodling a design for the new goalie pads he needed.

In process, the 19-year-old reasoned with the era of swollen goalie equipment ending it was time to enter the age of deception.

“My chemistry teacher will kill me, but it wasn’t a particularly intense lecture that day,” said Leahy, now in his second year at the University of New Hampshire.

“I started with white pads and then it dawned on me to put mesh on it. I sketched it on the computer and then I got actual mesh images and it looked even better.”

continued

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Smaller Goalies Will Have Smaller Pads

by Paul on 08/06/10 at 05:21 PM ET
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from George Malik of Snapshots,

The Hockey News’s Rory Boylen “subbed” for Adam Proteau during Friday’s “Ask Adam” column, and he duly noted that the vast majority of hockey fans have forgotten that the NHL’s goaltenders will sport slimmed-down looks this fall as the league is introducing a rule in which goaltenders must wear more “form-fitting equipment”:

read on

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Helmet Technology Keeps Improving

by Paul on 06/10/10 at 05:53 PM ET
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from Wayne Karl at TSN,

Some of the most popular helmets among NHLers comprise a basic plastic shell and thin white vinyl nitrate padding –far from the best protection, and have been around for years.

“At the pro level, we see a lot of what we would call an entry level price point helmet,” says Wes Huether, director of training and operations support at Pro Hockey Life, a major Canadian hockey specialty retailer. “A lot is driven by fashion – the mirror test. The lighter weight, smaller, thinner liner helmets, super comfortable, real nice fit, but certainly not front notch when it comes to protection.”

Some critics argue that manufacturers have not done enough to introduce new helmet technology in recent years. But in reality, all of the major suppliers have made it a priority. Innovations include the use of expanded polypropylene padding, a higher energy impact-absorbing material to replace thin vinyl liners, combined with comfort foams and improved shell designs.

“Helmet technology has certainly come a long way in the last three to five years,” says Huether. “Manufacturers are focusing on what’s going on inside the helmet, trying different types of liners and padding, different technologies.”

more

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This May Fix The Problem

by Paul on 05/21/10 at 03:52 PM ET
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Adam Proteau of The Hockey News answers some emails,,,

Hi Adam. I have noticed that there seems to be an abnormal amount of sticks breaking this year. Not just from slashing, but from players taking shots, passing and taking passes etc. Unreal!

Is this situation being studied or is my imagination running wild?

The shattering stick epidemic has been around for as long as composite sticks have. And since wooden sticks are all but extinct among NHL players, I’m afraid fans will be stuck watching players fumble around sheepishly after their sticks explode for a long time to come.

Personally, I hope a composite stick breaks at a crucial juncture of Game 7 of the Cup final. If enough fans and teams were sufficiently disappointed and incensed, the stick industry might have to seriously consider alternatives. But right now, the status quo will remain in place.

more questions & answers…

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Is The Manufacturer At Fault?

by Paul on 04/23/10 at 04:27 PM ET
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from CBC,

A major hockey gear manufacturer and a national safety standards agency are being sued by a Victoria, B.C., family whose son suffered a severe brain injury during a midget hockey game.

Sucha and Cindy More allege the Bauer Nike helmet their son Darren, then 17, was wearing should have protected him against his injury and are seeking $10 million in damages to help care for him.

Darren was hip-checked and flew into the boards during a game in nearby Esquimalt in 2004. He struck the back of his head and fell into a six-week coma.

The Mores’s lawyer, James Macaulay, says six years later Darren still suffers from physical and emotional disabilities and needs 24-hour supervision.

continued

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