from Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe,

A hockey player’s stick is not just a tool for passing, handling, and shooting pucks.

It is a technological advancement, performance enhancer, and style statement tucked inside a marketing pitch — the latter being available via video on your phone.

“A stick,” said Kevin Davis, president and CEO of Bauer Performance Sports, “is not just a stick.”

Naturally, hockey’s best players serve as a powerful lobby in dictating whether a piece of equipment becomes a hit or an afterthought.

Just like a stick is not just a stick, a rink is not just a rink. The 200-by-85-foot surface is as much an equipment proving ground as it is a stage for performance. NHLers, as finicky with their sticks as a violinist is with a bow, repeatedly dial in their approvals and annoyances for every piece of gear.

continued plus additional NHL topics...