The RinkFor the not so ready for prime-time players, coaches, referees, and the people that have to live with them. Discuss experiences in local leagues, coaching tips, equipment, and training.
I thought the away kit wasn't too bad. Home kit is all class. YNWA.
Would have been real nice if they could skip the grey parts on the away kit. An all black kit would be sweet! I'm glad that that there are some fellow LFC fans on here. YNWA.
Our Stats Specialist Cassie just told us that today is a BIG day for numbers in hockey…..and we’ve got some of our own to share.
A Warrior Players Club athlete leads the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs in all of the following statistical categories:
GOALS, ASSISTS, POINTS, PP GOALS, SH GOALS, GAME WINNING GOALS, OVERTIME GOALS, GAA, SAVE %, GOALIE WINS, and SHUTOUTS
Other way around, TPS no longer produces hockey gear.
They don't still make those R8 Response sticks? I have a Pro-Stock one from last year and it's like my favorite stick (70 Flex Senior, beauty curve). I could swear the Pros still get them.
They don't still make those R8 Response sticks? I have a Pro-Stock one from last year and it's like my favorite stick (70 Flex Senior, beauty curve). I could swear the Pros still get them.
Nope, the pro stuff must be old stock. I have a 70 flex TPS R6 as well, excellent stick and extremely light for that pricepoint...nothing like it anymore
Not many players wear Grafs, I've seen more refs wearing them in the NHL than players.
Their key selling point is having a wide variety of fits, and NHLers can get any skate they want custom built for their foot. If they can get a higher performing skate that fits just as well, why wouldn't they?
A pretty big number of NHL players use their insoles, from what I understand.
Their key selling point is having a wide variety of fits, and NHLers can get any skate they want custom built for their foot. If they can get a higher performing skate that fits just as well, why wouldn't they?
A pretty big number of NHL players use their insoles, from what I understand.
That is not a very fair statement to make. You'd be very hard pressed to prove that any Bauer or CCM or whatever is a "higher performing" skate. Graf makes some very nice skates that are on par with most of the others. They're different, follow a bit different philosophy in skate design, do not always use the latest and cool materials, but they make a very good skate, and when a pro is getting one custom just like they would any other brand, it can easily have any of the features or performance items they want.
The more correct answer is what was said in the post right above. Graf does not compensate any player or team to wear their gear. Players that choose to do so do it simply because they like it. When other companies give incentives to wear their stuff, it will certainly make it more attractive to players, especially, like you said, they can get it made exactly how they want regardless.
That is not a very fair statement to make. You'd be very hard pressed to prove that any Bauer or CCM or whatever is a "higher performing" skate. Graf makes some very nice skates that are on par with most of the others. They're different, follow a bit different philosophy in skate design, do not always use the latest and cool materials, but they make a very good skate, and when a pro is getting one custom just like they would any other brand, it can easily have any of the features or performance items they want.
The more correct answer is what was said in the post right above. Graf does not compensate any player or team to wear their gear. Players that choose to do so do it simply because they like it. When other companies give incentives to wear their stuff, it will certainly make it more attractive to players, especially, like you said, they can get it made exactly how they want regardless.
They use more traditional materials- leather, nylon, plastics. They only recently rolled out their first composite skate. Those materials are heavier and less responsive than the modern composites and designs that other brands are using.
Pros use the best gear for them regardless of the money- they'll switch to a better stick even if they have a contract with another brand in a heartbeat, for example. Just look at Ovechkin, he broke his CCM contract repeatedly to use both Easton and Bauer sticks. And most guys don't get paid to use gear at all, they just get the stuff paid for by their team. If you're not a star, you don't get the endorsement contract. Graf's different philosophy is to build for fit and durability. Pros don't buy their own gear, so durability isn't a concern, and weight and performance is. A traditionally built skate might perform well enough for most, but it simply can't compete when a player is looking for maximum performance and no other factors.
Graf makes a good product, it's just not one well suited for pros.
They use more traditional materials- leather, nylon, plastics. They only recently rolled out their first composite skate. Those materials are heavier and less responsive than the modern composites and designs that other brands are using.
Pros use the best gear for them regardless of the money- they'll switch to a better stick even if they have a contract with another brand in a heartbeat, for example. Just look at Ovechkin, he broke his CCM contract repeatedly to use both Easton and Bauer sticks. And most guys don't get paid to use gear at all, they just get the stuff paid for by their team. If you're not a star, you don't get the endorsement contract. Graf's different philosophy is to build for fit and durability. Pros don't buy their own gear, so durability isn't a concern, and weight and performance is. A traditionally built skate might perform well enough for most, but it simply can't compete when a player is looking for maximum performance and no other factors.
Graf makes a good product, it's just not one well suited for pros.
They use more traditional materials- leather, nylon, plastics. They only recently rolled out their first composite skate. Those materials are heavier and less responsive than the modern composites and designs that other brands are using.
Pros use the best gear for them regardless of the money- they'll switch to a better stick even if they have a contract with another brand in a heartbeat, for example. Just look at Ovechkin, he broke his CCM contract repeatedly to use both Easton and Bauer sticks. And most guys don't get paid to use gear at all, they just get the stuff paid for by their team. If you're not a star, you don't get the endorsement contract. Graf's different philosophy is to build for fit and durability. Pros don't buy their own gear, so durability isn't a concern, and weight and performance is. A traditionally built skate might perform well enough for most, but it simply can't compete when a player is looking for maximum performance and no other factors.
Graf makes a good product, it's just not one well suited for pros.
You're still not on the right track here.
They dont use leather, its all synthetic. They're the ONLY company that uses a full composite sole on their boot. If you pull a footbed on a G series skate, its fully composite, other brands do not do this. Most of the skates are composite materials on the G series, they just dont look like what you think of as a composite, but they are. And the skates are not that much heavier, certainly not enough to cause a pro to have an issue with them, its just all the gear whores that really get caught up in grams here and there.
There are reasons why they're not on the feet of a lot of pros and it has very little to do with any kind of ultimate performance advantage that other skates provide.
I have a pair of G35's, the only skates that fit my feet stock, and I would jump to custom Bauers in a heartbeat if I had the disposable income. They're SIGNIFICANTLY lighter and I prefer the LS2's.
You can put LS2s on a Graf if you want (and there again, I think more people THINK they prefer these just because everyone does it and says they're better).
As to the weight, lighter yes, significantly lighter, I'd argue what is actually significant when it comes to performance. I'd put money on the fact that it wont make anyone play better the last 2 minutes of a game than if they had something that weighs a few grams heavier on their feet.
I've had Grafs, I wear Total Ones (which are lighter) and I can say that its no different when on your feet. The positioning is a FAR, FAR more significant aspect of the two skates.
