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.
Someone like Ovechkin, who has an endorsement from CCM, gets all his gear for free. In exchange, he has to sport all CCM gear (plus a hefty sum of money from CCM). Other, less well known players get their gear from the team. They still get whatever they want though.
Either way, no NHL'ers end up paying for their own gear.
Players basically pay for absolutely nothing in today's NHL. It's so competitive and there's so much money going through the organizations (Canadian teams in particular) that teams will buy anything and everything to get an advantage.
I'm sure they get a very good discount since they buy so much gear.
Someone like Ovechkin, who has an endorsement from CCM, gets all his gear for free. In exchange, he has to sport all CCM gear (plus a hefty sum of money from CCM). Other, less well known players get their gear from the team. They still get whatever they want though.
Either way, no NHL'ers end up paying for their own gear.
Ovie uses a one95 stick, it's just dressed as a ccm u+ cl.
AHL has an agreement with The Hockey Company to use RBK/CCM stuff other than Chicago and I think Lowell for sticks. They get their stuff at a huge discount.
People are becoming obsessed with toe curves, it's like 4-5 years ago when everyone noticed tons of pros use drury-style curves so they became the obsession. I personally can't use them.
you honestly dont think that the costs of marketing (giving equipment to pro's) isn't passed on to the consumers?
I guarantee that there isn't $600 worth of material and labor in a pair of skates.
Teams pay for all the gear. Players endorsed by companies do NOT have their gear given to the team for free. The teams still pay for it all, the players are just paid by the companies to use the gear.
Its a very common thing in the NHL for sticks. So no, he is not joking. I also noticed this year too you do not see the one95 labeling on his stick but majority of the time last year he used one95s and he was also sponsored by CCM at the time. No suprise at all, infact Id bet it is a one95 repainted.
Some players do get paid to wear gear but the team pays the bill for the gear.
... and composite sticks will be on the agenda in the off season for discussion by team owners. I doubt the players association will go along with having players pay for their own sticks but it will be discussed.
Teams want players to perform the best they can and they make millions and millions of dollars because of them. The least they can do is foot the bill for the sticks and gear.
Ive heard that most teams have a budget of around $750,000 a year for equipment. That is but a drop in the bucket for what a team pulls in throughout the year.
You can figure a top player goes through about 200 sticks a season, about $40,000 worth of sticks at retail. Thats maybe half the budget, but again, a small price to pay to have your guys performing at the top.
I heard an interview with Eric Fehr of the Caps yesterday and he was asked about how sticks are breaking more and often at very poor times and why players werent going to more solid sticks. He said the shot benefits far out weigh the occasional snap at the wrong time. He said he goes through 2-3 sticks a game.
It all comes down to how much is presenting the best team you can put on the ice worth it to the owners.
