Equipment

[going_top_shelf 6]

It's obvious that players are using new sticks and equipment, but I can't seem to find any of it ANYWHERE! Like Datsyuk is using a black o'tech stick and on rbk's website, it only lists the green one. The Sedin twins are using solid black reebok sticks that I can't find. And Hank and the Mule are using Easton sticks with a new pattern. Also I can't find Lidstrom's stick either. Is all this equipment non-public yet or something? Does anyone know where to find it? Thanks.

[metalwinger_13 0]

I know most of the reebok stuff hasnt been released to the public yet, but the stick Z and franz use do i believe. or atleast ones that look very similar have been. The stick Lids uses was released in nov and its a warrior dolomite spine. If they arent out by now theyll be out by atleast april.

[34Legace34 0]

the pro's get the new products long before it goes to retail... the stuff your talking about should be out pretty soon... and the easton stuff is already out I think (if your referring to the se16)

[Elshupacabra 0]

Not only do the pros get stuff before retail but they also customize their sticks quite a bit. I don't remember who. But Ken Daniels always makes a big deal about one player who gets their sticks and then spray paints them all black for instance.

[metalwinger_13 0]

ya alot of players will have one type of stick painted to the newest version sometime.. even with skates. I know hossa spray paints the bottom half of his stick black and david vyborny would spray paint the whole stick black when he played for the columbus blue jackets. jason spezza and markus naslund recently switched from all wood to either and two piece shaft blade combo or a one piece composite stick.

[Roz 2]

What's the deal with Hossa spraypainting the bottom half of his Vapor XXXX black? I can't think of any advantages.

[TheUkrainian 49]

If he keeps scoring, I could care less if he paints his stick pink with multi colored polka dots.

[This Is Bida 0]

edit: wrong post

Edited December 6, 2008 by This Is Bida

[metalwinger_13 0]

could be a thing hes always done.. plus his bauer xxxx doesnt feel like a bauer xxxx when i played with it in the pro shop at JLA. Felt pretty boxy alot like missions. Mission was recently bought out by bauer. thats why youve seen rafalski wearing and using bauer nike equipment same with hossa. if ya dont remember that in training camp and begining of regualr season he was using mission sticks. so here were seeing a great example i think of a stick repainted. oh and nike bauer branded stuff will now be just bauer as nike has sold bauer to someone.

[CrossoverThrash 0]

Anybody else here use Sande gloves? they are the best ones out there, gonna get a new pair soon as i tried a pair of reebok 9ks for the last year and they haven't been nearly as good although they are the olympics/wc swiss edition so i only paid 50$ for them.

As for sticks i think most people won't benefit from the high tech stuff the pros use, i used to use tps and fury sticks but the best one for me is this cheap 30$ tour composite that i got as a backup.

[06TJSport 0]

I have a Vapor XXXX, it's my favorite stick I've ever used, it just feels so awesome.

The reason for spray painting the bottom black is so it blends with the puck better and makes the puck harder to pick up by goalies

Edited December 6, 2008 by 06TJSport

[wingsnut25 10]

I have a Vapor XXXX, it's my favorite stick I've ever used, it just feels so awesome.

The reason for spray painting the bottom black is so it blends with the puck better and makes the puck harder to pick up by goalies

Just a quick observation. Im a goalie, just beer league, but never the less, black stick tape vs white stick tape doesn't really make that big of a difference to me. Can see the puck pretty clearly either way, the black puck stands out pretty well on the white ice, no matter what color the tape or the blade is.

Tonight Hossa's blade appears to be all black, with black tape.

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

The reason for spray painting the bottom black is so it blends with the puck better and makes the puck harder to pick up by goalies

Um.. not true. I ain't a goalie but I talk to goalies and they say its not even hard to pick the puck up.

[WhiteCloud 0]

Um.. not true. I ain't a goalie but I talk to goalies and they say its not even hard to pick the puck up.

You are probably right but if it makes Hossa feel like it gives him an advantage it probably does. Just in terms of confidence.

[34Legace34 0]

jason spezza and markus naslund recently switched from all wood to either and two piece shaft blade combo or a one piece composite stick.

I think its awesome that some guys still prefer the wood, or two piece with wood blade. Kyle Wellwood is still using a two piece, and Im pretty sure that Crosby still uses a shaft+blade combo with sher wood blades, and just has them painted black so it blends/looks like a one piece. Shanny has also always been about the Easton Classic+wood blade.

here's a pic of Sergei using probably my favourite looking stick ever... the original Easton Ultra Lite with Christian Blade

Edited December 8, 2008 by 34Legace34

[CrossoverThrash 0]

i dont really understand the point of a wood blade on a composite shaft or even 2 piece shafts for that matter besides the ability to mix and match curves but most people have the curve they enjoy

[The Mule 0]

I only play beer-league hockey, but I'm all about the wooden sticks and old time hockey equipment.

[seeinred 1,488]

I have a Vapor XXXX, it's my favorite stick I've ever used, it just feels so awesome.

The reason for spray painting the bottom black is so it blends with the puck better and makes the puck harder to pick up by goalies

Agreed on the Vapor XXXX, incredible stick.

And as for the black paint/tape, I always use black tape for that reason, but it's a superstition. I had a goalie tell me that if black tape really makes it harder to pick the puck up, you have no business playing goalie.

[robat 13]

I've always know of guys painting the bottom half of their sticks to hide the puck. Regardless if it works or not, some guys probably tried it, scored a goal, and continued to do it since then.

[imisssergei 0]

I think its awesome that some guys still prefer the wood, or two piece with wood blade. Kyle Wellwood is still using a two piece, and Im pretty sure that Crosby still uses a shaft+blade combo with sher wood blades, and just has them painted black so it blends/looks like a one piece. Shanny has also always been about the Easton Classic+wood blade.

here's a pic of Sergei using probably my favourite looking stick ever... the original Easton Ultra Lite with Christian Blade

Oh how I miss Sergie....

Crosby does use a two-piece stick with a wood blade made by Sherwood. However, I'm not sure if this is still true or not but at the begining of the season, he had the sticks painted to look like the latest stick RBK wanted to push.

This is actually pretty common practice. A friend of mine used to work for a guy who dealt directly with pros. One of his perks happen to be access to ordering sticks from TPS out of their actual pro stock. I'm not sure how he picked his curve, but the ended up order six of Darcy Tucker's I believe. At that time TPS has Tucker listed as using the new XN10 Response, so that's what my friend expected. When they arrived, he opened them up and found 6 of the new Red Response Plus models. He called and found out that quite often when players are testing out new sticks that aren't on the market, or prefer a stick from a different manufacturer than they are signed with, the manufacturer they are signed with will simply paint the sticks to look like whichever model they wish. And in this case, they wanted to really push this stick instead of the XN10.

Also, after the lockout Shanny switched from the good ol' aluminum + wood combo to a one-piece composite, made by Warrior if I'm not mistaken.

[Johnny Law 15]

i dont really understand the point of a wood blade on a composite shaft or even 2 piece shafts for that matter besides the ability to mix and match curves but most people have the curve they enjoy

Wood blades have a better feel, additionally the vast vast majority of one piece's are actually two pieces with epoxy instead of stick glue and some paint. Very very few are actually a solid piece of composite.

Alot of players have repaints too, Z normally plays with a Synergy Elite but that line ends this year. Easton will certainly still make him some if he wants but they may ask him to paint it to look like whatever their new stick is at that time. It happens with all types of equipment - check Thorton's "CCM" gloves if you don't believe me.

Crosby apparently uses an unbelievable amount of sticks per game, something like a new stick every few shifts.

You can get the 8.0.8 (Datsyuk's Stick) for like $300 on ebay, all the ones I have seen are prostock. It comes out really soon though so if you can wait you can get it for much cheaper.

Edited December 8, 2008 by Johnny Law

[robat 13]

I believe Crosby still uses a wood blade

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

It's obvious that players are using new sticks and equipment, but I can't seem to find any of it ANYWHERE! Like Datsyuk is using a black o'tech stick and on rbk's website, it only lists the green one. The Sedin twins are using solid black reebok sticks that I can't find. And Hank and the Mule are using Easton sticks with a new pattern. Also I can't find Lidstrom's stick either. Is all this equipment non-public yet or something? Does anyone know where to find it? Thanks.

You wouldn't have this problem if you'd just man up and buy wood sticks.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

I only play beer-league hockey, but I'm all about the wooden sticks and old time hockey equipment.

MY MAN!

[34Legace34 0]

Here's a few more pics... we should just turn this into an official thread for all Wings equipment related stuff, as it seems alot of people are interested.

Looks like Shanny was still using a two piece last year... you can tell the difference in color of the blade.

A few other things you guys might have noticed this year..

Sammy with his Salming stick... he might be the only one in the NHL that uses Salming, maybe a few others here and there. Also might be the only guy in the NHL that tapes the cuffs of his gloves with clear shin pad tape.

Sammy

Lids has left/been dropped from Easton, he clearly stole that ugly visor from Rafalski's stash after the nose injury early this year.

Lids