Mike McKenna Gives an Insider View on the New Gear

Once again our pro correspondent Mike McKenna of the AHL’s Albany Devils brings us his unique view on the pro game. Mike is happy to answer questions in a Q&A column – so if you have anything you’d like to ask him, please add it in the comments or email david@inGoalMag.com and we’ll pass them along.

Like this one? Check out Mike’s other articles:

Ask a Pro: Q & A with Mike McKenna

Complete Guide to Professional Goalie’s Gear Setup and Customization

How do the NHL, AHL and ECHL Differ – a Goalie’s Perspective

photo by Scott Slingsby

If you are having a difficult time understanding the new goalie equipment regulations, you are not alone. Amazingly enough, one would be hard pressed to find a professional goaltender who has any idea what is going on, much less what size gear he will be allowed to use next season. Reasoning that goalies should wear ‘form-fitting’ equipment, the NHL is set to implement a new set of rules aimed at limited pad height on an individual measurement basis.

This past week I was asked by Bauer to send in my measurements. Since I will be wearing their gear again next year, it makes sense to get it ordered as soon as possible so that I can become acquainted with any changes needed to meet next season’s regulations. In order to accomplish this, I was sent a PowerPoint sheet detailing each measurement needed. After sending the results back to Bauer, it was determined that I could actually wear pads that are a quarter inch taller than my current 34”+4” set up. I was shocked.

It turns out the new rules will negatively affect a small minority, while some will actually be permitted to wear longer pads. Unfortunately, the small minority will inevitably be the ‘little’ guys: If I’m 6’2” and my 34”+4”s are deemed legal, it’s fairly obvious that anyone shorter than me is going to be forced to shrink their pad height.
Personally, I don’t think this is fair. I understand that the NHL wants to institute a uniform rules package, but in doing so, they have effectively handicapped the smaller goalies, who already face a tough enough job. Today’s game is based so much on blocking that coverage is essential; the pace of the game and the speed of the shots requires us to get in position first, react second. Gone are the days when a goalie could simply rely on instincts to get by. With that comes the need for bigger equipment, not just for protection, but for blocking area.

My belief is that pad-height is self-limiting. You can only wear so big of a pad before it starts to be a detriment to your movement. On top of that, an extended thigh rise does no good unless there is something behind it to keep the pad from bending back into the 5-hole and allowing a goal. And truthfully, how many more goals do they think are going to go in due to this change in pad height? The dynamic of the butterfly hasn’t changed; you still have to get your pads down quickly in order to stop a shot, regardless of if you’re wearing 34”s or 40”s.

But why punish someone under 6’ just because they don’t have the same genetic makeup? If Manny Legace wants to wear 38” pads and they work for him, fine by me. But should I be allowed to wear 42” just because I’m 4” taller? No way. I liked the old system: 38” maximum. Black and white, clear as day, it worked in a similar fashion to maximum stick length for forwards. However, I do believe exceptions should have been available if needed – a 6’10” goalie would need pads taller than 38”. That’s if a 6’10” goalie ever made it to the NHL.

One of the strangest aspects of the new rules package is that very few goaltenders were involved in drafting it; and hardly anyone knows the details. To me, that’s a problem. Transparency is murky right now. After turning in my measurements, they had to be added, multiplied, and eventually compared to a chart in order to determine my proper size limit. And I’m not sure anyone outside of the equipment manufacturers and the NHL has seen the chart. On top of that, you know something’s wrong when an NHL goaltender finds out about the new regulations by reading The Hockey News (ed. note: an article piece by inGoal contributor Kevin Woodley).  There should be an open dialogue between the League, the NHLPA, and the goalies.

Of course, I am writing this from the outside looking in – I haven’t played in the NHL in over a year – but I am directly affected by the new rules. Every goalie under NHL contract will need to be measured and wear NHL-approved gear. This means select goalies playing in the AHL, ECHL, CHL, and even Tier 1 junior in Canada will be forced to comply.

But what happens when someone from Juniors gets called up on an emergency basis early in the season and has yet to receive legal equipment from the manufacturer? Can they dress? Obviously they won’t be allowed to wear someone else’s equipment since it hasn’t been custom fitted along league guidelines. Imagine a team being forced to put a defenseman in net because their goalies don’t have approved gear!

Another problem is that – for now – measurements are being sent on the honor system. If I wanted my legs to be an extra inch or two, who’s to stop me? But eventually the NHL wants to measure each contracted goalie in person – hopefully during training camp. And then they want the equipment companies to make 150 brand new sets of gear as quickly as possible so that everyone conforms to the new legality. Before each league’s season begins.

Color me cynical, but it sure seems like a huge bureaucratic process that is likely to net very little gain in terms of increased scoring. There’s also a high likelihood that small goalies will eventually be pushed out to an even greater extent. But apparently that’s the direction the NHL wants to go, and the NHLPA seems to be along for the ride. Once again, goalies have been deemed the culprit, even though scoring has remained up since the lockout. Maybe when these rule changes go into effect and don’t make much of a difference people will finally realize it’s the technique, skill, and coaching that has elevated goaltending to its current level.

Like this one? Check out Mike’s other articles:

Ask a Pro: Q & A with Mike McKenna

Complete Guide to Professional Goalie’s Gear Setup and Customization

How do the NHL, AHL and ECHL Differ – a Goalie’s Perspective

special thanks to James Demarco for his cartoon

If you’re anything like most members of the goalie nation, chances are that a big part of your fascination with playing the position has to do with the coolness factor of strapping on all that equipment.  At the very top of the coolness factor scale, the goalie mask surely comes in first place.  Old guys like me remember sticking black and white hockey tape over that Johnny Boweresque clear plexi mask for the zebra effect, or etching fake scars with magic marker a la Gerry Cheevers.  For others, the marque de commerce that evokes the best memories might be the Palmateer blue zig-zag or Dryden’s CH bullseye, Eddie Belfour’s screaming eagle head or Stephane Fiset’s impregnable ice cube wall, Felix Potvin’s stylized cat or Grant Fuhr’s gushing oil well.  The bottom line is that almost all of us love the way the mask gives its wearer a particular character and mystique.

Moreover, the proof that this notion has carried over into the current era is the literal explosion of high-end mask painters.  Today Atom and Pee-Wee kids are getting custom lids.  Pro goalies now have taken to wearing different masks for special games or to support charities.  inGoalMag.com has featured many of the talented artists who have turned the humble brain bucket into a literal canvas for the most varied and evocative of designs.

Of course, as in all things, excellence has a price.  In the case of the custom air-brushed paint job with a favourite rendition of your-late-Aunt-Mildred-flexing-her-tattooed-biceps-as-she-wields-a-pointy-Sher-Wood-and-flashes-a-toothless-hockey-grin, the final bill can easily run into the $500+ range.  No small amount, especially for a dad on a budget or a beer leaguer (I’m both of these) who fixes his goalie sticks with duct tape to make them last longer (or is that to make them heavier when used as a club…?)

James Demarco poked fun at those of us financially challenged goalies with the cartoon featured above. For me, a guy who had for 20 years been wearing a garage-sale Jofa birdcage combo, it was a provocation to find out whether there was a way to have my cake and eat it too:  get a cool mask and a cool graphic without having to take out a second mortgage.

As it turns out, one of the hockey dads I know happens to own a company that does giant size industrial vinyl graphics, banners and publicity.  His company, Groupe Tetu, started out with his dad doing handpainted signs, just like everyone else did years ago.  Since that time, the business has evolved into a high tech service that, among other things, is able to make computer cut vinyl stickers that can cover 100% of the surface of any taxi or panel truck, or can produce 4 story high posters of Roberto Luongo for the world championships at the Colisée de Québec.

If you need BIG, Groupe Tetu has you covered!

For somewhere between $100-150 bucks, Jean François Tetu can take a Photoshopped design, submitted in jpeg format on a cd, and print them on a high tech 3M vinyl sticker that comes with a protective gloss finish layer bonded to the full colour graphic underneath.

Here’s the amazing part of the process.  I had always thought that stickers were cheap and fragile compared to a real paint job.  My scepticism was won over when we applied them in Jean-François’ kitchen.  First of all, he stretched a white decal over the entire surface of my black helmet so I wouldn’t have to paint it.  I honestly couldn’t tell that it wasn’t painted in an auto body shop.  Next, we spent an hour (!) getting the middle stripe correctly adjusted without folds, bumps or air bubbles.  What amazed me was how much he abused the sticker, stretching it, peeling it off at least a dozen times, heating it with a hair dryer, placing it again and again until it looked right.  Every time we pulled too hard and overstretched the decal, all we had to do was pull it off, lay it flat and heat it.  It would instantly shrink back to its original shape and size.  Remember, this is the same quality of decal used to decorate panel trucks and taxis that run outdoors in the mud, rain and snow year round.

Take a look at the final result and decide for yourself.  While it must be pointed out that the stickers are not dollar-store cheap, and that they are quite tricky to apply without screwing the job up (especially on the top of the helmet where the curve is most pronounced), they provide an option that is worth consideration.  Moreover, you could make a sticker of anything that can be photographed, from the Mona Lisa to a Mandinka Warrior to your late Aunt Mildred.  There are artists out there who can air-brush with accuracy that is photo-real, but that kind of skill comes at a premium (as it should, since these guys don’t come a dime a dozen).

Hasta la victoria siempre! (Forever onwards until victory!)

Groupe Tetu’s specialty is certainly not goalie masks, but if you wish to contact Jean François, he is open to inquiries (www.groupetetu.com).  If your French isn’t up to speed (though I do believe they do business in English as well) then try contacting me through inGoalMag.com and I can inquire on your behalf.  Or try leblancdesigns.com, signspecialist.com or check on Ebay for Troy Lee sticker packages.

Welcome back readers!!

Moving along with the “GF Series” (Gear Familiarization) brings us to the next piece of gear.

In case you forgot, here is the lineup I will be working through;

1. Mask (Click for article)
2. Throat guard or dangler(Click for article)
3. Chest and Arm protector
4. Jock (a goalie specific jock)
5. Pants
6. Knee pads
7. Leg Pads
8. Blocker
9. Catching Glove
10. Skates
11. Stick
12. Jersey(s)
13. Undergarments
14. Bag to keep it all in

Chest and Arm Protectors

Some of you may remember the days of black and blue chest, arms, elbows, necks etc. It wasn’t always so much fun suiting up and standing in front of pucks. These were the days when chest protectors were actually 2 piece units! Fortunately for us tenders of the twine technology has advanced and we now have the super protective one piece chest and arm units that we see today!

Just like with any type of equipment there are all sorts of different companies that make Chest and Arm protectors out there. Generally they are all built using the same materials (HD Foam, nylon, plastics, assorted soft foams and assorted fasteners). Good news is that they are all very protective. Bad news is, that besides your pads and mask, a Chest and Arm unit is going to cost you a good chunk of your (or your parents) hard earned money. It is rightfully so, as there are a lot of important body parts that this unit is going to protect! Be prepared to spend anywhere from $200 – $500 depending on the brand and protection level of the C/A unit.

Lets start with some of the more popular Chest and Arm units out there.

Vaughn

These Vaughn units you can see are similar, but there are a few subtle differences, which allows for a greater product range. In this case it is the Velocity, and the Epic Series. Both are very popular units in the pro ranks as well as any level of hockey. The nice thing about Vaughn is that they offer these C/A units in a variety of protection levels, from PRO all the way down to youth. Determining your highest level of play and then purchasing the unit that corresponds with that level is a simple way to save yourself some money when looking at C/A units. (www.vaughnhockey.com)

Reebok

Reebok has burst on to the hockey scene over the last few years, and while a lot of people don’t know it, a lot of their product is still designed by Michel Lefevre (the same guy who designed for KOHO) and is a good quality product. They, like Vaughn, offer different level C/A units for you to chose from. (www.reebokhockey.com)

Brown

While the Brown name isn’t probably a name that is seen as much as Vaughn, Reebok, TPS etc, there is one thing that the Brown name is famous for and that is Chest and Arm units. A lot of professional goaltenders swear by the Brown C/A units. Why? They are tanks! If you want some serious protection a Brown C/A is something that you definitely want to take a look at. (www.brownhockey.com)

Like in my previous articles I will say this again, I am barely scratching the surface on the companies that make a quality C/A unit. These examples are just a few of the more popular units that are used. I would encourage you to take a look on the internet, or if you are fortunate enough to have a hockey store with a good selection near you, take a drive and try on all the different models and see what suits your needs best.

As in the past few articles there are also companies that build a product that is on par with all of the big name manufacturers that you sometimes don’t hear too much about. I would like to show you a few examples of those, and give you a few reference pictures so that you can compare them to the C/A units above, and see that even though there isn’t a big name associated with them they still are very good products and very protective as well.

Battram

Battram makes a great C/A unit that will run a little bit less than the big name manufacturers, but you also get the custom look that you want and that Battram has become known for. You can pick and choose your colors, or even have a custom logo stitched to the chest! Whatever you can think of, Battram can put together for you. It all comes at a good price in a protective professional level package. (www.battram.com)

Simmons

Simmons is a company that makes product lines that are similar to the Big name manufacturers signature lines. What is good about this? You get the same level of protection, the same design, and the same fit and feel of the big name products at a significant savings! Its the best of both worlds! Now some people have to have that “brand name” gear and that’s fine, in this case Simmons is not for you. But for the rest of you out there, take a look at the Simmons products, they are exceptional quality at an exceptional price. (www.donsimmons.com)

Take a look at the C/A units shown and you can even branch out from there in your search to find that perfect C/A . The internet is a great source to become an informed and educated consumer. Remember to check out several different styles and companies to find what works best for you. If you stop at one or two, you may never know what you are missing!

Now lets move on and give you a little info on making sure that the C/A unit fits properly. As with any type of gear if the fit is not proper, the level of protection the C/A unit offers is compromised.

Fitting a C/A Unit

Online Shopping

When you are searching online for a unit, keep in mind that various manufacturer’s C/A units will all fit a little differently. If you search the site there should be a chart that will help you determine the sizing so you can be sure you are looking at the right size. (see image below for proper chest measurement)

Retail Store Shopping

If you are in a hockey store you can use the following to help properly fit a C/A unit;

A proper fitting chest and arm pad should come down the arm to the wrist with the elbow centered into the elbow protector/cap. Too long in the arms and the catcher & blocker won’t fit securely. Too short and the potential for injury is increased by gaps in coverage. The chest/belly pad should provide full protection standing upright but not be so long that in a crouch the pad shifts out of position. The Goalie should have a good range of motion. To test, lift arms above shoulder height – ensure the pads do not dig into the neck. You can also take the goalies chest measurement from just below the arm pits and refer to an in store sizing chart so that you may find a general sizing starting point. Also keep in mind that there are usually several adjustment areas (shoulders, elbow caps, wrists, belly etc) to help customize the fit of the C/A.

Until next time, happy gear hunting! I hope I have helped you on the road to finding a C/A unit! And as always if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to email me at vanniek@ingoalmag.com or comment below!

See you all next time when I dig a little deeper in to goalie specific jocks and jills!

I haven’t been working on the Gear Familiarization series  as mush as I have liked, which was caused by a new glove mod I have been working on. I am finally done with it, and ready to show it off to all of you!

Pictured below, the mod I categorize as being “insanely cute” which has a major distracting property. While usually as a goaltender we look for ways to get people to shoot right in to our gloves, this “mod” makes the player stop and stare in awe of the cuteness that it represents!!

And if that wasn’t enough I have even offered it in a “Double Glove” situation, which causes the ENTIRE other team to stop skating (Trust me this is awesome if you want to win!) and just stare in awe at the cuteness that is!

(Left is my daughter Theren (born April 9th 2010), and right is my daughter Raegan (born April 2nd 2005)

Anyways all kidding aside, everyone is healthy and happy at home now, and Raegan is VERY excited about her new baby sister!

And now I will get back to work, bringing you the ins and outs of goalie gear!

Although a Vaughn man for pads and gloves, like 12 other NHL goalies, Boston's Tuukka Rask prefers a Warrior Stick. Photo by Scott Slingsby

Following up on yesterday’s useless stat of the day comparing goal pad brand and GAA, here is a histogram showing the number of NHL goalies using each brand of stick, according to the Goalie Guild’s Pads Tracker.

For more information on each brand you can visit their sites:

Bauer – you can now customize your stick at Bauer’s site
Brooklynite
Combat
Koho
Rebellion
Reebok
Sher-Wood
Torspo
TPS
Warrior