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How are the NHL’s corporate sponsors coping in light of the current lockout, which has wiped out the first two months of the season so far?
While some are showing patience, others are moving their advertising spend elsewhere, including one of the biggest names in the hockey world… [Read more...]
Penn State is getting ready to make their Division I hockey debut this fall, so both the men’s and women’s teams rolled out new road & home jerseys.
Thanks to ComRadio (which you can follow on Twitter at @PSUComRadio), we’ve got our first look at the Nittany Lions’ new threads… [Read more...]
Say hello to my little friend
Hockey players are tough. They can deal with a great many things to enjoy the game they love – pain, hard work, the expense putting together an assortment of equipment & accessories, and even that signature smell that comes from our bag the day (or the week) after your last session on the ice.
Back in my college days, my beer-league buddies had one word that captured the spirit of this olfactory horror – THE STENCH.
Now, most of us players can handle The Stench, but those around us? The spouses, significant others, kids, and animals in our lives aren’t so understanding. That’s where the Odor Gladiator steps in… [Read more...]
Can you name the only general manager in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup with more than one team?
Probably not, and that’s just one example of how GM’s labor in relative obscurity in the National Hockey League.
Players’ and head coaches’ accomplishments are well-known and celebrated, but how much do we really know about the way GM’s work, and what the members of this elite group really say about each other? A fantastic new book, Behind The Moves, gives you a look into the world of the NHL General Manager…
[Read more...]
How does the National Hockey League stack up against the NFL, NBA, MLB, and other major sports organizations? How does the sports industry break down in terms of how many people work in various aspects of the business? The answers might surprise you.
If you like the infographic that follows, make sure to use one of the buttons at the top of this post to share it via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and more!
Which players led the NHL in jersey sales during the 2011-2012 NHL regular season? Follow along as we take a tour through some of the great champions and rising stars of the hockey world…
The NHL recently released its list of Top 10 Jersey Sellers at Shop.NHL.com for the 2011-2012 regular season, and it’s surprising to see of the guys who didn’t make the cut. Being the favorite for the Hart Trophy as league MVP wasn’t enough to get Evgeni Malkin on this list, the top goal-scorer Steven Stamkos came up short, nor was being captain of the defending Stanley Cup champs good enough for Zdeno Chara. We do, however, have a mix of the game’s top players both young and old…
He won the Art Ross Trophy five times as the NHL’s leading scorer, and after a 15-year NHL career which included two Stanley Cup championships, it was assumed that Jagr was done with North American hockey when he joined the KHL for the 2008-2009 season. This year, however, he came back, joining the Philadelphia Flyers and putting together a very respectable 54-point campaign, turning 40 in mid-February. Aging superstar playing on a new, big-market team? That’s a surefire formula for jersey sales…
Special Ice Jerseys Coupon Code: Subscribe to our email newsletter, and receive a promo code for Hockey Gear HQ readers, which can knock $10 off your order!
Get your Jaromir Jagr Philadelphia Flyers jersey at Ice Jerseys!
Don’t expect clarity any time soon on the NHL injury front.
METAIRIE, LA - AUGUST 05: Head coach Sean Payton talks with Defensive Coodinator Gregg Williams of the New Orleans Saints during practice at the New Orleans Saints training facility on August 5, 2011 in Metairie, Louisiana. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
One of the more frustrating aspects for fans of the NHL, particularly at Stanley Cup playoff time, is the secrecy with which injuries are treated by most teams around the league. Even though a player may have been obviously slashed on the hand and suffers a likely bone break, all we’re told is that he suffered an “upper body injury”, or if his knee gets mangled by a low hit, it’s termed “lower body”. This season, the Detroit Red Wings even gave us a “middle body” injury to ponder.
Concussions are often the most-secretive of hurts, especially in the early days as a team tries to get an idea of whether a player will be out for just a few days, or a longer, indeterminate amount of time.
While many observers have criticized the policy introduced in 2008, or gone on end-runs around a team to determine a player’s injury status, the defense from the league’s standpoint has been one of player safety and fair play. If other teams know details of opponent’s injuries, they can take advantage of them.
In the wake of the NFL’s bounty scandal, that defense can now be considered lock-tight. [Read more...]
Isn’t it worth a few moments of your time to help protect yourself or your young hockey player from a severe brain injury?
Now THAT's a nice, tight chin strap. (Photo credit: 5of7)
Hockey helmets are perhaps the single most important piece of protective hockey equipment, but all too often, they aren’t used to the best of their capabilities. They sit too loosely on a player’s head, or the chin strap dangles far lower than necessary, allowing the helmet to fly off in the event of a collision, just when it’s really needed most.
So make sure to review the following video, for a few invaluable tips on how to make sure your hockey helmet fits correctly. [Read more...]
Today marks the 15th anniversary of what to me represents the pinnacle of the “fighting allows players to self-police the game” argument, the March 26, 1997 brawl between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche at Joe Louis Arena.
This was my first opportunity to cover an NHL game as a member of the credentialed media, and as luck would have it, I got a first-hand view of perhaps the greatest regular season NHL game in living memory. Detroit & Colorado were the two best teams in the league, and clearly there was a tremendous amount of bad blood built up over the previous year, stemming from the Claude Lemieux/Kris Draper hit, of course.
Take a few moments to savor some video of the glory days, and below, you’ll find a few facts which you may not have known about this game…
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The hockey or football player in your family may be too tough for his or her own good, putting them at risk of serious injury from sports concussions.
Playing through pain and fatigue is part of the game, and the drive to persevere is one of those things which makes team sports so special.
But after a hard hit to the head, there are times when “playing through the fog” can be extremely dangerous.
Your child likely won’t even know if they have suffered a concussion.
Even though they know they took a hard hit, they may not want to let their teammates down.
There are any number of reasons why a youth hockey or football player may want to return to action right away, and even with the most dedicated trainers and coaches on hand, it’s simply impossible to proactively identify every player who should be checked for concussion symptoms before continuing.
But what if there were a way to put a spotlight on such children, so they don’t put themselves unnecessarily at risk?
That’s where the Battle Sports Science and the Impact Indicator come in… [Read more...]
