It has long been a major complaint of mine that referees who make no pittance of a salary for officiating the games we watch (and number far too many on the ice and off) are so inconsistent at their application of NHL rules.
Last night, we had to watch an overtime and a shootout, and a loss, because the pair of referees and goodness knows how many people in Toronto missed Thomas Vanek sweeping our goaltender into the net for a goal (an interference call if there ever was one).
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Friday, February 08, 2013
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Pierre Gauthier''s Year
Apparently today marks the first anniversary of Pierre Gauthier's time as the man officially in charge of the Montreal Canadiens.
Round and about, it seems to be the thing to give some kind of retrospective on him. At first, i thought I had no interest in doing this. That was until I read the glowing reviews he's been getting. I think the internet is calling for some balance.
Trades
The place everyone seems to start is with trades, so I'll start there too. Gauthier has made a total of nine of them in a year. In doing so, he has traded 5 players that were on last year's roster as well as a first, 3 second round picks and a 5th rounder with one prospect for two players on the current roster, 6 prospects, 2 free agents that are gone now, a first rounder, a 4th and a 5th.
Here are the trades:
1) 2nd round pick (TBD) in 2011 traded to Florida Panthers for Dominic Moore
2) Matt D'Agostini traded to St. Louis Blues for Aaron Palushaj
3) Jaroslav Halak traded to St. Louis Blues for Lars Eller and Ian Schultz
4) 1st round pick (Mark Visentin) in 2010 and a 2nd round pick (Oscar Lindberg) in 2010 traded to Phoenix Coyotes for a 1st round pick (Jarred Tinordi) in 2010 and a 4th Round pick (Mark MacMillan) in 2010
5) Sergei Kostitsyn and future considerations traded to Nashville Predators for Dan Ellis, Dustin Boyd and future considerations
6) Cedrick Desjardins traded to Tampa Bay Lightning for Karri Ramo
7) Ryan O'Byrne traded to Colorado Avalanche for Michael Bournival
8) 2nd round pick (TBD) in 2011 and a conditional 5th round pick (TBD) in 2012 traded to New York Islanders for James Wisniewski. 2nd round pick was NHL compensation for 1st round pick David Fischer not being signed
9) Maxim Lapierre traded to Anaheim Ducks for Brett Festerling and a 5th Round pick (TBD) in 2012
Trades 2) and 6) I'll call neutral. Basic prospect for prospect swaps. Factors like age and popularity of the players might play into this over time.
Trade 1) was a rental that paid off. So that's a victory. A 2nd round pick is steep for Dominic Moore. But a second round pick is cheap for a forward that significantly helps your team knock off two powerhouses and make the best playoff run the franchise has had in near two decades.
Trade 7) is another win for me. O'Byrne was essentially a dead-end prospect. Subban and Weber progressing properly made his worth to the team drop. Add in Picard who is at least as good, if not as big and there wasn't much place for Ryan in the future. Turning this guy into a potentially very exciting Quebec-born first rounder (who narrowly missed making team Canada) was very good for a Canadiens GM.
Trades 5) and 9) are widely viewed as addition by subtraction. As is standard procedure in these trades, the GM went to another conference. The problem is addition by subtraction is ultimately still subtraction. These can't really be viewed as wins, because other GMs have done more with less value. Gauthier needed to be more alert to the good trades out there and hold his cards. Andrej Meszaros was had for a 2nd rounder, Chicago was dumping players like Andrew Ladd. Even if we throw that out the window, the Canadiens GM in making these trades is just continuing the lazy tradition of jettisoning problems as opposed to facing them. 50+ point Ribeiro and 40+ point Grabovski join Kostistyn on the list of talent thrown away of late. Even though I fully subscribe to the idea that these players needed to go, I cannot endorse trading players for just anything. Talent has to be either managed or managed until value can be found in return. These trades are in the needs improvement column.
Trade 8) was a clear win. Wisniewski is a good fit and just what the team needed at the time. The price was OK considering the rental was long, and better if you consider he's auditioning for a future place.
The last two trades are examples of trades gone wrong.
The trade up for Jarred Tonirodi was a miscalculation, I think. For one thing there were more than 5 players of Tinordi's standard out there. And you know how I feel about taking defensive defencemen in the first round. To spend a second rounder for a fourth to get one on top of wasting the pick on one is pretty poor. I understand the scouts liked him and that's how it worked. But tell me, didn't the scouts see anything in say Tyler Toffoli who now has 44 goals in 50 OHL games (47th)? Or other second rounders who they might have been able to take as well as Tinordi if they risked him falling?
The Halak trade is being viewed at the moment through some mighty rosy glasses. From all the comments, you'd think that Halak was made of kryptonite to halt Price's superman. Let's assume for a moment that they are in fact separate people, and only made of organic matter that doesn't emit debilitating auras. Price if was going to be good, was going to be good. Halak had just come off an outstanding playoffs that laid to rest a lot of the thought at the time that his previous two seasons were flashes in the pan. He was an asset.
So trading an asset. This is stuff to get excited about? Should be. Could be. Except that Gauthier decided to cut off his own legs. He decided that it was best to trade Halak before signing him to a contract. This decision meant that a) Halak was worth less and b) Price was worth more. Now we can argue about Eller until the cows come home,and Price's contract looks like every good value now. Heck, Halak's record makes this look rosy too. But all of that misses the point. The GM needed to turn Halak into something much more valuable than Eller and Schultz. If Gautheir really believed that he was picking the right goalie, he needed to open this up to the Eastern conference, where goalies were most required. If the trade wasn't there at that time, he should have signed Halak and played salary games like the two teams that just made the Stanley Cup final did all last season.
This was a mediocre trade with extremely bad timing.
Overall, I have Gauthier down as an average trader who seems like he might be getting better (Bournival, Wisniewski). If trading was all there was to being a GM, then he'd deserve a pat of encouragement. If you're polar opposite on that Halak trade, I can see where the rave reviews are coming from.
Free agents
In terms of new faces, Gauthier did OK last summer. Basically, he added Alex Auld, Alexandre Picard and Jeff Halpern. None of these signings sets to world on fire. Yet none creates a salary mess either. Considering they've all played well, I'd say it's a good record.
If there's a criticism to be levelled with regard to free agents, it has to be about the resigning of the team's own. Pouliot stands out, since he got a 50% raise despite basically taking 25 games off at the end of last season. Halak wasn't signed (before the playoffs?) and we know what problems I think that caused and Price got a very hefty raise despite having 18 pretty average months on a contract that was already paying over the odds.
Again in retrospect these things look OK. I can't rely entirely on retrospect. When a player plays badly, he should not be rewarded with a hefty raise. it sets dangerous precedents for when a) that player plays well and b) other players come off below average seasons. Contract structure is all about internal precedents and one can only rely on so much good will from players who wish to stay. These two contracts netting a few hundred thousand more than they should have will likely mean the loss of a real roster player this summer.
Man management
Perhaps man management is entirely the duty of the GM, but ultimately he's the man who pushes the buttons and he can tell the coaches what he wants them to do as their boss.
A big red light went up this January when Andrei Kostitsyn asked for a meeting with Jacques Martin and finally found out what the coach wanted.
This is indicative of a problem that we thought had gone the way of Carbo. An environment where players and personalities are being managed on a daily basis. It's a problem. It's a problem because players like the ones I mention above as additions by subtraction become those players worth subtracting in these environments.
In a league as competitive for talent as the NHL, it's crazy to allow an environment that consistently puts up these problem players to persist. We've lost the talent held in Ribeiro, Grabovksi, Sergei and Lapierre for little in return, and it looks precarious in Andrei Kostitsyn's case.
I understand that Jacques Martin is a grizzled vet who is set in his ways, and in many ways holds more clout and credibility than Gauthier. However, Gauthier is the man charged with managing this group of talent. When sweeping problems under the rug until a trade comes up is the standard operating procedure, it's the GM's duty to step in and speak for the talent assets of the club.
I was willing to assume this was taken care of. That is until Andrei's recent revelations. Gauthier must do better here. Else more talent (talented guys do tend o have egos sometimes) will pass on by.
Results
ON results, Gauthier looks a star. The team, fighting for the playoffs when he took over, made it there and put in a great run. This season is the team's best since 2008, and probably better when injuries are tallied. Considering that, it's been the best 12 months (Feb to Feb) for the Habs since 1993. Gauthier is reaping the good favour for this in his reviews today.
Problem is, much of this has little to do with Gauthier's reign as sole man at the helm. The core of the team was put together with Gainey in charge (or so we thought). Carey Price is better because of goaltending coaches and better defence, not that contract or Halak leaving.
Gautheir is the GM of a very good team, but let's not make the mistake in thinking that he's the very good GM of an NHL team.
February is a telling time for a GM, as it's one of the few months many of them do any work. Trades made in the next month, or trades no made will give us a fuller picture on Gauthier. Another draft will reveal more about his steel and judgment, as will the contract season.
A year is far too little time to judge a GM properly. I've been hard, but not down on Gauthier. I felt some of the stuff glossed over by others needed to be brought to light. Until now, I'd say he's been adequate, doing little to indicate he'll separate from the pack. It could be worse. But in a thirty team league with only one team winning the prize each year, being adequate might not be enough.
Round and about, it seems to be the thing to give some kind of retrospective on him. At first, i thought I had no interest in doing this. That was until I read the glowing reviews he's been getting. I think the internet is calling for some balance.
Trades
The place everyone seems to start is with trades, so I'll start there too. Gauthier has made a total of nine of them in a year. In doing so, he has traded 5 players that were on last year's roster as well as a first, 3 second round picks and a 5th rounder with one prospect for two players on the current roster, 6 prospects, 2 free agents that are gone now, a first rounder, a 4th and a 5th.
Here are the trades:
1) 2nd round pick (TBD) in 2011 traded to Florida Panthers for Dominic Moore
2) Matt D'Agostini traded to St. Louis Blues for Aaron Palushaj
3) Jaroslav Halak traded to St. Louis Blues for Lars Eller and Ian Schultz
4) 1st round pick (Mark Visentin) in 2010 and a 2nd round pick (Oscar Lindberg) in 2010 traded to Phoenix Coyotes for a 1st round pick (Jarred Tinordi) in 2010 and a 4th Round pick (Mark MacMillan) in 2010
5) Sergei Kostitsyn and future considerations traded to Nashville Predators for Dan Ellis, Dustin Boyd and future considerations
6) Cedrick Desjardins traded to Tampa Bay Lightning for Karri Ramo
7) Ryan O'Byrne traded to Colorado Avalanche for Michael Bournival
8) 2nd round pick (TBD) in 2011 and a conditional 5th round pick (TBD) in 2012 traded to New York Islanders for James Wisniewski. 2nd round pick was NHL compensation for 1st round pick David Fischer not being signed
9) Maxim Lapierre traded to Anaheim Ducks for Brett Festerling and a 5th Round pick (TBD) in 2012
Trades 2) and 6) I'll call neutral. Basic prospect for prospect swaps. Factors like age and popularity of the players might play into this over time.
Trade 1) was a rental that paid off. So that's a victory. A 2nd round pick is steep for Dominic Moore. But a second round pick is cheap for a forward that significantly helps your team knock off two powerhouses and make the best playoff run the franchise has had in near two decades.
Trade 7) is another win for me. O'Byrne was essentially a dead-end prospect. Subban and Weber progressing properly made his worth to the team drop. Add in Picard who is at least as good, if not as big and there wasn't much place for Ryan in the future. Turning this guy into a potentially very exciting Quebec-born first rounder (who narrowly missed making team Canada) was very good for a Canadiens GM.
Trades 5) and 9) are widely viewed as addition by subtraction. As is standard procedure in these trades, the GM went to another conference. The problem is addition by subtraction is ultimately still subtraction. These can't really be viewed as wins, because other GMs have done more with less value. Gauthier needed to be more alert to the good trades out there and hold his cards. Andrej Meszaros was had for a 2nd rounder, Chicago was dumping players like Andrew Ladd. Even if we throw that out the window, the Canadiens GM in making these trades is just continuing the lazy tradition of jettisoning problems as opposed to facing them. 50+ point Ribeiro and 40+ point Grabovski join Kostistyn on the list of talent thrown away of late. Even though I fully subscribe to the idea that these players needed to go, I cannot endorse trading players for just anything. Talent has to be either managed or managed until value can be found in return. These trades are in the needs improvement column.
Trade 8) was a clear win. Wisniewski is a good fit and just what the team needed at the time. The price was OK considering the rental was long, and better if you consider he's auditioning for a future place.
The last two trades are examples of trades gone wrong.
The trade up for Jarred Tonirodi was a miscalculation, I think. For one thing there were more than 5 players of Tinordi's standard out there. And you know how I feel about taking defensive defencemen in the first round. To spend a second rounder for a fourth to get one on top of wasting the pick on one is pretty poor. I understand the scouts liked him and that's how it worked. But tell me, didn't the scouts see anything in say Tyler Toffoli who now has 44 goals in 50 OHL games (47th)? Or other second rounders who they might have been able to take as well as Tinordi if they risked him falling?
The Halak trade is being viewed at the moment through some mighty rosy glasses. From all the comments, you'd think that Halak was made of kryptonite to halt Price's superman. Let's assume for a moment that they are in fact separate people, and only made of organic matter that doesn't emit debilitating auras. Price if was going to be good, was going to be good. Halak had just come off an outstanding playoffs that laid to rest a lot of the thought at the time that his previous two seasons were flashes in the pan. He was an asset.
So trading an asset. This is stuff to get excited about? Should be. Could be. Except that Gauthier decided to cut off his own legs. He decided that it was best to trade Halak before signing him to a contract. This decision meant that a) Halak was worth less and b) Price was worth more. Now we can argue about Eller until the cows come home,and Price's contract looks like every good value now. Heck, Halak's record makes this look rosy too. But all of that misses the point. The GM needed to turn Halak into something much more valuable than Eller and Schultz. If Gautheir really believed that he was picking the right goalie, he needed to open this up to the Eastern conference, where goalies were most required. If the trade wasn't there at that time, he should have signed Halak and played salary games like the two teams that just made the Stanley Cup final did all last season.
This was a mediocre trade with extremely bad timing.
Overall, I have Gauthier down as an average trader who seems like he might be getting better (Bournival, Wisniewski). If trading was all there was to being a GM, then he'd deserve a pat of encouragement. If you're polar opposite on that Halak trade, I can see where the rave reviews are coming from.
Free agents
In terms of new faces, Gauthier did OK last summer. Basically, he added Alex Auld, Alexandre Picard and Jeff Halpern. None of these signings sets to world on fire. Yet none creates a salary mess either. Considering they've all played well, I'd say it's a good record.
If there's a criticism to be levelled with regard to free agents, it has to be about the resigning of the team's own. Pouliot stands out, since he got a 50% raise despite basically taking 25 games off at the end of last season. Halak wasn't signed (before the playoffs?) and we know what problems I think that caused and Price got a very hefty raise despite having 18 pretty average months on a contract that was already paying over the odds.
Again in retrospect these things look OK. I can't rely entirely on retrospect. When a player plays badly, he should not be rewarded with a hefty raise. it sets dangerous precedents for when a) that player plays well and b) other players come off below average seasons. Contract structure is all about internal precedents and one can only rely on so much good will from players who wish to stay. These two contracts netting a few hundred thousand more than they should have will likely mean the loss of a real roster player this summer.
Man management
Perhaps man management is entirely the duty of the GM, but ultimately he's the man who pushes the buttons and he can tell the coaches what he wants them to do as their boss.
A big red light went up this January when Andrei Kostitsyn asked for a meeting with Jacques Martin and finally found out what the coach wanted.
This is indicative of a problem that we thought had gone the way of Carbo. An environment where players and personalities are being managed on a daily basis. It's a problem. It's a problem because players like the ones I mention above as additions by subtraction become those players worth subtracting in these environments.
In a league as competitive for talent as the NHL, it's crazy to allow an environment that consistently puts up these problem players to persist. We've lost the talent held in Ribeiro, Grabovksi, Sergei and Lapierre for little in return, and it looks precarious in Andrei Kostitsyn's case.
I understand that Jacques Martin is a grizzled vet who is set in his ways, and in many ways holds more clout and credibility than Gauthier. However, Gauthier is the man charged with managing this group of talent. When sweeping problems under the rug until a trade comes up is the standard operating procedure, it's the GM's duty to step in and speak for the talent assets of the club.
I was willing to assume this was taken care of. That is until Andrei's recent revelations. Gauthier must do better here. Else more talent (talented guys do tend o have egos sometimes) will pass on by.
Results
ON results, Gauthier looks a star. The team, fighting for the playoffs when he took over, made it there and put in a great run. This season is the team's best since 2008, and probably better when injuries are tallied. Considering that, it's been the best 12 months (Feb to Feb) for the Habs since 1993. Gauthier is reaping the good favour for this in his reviews today.
Problem is, much of this has little to do with Gauthier's reign as sole man at the helm. The core of the team was put together with Gainey in charge (or so we thought). Carey Price is better because of goaltending coaches and better defence, not that contract or Halak leaving.
Gautheir is the GM of a very good team, but let's not make the mistake in thinking that he's the very good GM of an NHL team.
February is a telling time for a GM, as it's one of the few months many of them do any work. Trades made in the next month, or trades no made will give us a fuller picture on Gauthier. Another draft will reveal more about his steel and judgment, as will the contract season.
A year is far too little time to judge a GM properly. I've been hard, but not down on Gauthier. I felt some of the stuff glossed over by others needed to be brought to light. Until now, I'd say he's been adequate, doing little to indicate he'll separate from the pack. It could be worse. But in a thirty team league with only one team winning the prize each year, being adequate might not be enough.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
MLX Skates: LIW's Review
A few weeks ago I received my brand-new MLX Skates. For those of you who don’t know, MLX (Mario LemieuX) is newish on the skate scene. To get their word out they asked that we here at LIW test and review their skates in exchange for a free pair that would be ours to keep. The task fell to me as Topham decided that I was in greater need of a skate upgrade (and maybe because he is ready to admit that I am the better skater?).
So, what are they like? How do they fit? Do they feel better or worse than other skates that I have used? I am going to try an answer these questions and am going to give an honest, unbiased opinion as that is what MLX, and the readers, want.
Check out the Skates here.
It all started when two days after taking my order the skates arrived at my door. Anxious to try them out, they were in the oven within another couple of days. No, I wasn’t baking them for fun, but instead was getting them ready to mold. That’s right, you can mold them yourself, whenever you want, in your very own oven. I made sure that I followed all of the instructions for customizing my skates as detailed in a series of videos on MLX’s website.
After the baking, came the molding and subsequent foot massage (hot skates on your feet are a very nice feeling). Unfortunately it was at that point that I realized that the insoles were too small. Had they shrunk in the baking or were they too small to begin with? Since I didn’t even put my foot in until that point I would think I was simply sent the wrong pair. So, I waited another two days, but it was another quick delivery from a company that was really easy to get a hold of and order from.
Back to square one, then, and this time it was a success. I could feel the skates form to my feet and I was excited to get onto the ice.
I have now played four games with the skates and have noticed a little difference each time. The first time I wore them they hurt one foot (which they claim on their site is normal) and I wasn’t sure about them. That, of course, happens with most new skates, boots or shoes so I wasn’t about to write them off just yet. The next three games seemed to go better and better to the point that I really felt that these were better than any skate that I had previously used. So, I’ll tell you why I think that and then it can be up to you if you are interested in this skate for yourselves
Learn all about MLX and their Skates at their website – mlxskates.com
First off: the fit. I felt that the molding was effective and the ability to do this at home meant that I could tweak them whenever I wanted. I haven’t had to change anything, but as long as we’re not in the middle of cooking something in the oven it is a quick process. I did notice that the boot was quite low as compared with other hockey skates. I didn’t, however, feel that this caused a lack of protection. My shin guard may no longer overlap the boot, but with the hardness of the boot itself I wasn’t worried about that anymore.
Things that I noticed when skating was that I was leaning forward more. This is because the chassis is actually built up higher at the heel than at the toe; more so than on other skates. I felt that this helped to keep me ‘on my toes’ more throughout the games. The lower boot allowed my ankle to achieve a full range of motion. The replaceable and very flexible tendon guard (a nice feature as a broken one no longer warrants the purchase of a new pair of skates), and the fact that there are maybe two less eyelets than on a regular boot meant that I could really get a full range of motion out of my foot. I felt that this helped with my speed, acceleration and turning as I had more motion than I was used to.
After a few games I noticed a few more things that seemed better than they had been on my old skates. First, the hard boot really gives me more confidence to step in front of a shot. They are moldable, yes, but are very rigid when they aren’t heated up. I also found that this provided more stability while I skated and seemed to help me make tighter turns. It is also night and day when it comes to the weight of these skates versus my old ones. Not that I ever had trouble lifting my old skates up off the ice, but at the end of a long shift it is nice to know that you are carrying a little less weight.
Another great feature is that you can adjust the location of the chassis on the boot which essentially can change your blade angle and position. I haven’t played with this feature nearly enough, but it is nice to know that I can customize that on my own as we all know there are many different types of skaters out there. This, of course, helps each skater to get the most out of him or herself. When you think about the new technologies that they are using in sports like speed-skating, running and swimming I can honestly say that this is a very important step for hockey skates and it is about time.
These skates are certainly high-end skates, of that there is no doubt, but if you are looking to go for something in the higher-end these might be worth a shot. I haven’t noticed that I am a better player than before, but I do notice little things improving and anytime you can do that you know that you are headed in the right direction. I am very happy to have been able to try these skates and look forward to many more years of good hockey on them.
Interested in new high-end Skates? Try MLX Skates.
So, what are they like? How do they fit? Do they feel better or worse than other skates that I have used? I am going to try an answer these questions and am going to give an honest, unbiased opinion as that is what MLX, and the readers, want.
Check out the Skates here.
It all started when two days after taking my order the skates arrived at my door. Anxious to try them out, they were in the oven within another couple of days. No, I wasn’t baking them for fun, but instead was getting them ready to mold. That’s right, you can mold them yourself, whenever you want, in your very own oven. I made sure that I followed all of the instructions for customizing my skates as detailed in a series of videos on MLX’s website.
After the baking, came the molding and subsequent foot massage (hot skates on your feet are a very nice feeling). Unfortunately it was at that point that I realized that the insoles were too small. Had they shrunk in the baking or were they too small to begin with? Since I didn’t even put my foot in until that point I would think I was simply sent the wrong pair. So, I waited another two days, but it was another quick delivery from a company that was really easy to get a hold of and order from.
Back to square one, then, and this time it was a success. I could feel the skates form to my feet and I was excited to get onto the ice.
I have now played four games with the skates and have noticed a little difference each time. The first time I wore them they hurt one foot (which they claim on their site is normal) and I wasn’t sure about them. That, of course, happens with most new skates, boots or shoes so I wasn’t about to write them off just yet. The next three games seemed to go better and better to the point that I really felt that these were better than any skate that I had previously used. So, I’ll tell you why I think that and then it can be up to you if you are interested in this skate for yourselves
Learn all about MLX and their Skates at their website – mlxskates.com
First off: the fit. I felt that the molding was effective and the ability to do this at home meant that I could tweak them whenever I wanted. I haven’t had to change anything, but as long as we’re not in the middle of cooking something in the oven it is a quick process. I did notice that the boot was quite low as compared with other hockey skates. I didn’t, however, feel that this caused a lack of protection. My shin guard may no longer overlap the boot, but with the hardness of the boot itself I wasn’t worried about that anymore.
Things that I noticed when skating was that I was leaning forward more. This is because the chassis is actually built up higher at the heel than at the toe; more so than on other skates. I felt that this helped to keep me ‘on my toes’ more throughout the games. The lower boot allowed my ankle to achieve a full range of motion. The replaceable and very flexible tendon guard (a nice feature as a broken one no longer warrants the purchase of a new pair of skates), and the fact that there are maybe two less eyelets than on a regular boot meant that I could really get a full range of motion out of my foot. I felt that this helped with my speed, acceleration and turning as I had more motion than I was used to.
After a few games I noticed a few more things that seemed better than they had been on my old skates. First, the hard boot really gives me more confidence to step in front of a shot. They are moldable, yes, but are very rigid when they aren’t heated up. I also found that this provided more stability while I skated and seemed to help me make tighter turns. It is also night and day when it comes to the weight of these skates versus my old ones. Not that I ever had trouble lifting my old skates up off the ice, but at the end of a long shift it is nice to know that you are carrying a little less weight.
Another great feature is that you can adjust the location of the chassis on the boot which essentially can change your blade angle and position. I haven’t played with this feature nearly enough, but it is nice to know that I can customize that on my own as we all know there are many different types of skaters out there. This, of course, helps each skater to get the most out of him or herself. When you think about the new technologies that they are using in sports like speed-skating, running and swimming I can honestly say that this is a very important step for hockey skates and it is about time.
These skates are certainly high-end skates, of that there is no doubt, but if you are looking to go for something in the higher-end these might be worth a shot. I haven’t noticed that I am a better player than before, but I do notice little things improving and anytime you can do that you know that you are headed in the right direction. I am very happy to have been able to try these skates and look forward to many more years of good hockey on them.
Interested in new high-end Skates? Try MLX Skates.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Lions in Winter to Test MLX Skates
A couple of weeks ago MLX Skates contacted Lions in Winter about the possibility of testing their skates and getting their word out. MLX, or Mario LemieuX, Skates is a company that is looking to get the most out of the player by giving one the ability to customize their skates in a revolutionary way. It is all based on Speed-Skating technology as they have been developed by David Cruikshank, a four-time US Long-Track Speed-Skating Olympian. David thought that there were so many ways in which to improve a hockey skate, ways to get players peforming at a higher level. Custom moulding and adjustable blade angles are the aspects which I most look forward to trying as skates like that are clearly at the cutting edge.
Check-out their skates at mlxskates.com by following this link: SKATES
This seemed like a unique opportunity for Lions in Winter and, as there is really no risk for us (free skates, free shipping), we thought that we would give it a try. The nature of the skates and their customizable features is such that they are really only good for one person. So, with a bit of luck, and generosity, Topham asked that I be the one to test and review the skates. Players like Alfredsson, Gonchar and Byfuglien are on them now; soon Tobalev will be joining the ranks.
Now, Tobalev wasn’t always Tobalev. In the early days I may have been called the Toadster (I was very slow), Straightline (for my inability to neither turn nor stop), or Crapeau (named after a player who’s name seemed to suit me more). I like to think, however, that that has changed and I think skates may indeed have something to do with it all. It started with Cheese-Cutters in the early days, but then it was soon onto my very own pair of skates. Bought at one of those second-hand everything stores these metal-chassis Daoust’s looked like hockey skates, but didn’t feel that great at all. Eventually, when I really started playing it was onto a series of Bauer skates; at first second-hand, later onto my own new pairs. The next pair, my first in adult sizes, was a pair of CCM Tacks which were previously owned by one-time NHL player, Jason Doig. Eventually, and for quite some time now, it was onto a pair of CCM 652 Tacks which I have grown to love over the years. I knew that the day that I would require a new pair would one day come, but never thought that it would be with something quite as interesting as the MLX skate.
First up will be some games, but I do hope to get them onto the outdoor rink and even down to the Rideau Canal to test them more in different conditions. I won’t give MLX a free ride just because of their generosity and will try to give an honest and worthwhile assessment of their skates. I will approach this in the same way in which I look at every Habs game – I won’t jump to any conclusions, I will be fair and I will attempt to look at these skates, and their performance, from every possible angle. Check back soon to see what I think, check out their skates at (www.mlxskates.com) now if you're interested in learning more.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)