HockeyMonkey.com Blog
What You Need To Play
Red Wings Call Up Goaltending Prospect From Corona
Apr 1st
DETROIT — Goaltender Shooter Tudor, Detroit’s second pick in the 2010 entry draft, was called up from the Corona Sasquatch of the Inland Empire Elite League (IEEL) after Red Wings suffered their worst loss in the goalie mask era.
“Whenever you get a chance to play with this club, it’s wicked awesome,” Tudor said. “The boys are real supportive and the pace, even in practice, is amazing”
Tudor practiced with the team on Thursday and took a shot off his lower right Velcro strap in the morning skate. He had to have his Velcro strap removed. “I have the new Velcro strap More >
Video of the Week:
The Puck Saves Quick
Mar 25th
Heading straight for the back of the net, the puck is miraculously re-directed, allowing Jonathan Quick a brief sigh of relief.
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Sports Nutrition:
Fueling Your Little Athlete
Mar 22nd
All too often, we complain about how inactive this generation has become. With all the technological options keeping so many occupied, it’s refreshing to still see so many kids at the local baseball field, hockey rink, gymnasium or swimming pool. These parents have done a great thing by keeping their kids active!
Right after sign ups, parents scramble around for the proper equipment… which, of course is necessary to keep them safe. So, we’ve addressed the outside… let’s work to get the inside healthy! It’s a well known fact that athletes require a special diet to fuel their activity. Much like More >
Special Pre-Order Offer: 2011 Vapor Skate Line
Mar 15th
The game changes April 29… Will you change with it?
The new Bauer Vapor skate line is so highly anticipated, we’ve decided to give you a chance to pre-order them! Our regular shoppers know that we rarely do this… but we’re just as excited about this line as you are! Pre-order your Bauer Vapor Skate between March 15th and April 22, 2011 and be automatically entered for a chance to have your skates delivered by an NHL player!
The NEW VAPOR APX Skate is the lightest VAPOR skate ever! The NEW X-Rib design provides structural support and stability throughout the boot, allowing for More >
Crosby’s Brief Return To The Ice
Mar 14th
Pittsburgh Penguins captain, Sidney Crosby, donned skates for the first time since being sidelined with a concussion 10 weeks ago. Limited to stickhandling around cones and shooting a few pucks, Crosby is far from being ready to return. His 15 minute practice gives no guarantee that he will play again this season. With playoffs in the near future, Crosby’s progress is a good sign but far from promising.
The concussion resulted from a hard slam into the end boards by Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman on January 5. The hit re-triggered the already much debated issue of head hits, improper checking and More >
Video of the Week: Nicklas Backstrom’s Grandslam
Mar 4th
Well… if this hockey thing doesn’t work out, Nicklas Backstrom sure has the makings of a real slugger! Watch as he shows off his multi-sport skill with a baseball-style grandslam/goal past goalie Ty Conklin for a game tying goal!
TweetSuiting Up For The First Time
Mar 2nd
New players to the game of hockey inevitably face the task of putting on all their gear for the first time. While getting dressed in all that gear seems like a daunting task, it’s really not as difficult as it sounds. New players may want to practice a few times at home until they feel comfortable.
Remember that all your gear is adjustable. If it doesn’t fit quite right the first time, try adjusting them until you find the right fit.
Here is a step by step guide to putting on hockey equipment: 1. Put on your undergarments. These can be compression More >
Video of the Week: Pierre-Marc Bouchard’s Sick Spinning Goal!
Feb 25th
Minnesota Wild’s Pierre-Marc Bouchard performed an awesome spinning goal after faking out Edmonton Oilers’ goalie Nikolai Khabibuli in Tuesday night’s game.
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Ryan O’Byrne Takes a Skate to the Face!
Feb 24th
Wednesday night’s game between the Colorado Avalance and Edmonton Oilers was bloody… both literally and figuratively.
Bleeding badly from a cut sustained when Taylor Hall‘s skate sliced his face in the first period, Avalanche defenceman Ryan O’Byrne managed to skate off the ice on his own. Hall tried to jump past the defender behind the Colorado net. O’Byrne was escorted into the locker room for initial examination and treatment before being taken to a nearby hospital. He suffered facial lacerations and didn’t return. “They had to take him and get him sewn up,” Avalanche coach Joe Sacco said. “Any time a skate More >
How To Replace T-Blades
Feb 17th
T-Blades are an alternative to regular steel blades. They are sold on top-end hockey skates such as CCM’s Vectors and Pro Tacks and Graf Skates or can be installed onto any skate boot. T-Blades are primarily plastic and only contain a small amount of steel. This design makes the skate blades much lighter (30% lighter). T-Blades also stay sharper much longer (reportedly up to 4-5 times longer) than a traditional skate blade.
T-Blades are louder and have a bit of a scratchy sound when cutting into the ice. The blades are sold pre-sharpened and some believe that the harder the steel More >