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Consumer Demand Across All Product Categories Drives 27% Revenue Growth and Stronger Net Income Growth

The increase in overall revenues in the second quarter and first half of fiscal 2012 was led by ice hockey equipment sales, with strong performance from the newly launched VAPOR family of skates and composite sticks and a full line of innovative goalie products. The continued revenue and earnings performance has been supported by strong “Back-to-Hockey” orders (April 2011 – September 2011) and “Holiday” (October 2011 – March 2012) booking orders. Revenues from the North American market grew by 29% in the second quarter and 28% in the first half of fiscal 2012 compared to the same periods last year, while sales outside North America grew by 20% and 30%, respectively.

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It is a really nice article that explains a little bit of the mechanics and tradeoffs in selecting the right hockey stick.

Key call outs from the article…

“The difference in Cody’s shot is that, if you look at the top of the backswing for Jordin and for Shea, their stick is literally perpendicular to the ice,” Robinson said. “If you think of it like a clock face, with their sticks being at 12, Cody was more like 10. He barely gets his stick above parallel to the ice.”

The question Robinson could not answer as definitely is how Franson generated as much power as he did behind those shots without as much of a backswing. Franson, who is an inch taller but about 15 pounds lighter than Weber, offered an answer on Wednesday.

He uses a more flexible stick — “a whippier stick” — than Weber. That whipping effect, combined with his upper body strength and wrists, is what the Leafs defenceman says generates most of his power.

“That’s why I use the whippier stick,” Franson said. “Because as quick as I can get it off, there’s still a lot of pop behind it, you know what I mean? It’s not like I’m just throwing a 50 mile-an-hour changeup in there. There’s still a lot on it.”

The shorter backswing provides a quicker release, which can make Franson a threat in his own right from the point. He assisted on Toronto’s first goal in a 2-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, seconds after forcing goaltender Ryan Miller to make a quick toe save on a snap shot from the high slot.

…and…

“The whole thought process is to get it off quick enough where guys can’t get in my shooting lane and, secondly, to get it off before the goalie knows I’ve got it,” Franson said. “When a goalie’s got to move through traffic, he usually loses the puck for half-a-second. If I can get it off my stick before he picks up that I have it, he’s going to have a tough time finding it in a crowd.”

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Key questions to ask yourself when looking at new Hockey Equipment Bags:

Is it big enough for my hockey gear?
Does it have the compartments I need to help organize my hockey gear?
Is it easy for me to carry and/or wheel around?
Is the cost of the hockey bag in my price range?
Does the hockey bag look cool?

Hockey Bags: The Many Types of Hockey Bags

There is quite a variety of Hockey Bags. Here is a list of the different types of Hockey Bags:

• Hockey Equipment Bags
• Duffel Bags & Wheeled Duffel Bags
• Hockey Goalie Bags
• Backpacks & Wheeled Backpacks
• The Grit Hockey Tower
• Specialty Bags – with Dryers
• Referee & Coaches Bags
• Hockey Stick Bags
• Helmet Bags
• Skate Bags
• Puck Bags

Hockey Equipment Bags

Hockey Equipment Bags are designed to hold all of the players gear except their hockey sticks. These bags can be one single large compartment where all of the gear gets thrown in. 5 or 6 compartments including areas shaped to hold hockey skates.

Hockey Equipment Duffel Bags

Most hockey equipment duffle bags have their size listed mainly by their length. Common lengths run from 31” to 40”. Width by height measurements range from 14″ x 14″ to 18″ x 18″.
Junior bags start around $35 and go up from there
Senior bags start around $40, and run up to about $70

Hockey Goalie Bags

Hockey Goalie Bags are the largest size duffel bags due to the larger size of goalie gear. A key question that affects your choice of the right size bag is whether you plan to stow your goalie pads in a bag or to carry the separately (example: tied together and hung over a shoulder).
Goalie hockey bag sizes range from 40” x 20” x 20” up to 44” x 24” x 24”
Typical price range $50 to $150
Goalie Leg Pad Bags exist for carrying just your goalie pads. They fit up to size 39” pads and cost around $30.


RBK 36″ Wheeled Goalie Bag

Wheeled Hockey bags

Wheeled Hockey Bags work just like rolling luggage and eliminate the burden of carrying your bag. Some wheeled hockey bags come with a telescoping handle to provide a convenient length (especially the junior models). Wheeled hockey bags come in the same sizes and compartment configurations as the non-wheeled hockey bag models.
Price for junior size bags: $40 and up
Price for senior sized bags: $40 – $100+

Hockey Backpacks

The main advantage of Hockey Backpacks is that it is easier to carry your gear on your shoulders than it is to carry in your hand. Hockey backpacks also provide lots of pockets and compartments to get your gear stored in an orderly fashion. Some hockey backpacks also come with wheels for when it is more convenient to drag your gear instead of shouldering it.
Size: These are usually sized as junior or senior sizes.
Costs: $45 to $80

Specialty Hockey Equipment Bags

Special hockey bags of note are the Shock Doctor Power Dry line of bags. These bags are design to allow you to leave your hockey gear in the bag after a game and hook up the dryer to the bag to air our and dry your gear right in the bag. These bags are not cheap (running $95 and up) and the blower/dryers are often sold separately for an additional $70 or so.

Hockey Referee and Coaches Bags

Referee and Coaches Bags are smaller duffel style bags that are made to hold a smaller amount of equipment than full sized hockey bags. They typically have compartments set up for the primary gear (ex: skates, helmet, gloves and misc). These bags come in carry models and wheeled models. Price range is $30-$80.

Hockey Stick Bags

Hockey Stick Bags isolate your hockey sticks and help them from getting beat up when you are moving them from rink to home and back again. The largest team models can hold up to 40 hockey sticks and come with wheels for easy transport. Some hockey stick bags will accommodate goalie sticks but at a reduced number of sticks per bag (ex: a 4 stick back might be able to carry only 2 goalie sticks). A nice feature of some hockey stick bags are extra compartments for tape, extra blades, etc.
Hockey stick bags come in junior and senior sizes.
Capacity: 2-4 sticks for personal models and 24-40 sticks for team models
Price range: $15-$25 for personal models and about $60 for wheeled team models

Hockey Skate Bags

Hockey Skate Bags are pretty no-frills and just hold skates. There aren’t many models to choose from. Often a coaches/referee hockey bag will be a better choice for the same money since they give you more storage.

Hockey Helmet Bags

Hockey Helmet Bags help protect your helmet and visor from getting scratched. Thicker material provides better protection. One size fits all for standard helmets and they run about $20. There are also Goalie Mask Bags and they run about $25.

Puck Bags

Hockey Puck Bags: Simple draw string models hold around 30 pucks and can be found for under $10.
The more rugged puck bags hold 60-75 pucks, come with handles or shoulder straps and cost $15-$25.

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One thing that you will want to do is decide whether you want a current jersey or one from years past. There are several vintage NHL hockey jerseys that look great, and you will be able to support the team while having a different look than everyone else. Vintage is a very popular style that everyone is wearing these days, so if you like the uniforms that your favorite team used to wear then check for a vintage jersey that you can wear.

When you are looking for a great place to purchase cheap NHL hockey jerseys there are a few different places that you will want to look. If you have ever noticed the prices at the rink you probably realize how expensive they are. If you want to find discount NHL hockey jerseys one of the best places to shop is online. You will be able to find a place that sells NHL t-shirts and jerseys for discounted prices very easily. Doing your shopping on the internet is a great way to save a ton of money on the jersey that you want to own.

One thing that you have to make sure of when you are purchasing any type of jersey is that it is authentic. In an attempt to get a share of the market, there are a few companies who make generic jerseys that people can buy. These will be a little bit cheaper in price but the quality is not as good as the quality that you will find with an authentic jersey that you can buy. If you want to support your team then do it the right way in an authentic jersey.

You will not only be able to find jerseys for yourself but you can also find kids NHL hockey jerseys so that your kids will be able to join in on the fun. This means that they will also be able to support their favorite team while you are supporting yours, and if you have the same favorite team then you will be able to have twice as much fun.

These are all the things that you will want to look for when you are purchasing NHL hockey jerseys of your favorite team or player. If you want to be able to have a great look then check out the vintage jerseys that are available, but make sure that they are authentic. Also make sure to check out the jerseys that are available online if you want to be able to save money. These are the main tips to use when you are trying to find the best jersey to wear.

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The article does mention one difference between pros and novices when it comes to shooting at the upper corners. The difference is that the pros pull the puck in closer to their body prior to the shot to get better control. The research is ongoing and they hope to achieve results that will translate into specific instructions to improve the wrist shots of every hockey player.

You can read all of the article at the Live Science site here.

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1924 Olympic Ice Hockey Stick

A classic collectible ice hockey stick is starting to surface, one that any collector would be proud to have in their collection. The stick is a team autographed wood hockey stick from the 1924 Olympic Gold medal winning team of the Toronto Granites.

It looks like its current owner, Jeanne Dodwell, might be putting it up for auction sometime between now on the Vancouver winter Olympics in 2010. The stick looks to be quite a treasure and it will surely find many potential buyers if it does go to auction.

The original story from TheStarcan be found here.

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Mark Presley with the Moffat Hockey Stick

The data analyzed points to a likely age of 170 years old for the stick. More specifically the data indicates the maple tree used to create the stick was cut down between 1828 and 1838. This date range happens to align dead on with the verbal history of the stick that states the hockey stick was made for W.M. (Dilly) Moffatt, born in 1829.

Moffatt Hockey Stick

The first article I picked up this information on can be found at the Vancouver Sun (original link no longer active).

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Highlights from “The One-Piece Composite Stick” article include…

Ten years later, the one-piece composite hockey stick is anything but outlawed – it has been embraced as the weapon of choice by almost all NHL players, and is one of the most significant success stories in the hockey business in decades.

..and…

“It gives a better release, a harder shot, better everything,” Gomez said in The Hockey News 2001-02 Yearbook. “What else can you ask for?

NHL players were soon asking for it in a hurry, once they could see the 460-gram stick could help them shoot quicker, harder and more accurately. No more fussing with inserting a wood or graphite blade into a composite or aluminum shaft, or fumbling with heavier wood sticks. The Synergy gave them light weight, power, quickness and consistency, every time.

…and…

Even Ottawa Senators forward Jason Spezza, one of the last wood stick holdouts, as late as to the beginning of the 2009-10 season, has seen the light.

“I’m pretty set with what I’ve got right now (a Reebok one-piece),” he says. “I feel really comfortable with my stick, so I think I’m pretty much done with wood. I was one of the few remaining guys. Nobody really wants to make wood sticks any more because there’s no market for them. Everyone’s buying one-pieces.”

The article also cites stats about how the average goals per game has remained a pretty consistent 5.6 in the just before and since era of the one-piece composite sticks.

There is a ton more great info in the original article. You can read it in its entirety here.

With better performance, dropping prices and a focus on improving durability from the manufacturers, how long will you still be able to buy wood hockey sticks?

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One thing that you have probably noticed while you were looking at the different cards is that there are several different types of cards. Different companies produce cards and there are some card companies who produce cards that are more valuable than others. One type of cards that you might see is McDonalds hockey cards. These are ones that you can buy from the McDonalds restaurant; however, these cards are actually made by Upper Deck. You might find that most of these cards are small in value compared with other types.

Wayne Gretzky Hockey Card

When you look up the value of Upper Deck hockey cards you will notice that there is a big difference in the price when they do not have the McDonalds logo attached to them. There are a lot of Upper Deck cards that are worth a good bit of money depending on who the player is and how rare the card is. It also depends on the condition that the card is in when you try to sell it. Upper Deck makes a lot of sports cards and is well known by anyone who collects sports cards. If you want to get the most value then you have to have the right players and the right time period when you are trying to sell cards to collectors.

One of the most well-known and valuable cards you will find is Wayne Gretzky hockey cards. These are the ones that everyone is after, and if you have one of the rare ones it could really fetch a lot of money for you. Anyone who watches the game of hockey and keeps up with the sport knows who Wayne Gretzky is and collectors are always trying to find valuable merchandise featuring Gretzky that they can collect.

Another type of cards that you will be able to sell for a lot of money is vintage hockey cards from a couple of decades ago. The older the cards the better when it comes to selling them. However, you have to keep in mind that just because a card is old does not mean that it is worth a lot of money. There are a few other factors that you have to keep in mind while you are collecting and selling cards of hockey players.

Hockey cards can be very valuable if you have all of the right things. You need to have players that are well known, cards that are aged, and ones that are made by a well-known card company. If you have all of these things you will have all you need to be able to make some good money selling cards of different players.

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