There aren’t a lot of similarities between Adin Hill and Tiger Woods. Hill was born in Comox, British Columbia, Canada in 1996. Woods in Cypress, California in 1975. While Hill likely golfs in the offseason, he plays hockey professionally. Woods, meanwhile, has 110 professional wins, including 82 on the PGA Tour (tied for first all time). Recently, though, Hill did something similar to Woods. By now you’ve seen Hill's unbelievable stick save to keep Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final tied at 1. At the time of writing this post, the video has 60k+ views — and that is only on NHL's clip. There ..read more

The first thing we need to acknowledge is that the word “best” is, well, fairly subjective and usually based off personal opinions. This list isn’t about which hockey stick is the lightest, the most durable or has the “best” overall aesthetics – this list is about the facts. Our list is ranked by usage among active NHL players during the 2020-21 NHL season. Let’s jump into it. #5. Warrior Alpha DX – 47 active NHL players To be fair, if we were to combine the number of NHL players using the Alpha DX and the Alpha DX SL, it would firmly take the #4 spot with 79 total users – but this is abo ..read more

It’s a commonly overheard exchange in your rink’s pro shop… Player: “Hey, I’d like to get these sharpened.” Clerk: “Ok, how’d you like them cut?” Player: “Uhh…standard?” While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a standard cut (it’s “standard” for a reason), it's beneficial to learn the different types of skate sharpening options and which one might be the best fit for you. How Skate Sharpening Works First off, let’s explain what is actually going on the bottom of those skate blades. Unlike most other knife-like objects with a single sharp edge, skate blades have two sharp edges that are con ..read more

On March 23, 2021, the NHL Board of Governors approved three rule changes to the NHL Draft Lottery system that determines the order of the NHL Draft (for those teams that did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs). The NHL Draft Lottery will now include only two drawings instead of the three drawings held in the years prior. A team that wins a lottery drawing cannot move up more than 10 spots. A team cannot win the lottery more than twice in a five-year period. (Lottery wins prior to the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery are not applied towards this total.)   Only the first of these changes wil ..read more

When searching for a new hockey stick, finding the right curve is often top of mind. There's a lot to consider, but it's not uncommon to find yourself changing up the flex, the type of grip, experimenting with different models or even switching between brands! But once a player has settled in on a specific curve, using anything else just doesn't feel quite right. After all, the curve of the blade has a direct effect on your ability to shoot, pass and stickhandle. Changing your curve threatens your ability to hit the corners you're used to hitting, make the passes you're used to making and pull ..read more

It depends. OK, that’s the worst answer when it comes to almost anything. Though when referring to how often hockey skate sharpening is necessary, it’s also pretty true. Where do you play? How hard is the ice? How often do you play? How good are your skates?   These are all questions to consider, and the answers will impact how often you sharpen your skates. A rule of thumb is for every 15 to 20 hours of ice time, but let’s go beyond the basics. Signs That It’s Time to Sharpen Skates It’s time when: Your blades “chatter” on the ice You feel pulled to one side or the other when skating ..read more

The NHL and the NHLPA have agreed to a 56-game regular season schedule with games set to start on Wednesday, January 13, 2021. The National Hockey League continues to stress that their priority is the health and safety of the players and communities, which makes this announcement subject to change if it is deemed unsafe to continue play. Also included in the agreement was a realignment of the current divisions into four new divisions: North, West, Central & East. There is a new all-Canadian North Division, featuring all seven Canadian teams: Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Va ..read more

I was 24 years old when I learned about the “lie” of a hockey stick. I picked up my first stick at 3 years old, started playing organized hockey at 5 and continued playing competitively all the way through college. Never once had I heard the term. For those of you still unfamiliar (and believe me, you’re not alone), the lie of your hockey stick is the angle of the shaft in relation to the blade when the blade’s bottom edge is flat against the playing surface. The lie of a hockey stick is designated by a number, usually ranging from 4 to 7. The higher the number, the more upright the stick ..read more

It's a weird time to be a hockey fan. It's the middle of October and instead of questions like, "Will our new rookie take the next step?" or "Did those offseason trades fill the gaps in our lineup?", a lot of hockey fans only have one question: When does the 2020-21 NHL season start? As of right now, there is no date set in stone to start the season. Commissioner Gary Bettman has stressed several times in interviews that the league needs to maintain a high degree of flexibility when it comes to starting the season safely in order for the season to be a success. Initial thoughts of a Dec 1. sta ..read more

The National Hockey League recognizes 430 individual NHL records. These records range from feats of longevity (most seasons played) to quick flashes of brilliance (fastest hat trick) and everything in between. While all of these records are tremendous achievements, and should be acknowledged as such, there are a certain number of these records that many in the hockey community have deemed to be “unbreakable”. Here are our Top 5 Most Unbreakable NHL Records: #5 – 50 Goals in 39 Games (Wayne Gretzky) It’s only fair to start our list off with one of The Great One’s 61 NHL records, right? Let’s se ..read more