Wednesday, February 06, 2013
Player Interview: David Warsofsky

 

Today we spend a few minutes with Providence Bruins defenseman David Warsofsky. The Marshfield, MA native played his school hockey in Massachusetts, college hockey at BU and is now in the Boston Bruins system. We talk with David about the thrill of playing all of his organized hockey in his home state and a bunch of other stuff that we think you'll find pretty interesting. Off we go.....
 
1. You're a guy who played prep school in Massachusetts, college at BU and are now in the Bruins system – all Massachusetts! Do you ever wake up and feel lucky, man!? Before coming into the Bruins system, you were a part of the Blues organization. Did it ever enter your mind that you'd be where you are now? What crossed your mind when you got the call that you were coming into the organization you grew up rooting for?
 
Everyday I wake up and feel very lucky to be in the situation that I'm in today. I get to play the sport I love as my profession - and I get to do it all in front of my family and friends! I had only ever dreamt about playing for the Bruins organization. When I first got drafted by the Blues I thought I would play my whole career there. When I first got the call that I was coming back to Boston, I was just in shock. It took a little while for it to set in that I was actually part of the Bruins organization. It was a call that every kid playing hockey in this area dreams about every day and I will remember it my whole life. 
 
2. As a gear shop, we have to talk some gear. The pro players we talk to run the gamut from not being interested at all in their gear all the way up to being completely obsessed. How picky are you about it? Are you the type to let stuff literally fall apart before replacing it or are you really into the newest, the gear technology, etc?
 
I would say I'm somewhere in the middle of being very picky and then not really caring. I think it all depends on what type of gear we're talking about. I like to have new gloves, skates and sticks, obviously. But things like my elbow pads, shoulder pads and shin pads are usually pretty worn down. I do enjoy when the new gear comes out, the technology and to test it all out. 
 
3. With that said, is there one piece of equipment you're most picky about? 
 
I think every hockey player is very picky about their skates and sticks. I need to have my particular curve and flex, but after that I can get used to pretty much any type of stick. After that I would say I'm most picky about my gloves. I have to be able to feel the stick and be comfortable with the gloves. 
 
4. You mentioned you used to shop at the Pure Hockey store in Braintree when you were younger. In your memory, was it just a means to get gear for you or did you look at it the way tech-geeks look at going to the Apple store?! (we won't be offended, promise). Would you ever just go there to look at all the stuff?
 
I would go to Pure Hockey to get all my equiptment needs, everything from base layer to skates and sticks and when I was there I would check out all the new gear that was coming out. I have three older brothers who all played, so if I didn’t need anything I would always go with them to look around and pick things out for them. As I got older and started to understand the difference between the equiptment better, I think I looked at it in more of tech type of way. 
 
5. What was the last thing you laughed really hard at?  
 
I have two little nephews and they both love hockey. So whenever I go over their house to babysit they always want to play mini hockey. Well, the youngest one got his stick up a little too high and ended up giving me a black eye. Not so funny at the time, but after it happened I couldn’t help but laugh! 
 
6. Is there one particular goal you've scored (or prevented) that is your most memorable?
I would say my most memorable goal was at Fenway Park, where I got to play in the outdoor game against Boston College. I had just gotten back from the World Junior Championships and went straight to Fenway for the game! I scored the first goal in the game and we also ended up winning, so that was a pretty special goal for me. 
 
7. Who is the toughest player you know? I don't mean fighting, I mean what teammate or player you know is THE guy who would get hit by a truck in the afternoon and be in the lineup that night?
 
I would have to say Bobby Robbins.  He is - hands down - one of the toughest guys I have ever played with. He will fight anybody or do anything to help the team win. I have seen him stick up for teammates numerous times. It takes a certain type of guy to do that. ?
 
8. Having come out of BU, you're probably somewhat used to the AHL level schedule where most games are played on weekends. Do you ever find yourself ever-so-slightly rusty when the puck drops on a Friday night (after 4-5 days of no game) and conversely, are you feeling a little gassed in the 3rd period on Sundays?
When I first turned pro it was definitely an adjustment but I think over the months I have gotten more used to it. The most important thing is to stay focused during the week and make sure you are always working hard in practice. The staff down here in Providence does a good job keeping us in game shape over the course of the week. I think Sundays are the toughest games to play in - it's usually the third game in three nights and its important to stay mentally focused for those games. 
 
 
 
 
Big thanks and continued good luck to David this season!
 
 

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Thursday, February 14, 2013
Bauer Vapor APX 2 Skate Preview

Bauer APX 2 Skate Preview

By Kyle Stevenson, Pure Hockey Marketing

For the spring of 2013, Bauer is releasing the next iteration of its Vapor skate line, the APX 2. It will continue to be Bauer’s “tapered fit” model, with a narrow V-fit in the heel, and a wider fit in the toe box. Other aspects of the skate carrying over from the original APX are the Hydra-Max 2 liner and the Form-Fit+ footbed.

Beyond the new design aesthetically, the boot is made of CURV Composite –the same material as TotalOne NXG skate- an upgrade from last years Alive composite upper, but will keep the X-Rib pattern, providing structural support and stability. This support maximizes acceleration and makes for quicker turns. Another addition is the pro-style 52 oz. felt tongue. a lot of guys were sitching out the stock FormFit 3 tonuge for something a little thicker on the APX, so this year Bauer took care of that for you.

The new injected stability lacing system is a one-piece construction that maximizes energy return. It also increases the stability, and consistency of performance for the life of the skate, preventing individual eyelets from having more pressure than others, and stopping them from breaking down faster. The system reduces the amount of energy lost, and gives a tighter wrap on the footmaking you quicker on the ice. Bauer has shifted to a more pro-style felt tongue. This increases comfort, while adding protection with the built in guard.

One of the most talked about changes is the switch from the LightSpeed 2 Holder, to the new LightSpeed Edge Holder. The feature on the Edge that most people already now about is the trigger system. This is a HUGE feature for players who often travel for tournaments, or go on road trips where you are away from your preferred sharpener, or a sharpener at all. The system allows you to switch steel in seconds, without taking the skate off. Aside from players travelling, it is also excellent feature for peace of mind. Keep a spare pair of steel in your bag, and if you break a runner, or lose an edge mid-game, you likely won’t even miss a shift swapping them out.

The other advantage to the LS Edge Holder is the additional height. Bauer added 3 MM of overall height, giving the skate a more aggressive attack angle. This also allows you to get lower, and turn harder without bottoming out to the plastic and spinning out. The APX 2 comes standard with Bauer’s LS Fusion runner, made of fused steel and aluminum, reducing the weight by 27% compared to other a standard steel runner.

The APX 2 are definitely a skate to keep an eye on, and absolutely one to make sure you try on! Check them out at Pure Hockey stores and PureHockey.com starting mid-April.
 


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Monday, February 18, 2013
Easton Mako Skate Preview

By Kyle Stevenson, Pure Hockey Marketing


One of the most anticipated hockey skate releases of this year is the Easton Mako skate. The Mako is built from the technology behind the MLX skate, which is now part of Easton through an acquisition. As those who’ve read this blog before know, I’m a big Easton fan and I wear Easton skates. After a couple years of doubt and trials, Easton has taken the extremely customized MLX skate and made it into a viable production model. Easton’s ‘Chief of Speed’ (don’t we all wish we could have a title like that?) Dave Cruikshank designed the MLX skate a few years back when he, as a skating coach, realized he didn’t have the ability to move in a natural, efficient way while wearing a typical hockey skate.


So Cruickshank set off to make the MLX skate, allowing for natural movement in an anatomically designed skate. This idea is the basis for the Mako skate design, giving a new sense of freedom with much less restriction than what you may find in other skates. Basically this is an attempt on Easton's part to rethink hockey skates instead of continuing the pattern or slippery slope of all the manufacturers competing to just make the stiffest skate imaginable.

 


As far as features go, the Mako skate is loaded up. Some interesting new things really differentiate the Mako from its competition. The new tongue set-up is a nice, pro style felt tongue with a protective guard, but that’s not really the interesting part. Easton took the tongue and integrated its connection directly into the toe box. This gets rid of any overlap and negative space in the toe box. The tongue itself is also heat moldable, and forms a snugger, more customized fit.

      


Another great feature is the asymmetric design in the ankle, which allows the skate to fall in line with the direction you’re pushing. This generates power and stability through turns. The Mako makes high-speed cornering much easier, sharper and quicker. The skate also sits on the new CXN holder from Easton and the holder has a very aggressive pitch, working in tandem with the skate’s great range of motion to place you over the front of the skate, without being unbalanced. The pitch creates more downforce into the ice, leading to a more explosive stride and once again more powerful, quicker cornering. The CXN holder is super light and its steel comes stock with a 9 FT radius.


The very flexible Extendon guard promotes a huge range of motion, with very little restriction. The guard itself is actually replaceable with two simple screws. I personaly like this feature. From my time in shops, I saw a good amount of skates come in with a boot in fine shape, but a torn or broken tendon guard. I actually saw this mostly on newer skates with the really stiff guards. Tendon guards – like any other part of the skate – shouldn’t break on their own, but it's always reassuring that if something happens to one, you don’t need to replace the entire skate. The only potential negative here is that there's a small crease where the guard meets the rest of the boot (the attachment point) and if you skate barefoot, I see some potential for some abrasion there. But time will tell. It may or may not be an issue – we'll report back when we test them out.

 


One of the other much talked about features of the Mako skate is the bake time. The skate is fully heat moldable. I heard someone describe it as the last step before going over to getting a custom skate. This is true. The skate is designed to be an extremely custom fit. It must be heat molded for an unheard of 16 minutes and then you'll need to sit still in the boots until they are cool. So bring your iPad or a book when you go get these.

 

I think the Mako is really going to be a hit. It feels good right out of the box, and it really, truly feels like a slipper when it’s heated up. Easton has really done a great job with this skate and I highly recommend that you get out and try a pair on. They are well worth the attention they have been getting.
 


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Thursday, February 21, 2013
Preview: Bauer Nexus 1000 and Nexus 800 Gloves

By Kyle Stevenson, Pure Hockey Marketing

There have been a lot of players worried this winter, with rumors floating that the Bauer 4-Roll would be no longer. Well the rumors are true, kinda. Bauer is shifting the 4 Roll style to create the Nexus line of gloves. A natural fit, as the entire Nexus product line is built on the merging of classic fit and styling, with the most innovative technology in the game. The Nexus line retains the classic, volume fit, great if you like a lot of room and mobility in your gloves.

The Nexus 1000 glove comes as an upgrade to the last 4 Roll model. The biggest upgrade is the back roll. The 1000 will feature a double density EPP foam is superlight weight and has increased strength. It provides maximum protection without additional weight. A 12 mm layer of EPP, under an 8 mm layer of EPP, topped off with a PE insert for great protection. The palm is a pro ivory nash, the most requested palm material in the pro ranks, reinforced with an additional black nash overlay for improved durability in high wear areas. Bauer lined the glove with their THERMO-MAX+ liner, and air mesh gussets for durability.

The Nexus 800 is going to be an update of the current 4-roll, carrying most of the same level features, double density foam back rolls with poly inserts for protection. The THERMO-MAX liner allows the glove to dry out quickly and not retain as much moisture during play. The shell is lightweight pro nylon, for great breathability. The palm is pro Clarino ivory nash, with double layering in high wear areas. The gussets are also nash, which I think creates a more comfortable feel.

One thing I love about both models is the way the top half of the thumb has been flared out, to create almost a bell shape. It gives a more comfortable, more mobile fit by letting your thumb sit at a more natural angle. Overall, its great to see Bauer finally taking the 4-roll style glove to the next level, rather than continuing to make small tweaks. Keep on the look out for some sick, exclusive Pure Hockey colorways as always.

 


Posted on 02/21/2013 Email to a Friend  
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