FIFTY-SIX

CCM Blockade pads, glove and blocker. 'Nuff said...

@Wonder35 Steve: Wow! Awesome! Great run! Many of us old-timers on this site dread this day or cannot fathom its arrival. Obviously, this is unrealistic. Everything ends. Cudos to you for having the emotional intelligence to confront and accept this inevitable and bittersweet moment. You've truly MOVED THE GOALPOSTS for the rest of us. As I approached my first hip replacement in 2020, I thought I may never play again. Immediately after my second hip replacement in Jan. 2024, I was texting my 2 teams and 2 closed pickups about my August 2024 availability. Your resilience/"no quit" attitude/toughness/fearlessness has been an inspiration to me. I'm 60, with 48 years in goal, and hoping to approach your impressive longevity. Thank you Wonder, my Spirit Goalie. 56 P.S. A detailed photo review sugests your toe cap-post integration in the RVH still needs some work (as does mine ).

May I ask the name of the manufacturer? Thank you! 56

@coopaloop1234, all kidding aside, are the cowlings on your skates trimmed? I'm still in Bauer Pros with Step Steel Extreme but am considering trimming the medial aspect of the cowlings for additional attack angle. If so, can you share some pics and insights? Thanks! 56

@MangoRhinehart is that an inflatable hot tub? If so, I'd appreciate your insights/recommendations. 56

The soda still being on the floor is bugging me.

Me too @coopaloop1234!

In my Brian's SZ2s, I installed a nylon professor strap just below the knee cradle (just below where your red behind the knee strap sits). I wear this somewhat tight. Then, loose elastic knee to calf strap, loose elastic calf wrap, loose leather boot strap and loose toe ties. My pads may ride a little low for some but I still land in the center of the knee stacks. When I get back from LTIR in August 2024 (another total hip), I plan to experiment with a slightly tighter boot strap and switch from loose skate lace toe ties to even looser elastic toe ties. For me, while I cannot bring myself to ditch toe ties altogether, toe tie length and material are now more about ankle-health preservation and less about pad-sit/pad attachment. How the knee pad strapping, professor strap and knee pad/knee cradle interact is critical to proper rotation and different for everyone depending on personal preference/make and model of all of the above/your anatomy/etc. Trial and error... 56

@RichMan I guess you're considering that top red strap a "behind the knee strap" (i.e., not an above the calf strap/professor strap) and since you're concerned about keeping the pad up, you must be wearing it loose so as not to undermine pad rotation. Do I have that right? 56

"Especially as I've got rubber enough hips that skate on post and a hard lean (even in Ultrasonics) is relatively easy for me." Lucky. 56

Also, a lot of lacing around the boot. The most posterior lace is obviously toe tie. Is the rest skate lacing, toe tie or something else?

Obviously, a definitive diagnosis is step #1. Good luck. 56

There you go again, Wonder, making me proud to be a mature goaltender. And, remind the youth here that you were 5'9" in your prime...

May I ask what improved your skating?

Wait, we're allowed to stand up?