chile57

Some good suggestions about what is/is not a good neck guard in the above but I don't think any of them address the question posed at the start "what's the most popular in the show"? I think that's a tough one to pin down as I'm pretty sure most of what's worn there are highly modified legacy stuff that's morphed over the years (think Brodeur's chest protector or - in this particular instance - what Fleury wears as a bib).

What's the lid @MTH - Mage? As a guy who's constantly trying to replicate the feel of his 7700 pillows - respect.

Interesting that we sweat something like the additional weight of a leather strap or two but don't "sweat" a sweaty mop of hair that brings about both weight and drag moving one's head side to side. Clearly the answer to better goaltending is to shave your head. Its going to be the new velcro strap. I'm ahead of the curve with my receding hairline.

@IpaddyTECH regarding your pancake argument - I definitely prefer a rounder shaped mitt (and also have not large hands as a 5' - 5"-ish individual) as opposed to the more baseball-y mitts. I'll throw out a suggestion - try to see if you can get your hands on/in a set of Warrior gloves. I've had no issues with mine. Was able to open close and scoop flat pucks off the ice from day one. Don't sleep on Warrior gloves (unless you are a hardcore Lefebvre junkie). Very snappy closure in my opinion.

@IpaddyTECH welcome (back) to the (newest version of the old) board and back to keeping and its online world and thanks for the in depth review that is surely to be helpful to folks.

@CPage some thoughts… 1) I don’t experience any lace bite issues in my Reactors (a few generations newer than yours yet a few generations older than the current offerings). You can always go the custom route with Bauer and make adjustments to the tongue if you have concerns. 2) I would say that all levels trend a little stiffer than they did from 10 years ago. Will also feel like a bigger jump off the hop since you’re coming from a well broke in skate. 3) This can certainly be done. I don’t know the practicality of using your old cowlings (fit and hole pattern and the like - though you’ve probably got a better shot staying within brand). I would think a shop that can do this could speak to what brands/sizes you’d need to achieve a swap out. I’m sure others on the board can chime in with what’s worked for them (and @ZeroGravitas has already thrown out some helpful tidbits on sizing). Good luck - hope you find a suitable replacement.

... also - @ZeroGravitas knows their shit.

I'll echo all of what's been said above - the choice basically boils down to comfort (or potentially lack thereof) versus (potential "gains" in) performance. As all of us on here are gear nuts at our core - I've tried to justify buying the fanciest Bauer skates on two cycles at this point but the stiffest/inability to flex my foot/discomfort had me coming back to the mid-level skates both times (did briefly flirt with CCM's pro offering in there somewhere too which... didn't go well for a myriad of reasons). I should note - I have awful feet that give me discomfort just through a days worth of walking. I am also not the biggest guy (+/-150lbs or +/-68 kilos for my non-USA brethren) so premature breakdown of "lesser" skates isn't necessarily a concern either. Really weighed moving to Trues (what was VH at the time) because of this but couldn't decide on the one piece or the two piece (as this was at a time when you couldn't get your hands on things unless you knew somebody that owned a pair). Hope whatever route you go works out for you @seagoal - keep us in the loop.

Bingo @Madmedic6 - this is exactly what I'm alluding to - its not just simply a brand shift but a completely different animal... if you have pickier feet. Regardless - hope the transition works out for you @Novasteel31.

@Novasteel31 - late to the party here and there are some good points made after your inquiry. I'll throw in my two cents as well... Is there rrreally that much difference between 3mm and 4mm - I mean what's a millimeters amongst friends? Granted - this is coming from a guy who only briefly flirted with 3mm steel. I think the bigger issue at play is going from the feel of Bauer to CCM. I was long an old school Tack guy who jumped on the Bauer bandwagon for the One100/80/60 iterations and then stuck with Bauer for a few pairs before trying the new fandangled CCM Tack offering - black steel and all that jazz. Could not get used to the feel after multiple skates. I think its tough to boil it down to one thing when there were more than a few differences but the best way I can sum it up is that the CCM just felt... off/wrong/whatever. Switched back to a newer Bauer offering with zero issues on the transition. Might just be that CCMs aren't your spirit animal. Maybe this is helpful from a dude with a similar experience. Hopefully the different profile will work for you.

Cool - I'd be down to read about/see pictures of the build too. I like to dabble in wood working when I can find the time.

Can always appreciate the journey @seagoal. Keep kicking ass on collecting.

@ZeroGravitas could have Pony Expressed it quicker eh?

I can handle (and might prefer) a little ball busting to go with some roundabout support. Aren't the best locker room vibes where everyone gives one another a healthy, balanced dose of shit? Seriously - anybody that can put up with us and our quirks is alright in my book. Sounds like you've got a keeper. Mine humors me... but still gives me the heads shakes at times. Fair - sometimes I don't know what I'm doing either.

Amen at "marriage games" @seagoal but I will say this... My ex-wife didn't seem to support my gear habit (or frankly any of my habits). I seemed to buy more stuff when I was married to her. She also was less than thrilled that I played 4-5 times a week. My current wife is a peach and supports (most) all my endeavors - including equipment buying (even humors me weighing buying/not buying the same piece(s) over and over and over and... ). I have definitely bought less things since we moved in together/got married. I now play roughly 1.5 times a week. WEIRD.

I'm going to have to agree with the folks above - I have piles of some gear (seriously - like (5) chesties in the basement and at least (4) sets of pads) but only entertain wearing the "current" set. The only thought I'm toying with is to buy a duplicate "away" color set of.. the... exact... same... set of mitts/pillows because... goalies do goalie things. I'm always chasing the dragon but hate changing (because lots of things fall flat and cost a lot of money in doing so). The only thing I "swap" with any regularity are the liners in my Warrior gloves and toggle amongst masks (that are all the same PC molded off my face). But whatever you got to do to justify buying more stuff - I'm all for. We'll keep your secret.

@MTH - 60lbs since March (AKA 27.2kg for our Canadian... Canadien... people from Canada brethren (and Europe (and everywhere not USA basically)))? That's kicking ass man - keep up the good work.

Loosely knowledgeable??? Poppycock. I thought all of us on the internet were experts? I appreciate the deference but - I am really curious to see if others can conjure up an argument against. I don't aspire to argue for the sake of arguing and - unlike others on the internet - am more than willing to concede if the counterargument is better. I am a Wings fan but am not necessarily an Osgood fan. I thought they should have kept Vernon back when. Kind of felt akin to Vegas jettisoning Fleury - you shitcanned the guy that got you to the dance when he should have been afforded the opportunity to ride off into the sunset a hero. And I like to crunch numbers and that top 25 list was a bit of an eye opener to me (particulary that Roy comparison I made). Plus Osgood was a total dick when I went to the Joe to play the alumni. Suck a fat one Wizard of Oz.

Boo-boo double post. My bad.

And here I thought you'd be game for an actual debate backed by FACTS. I still love you @coopaloop1234 I'm not even playing the homer card here - I just feel like he's being unfairly skipped (particularly in lieu of who did get in this year). Honestly - if you hit 400 wins with a good win percentage - it should be a no brainer. Speaks to skill and longevity. Like 600 goals. Or 3,000 hits and/or 500 homeruns in baseball.

@Fullright - in fairness - Mogilny won a Cup with New Jersey. But I otherwise agree with you - there are plenty Hall of Famers where a Cup seems to "legitimize" them either to cross the theshold into the Hall or just their career overall. By the same token (unfortunately) there are those where NOT winning the Cup seems to de-legitimize them (unfairly). You shouldn't get dinged for loyalty to teams that are shit. A couple examples in this thread in fact - I don't think anyone is talking Vernon/Barrasso for the Hall without their Cups. In the same vein - there are plenty of folks that say Cujo doesn't deserve in because he never won one. In fact - I'm fine with some getting bumps for turning it on when it counts the most at playoff time but you can't fault Cujo for lack of trying - he had some crazy performances in Edmonton. Hell - he was solid in Detroit (and got victimized by a red hot Calgary team). Plus... 454 wins!!!

@mr_shifty1982 to play devil's advocate - Barrasso did make it to The Show as an eighteen year old keeper (and didn't fall off the map thereafter a la Blaine Lacher or Jim Carey or... (neither of which were 18 by my recollection either)). Also won the Calder Trophy... beating out the likes of Steve Yzerman. Full disclosure - had to look this nugget up - but only one of three bodies to win the Calder and Vezina in the same year too.

Still haven't really seen a compelling (counter)argument to my points above for Osgood being out. Lots of Hall of Famers played on good teams. Good teams = good players (unless you were an uber talented player that got drafted to a wildly mismanaged franchise... like Connor McDavid is trending).

@mr_shifty1982 - I would absolutely agree that Mogilny should be in (and should have gotten in looong ago). Really the only knock you can find on him is that some say he wasn't a fantastic teammate. Who gives a rip? Neither was a guy like Michael Jordan. Dude was dominant (as you noted). 76 in 77 is R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S. Wasn't like he was a flash in the pan either - damn near averaged a goal every other game over the length of his career which evens out to nearly a career 40 goal scorer for the duration. There isn't even a "well but he was juiced" argument like there is in baseball. Real head scratcher if you ask me.

C’mon @coopaloop1234 that’s the low hanging fruit I already acknowledged in the argument. What about a comparison to the two recent inductees in Barrasso and Vernon - were they “difference makers” on their respective teams? At the very least I’m arguing all three are of the same ilk… and if you look at the stats - Osgood was better than both by a good margin. He also put up similar numbers with the Isles and Blues… who were not teams in the same spot in the league talent or record-wise as the Wings were at the time. Present me a counter argument that speaks to the points made not just “he was on good teams” if you want me to buy what your selling. To your point - I would argue he was a difference maker in 2008 based on the fact he replaced a flailing Hasek (a first ballot Hall of Famer by the way) early on - righting the ship to beat a hard charging Pens team. He was even better statistically the next year when they lost the Finals and was arguably the front runner for the Conn Smythe had the Wings not choked offensively in games six AND seven (a whopping one goal output each game).