Many goaltenders at various levels also ask themselves thequestions:

“Where can I customize my own goalie equipment?”

This is a little trickier question to answer, but here it goes:

A good way to find out is by calling the equipment manufacturedirectly for instructions on how to customize you hockey gear.The phone number can be found at their web site.

Maybe you are one of many looking for Brown custom goalieequipment?

Should you want Brown custom goalie equipment, just call themand ask how it can be done.

Simple as that!

These days with the Internet and all information it is quiteeasy to stay up to date with new equipment. For example, at theHespeler goalie equipment manufacture website you can check outthe latest models from Hespeler.

And the same works for all other brands too!

In most cases it doesn’t take a lot of effort to find new hockeygear. But if you live in the UK for example, you probablyalready know that new hockey equipment in the UK is a littleharder to find than for those who live in Canada.

This is because hockey in the UK isn’t as big yet, even thoughhockey there is growing fast.

Many former American League and East Coast player actually makea living in the UK right now and they contribute to makinghockey more popular there.

Fortunately most hockey players live in Canada though!

Maybe you’re not a player, but merely have a general interest inthe ice hockey equipment market. If I were you I would give it atry.

A dream job for many people is ice hockey related. Maybe ahockey equipment sales career is your dream.

Stop dreaming and go get it!

Finally a few thoughts on how to how to take care of hockeyequipment and stay up to date:

Many players, particular the young ones, don’t know how to takecare of hockey equipment. The key to take good care of your gearis to make sure that it dries between practices and games.

And if you want to stay updated on what’s going on, a good wayto learn more is by getting a subscription to a hockey equipmentmagazine.

For more information about hockey goalies and ice hockeyequipment, visit some of these sites:

Ice hockey equipment retailers from the DMOZ Directory

Hockey manufactures listed in the Google Directory

In most cases, using these directories is much easier than theYellow Pages when searching for ice hockey equipment.

About the author:At HockeyTribute.com you can learn more about theNHL and ice hockey equipment.

Authentic ice hockey jerseys closely mirror the material andstyle of jerseys worn by the professional ice hockey players outthere on the ice. The authentic ice hockey jerseys, which aremade by Reebok and CCM, are widely available and decorated withthe team name and favorite players’ names and numbers on theback.

The ice hockey jerseys are offered in long lasting fabric withlayered shoulders and elbows as well as underarm gussets. A realcool extra feature is that these jerseys also have the real’Fight Strap’, just as the big boys have. The jerseys are justabout the same designs that are worn by the professionals inreal games.

An NHL logo embroidered on the right shoulder or somewhere elseshows the jerseys’ authenticity. Customers should also find awoven tag near the neck declaring the jersey’s authenticity,graphics and detailed embroidering and their favorite team’scolors. The woven tag shows the authentic ice hockey jersey’ssize and (in most cases) both the NHL and Reebok (or CCM) logos,labeling the jersey as team apparel.

Reebok, the same sportswear manufacturer that stitches uniformsfor professional teams like the New York Rangers, offers theauthentic jerseys and much more, so perhaps fans can find outwhat it’s like to wear a genuine NHL New York Rangers uniform.If you don’t cheer for the Rangers, there are of course otherjerseys from other teams to choose from.

With an authentic icehockey jersey, devoted fans can show support of their favoriteplayers, like Weekes, Jagr or Sacic as well as their favoriteteam, which hopefully will conquer the Stanley Cup this year.

CCM is the other big manufacture of authentic ice hockeyjerseys. This company has been around for ages in the hockeybusiness and is one of the most reliable brand names. Eventhough they make very good jerseys, it is equipment and skatesthey do best. Many of the greatest names in the National HockeyLeague have one time or another skated on CCM skates.

Whether hockey fans wear the jerseys to the games or wear themin front of the television at home, the authentic ice hockeyjerseys will let fans look just like the pros while showingsupport for their favorite NHL team and players.

The more fans that wear their jerseys at the arenas and in otherplaces, the more colorful the sport of hockey will become. Soonit might grow enough to become the largest sport in the UnitedStates. And I would love to see that happen.

About the author:Johnny runs a hockey site and loves Reebok hockey equipment and the NHL more than anything.

Authentic ice hockey jerseys closely mirror the material andstyle of jerseys worn by the professional ice hockey players outthere on the ice. The authentic ice hockey jerseys, which aremade by Reebok and CCM, are widely available and decorated withthe team name and favorite players’ names and numbers on theback.

The ice hockey jerseys are offered in long lasting fabric withlayered shoulders and elbows as well as underarm gussets. A realcool extra feature is that these jerseys also have the real’Fight Strap’, just as the big boys have. The jerseys are justabout the same designs that are worn by the professionals inreal games.
An NHL logo embroidered on the right shoulder or somewhere elseshows the jerseys’ authenticity. Customers should also find awoven tag near the neck declaring the jersey’s authenticity,graphics and detailed embroidering and their favorite team’scolors. The woven tag shows the authentic ice hockey jersey’ssize and (in most cases) both the NHL and Reebok (or CCM) logos,labeling the jersey as team apparel.

Reebok, the same sportswear manufacturer that stitches uniformsfor professional teams like the New York Rangers, offers theauthentic jerseys and much more, so perhaps fans can find outwhat it’s like to wear a genuine NHL New York Rangers uniform.If you don’t cheer for the Rangers, there are of course otherjerseys from other teams to choose from.

With an authentic icehockey jersey, devoted fans can show support of their favoriteplayers, like Weekes, Jagr or Sacic as well as their favoriteteam, which hopefully will conquer the Stanley Cup this year.

CCM is the other big manufacture of authentic ice hockeyjerseys. This company has been around for ages in the hockeybusiness and is one of the most reliable brand names. Eventhough they make very good jerseys, it is equipment and skatesthey do best. Many of the greatest names in the National HockeyLeague have one time or another skated on CCM skates.

Whether hockey fans wear the jerseys to the games or wear themin front of the television at home, the authentic ice hockeyjerseys will let fans look just like the pros while showingsupport for their favorite NHL team and players.

The more fans that wear their jerseys at the arenas and in otherplaces, the more colorful the sport of hockey will become. Soonit might grow enough to become the largest sport in the UnitedStates. And I would love to see that happen.

You probably already new this, but 1917 was the year when thefirst historical game of the National Hockey League was played.In the spring the year after Toronto had become the first everStanley Cup champions.

Since I love the National Hockey League so much, it wouldactually take a full 500+ pages book to tell you all of NHL’shistory. This league has been through so much and it alwaysgives me the chill when I think about it.Just consider this, with the 2004-2005 season fresh in memory;the 1919 Stanley Cup was canceled due to influenza! This makes2005 the first year without a Stanley Cup champion since 1919.

Over the history of the National Hockey League we have also seenthe big Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto being built. Not withoutcontroversies though.

Personally I don’t think that any other sport has so many trueheroes as the NHL. What a great history and they are all in theHall for us to see and admire.

What about highlights on the ice though?

Well, since I’m not that old I got to say that Wayne Gretzky andthe 1980’s Edmonton Oilers had the greatest era in ice hockeyhistory.

I actually feel sorry for the young hockey kids of today. Not tohave seen Gretzky play isn’t anything I would have liked toexperience.

About the author:HockeyTribute.com is aninformative site for ice hockey fans and a place where you canlearn more about the NHL and history of ice hockey.

An example of a short drill as noted by Mike Hartman and SamMercurio in ‘STAY IN SHAPE BUT HAVE FUN’ is to “work on littlethings like stickhandling. Take out a golf ball and stickhandlein the driveway for an hour or so. Controlling the golf ballwill further enhance your hand-eye coordination and, again, youwill be amazed at the difference when you step back onto the icein the fall” (www.hockeycoach.com). For all practical purposes,all you need for stick handling improvement is your hockey stickand something to hit. Common choices for something to hit canbe: golf ball (as stated before), tennis ball, roller hockeyball or puck, racket or hand ball, or any comparable sizedobject in your vicinity. Balls tend to work the best for drillsoff the ice because the ball naturally returns to the shooter,depending on where you are practicing.

Another fun drill to practice is to take a hockey stick, atennis ball wrapped in 1-layer of hockey tape to lessen thebounce, a brick wall, and something to mark the wall with. Chalkcan be used on the wall, but you do not want someone accusingyou off graffiti; therefore, it is best to take some hockey tapeand stick it on the wall. If you want the exact dimension of aregulation goal, 72″x48″ what most goals opening are scaled at;however, for your purposes, just put a large rectangle of tapeon the wall with the corners marked as targets. Try to copy thedimensions in this diagram. Another idea is to transpose thisdiagram onto a piece of plywood, which can be transported towhere you want to practice.
Once you have this shooting target, you can begin to repeatedshoot for the corners with your various shots. A way for you tosee where your shots hit is to dampen the wrapped ball withwater,
which should leave a water mark where it hits; the wateralso adds to the ball’s weight since it is not as heavy as anice puck. This drill should not be rushed because you want toassign a number of direct hits to each corner triangle (15 percorner) before shooting at the next corner. The higher thenumber of direct hits you assign to each corner will graduallylead to an increase of your hand-to-eye coordination because youare not just haphazardly shooting at a goal. You need to takeyour time to aim at each target mentally, locate the ball, andthen shoot at the target while your is head up looking at it.Hitting the corner successfully while your head is up will alsoincrease your confidence and feel for shooting by relying onyour peripheral vision. You can call it looking out of thecorner of you eyes, or how you see the ice.

Battling the off season blues should not be wasted by layingaround watching TV or playing video games. You could take theinitiative to improve your stickhandling and shooting aim bypracticing these fun, basic fundamental drills mentioned in thisarticle. You could come up with a new drill of your own thatbuilds your own confidence. The main point is to take somequality time in practicing stickhandling and shooting. The moreoften you practice, the easier and more natural handling a ballor puck will become to you. The benefits you will receive fromthis diligent practice will be realized when you return to theice for the beginning of next season. Your teammates will bereally pleased that you took the time off the ice and used it toyour and their advantage.

About the author:eric smith tampa florida b.a. marketing usf a.s. computerinformation systems hcc

http://www.aimhockey.com

Toronto is also appropriately the home of the Hockey Hall of Fame, which moved to a new building in 1993. This is sacred ground for any serious hockey fan, showcasing the very best players in the world and including displays such as memorabilia and of course the Stanley Cup. Visitors can also take part in the many interactive displays the Hall has to offer.

Queen Street is located within one of the most attractive neighbourhoods in Toronto for tourists. The entire street is generally hopping during the week, as people take in the architecture and unique shops that Toronto has to offer. Anchoring the display is the CHUM building, which houses many of Canada’s hippest television networks, including MuchMusic. If you’re lucky, the building might be hosting one of the network’s famous Intimate and Interactive specials with a good musical guest; they always include street portions in these shows as well as live performances.

History and Landmarks

Toronto is home to some of the most amazing buildings in Canada, each with a story, some of which go back to the creation of the nation. One of the best places to go of course are the Provincial Legislature Buildings, located at Queen’s Park.

Other landmarks in Toronto include the huge Casa Loma, which is located just off Spadina Road. This incredible structure was actually built to be the largest residence in Canada, but the excesses of building eventually caused the investor, Sir Henry Mill Pellatt (who also developed historic neighbourhoods such as Rosedale) to go into bankruptcy. Another historic building is Union Station, a transportation hub, on Front Street.

Toronto is also the home of several museums. The Royal Ontario Museum is undergoing renovations, and houses several unique displays that all visitors will find appealing, including art, dinosaurs, and visual displays of aspects of Canadian and European history. Toronto also offers a unique experience for those who like footwear at the Bata Shoe Museum.

These are just a few of the many tourist hot spots that can be fond in Toronto. Canada’s Wonderland, just a few miles north, Ontario Place, and Centre Island are all great places that offer opportunities for entertainment in the summer months. In short, Toronto is a place that is guaranteed to keep tourists of all tastes busy for their entire trip.

When you look at the citizens of the United States, there areseveral sports that seem to be much more popular than others.They, of course, will cost you a bit more to attend, but thethrill of being there will make the price well worth it. Themost popular sports in the United States today, being watchedlive and on screens, are:

1. Baseball is one of the top sports being played in the UnitedStates. Having been played in the United States the longest,baseball attracts millions of fans to ball fields every year.There isn’t just professional baseball to keep many Americansbusy, though. Proud parents everywhere enjoy watching theirchildren learn and play the game. What a great feeling when yousee your child hit the ball or score a run! As the old songgoes, “Take me out to the ball game!”. When it comes to sports,professional and amateur, baseball is ranked right up there atthe top.

2. Football began as a college sport in the United States in themid 1800s. Football is truly the “American Sport”, since it isplayed in the United States exclusively. It has grown from beingplayed only in college to having professional teams and beingplayed by students in both elementary and high schools. TheSuper Bowl is one of the most watched television events when itcomes to sports, and 3. Basketball is a popular sport worldwide. The number of peoplearound the world playing basketball can reach a staggering 300million! Basketball is one of the only professional sports inthe United States to welcome foreign players onto teams, withmany players of professional basketball being recruited fromother countries and brought to the United States to play.

4. Hockey is one of the newer sports gaining popularity with theAmerican public. It did not originate in the United States, butit has found its way into our sporting life and become one ofthe fastest growing sports. Ice hockey is the most popular formof this sport, with street hockey being popular with older kidseverywhere.

You may be asking “Where is golf and soccer on this list?” Well,although both sports are gaining in popularity, neither onemeets the level of fans of the sports listed above.

About the author:Click on http://www.farsports.com with your favorite hostSintilia Miecevole and enjoy all of the action on sports. Theinformation is all there for you including memorbilia, apparel,nutrition, medicine and more. Be sure to visithttp://www.farsports.com for your sports roundup information.

Who is that Michael Jordan guy anyway?

Hockey is what you are, what you live and breathe and you wouldnever want to have it any other way. What better method todemonstrate this to your loved ones and neighbors than by buyingsome ice hockey apparel. By wearing your ice hockey apparel fromyour favorite team, you make a solid statement to friends andstrangers alike where you loyalty is.

Should anyone ever doubt that your’ a big time NHL fan, all youhave to do is to let your knowledge speak for itself. Tell themstraight from your heart all the NHL leading scorers from themid-seventies to present, not to mention the all the Stanley Cupwinners during the same period. You will be a huge success!

Whether you’re a Gretzky fan, a Jagr fan, or a Lemiux fanatic,your ice hockey apparel will let you have your voice heard loudand clear. They will know that you are the real deal. You mighteven rip some other hockey facts out of the blue, like who wasthe first goalie to wear a mask in pro hockey for example. Youknow this stuff and that’s how big a hockey lover you are!

What’s even better, your ice hockey apparel is top quality andvery comfortable. It’s also great for wearing out to dinner anda movie, or for just working around the house on the weekends.You can find sweatshirts, official Stanley Cup apparel, baseballcaps, hockey t-shirts and all other articles of clothing you canimagine with the hockey and NHL logo on it.

Why not wear it all?

Not at the same time though, you know that of course. But youcould have a different piece of hockey clothing for each day ofthe week.

That would definitely be cool.

Ice hockey apparel is available, in most cases, at your localhockey dealer as well as in the mall. When you go to a NHL game,you can also buy replica jerseys there. For the best selectionand prices, however, you’ll want to shop online. As far ascolors, sizes, and styles go, online shopping can’t be beat.Just make sure to get your hockey gear before the start of nextyear’s NHL season.

Having the right apparel is what separates the real ice hockeyfans from the NHL wannabes. Don’t be left out in the cold.

NHL players are all locked out. They are not allowed to play orsign for any NHL team. They are, however, free to play for anyother team in any other league that they choose. Some have goneto Europe and Russia, some will play in the minors, but manyaren’t playing anywhere. Or are they?

As Tom Cochrane once crooned “My boy’s gonna play in the BeerLeague.”

Benoit Hogue Benoit Hogue, a former New York Islander whose nameappears on the Stanley Cup, is just one of the boys. After 15years in the NHL Benoit is now playing for the fun of it.

As reported in the Long Island Press, Benoit Hogue, 38, hasjoined with his friends on three different teams. One of themthe Rinx Ratz of the no-hitting Midnight Hockey League. “I havea good time. I love to get on the ice. I love to play, ” he says.

By all reports he’s a class act on the ice, using his skill tomake the others around him better, rather than taking over thegame for himself.

Matt Cooke In February of 2005, Matt Cooke played for the AdtekRockets out of Burnaby 8 -Rinks in British Columbia. No pointsin a 5-2 loss but he did manage to get a body checking penalty.Called in as a spare to give the Adtek Rockets 12 skaters on thenight, Matt Cooke was playing in a Div 3 game out in Burnaby,BC, Canada.

But as usual the stats only tell half the story. Apparently thedifference in quality of hockey between him and the balance ofthe players was very noticebale, and as for his bodycheck, well,let’s just say that when you are an NHLer playing the beerleagues, theres always one in the crowd that tries to provethemself against you.

Most people would say the open-ice hit was justified.

Joey Kocur This 2004/05 lockout isn’t the first one where NHLplayers ended up playing in the Beer-Leagues. The Al Dittrichrecreational hockey team out of Pontiac, Michigan added JoeyKocur to their line-up during the NHL lockout in ‘92.

Later that season he joined another Detroit team, the Red Wings.Two years later he returned to the Al Dittrich dressing room andbrought with him a token of appreciation - The Stanley Cup.

This isn’t the only time an NHL’er has joined the beer leaguesto keep in shape. Its just one of the rare instances that it hasmade the press.

Cliff Ronning Another instance of note comes from Cliff Ronning.”I was skating with beer-league players — guys who play thegame for the love of it,” he says. “I was paying $10 a night togo and skate — it shows how much I still wanted to play.Playing with guys who were 40 and 50 and never got the chance toplay in the NHL was a fun experience. You get back to whathockey really is, where you’re playing for the love of thegame.” The 38-year-old Ronning, signed with the Islanders Jan 9,2004 as a free agent after sitting out the first half of theseason… playing beer league hockey.

Cliff was also seen playing pick-up hockey in Vancouver lately(February 2005) as a goalie. The impression he gave was, as aformer professional he didn’t want to take over the game, so hechose to play goal where he could let his competitive natureflourish.

About the author:Glen Trainor Communications Major, Online Publisher, and AdultHockey Enthusiast. http://www.beerleaguehockey.com

Every day when I read the hockey section in the newspaper I amlooking for funny ice hockey quotes that are worth remembering.There actually are not anything funnier for a NHL fan than totell his friends the latest hockey quotes.

One day the sayings you told your friends might become one ofthe most famous hockey quotes in history of the game.

I know that people sometimes consider me to be quite odd in someareas of life (maybe because I love hockey so much), but when itcomes to me liking famous ice hockey quotes I know that I am notodd.

Thousand of other hockey fans are enjoying sayings as well. Mybuddies love them and many newspaper actually list the mostweird and famous quotes on the pages.

The fact that others are enjoying quotes too is proof enough forme that this is not a weird habit of mine. I am just a simpleand ordinary ice hockey fan.

So, what is it that makes hockey quotes so great and why do welove them so much?

I think that the reason ice hockey fans love famous quotes isbecause all sayings somehow have a lot of truth in them. Theyalso help us understand the game and often include some smallkind of wisdom as well.

Many hockey quotes are quite stupid as well, I know, but theyalso tell us a lot of things about the spirit of hockey. Theytell us what hockey is all about.

One of my favourite famous ice hockey quotes has to be Gretzkysaying:

”I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it hasbeen.”

This one tells so much about Gretzky. Everyone else whish theycould play and think like The Great One, but nobody ever could.He made the game simply because he was the best.