Gunzo Hockey Blog

What Hockey Equiptment Are You Wearing???

2011-05-27T14:32:00.001-07:00

Gunzo Team Member #1

Helmet – Bauer 7500: Fits great and easy adjustment. EPP foam w/poron inserts excellent protection

Shoulder – CCM U+Pro: Low shoulder caps, excellent mobility, not bulky but offers top protection

Elbows – Reebok 10k: Uses JDP technology which moves the force of the impact to the surrounding muscles to prevent injury.

Gloves – Bauer Pro 4-roll: Traditional fit (looser), simple very mobile, nylon

Pants – Tackla Air 9000: Slim fit durable (used for a lot of years) comfortable

Jock – Bauer core compression: Tight fit, secure good Velcro

Shin – Graf G700: Great fit and protection, but not so great straps

Shin Socks – Reebok Edge: Lighter weight (then traditional socks) extremely breathable

Skate Socks – Drymax: Excellent moisture management

Skates – Bauer Supreme ONE100: Very stiff boot, thick felt tongue, clarion liner w/hydrophobic fit, TUUK light speed 2 holders, LS2.1 power steel, very light, tremendous tendon protection, full upper thermo formable , anatomical fit (wider up front, narrow heel), BEAUTIES!

Sticks – Bauer Vapor x:60: PSS pattern, mid curve, not too big, rounded corners, double concave walls for great stick control, extremely light, dual flex points, great for slappers, excellent for wrister’s and throwing sauce. Pure shot blade increases the connection point between shaft and blade for reduced blade deflection/twisting.

Gunzo Team Member #2

Skates – For inline I wear mission T9’s. I liked the fit of the boot so much that I bought another pair to use for the ice. My ice skates are now a Tommy Montes special custom pair of mission T9 boots with black TUUKS.

Helmet – CCM Vector V10 w/Bauer DX100 half shield. I was looking for a helmet to replace my old Jofa 690 and the V10 was simply the best fit for my head. The Bauer visor I like because it has quick release tabs that make changing out the visor fast and easy.

Gloves – Mission M1, I’ve been wearing the M1’s for years and love the overall fit, especially the wrist mobility. Unfortunately they are no longer made so I pick up any pair I can find on ebay.

Elbows – I have an old model (circa 1996) of Bauer elbow pads that I have had since high school. They are solid plastic making them super protective and have a hinge at the elbow joint for mobility. I’ve had them repaired numerous times and will probably never get rid of them.

Shins – I’m not particular when it comes to shin guards but currently I’m wearing Bauer pro series shins. I do like the strapping system on them though

Pants – I have a pair of mission M-1 pants. They are good protection but are too short. I’ll be picking up a pair of Tackla 9000’s or Bauer Total One’s because they come in tall sizes.

Stick – I like Easton sticks just because I have always had good luck with them being pretty durable for me. It must be the Sakie (now Hall) curve though.

Gunzo Team Member #3

Helmet – Bauer 7500 with Oakley ½ shield: Never compromise the protection on your head. This is comfortable and super protective

Elbows – Bauer Supreme EP3000: Comfortable soft pad with a lot of protection. I don’t believe in hard cap elbows, they lead to potential injures.

Shins – Hespelver Classic Lites: Big protection in a light weight shin, good fit

Gloves – Sherwood 5030: All leather (Old School). Enough said!

Pants – Easton Air 4000 – A lot of protection in a feel good fit, no suspenders

Shoulders – Douglas Forward: small shoulder caps, mobile, lightweight, these came after the Douglas “football pads”

Skates – CCM Pro Tacks with E-Pro holders’ lightweight, supportive, responsive and a great fit

Next Season for the Blackhawks

2011-05-13T15:46:00.000-07:00

What do the Blackhawks need to do next season? This is what our guys at Gunzo's had to say.

The Hawks simply need to add quality depth. They need to add some 3rd and 4th line toughness. We need a couple players more like Andrew Ladd. I think if we do that and tighten up defensively we'll be ok. Goaltending will be solid, so I think the rest will do the team well.

The keys to the Blackhawks 2011-2012 season: Re-sign Crawford. Get a second line center so Sharp can stay at wing. Continue the development of young guys, especially Ben Smith and Nick Leddy. More size up front through either free agency or a trade.

I believe the Hawks have the skill to win. Instead of expecting to win, they need to work harder and earn the win. They need to do that all season, beginning with the pre-season. I believe they need to get tougher in both offensive and defensive zones. Continue serving the sauce and they should be good to go.

Hockey in the Summer

2011-05-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

Do you need some cool ideas to stay active in hockey in the summer? Well, look no further, because the Gunzo's team has some great ideas for you.

Practice at home - For the summer I like to practice stick handling and shooting. For stick handling, I use pucks as cones to stick handle in and out of them. I also set them up as a triangle and practice toe pulls. I set up a stick against a wall to simulate a defenseman. For shooting, I simply practice wrist shots, snap shots, slap shots, and shooting off of stick handling. However if you want to get out this summer and have fun with your friends here are some good ideas to start:

Hockey Clinics - Spend the summer learning the fundamentals of hockey. Check your local ice rinks or ask your coaches' for more information.

Hockey Summer Camps - The Chicago Blackhawks today announced the schedule for their 2011 Youth Hockey Camps. The camps will be conducted at four locations in July and August, under the direction of Head Instructor Eddie Olczyk, and Guest Instructors Denis Savard and Troy Murray.

Each Chicago Blackhawks Youth Hockey Camp features on-ice sessions that focus on individual skill development as well as positional and team play through combination drills, stations and controlled scrimmages. Attendees are also guided through daily off-ice training sessions and all campers receive a jersey.

Camps open to all boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 12 will be held from July 5-8 (4-day camp) at West Meadows Ice Arena in Rolling Meadows, July 18-22 at Johnny’s Ice House West in Chicago, and August 1-5 at Darien Sportsplex in Darien, IL. A High-Performance Camp, for 13-18 year old players, will also be held from July 5-7 at West Meadows Ice Arena.

For more information contact the Chicago Blackhawks Youth Hockey Department at 312-455-7620 or visit the Youth Hockey section of chicagoblackhawks.com.

Street Hockey is yet another alternative that you and your friends can put together on your own, where ever there is enough space. Or there may be summer hockey leagues you can join, check with your park district, local ice rinks, and/or coaches.

Always remember to stay safe out there. Please be sure to where your helmets and pads. And if you're missing anything stop by one of our Gunzo Locations.

Gunzo's Hockey Headquarters
7706 W. Madison St.
River Forest, IL. 60305
(708) 771-8666
(800) PRO-GOAL
Store Hours
Mon, Thurs 10-9
Tues,Weds, Fri: 10-8
Sat: 10-6
Sun:11-5

Gunzo's Morton Grove
6730 W. Dempster St.
Morton Grove, IL. 60053
(847) 965-2300
Store Hours
Mon-Fri: 10-9
Sat: 10-6
Sun: 11-5

Proshop @ International Ice Centre
1581 W. Frontage Rd.
Romeoville, IL. 60446
(815) 372-9700
Store Hours(subject to change)*
Mon-Fri: 4-10
Sat: 9-9
Sun: 9-9

Proshop @ Leafs Ice Center
801 Wesemann Dr.
West Dundee, IL. 60118
(847) 426-8666
Store Hours(subject to change)*
Mon-Fri: 4-9
Sat: 9-9
Sun: 9-6

Proshop @ Darien Sportsplex
451 Plainfield Rd.
Darien, IL. 60561
(630) 734-1490
Store Hours(subject to change)*
Mon-Fri: 4-10
Sat: 9-9
Sun: 9-9

Proshop @ Johnny's Ice House
1350 W. Madison St.
Chicago, IL. 60607
(312) 432-9433
Store Hours(subject to change)*
Mon-Fri: 3-10
Sat: 9-9
Sun: 9-9

Proshop @ Johnny's Ice House West
2550 W. Madison St.
Chicago, IL. 60612
(312) 492-8666
Store Hours(subject to change)*
Mon-Fri: 12-9
Sat: 9-9
Sun: 9-9

Blackhawks vs Canucks

2011-04-15T14:45:00.000-07:00

What do the Blackhawks need to do to win this series?
This is what our team down at Gunzo's Hockey had to say:

"The Hawks need to be physical. Just drop the hammer and lower the boom. They need to invade Luongo's crease and set up shop."

“The key to the Blackhawks winning the series is to consistently get traffic in front of Luongo as well as respond physically to the Canucks’ Game 1 effort. Finishing all their checks is a must.”

“The keys to the Blackhawks winning the series are: Kane throwing sauce all over the ice, Sharp snipping top shelf, Toews dangling cones, Seabrook dummying plugs, and some sick cellys that get the smoke shows all excited.”

“The hawks need to play way better defense, stay in front of that net, and play as a team for the full 60 minutes.”

“Shut out the Canucks and score in overtime.”

Gunzo's Hot Picks For NHL Season

2011-04-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

Who will take home the trophy??...these are our thoughts

Gunzo's @ River Forest

Hart Trophy

Corry Perry

Daniel Sedin

Corry Perry

Jonathan Toews

Calder Trophy

Michael Grabner

Taylor Hall

Jeff Skinner

Logan Coutrue

Norris Trophy

Drew Doughty

Zdano Chara

Niklas Lidstrom

Shea Weber

Vezina Trophy

Tim Thomas

Carey Price

Tim Thomas

Gunzo's @ Morton Grove

The 2010-11 NHL regular season is coming to a close as teams are fighting for playoff positioning. Individual awards are also up for grabs, and here’s who we think is going to be receiving some hardware at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas this summer.

Norris Trophy

When most players reach their 40s, their production declines. Try telling that to Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom. The six-time Norris Trophy winner looks to add a seventh to his crowded mantle this season.

We expect Lidstrom to get number 7 this year.

Calder Trophy

San Jose’s Logan Couture has had an impressive rookie year, and we think he’ll take the Rookie of the Year award over goalies such as Chicago’s Corey Crawford and Philadelphia’s Sergei Bobrovsky.

Vezina Trophy

It’s hard to argue with the way Boston’s Tim Thomas has played this year. He won the Vezina two years ago but fell of precipitously last year. He rebounded this year and looks to re-claim the Vezina in 2011.

Selke Trophy

Part of the reason the Vancouver Canucks ran away with the President’s Trophy is they have been a stingy defensive team. Ryan Kesler has been a big part of that stingy D, and as such, we think he’ll be named the NHL’s top defensive forward.

Hart Trophy

Chicago’s Jonathan Toews forced his way into the Hart discussion with a sizzling stretch in late-February, but he cooled off at the end of March. He is bound to win a Hart Trophy at some point in his career, but this year isn’t it. Expect Daniel Sedin of Vancouver to take it home.

Enjoy the playoffs, everyone!

The Playoffs for the Blackhawks?

2011-03-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

Last years’ Stanley Cup Champs have had a rollercoaster year full ups and downs, which gives true diehard fans something to worry about come playoff time, when one loss could mean the end of a season. So, once again I put the question to our team at Gunzo’s Hockey Headquarters. What are the chances that the Chicago Blackhawks will make it into the playoffs, and if so, how far will they go this year? This is what they had to say:

“Call me an optimist but after last year, I think my Blackhawks can do anything. So they haven’t had a great year, that’s what I love about the playoffs you get a second chance to turn a whole season around.”

“I think they will make it into the playoffs, and they could make it to the conference finals.”

“Right now, like the Blackhawks play, it is a coin toss. They will most likely make the playoffs, but with inconsistent playing, especially at goal tending I don’t see them going too far. I thought this year would be an adjustment, with the core players and new players stepping up to a well above 500 team, but I’m afraid that they just can’t get comfortable in front of Turco or Crawford.”

“The chances of the Blackhawks making the playoffs are good. They need to play great hockey, but once they make the playoffs I can see them going as far as the second round and then running out of gas.”

“The Blackhawks have a slim to none chance of making the playoffs. However if they make it, I think they will beat Vancouver in the first round and lose in the second round.”

“We will definitely make the playoffs, but we probably won’t go further that the second round. But I don’t look at that as a bad thing, because we’ve lost so many players this year. I think next year could be a championship season.”

Concussions in Hockey

2011-03-23T08:57:00.000-07:00

Concussions in the NHL have nearly doubled this season, affecting more than 10 percent of the league's players. From the NHL to minor hockey, there is public outcry for action. Is the standard hockey helmet insufficient, or is it the player’s careless disregard of their opponent's head? I asked some of the guys down at Gunzo’s Hockey Headquarters, and this is what they had to say:

“The helmets are more than adequate for safety’s sake. What needs to happen is a crack down on bad hits.”

“No helmet can prevent your brain from slamming into your skull, but a properly fit helmet can help reduce the impact. The biggest problems that cause concussions are ill fitting helmets and dangerous hits which include but aren’t limited to: blindside hits, head-shots, elbows, sticks, punches, etc. I believe that concussions aren’t fully preventable but as hockey players we can lower the risk by playing smarter. Keep your head up, pay attention to your surroundings, and ease up on players in a vulnerable position.”

“They should always be trying to improve the helmets, because they could always be better. A lot of the hits aren’t hits to the helmet; they’re hits to the face where you wouldn’t be protected anyway. Change out all the seamless glass because its harder and less giving.”

“Changing the design of helmets will do little to prevent concussions. The size and speed of today’s’ players’ combined with the post lock-out rule changes (eliminating the two-line pass rule, to crack down on obstruction) is the cause of the increase in concussions. The only thing that will reduce the frequency of concussions is for the players to show more respect for each other. That being said, hockey by its nature is a fast, physical, and sometimes violent game, which inherently lends itself to the possibility of injuries. No amount of changes in equipment or rules can change this fact without changing the game completely.”