Jeremy Laura: “Gear Corner” part 3, featuring Doug Todd from Warrior Hockey - Helmets

NOT RELATED TO THIS BLOG:

Mark Divver of The New England Hockey Journal reports that goaltender Keith Petruzzelli doesn’t intend to sign his entry-level contract with the Wings and will hit free agency in August.

I know I beat up the goalie situation, but.....a promising prospect leaves the pipeline

NOT RELATED TO THIS BLOG:

Mark Divver of The New England Hockey Journal reports that goaltender Keith Petruzzelli doesn’t intend to sign his entry-level contract with the Wings and will hit free agency in August.

I know I beat up the goalie situation, but.....a promising prospect leaves the pipeline
- mcmastermike1968

Deja Vu

NOT RELATED TO THIS BLOG:

Mark Divver of The New England Hockey Journal reports that goaltender Keith Petruzzelli doesn’t intend to sign his entry-level contract with the Wings and will hit free agency in August.

I know I beat up the goalie situation, but.....a promising prospect leaves the pipeline
- mcmastermike1968

Deja Vu

NOT RELATED TO THIS BLOG:

Mark Divver of The New England Hockey Journal reports that goaltender Keith Petruzzelli doesn’t intend to sign his entry-level contract with the Wings and will hit free agency in August.

I know I beat up the goalie situation, but.....a promising prospect leaves the pipeline
- mcmastermike1968

I’ve hit on that in three separate write ups (possibly more). Detroit made an offer last year, he refused. It’s not for lack of effort. College players are very aware of their freedom if things go well. There is one separate “rumor” out there that Yzerman made a “now or never” ultimatum last summer in regards to the signing. Take it with three grains of salt. Regardless, I first touched on this right around end of season

I’ve hit on that in three separate write ups (possibly more). Detroit made an offer last year, he refused. It’s not for lack of effort. College players are very aware of their freedom if things go well. There is one separate “rumor” out there that Yzerman made a “now or never” ultimatum last summer in regards to the signing. Take it with three grains of salt. Regardless, I first touched on this right around end of season
- Jeremy Laura

You're a Soot-Sayer. You have good Sooth

I figured it was coming. Stinks, but there's a whole other range of opinions on how college athletes are treated going on in the NCAA right now. I've read, and re-read, many of the comments here that others have posted regarding goalies. The consensus is that we can make this up somewhere down the line. And, truthfully, we're "ok" in net right now. I just get leery relying on the mystique of HockeyTown luring some stud net-minder to come aboard. The thought that "I'm too good for that" should be outweighed by the potential to play in an historic organization that's looking for talent and can give the kid a leg up, al la Fabbri & Ryan.

By the way, hearing anything on extension for Ryan? Would REALLY love to see that guy back in the Winged Wheel, man. Such a great personality and remains very talented.

Sorry I hi-jacked the equipment blog

I can’t decide what’s harder to watch. Joe Namath doing Medicare commercials or Jimmie Walker saying it’s “dynomite!” Either way, my childhood is not only gone, someone built condos on it. Full Boblo Island.

Funny you mentioned the JOFA helmet and how everyone wanted one because of Wayne. Does anyone remember the helmet made by Johnson out of Chicago?
Inside the plastic shell was an air bladder you would put it on and then blow it up through a small hose to fit. The inside looked like the air packs used for shipping. Johnson used to produce skates many year’s ago.

You're a Soot-Sayer. You have good Sooth

I figured it was coming. Stinks, but there's a whole other range of opinions on how college athletes are treated going on in the NCAA right now. I've read, and re-read, many of the comments here that others have posted regarding goalies. The consensus is that we can make this up somewhere down the line. And, truthfully, we're "ok" in net right now. I just get leery relying on the mystique of HockeyTown luring some stud net-minder to come aboard. The thought that "I'm too good for that" should be outweighed by the potential to play in an historic organization that's looking for talent and can give the kid a leg up, al la Fabbri & Ryan.

By the way, hearing anything on extension for Ryan? Would REALLY love to see that guy back in the Winged Wheel, man. Such a great personality and remains very talented.

Sorry I hi-jacked the equipment blog
- mcmastermike1968

MC, you’re always welcome! Nothing is a hijack, and you’re a great friend in all this.

I would like to see teams recover a draft pick IF they try and sign their college free agent and are turned down. As it is, there are times when teams border (or jump in feet first) on tampering. The kids have had conversations before hitting free agency and know where they want to be.

Yzerman had said that if 1 to 3 draft picks wind up in the NHL it’s a really good draft. GMs pass on most of the kids they draft, and I’m fully in favor of a 2 way street. This is only a burn if the team did everything they could to sign the prospect and they opted for another team. Possibly alter the rule that college players are RFA after leaving college (for the first year) and if their team doesn’t sign them by fall they are free agents. If a team does a “qualifier” they retain the rights (avoiding another loophole) even if the player goes to Europe

Funny you mentioned the JOFA helmet and how everyone wanted one because of Wayne. Does anyone remember the helmet made by Johnson out of Chicago?
Inside the plastic shell was an air bladder you would put it on and then blow it up through a small hose to fit. The inside looked like the air packs used for shipping. Johnson used to produce skates many year’s ago.
- Tee56

No! I’ve never seen one. That was Doug’s story on the helmet, but yeah. It’s hilarious. I figured Wayne liked pasta and pierogis so it was good in the kitchen too!

If you find any pics of that old Johnson helmet let me know. When I was in 8th grade football they just started putting bladders like that in the football helmets. Our team only had a couple of them (small school). That was around 1990.

No! I’ve never seen one. That was Doug’s story on the helmet, but yeah. It’s hilarious. I figured Wayne liked pasta and pierogis so it was good in the kitchen too!

If you find any pics of that old Johnson helmet let me know. When I was in 8th grade football they just started putting bladders like that in the football helmets. Our team only had a couple of them (small school). That was around 1990.
- Jeremy Laura

I found two on wrothpoint.com (Nestor Johnson air bladder hockey helmet)
the red one shows the tube you used for inflating.
Your right you could use the JOFA for straining pasta.

I found two on wrothpoint.com (Nestor Johnson air bladder hockey helmet)
the red one shows the tube you used for inflating.
Your right you could use the JOFA for straining pasta.
- Tee56

Nice! I’ll check it out!

Those Jofa buckets cracked me up. The only thing better than a Jofa was a Jofa on top of a mullet.

I found two on wrothpoint.com (Nestor Johnson air bladder hockey helmet)
the red one shows the tube you used for inflating.
Your right you could use the JOFA for straining pasta.
- Tee56

You are quite the detective! Here’s the link for anyone interested. Of course I wonder if you could fill the bladder with a beverage of your choice and use the air valve as a straw….the beer leagues just got more efficient.

https://www.worthpoint.co...helmet-johnsons-243417365

I've worn so many buckets over the years. From the thin plastic Coopers with very thin pads, to a Northland that was huge and round and full of thick, though soft padding. I switched to the CCMs in the 80s because that's what Yzerman wore and stayed with those through juniors and beer league. In my early teens, I played for Compuware and we wore brown Cooperall pants. They were ridiculous, but in my 2nd year, we got matching brown helmets. Luckily the parents hated them and we switched back to white the next year. I recently confiscated one of my son's Warrior helmets, but to your point Jeremy, I was always really picky on how it looked. I have a small head (6 3/4) so taller or wider helmets look ridiculous on me, so like my favorite baseball hats, once I find one I like, I wear if for a very long time.