As the Kings sink into the pre-trade deadline lull of waiting to see who is left after another year of rebuild, here’s a neat story that glances into the hockey player brain: how do players choose their sticks?
The University of Michigan Wolverines (yes, sorry, this is a bit of a hometown story for me) took the time to answer than question and it turns out a lot goes into the decision-making, but it also leans heavily into personal preference. As a skater, that’s one of the few places you have control of your game and the almost superstitious nature of choosing your stick is so interesting.
They also break down some of the science and how sticks have changed along with the game.
Read more about it below, along with news and notes from around the league:
Kings Things
- Column: Kings need to find out who’s in and who’s out [Los Angeles Times]
- In-Depth Look at LA Kings Defenseman Prospect Mikey Anderson – Part 1 [Frozen Royalty]
- NHL Power Rankings for February 2020 [The Hockey Writers]/
Elsewhere in the World
- Plenty of trial and error when it comes to finding the perfect hockey stick at Michigan [MLive]
- NHL’s best and worst this week: 10 spicy storylines to watch for the rest of the season [ESPN]
- Sidney Crosby on his relationship with Alex Ovechkin: ‘We’re not best buddies’ [Russian Machine Never Breaks]
- Three Big Questions: What is the best rivalry in the NHL today? [Sportsnet]
- Growing up with an NHL dad [Boston Globe]
- Here’s why the NHL All-Star Game would be better at the start of season [Boston Globe]
- NHL’s Black Hockey History mobile museum visits Miller Elementary in Hill District [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
- What we know about the NHL’s reported, ongoing investigation of the Coyotes [The Athletic]/
Scores & Recaps
- Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Washington Capitals 3
- Columbus Blue Jackets 4, Montreal Canadiens 3
- Vancouver Canucks 3, Carolina Hurricanes 4 (SO)/
Click each team’s name to find a recap on their own SB Nation team site!
On the Schedule
- Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs, 4 PT/7 ET on ESPN+, TVAS, TSN4, FS-F
- Dallas Stars at New York Rangers, 4 PT/7 ET on ESPN+, MSG+, FS-SW+
- Philadelphia Flyers at Detroit Red Wings, 4:30 PT/7:30 ET on NBCSN, SN, NBCSP+/