https://www.nj.com/devils/2020/02/t...QiZLI7yS5UwQ6wJUiqXItNPQKC9sg3EztQOwsvGi1QQMI
[FONT="]The outbreak of the coronavirus in China has started having ramifications around the NHL. Specifically, it’s impacting some players’ ability to get new hockey sticks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Many professional sticks are manufactured in China, and according to a report from The Boston Globe, work and travel restrictions in the region have severely hampered the ability for companies to produce and ship new gear. Bauer and CCM craft 75.7 percent of hockey sticks used by NHL players, according to GearGeek.com, and both companies make those sticks in China.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The stick shortage has hit several players in the Devils’ locker room, and they’ve been trying to navigate around that inconvenience for the past few weeks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“It’s definitely been tough. A lot of guys have actually started to use each others’ sticks,” Devils forward Kevin Rooney told NJ Advance Media. “Right now, I’m using (Blake) Coleman’s stick. It’s tough not having a lot of sticks because guys like to go through them. Even if they’re not breaking, guys like to switch — once a week, minimum — to try to use a new stick. Just the way they’re built, the pop in the stick goes away after a week.”[/FONT]
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[FONT="]The number of sticks used in a season varies by player. Some, like Devils forward Miles Wood, like to use a new stick every game. Others, like winger Jesper Bratt, will use a stick until it breaks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bratt said he’s used the same stick for the past nine games and has a decent supply left, so he hasn’t been hampered by the current shortage. Other players are also lucky enough to still have a good number of sticks stocked up.[/FONT]
[FONT="]But while Rooney is currently using one of Coleman’s sticks, Coleman is also one of the few feeling the pain of the short supply.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Right before the outbreak started and the manufacturing of sticks slowed, Coleman switched his stick, so the shortage came at the worst time for him. For more than a month, he’s been using sticks that don’t have his name on them.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Hoping they get it open soon,” Coleman said. “In the meantime, I’ve just been using a partially broken stick for the last couple games, but trying to ride that one out as long as possible.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]
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[FONT="]Coleman has two goals in the past two games with that partially broken stick, so he at least seems to be getting by just fine while he waits for new lumber.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Rooney said the shortage has also indirectly hurt the fans, since it’s been harder for players to give away sticks before or after games. At this moment, there are only so many to go around, and players need to be conservative about handing out souvenirs.[/FONT]
[FONT="]When it comes to hockey sticks, players are very particular about the details. The length, the amount of curve and flexibility all factor into a player’s use. Slightly altering even one of those things can have an impact.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“For most hockey guys, we’re all obviously creatures of habit, so anything that throws off our routine, we don’t really like," Rooney said. "Especially with something equipment related.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]The outbreak of the coronavirus in China has started having ramifications around the NHL. Specifically, it’s impacting some players’ ability to get new hockey sticks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Many professional sticks are manufactured in China, and according to a report from The Boston Globe, work and travel restrictions in the region have severely hampered the ability for companies to produce and ship new gear. Bauer and CCM craft 75.7 percent of hockey sticks used by NHL players, according to GearGeek.com, and both companies make those sticks in China.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The stick shortage has hit several players in the Devils’ locker room, and they’ve been trying to navigate around that inconvenience for the past few weeks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“It’s definitely been tough. A lot of guys have actually started to use each others’ sticks,” Devils forward Kevin Rooney told NJ Advance Media. “Right now, I’m using (Blake) Coleman’s stick. It’s tough not having a lot of sticks because guys like to go through them. Even if they’re not breaking, guys like to switch — once a week, minimum — to try to use a new stick. Just the way they’re built, the pop in the stick goes away after a week.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]Introducing Devils Insider: Sign up for exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers[/FONT]
[FONT="]The number of sticks used in a season varies by player. Some, like Devils forward Miles Wood, like to use a new stick every game. Others, like winger Jesper Bratt, will use a stick until it breaks.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Bratt said he’s used the same stick for the past nine games and has a decent supply left, so he hasn’t been hampered by the current shortage. Other players are also lucky enough to still have a good number of sticks stocked up.[/FONT]
[FONT="]But while Rooney is currently using one of Coleman’s sticks, Coleman is also one of the few feeling the pain of the short supply.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Right before the outbreak started and the manufacturing of sticks slowed, Coleman switched his stick, so the shortage came at the worst time for him. For more than a month, he’s been using sticks that don’t have his name on them.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“Hoping they get it open soon,” Coleman said. “In the meantime, I’ve just been using a partially broken stick for the last couple games, but trying to ride that one out as long as possible.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]
Buy Devils gear: Fanatics, NHL.com, Lids, Dick's Sporting Goods
[/FONT]
[FONT="]Coleman has two goals in the past two games with that partially broken stick, so he at least seems to be getting by just fine while he waits for new lumber.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Rooney said the shortage has also indirectly hurt the fans, since it’s been harder for players to give away sticks before or after games. At this moment, there are only so many to go around, and players need to be conservative about handing out souvenirs.[/FONT]
[FONT="]When it comes to hockey sticks, players are very particular about the details. The length, the amount of curve and flexibility all factor into a player’s use. Slightly altering even one of those things can have an impact.[/FONT]
[FONT="]“For most hockey guys, we’re all obviously creatures of habit, so anything that throws off our routine, we don’t really like," Rooney said. "Especially with something equipment related.”[/FONT]
