PENNY DEL: This is how high the Red Bulls' material wear is

Friday, 29. March 2024 | PENNY DEL: This is how high the Red Bulls' material wear is

Material battle ice hockey: What the playoffs mean for our equipment managersThat's how high the wear and tear of our material is// NEWSWhen every situation can decide the end of the season, duels and blocked shots become even more important. What does this mean for the equipment? Will more break in the playoffs? We have looked into the matter.

Ice hockey is a fast-paced sport. Shots can reach speeds of over 150 km/h and the players dash across the ice at almost 40 km/h. When it crashes, it crashes hard. It's a real stress test for the equipment. Especially for the sticks.

At Kids Day, our youngest fans wanted to know exactly: "How many sticks do you need per season?" Defender Dominik Bittner needs around 20 sticks, striker Maxi Kastner even needs 25. "Most of them don't break when shooting, by the way, but in duels or when blocking shots," Kastner revealed at the time. The manufacturers are happy because the top models made of carbon cost around 500 euros.

This is how the quarter-final against Wolfsburg went

// DEL - HIGHLIGHTS

Centers cost money

How many sticks a player needs per season depends on several things: Firstly on the position, but also on ice time and even experience. For the Red Bulls, Patrick Hager, Ben Street and Ben Smith have the most wear and tear. All three are centers - and that's no coincidence, because the bullies put additional strain on their sticks. Added to this is their experience: captain Hager notices immediately when the material has a hairline crack. Then it is replaced. The young talents usually wait a little longer.

Skates - a time-consuming number

The most time-consuming task for the equipment managers, like Markus Schreiber at the Red Bulls, is sharpening the skates. On average, there are ten pairs of skates on a training day. And he and his colleague Bernd Köhler need around eight minutes per pair. That takes time. Every player has their own preferences. Some want a new sharpening before every training session, others not so often. Then there is the sharpness of the grind. The only important thing is that it feels perfect on the ice.

As heavy as a small car

The equipment of all Red Bulls players weighs a total of 1.2 tons - about as much as a small car. The coaches drive this weight all over Germany. The van is packed full for every away game and then it's off on the highway. Usually the day before the game.

Four to five rackets per player are then in the luggage. Everything is prepared in the best possible way before a game. So when the Red Bulls come into the dressing room, all they have to do is slip into their kit and grab one of their sticks.