2007-10-17 04:49:18 · 11 answers · asked by jeffwar03 4 in Sports ➔ Hockey
Uhhh, wellll,...I heard about this last night that the NHL was going to 'test' heated blades with a few teams and select players and make a decision as to whether or not they would allow them in the future. Heat blades??? What? The analyst on TV said they would have a microprocessor and element on the skate that's battery charged and rechargeable and would maintain a 41 degree F temp on the blades. The theory is that it creates more water under the blade at the contact surface thus allowing for more fluid skating (no pun intended) and quicker starts. Ummm... yeah. I wish I had come up with this one. I gotta tell ya - I'm really skeptical and I feel this is something way too gimmicky that reaks of a Bettman/Shapiro huddle. Besides - if Gretsky and Yzerman are the biggest supporters of the devices - follow the money and you'll see that THEY are the biggest investors in the company that makes the blades - so - I say - eh,... prbably not a good idea. "Hey - NHL - How about this idea?! We heat up your skater's blades and he can start off and skate faster. Really! It melts the ice under his blades so he's skating on more water than ice - because we ALL know water is more slippery than just ice. No, I'm not joking. Tell ya what - I'll make up 20 pairs of these and sell them to you for, what, $1750 a pair. Just the blades. You try them out and let me know what you think. Hey - Wayne Gretsky said that if they're allowed - he might come back and play again!"
How's THAT for a sales pitch!? The great one on electric skates! Hey - I KNOW Bettman's gotta be behind this whacky idea... arrgggh. What's next? Sticks made by a tennis shoe company with holes in the shafts? Wait...
2007-10-17 06:57:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
To all the people who think they'll melt the ice...........the average heat of friction of a current skate blade is reputedly between, 37 and 38 degrees fahrenheit. As the game goes on, the ice is constantly made (all water generally becomes ice) so that the miniscule amount of extra water created by these blades re-freezes.
However, keep in mind that the tests for these skates, while done with 30-40 players on the ice..were done in empty arenas.
Also, the blades aren't really heated.............so much as "temperature controlled".
2007-10-17 13:12:33 · answer #2 · answered by Like I'm Telling You Who I A 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Interesting to say the least and I read that gretzky loves them. Unfortunately, I don't think heated blades are going to help Phoenix all that much... or the Kings for that matter.
2007-10-17 12:27:04 · answer #3 · answered by [z]ther 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO! NHL players are hard enough on the ice as it is and heated blades will only chew the ice up faster.
2007-10-17 12:00:42 · answer #4 · answered by D D 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There's too much technology in the game today. Carbon fiber sticks, heated skates, jerseys that shed water..why not just have robots that can skate 40mph play the game instead of human beings?
Go back to wooden sticks, classic jerseys and basic skates. Use skill and hard work to give yourself an advantage, not technology.
2007-10-17 13:38:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well seems to be worth a try. Oh and if they were too hard on the ice the idea would be CANCELED after the experimental stage.
2007-10-17 12:47:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Apparently they are the cat's a$$ so it seems like a great new development at face value.
2007-10-17 12:22:05 · answer #7 · answered by Bob Loblaw 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well everything is worth a try, eh?
2007-10-17 12:11:15 · answer #8 · answered by TBL 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good idea, it'll make players faster.
2007-10-17 12:00:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I get it. I just don't know if I buy it.
2007-10-17 12:23:24 · answer #10 · answered by zapcity29 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋