EDGE Hindering Players?

Interesting story from Tom Gulitti writing about a recent New Jersey Devils game where new Rbk EDGE jerseys torn in fights may have led to player injuries. I'll let you make your own judgments. You can find his post here.

September 17, 2007

Janssen injures shoulder

Enforcer Cam Janssen might have injured his shoulder tonight because of the league’s new Reebok Edge sweaters. His sweater ripped during his two first period fights with Philadelphia’s Jesse Boulerice. That might have helped Boulerice pull Janssen’s jersey over his head in both altercations and win both decisively. Arron Asham also had his sweater tear during his fight with Riley Cote.

"These new jerseys are supposed to make you faster, but what good are they if they tear that easily,” Mike Rupp said.

"The Devils did not say tonight which shoulder Janssen injured. He missed 12 games last season after dislocating his right shoulder in a fight with Anaheim’s George Parros.
David Clarkson (win over Jason Smith), Asham (loss to Cote) and Rupp (draw with Ben Eager) also fought for the Devils in the first period.

Odds and ends: No one wore the captain’s C or the alternates A’s for the Devils. Patrik Elias, who was captain last season, remained home with Dainius Zubrus, Brian Gionta, Paul Martin and Martin Brodeur…Although Vitaly Vishnevski had been practicing with Colin White, he was paired with Karel Rachunek tonight. White played with Johnny Oduya. The Devils’ AHL team lost, 3-2, to the Flyers’ AHLers Monday afternoon in Trenton.

Comments

[Masik]

Good, that's what we really need. I'm sure Reebok could care less about the fans opinions but if we get enough NHL players to hate the new jerseys, we could get the ones we like back for next season if they turn out to be a huge bust like this. Keep on tearing!

[James]

Janssen is a cheap player, and nothing more than a goon. The devils won't miss him, except that they'll have to actually fight more of their own battles now. The new jerseys aren't designed for players like him, but they're designed for players who actually PLAY hockey...

[Johnny Nucker]

Or maybe he already has a bum shoulder and he injured it again by getting his ass handed to him.....TWICE!

[-Gabe]

Hmm, yeah I think I agree with Johnny Nucker on this.

[Kindred]

Here's the clincher.... THE JERSEYS WERE PULLED OVER THE HEADS EVEN WITH THE FIGHT STRAPS STILL LATCHED IN.

What good is that? I hope league sees the potential for injuries and most importantly if the $$$ rises too fast and by too much by jerseys not standing up to the riggers of a true game and are replaced at a much quicker fashion that the league tells RBK to stick it and give them back their old styles.

My friend seems to think he remembers something about the league trying to push different sweaters 20 years ago and it failed miserably. Anyone know of this?

[nogoodbye]

I really don't think the league is gonna be too worried about jerseys not withstanding fighting, or players fighting and getting injured because of the new jerseys. The "real" hockey players all seem to like the new threads, so I'm sure the league won't worry if the goons don't like them.