Bleacher Report - Articles by Andrew Castaneda

Farrell Hockey: Passion Meets Performance

Andrew Castaneda — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:44:39 -0400

It is a rare opportunity in this lifetime to get a chance to meet someone you can truly respect, and when those instances do arise, they leave a very tangible mark on you.

Our modern society is obsessed with results, and we live in a time where the ends very much justify the means, regardless of implications.

Bearing that in mind, true passion has almost become cliché as everyone who claims to have passion does so to conceal an almost total lack thereof.

Though this article very loosely relates to the NHL, I feel it is a story that truly defines what hockey is about, and more importantly so, exemplifies how determination and ingenuity can positively affect the game we love.

In the sleepy town of Walpole, Massachusetts, about 45-minutes from Boston, tucked far back in an unassuming red brick business park about a 10 minute drive from Gilette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots are the offices of Farrell Sports Concepts.

Subtlety notwithstanding, the building is almost an ironic juxtaposition to the unbridled creativity contained within the walls.

Started by Dan Farrell in 2001, the vision he had was quite simple: build a shoulder pad that reduces weight, increases range of motion, and most importantly, offers more protection for a game that gets faster and more aggressive every year.

He accomplished this by going to the pros and major junior players before he even began production to get their input on what makes a good pair of shoulder pads.

This, combined with a concept created by Farrell, referred to as Kinetic Energy Compression Chamber Technology where small foam cubes with a hole in the middle accept and disperse impact across the four sides of the cube evenly, allowed the company to manufacture what may be the most revolutionary innovation in protective gear for hockey since the introduction of foam.

Now, Farrell Hockey enjoys a strong reputation among major junior players, pro players, university players and trainers all over North America.

I recently had the opportunity to meet Dan Farrell, and get the tour of his facilities before joining him and a few of his Farrell counterparts to catch a few games at the Chowder Cup tournament, an annual showcase of some of the best junior age players in North America.

In meeting Dan,affectionately nicknamed 'Sniper' by his friends and players he meets, I was genuinely surprised by how unassuming his appearance is, about six-feet tall, slight framed with glasses and eyes that let you know that at any given moment he's working something out in his head.

As for his personality, he is the very essence of an extrovert, very animated and vibrant, but most surprisingly without a hint of arrogance or self-satisfaction, regardless of the fact he makes his living doing something many hockey fans could only dream of.

In walking around the offices with him, the walls were adorned with posters of CHL players, mainly of the Lewiston Maineiacs, a team Farrell has had a very strong relationship with due to their proximity to Walpole, their recent standout graduates are David Perron of the St. Louis Blues and Jonathan Bernier of the Los Angeles Kings.

Dan excitedly spoke of the new products and ideas, as well as of the game in general. One cannot help but get caught up in his energy when he speaks.

Walking around the offices was like walking around any hockey players dreamland—hockey on every wall, a lounge with a big screen TV, leather couches and a pool table, three office sized rooms spilling over with gear, a full sized warehouse complete with an area designated strictly for shooting pucks around and also a basketball net.

Even Sniper's office is a monument to all things hockey and/or Boston, including pictures of one of many New England Patriots players sporting elbow pads Farrell designed, a Good Will Hunting poster, and a stack of DVD's, some more notable titles that I saw included Slap Shot, Miracle and Mystery, Alaska.

During the tournament, watching Dan bounce around, talking to players and asking them their thoughts on the new sticks and gloves he recently released was almost awe-inspiring, for the simple fact that he is Farrell, they are wearing his name and ideas which they spent money for, and rather than resting on his laurels, he actively asks people for advice/feedback/comments to further improve his products.

I mean in this day and age, where do you see that?

It's like the president of Nike coming up to you and asking if a) you like their shoes and b) if there's anything you would change about them so they can work on that.

The level of interactivity Farrell customers enjoy with Sniper is most likely unparalleled anywhere in business as he makes himself readily available on facebook, myspace, through the companies website, he even has his personal cell phone number listed in his facebook profile so that anyone on his friends list can text him or call him should they feel they need to reach him, seeing as that he doesn't turn down anyone's request, it goes to show exactly how available he makes himself.

A further testament to his character occurred during the first game Team Farrell played in the tournament against a team from New Jersey.

The fans were just as vocal as the players to say the least and as the game progressed, emotions ran high.

In the third, there was even chirping between the two benches, which Dan happily involved himself in to defend his players.

Team Farrell won the game and it was a begrudging handshake at the end, but everyone went their separate ways.

Out in the lobby while we waited for some of Farrell's players to come out, the New Jersey team walked by to their bus, Dan made a point to say to all of them that they played an excellent game, but more amazingly so, singled out one player who he had exchanged words with during the game and actually apologized to him for any possibly hurt feelings.

So what is the point to this article really?

It's not an advertisement, or a pitch or a gimmick; essentially, this is the expression of amazement by a hockey fan that something so unadulterated can still exist in the corporate over saturation that we call hockey in this day and age.

So, if you own a sports shop, or know anyone who does, have them have a look at Farrell gear, if for no other reason than to support the underdog in the advertising driven realm of sports marketing.

In closing, I must reiterate, that though this article has been about one company, I do not view it as being skewed in any way, shape, or form, rather I feel it is conveying to you, the reader, how a quirky guy with a brilliant hockey mind in Walpole, MA all but reaffirmed my faith in the possibility of passion still being allowed to exist in the increasingly indifferent world of hockey equipment, and the way I see it, I will have no problem shelving my equipment from larger faceless multi-million dollar corporations in favor of gear designed by a guy who shook my hand and thanked me for wearing his stuff.

On the Bleacher Report, I'm Andrew Castaneda

Find Farrell online at www.farrellsports.com, also on facebook and myspace.

Five For Chirping: Goonery, The Gr8 One and Gear Rules.

Andrew Castaneda — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:08:11 -0400

As the season winds down, certain controversies always arise around the NHL. Debates over blown calls, soft goals, bad trades always contribute to the 'what if?' appeal of our game.

Punditry reigns supreme, to say the least.

As it has been such an extended period of time since my last article, and I never run out of opinions, I have decided to introduce the first in a new series of articles, entitled "5 For Chirping ", where I will offer a candid, unabashed view of the hot topics around the rink, straying from my previous objective view and subject matter to lay it out the way I see it.

Quite simply, my writing will have a full set of teeth, even if those I write about don't.

So without further ado, allow me to welcome you into my brain!

Wipe your feet please.

Chris Simon Cries Star Treatment

Perrenial malcontent Chris Simon claims that Colin Campbell is playing favourites.

We have all seen the now infamous Chris Pronger stomp on Ryan Kesler by now, and listened to blowhard analysts decrying the dirtiness of the play ad nauseum.

Now Chris Simon is crying "star treatment" over Pronger's 8 game suspension, which obviously is far short of the 30 game decision he recently enjoyed.

Is he right? I genuinely hope so.

I will go on record as saying that I like neither of these players to quell any inklings of favouritism, but I think both play their respective roles to a 'T'.

Chris Simon is a goon. There is no need for sugar-coated adjectives like 'fiery' or 'gritty' or 'scrappy', he is a goon who serves no purpose in the league beyond fighting. In his situation, he went out of his way to get over to the scrum where Jarkko Ruutu was, waiting for his moment and intentionally stomping on his leg. This was not even a year after serving 25 games for his wild swing at Ryan Hollweg, though I will concede, the former of the two was not pre-meditated. In my opinion, this play was reminiscent of Claude Lemieux's suckerpunch from the bench on Brett Lindros back in 1995. A dirty guy saw an opportunity and took it. The game took 20 years to purge the likes of Claude, Ulf and Matthew Barnaby, we don't need nu-goons.

Chris Pronger is also a goon. Yes, he's a goon with a Cup ring and an Olympic Gold medal, but he is still a goon. He is also a skilled player, with a tremendous upside including keen hockey sense,strong leadership skills and a ferocious work ethic.He also has a history of suspensions, however none as blatant as Simon's.

Did he receive star treatment? No. Kesler was trying to put him in a leg lock to tie him up during the play, the video does clearly show a 'stomping motion', but it also shows him trying to free his leg, he did not willingly skate to Kesler, nor line up his shot.

Should he receive star treatment? Yes, because that way it will teach talentless hacks like Chris Simon that the league doesn't look kindly on one-dimensional players and they'll think twice the next time they're in a situation where an opportunity presents itself.

In my opinion, Chris Simon is an unnecessary antique in the new NHL, as are others of his ilk, including Donald Brashear, Brian McGrattan, Georges Laraque and Jody Shelley.

Chris Pronger on the other hand, represents the growing contingent of star-caibre players who can fight AND play the game, notably headlined by Jarome Iginla, Vincent Lecavalier, Zdeno Chara and Sean Avery.

Believe it or not Chris Simon and company, that stick in your hand can do something besides crosscheck, slash, spear, hack and hook, and those skates can do something more than imitate a cigar chopper. Learn to use them properly or don't use them at all.

Should Alexander Ovechkin be considered for the Hart Trophy if The Caps Don't Make The Playoffs?

This is probably the most ridiculous debate at present.

YES. He most definitely should be considered, in fact, I will go so far as to say if the vote was taken right now, he would win with no contest.

I will go on record right now as saying that I believe Ovechkin has 'silently' become the guilty pleasure of hockey fans, becoming the obvious Ying to Sidney Crosby's Yang. With his gap-toothed grin, rock-star ensembles and mirrored visors, Ovechkin energizes his team, the city of Washington, the fans, and even his opponents with his infectious enthusiasm and love of the game. One can't help but smile and shake their head seeing his mile wide grin under the mirrored visor. The admirable thing is that the smile is more pronounced when his teammates score, unlike a certain stoic Russian sniper who also has broken the 50 goal mark this year (I of course refer to an Atlanta player whose last name rhymes loosely with what I think of him).

Crosby won the Hart last year getting the Penguins through ONE five game playoff series, and though I will never dispute that he had a great season, I feel his win was largely for publicity and could have gone to much more deserving players. He also had the luxury of a supporting cast of including Malkin, Staal, Roberts, Recchi, Gonchar and Fleury, as well as the commitment from Penguins brass to keep him around long term and to build a team around him.

Ovechkin on the other hand came to an abyssmal Washington team with zero starpower, came into this season with trade rumours surrounding him, negotiated the biggest contract in league history without an agent with little more in the way of teammates beyond a slumping Alex Semin and a burgeoning Nick Backstrom. Washington management, probably still gunshy from the Jagr (or)deal, was seemingly hesitant to bank on 'the best player in the league' again, but in the end, signed on the line, and more impressive still, made a pair of relatively significant trades at the deadline to bring in Cristobal Huet to lighten the strain on the most under-rated goalie in the league, Olaf Kolzig, as well as bringing in Sergei Fedorov to act as mentor to their crop of young snipers. And, as of Friday night, Alexander the Gr8 became the first 60-goal scorer in 12 years.

Crosby got the Penguins into the playoffs, but with plenty of help, if Ovechkin can make the playoffs a possibility for a franchise I once affectionately referred to as "where hope goes to die", give the man his propers and stop doting on the squeaky clean cover boy.

Mandatory Visors/Neckguards For NHL Players

Close, but they're WAY off.

Firstly, these pop up after every eye or neck laceration. It's a knee-jerk reaction, plain and simple. After Bryan Berard's eye injury, it was en vogue to suggest that visors should be mandatory, and many sub-par sports pundits tried to come across as authorities on the subject, feeding into the paranoia.

After Richard Zednik's near fatal incident, it introduced a debate over neck protectors that I feel may hold some merit.

However.

I do not agree with the forcing of players to do anything. They are grown men who have dedicated their lives to the game, if they want to go out without visors or neckguards, it's at their discretion.

BUT.

As history has proven, equipment at first panned as cumbersome can catch on with some amount of innovation. When the goalie mask was introduced, it was thought to be impractical, however as the design was refined and its benefits becoming more apparent it caught on, snowballing to the current form which is not only safe, but *gasp* 'cool'. When visors were first introduced, they were thick easily scratched and distorted optics, not to mention the fog factor. Now, as the technology has made them optically correct, fog and scratch resistant, and offered in various interesting tints and finishes that allow the wearer to be unique, they have caught on.

Perhaps, with the call for their implementation, hockey equipment manufacturers will overhaul the old design that has annoyed hockey players for the last 30 years, taking away from their neck brace aesthetic and feel.

But until that day, let 'em play. Blood is an integral part of hockey, and you can't get upset when you see a little bit more than usual.

On the Bleacher Report, I'm Andrew Castaneda. Catch more of my writings at www.snipeshowhockey.com, as well as great hockey talk with fans who love every aspect of the great game.

With files from CBC.ca, WikiPedia, Sports Illustrated, TSN.ca and NHL.com

NHL Classifieds: Wanted—One Sacrificial Lamb

Andrew Castaneda — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:07:12 -0500

The black cloud perpetually looming over the Toronto Maple Leafs has hung ominously low in the past weeks.

With lacklustre efforts resulting in loss after loss, the Blue and White appeared to be completely buried under the speculation of the futility. Changes were needed sorely.

Then, on Tuesday, January 22, 2007, what has been hoped and prayed for by Leafs Nation for 5 years finally happened. MLSE hung the help wanted sign on the front window of the Air Canada Centre as John Ferguson Jr. was relieved of his duties as GM and Vice President of the team.

But why is there not more rejoicing among the Toronto faithful?

The overwhelming theme of the coverage I have seen and read since the firing are unanimously decrying the conduct of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and CEO/Team President Richard Peddie. In the opinion of this writer, this is rightfully so.

To anyone who has read any of my past articles, I am guilty of JFJ bashing, as are many of those who spoke out against MLSE's fleecing of the young GM, but I must claim ignorance in my assertions and extend my apologies to Mr. Ferguson.

In the last few months, the hockey world has become more and more aware of the deeper layers of this situation, including agenda pushing by the Board of Governors, megalomaniacal behavior from Richard Peddie, and the necessity of board approval on all hockey moves by Ferguson, not to mention the willingness of MLSE to use Ferguson as a shield from media and fan scrutiny.

And therein lies the problem.

Now they have to find a man willing to become the new media pinata, and with the reputation MLSE has earned itself in the past 5 years, Toronto has become to executives what Edmonton has become to free agents.

In the meantime, former GM Cliff Fletcher has been handed the reins (or at least as much as Peddie felt he should get) to hopefully straighten the course for this fast fading group.

Yes, JFJ is gone, never to hand out another no trade/no movement clause, and we have the gentleman responsible for bringing Gilmour and Sundin to Toronto, where they enjoyed their best years.

But is it really something to get excited over?

To say this situation is fraught with potential and pitfalls is like claiming Peddie's lawyer-esque double speak is but an occasional habit.

Of the potential benefits of this situation is Peddie's declaration that he will resign his position as team president to either the new GM or a more suitable candidate when one is found. The downside? He will co-chair the committee charged with finding said replacement.

Farbeit for me to poke holes in MLSE logic, but it seems slightly counterproductive to make the individual who openly admitted he made a 'big mistake' in hiring Ferguson, your go-to guy in hiring a new GM and team president.

Peddie's tenure as team president is best likened to the scene in Robocop 2, where after becoming overwhelmed with garbled OCP programming, Robo opts to grab a hold of an outdoor power transformer to shock himself clean, and the only way the onlookers can remove him is by clubbing him with a readily available 2x4.

Peddie, garbled with Pension Fund rhetoric, has locked on to the Maple Leafs hockey club with an iron grip, becoming volatile to anyone who might come into contact with him. The only way to remove his parasitic presence from the team is with a swift, decisive action intended to remove him with as little detriment to himself and the club as possible.

Will it happen? No. The teachers love him as their puppet, because he is their conduit to feeling like hockey guys, which they clearly are not.

So where to go from here?

The task at hand for Cliff Fletcher is to decide the tone for the remainder of the season; are they buyers or sellers? Does Sundin stay or go? Do you blow a hole in the hull to sink the team into a high pick in a wonderfully deep draft year? Do you make moves to coast into a first round meeting with the Ottawa Senators?

If you become a seller, certain moves are essential.

Firstly, convince Sundin to take a trade, get a Ryan Smyth-esque deal, and resign him in the off-season to an Alfie-esque deal. Use the resultant picks/prospects to leverage yourself for a higher draft pick by trade OR use them to rebuild.

Dump Raycroft for something, ANYTHING by the deadline, at the very least he is a solid backup for a team with something resembling a defensive corps (Hello Anaheim).

Decide between Kubina and McCabe because in the new NHL, having both of those contracts on the books is unacceptable and indicative of poor managing, like in the case of Kubina, take ANYTHING, just get his $5M off the books.

Lastly, decide between Blake and Tucker. $4.25M and $5M for the performance they have put in this year is atrocious. In the case of either, if offered anything over a third round pick, take the mulligan and chalk it up to experience.

Right there, that's almost $12M in cap space freed up, and three albatrosses removed from the teams neck.

If they become buyers, certain younger players will have to become expendable, including one or more of Steen, Stajan and Wellwood (I'd mention Collaiacovo in the same regard, but it would be too expensive to continually provide the taker team with the duct tape we use to keep him together). Ponikarovsky would also be a viable commodity, as would Ian White.

Personally, I would tolerate another playoff miss as long as there was a clear commitment from team management that it would be allowed to facilitate a brighter tomorrow.

Just 24 hours into his interim position, Fletcher will have to decide in the next 2 weeks exactly how he will shift the foundation.

Stay tuned Leafs fans, one way or the other, this will mean changes, and with the guy who managed to bring in Doug Gilmour in a trade involving Gary 'Where's the Blue Line?' Leeman, we're going to find out if you indeed can teach an old (desert) dog new tricks.

On the Bleacher Report, I'm Andrew Castaneda. Look for my more candid hockey writings at www.snipeshowhockey.com.