Sharpening Tips
By Barrie Stafford
Barrie is the Head Equipment Manager for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. He has also been a member of 5 Stanley Cup winning teams, as well Olympic and Canada Cup squads.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY HOLLOW?
The diamond dresses (cleans and contours) the wheel face to a convex surface. As you run the blade along the wheel, the convex wheel imparts a concave track along the length of the blade. This concave track has two outside edges and the space between the edges is called the hollow. A properly sharpened skate has two equal and even edges.
DEEP HOLLOW
A deep hollow (1/4 or 3/8ths of an inch) allows for a more pronounced edge, which makes for tighter turns and more bite for stopping. The flipside is the deeper hollow makes the blade sink deeper into the ice, causing more drag and less glide. Players with a deep hollow have to work harder because of the friction between ice and blade. The more pronounced edges of a deeper hollow may chip easier and require more maintenance. The deeper hollow is usually for lighter, smaller players; players less than 185 pounds. Players who maneuver in traffic or stop and start a lot, or feel secure with a little extra edge, may prefer a deeper hollow. Wayne Gretzky, when he played for the Oilers, preferred a 1/2-inch hollow because he was more of a dipsy doodler, starting and stopping quickly.
FLAT HOLLOW
A flat hollow (5/8ths, 3/4, 7/8ths or an inch) is more conducive to heavier players. The less-pronounced edge allows for more glide because the blade doesn’t sink as deeply into the ice. Players using less hollow will use less energy. A flatter hollow was greatly beneficial to a player like Paul Coffey, who had longer strides and liked to take the open ice and go. Paul always experimented with a very flat hollow between one and two inches. The flatter hollow blades are easier to sharpen and need less maintenance. There seems to be a general misconception that sharp skates can only be achieved with a deep hollow. In the NHL, a player’s skate hollow is a personal preference based on trial and error and many years of skating. Each player has a comfort level on his skates, and must always feel confident and secure on his edges. The comfort level is based on a player’s ability, weight, skating style, and needs as he does his job. Whether the hollow is 3/8 or 1 inch, if sharpened properly, both will be very sharp. Six-time Stanley Cup winner Mark Messier, whose playing weight was around 205 pounds, used a 1-inch hollow when he played for the Oilers. Messier, a heavier power forward had long, fluid strides. He didn’t need as much hollow because he liked to glide on the top of the ice. Less hollow, more glide. Current Oiler George Laraque, who tips the scale at 250 pounds, also uses a flat hollow at 1 inch. Norris Trophy winning defenseman Chris Pronger weighs 215 pounds and prefers a 7/8th hollow. Colorado Avalanche player and Canadian Olympian Joe Sakic skates with a 5/8 inch hollow, which may seem quite flat for a smaller player. On the other hand 215-pound Jarome Iginla, a Mark Messier-style player, skates with a ½ inch hollow, which may seem quite deep for a player of his weight. These players all require a different hollow based on their unique skating needs and playing style. During every game, I watch closely to see if players slide into a goal-post or come in contact with another player’s blades, a stick, or the boards, which may take off an edge. If they take a stride and fall, I wonder if they have lost an edge. As an NHL trainer, I know what every player’s hollow is because I only have 23 players. I sharpen most of the skates before the morning practice on game-day, so the players can test them on the ice and it gives them time to make adjustments in hollow at game time if needed. We may also adjust hollow up and down depending on the building, climate and condition of the ice in the city we are playing in. Not all of our players get their skates sharpened for every game. Some may go two or three games, others more. Some players get their skates done two or three times a game, depending on ice conditions or bad luck with nicks. I sharpen 12 to 14 of our current Oilers roster before every game. One or 2 players get them done randomly on game days.
Edmonton Oiler player hollow
breakdown:
3/8 inch 3 players
1/2 inch 9 players
5/8 inch 1 player
3/4 inch 3 players
7/8th inch 5 players
1 inch 1 player
Canadian Olympic Team breakdown:
3/8 inch 2 players
1/2 inch 12 players
5/8 inch 1 player
3/4 inch 3 players
7/8 inch 5 players
1 inch 1 player
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