LAS VEGAS — Zach Werenski was one of the big winners of NHL All-Star weekend.
The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman won the Fountain Face-Off — the skills competition event on the Bellagio Fountain — and was on the Metropolitan Division team that won the All-Star Game, getting a share of the $1 million dollar purse.
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He was also a pretty successful trader, snagging two of the marquee items from the All-Star Game stick market, heading back to Columbus with signed sticks from Victor Hedman and Claude Giroux.
“It’s a good start to a collection,” Werenski said. “I’m gonna start working on growing it a bit more here in the second half of the season.”
Both Hedman and Giroux were already on Werenski’s wish list, but the fact they won the Hardest Shot Competition and All-Star Game MVP, respectively, added a bit to the memory of the weekend.
“Werenski came to me early to ask,” Hedman said after winning the hardest shot. “If any of the others want one they know where to find me.”
The hockey stick is a personal record of a player. Their choice of curve and flex, the length and the weight, down to the tape job, which has been practiced and mastered over the course of a player’s career. You can learn a lot about a player by simply picking up a twig and paying attention.
NHL sticks also have a short lifespan. Some players use a new one each game, and teams will typically go through 3,000 to 4,000 sticks in an 82-game season depending on the individual users.
That’s why sticks have become ideal currency for NHL players who also dabble as collectors, and All-Star weekend is the prime setup for the stick exchange. Players do trade sticks during the regular season, but it’s not nearly as common since asking for an opponent’s stick before or after a game can be a bit awkward.
During All-Star weekend, players share a locker room with their typical opponents, the mood is much lighter, it’s laid back, and trading sticks isn’t going to be seen as a potential distraction.
It’s also a confidence thing, Werenski said, because a young player asking another player for his stick during the regular season can be intimidating. At the All-Star Game, everyone has All-Star status and therefore the cache to request a trade.
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“I’m a young guy so I don’t know if I have the pull to ask for a guy’s stick yet,” Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar said. “But I’m gonna try (here in Las Vegas). Everybody here is on my list. Hopefully, it’s a full plane on the way home.”
Makar’s teammate Nazem Kadri already has a “small, but not huge” stick collection that he’s acquired throughout his career. But this being his first All-Star weekend, it was a prime opportunity to make some exchanges.
“Definitely chipping away now,” Kadri said.
The Pavelski family was the most active when it came to stick acquisitions in Las Vegas.
Joe and his 11-year-old son Nate went into the weekend with a plan of bringing home at least a dozen sticks between the two of them. They surpassed that goal, collecting 16 combined, starting the collection with a stick from Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras.
With the 10 that Nate Pavelski’s friend Owen Baldwin, who also made the trip to Vegas, 26 sticks had to make it back to Dallas. In total, they weighed 29.6 pounds when placed on the scale at Harry Reid International Airport.
(Photo: Courtney Kramer / Dallas Stars)
“I was happy to give him one,” San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier said. “I think he’s got a good collection, so that’s awesome to be a part of that.”
Meier said he isn’t a big stick collector himself, neither is Giroux, but both said it’s an honor that another All-Star wants your stick.
“When somebody asks me that, I kind of ask myself, ‘Why?'” Giroux said. “But it’s obviously a great honor when somebody asks you that.”
Whether a player collects sticks themselves or not was also a pretty good indicator if they brought extras for that purpose to Las Vegas.
A growing stick collection requires the space to keep all that extra compounded carbon fiber — it hasn’t been lumber for years — and Alex Ovechkin has an entire room in his home filled with more than 200 sticks. Ovechkin wasn’t able to participate at All-Star weekend after a positive COVID-19 test, but undoubtedly would’ve been using this All-Star Game to add at least a few to his collection.
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For those who don’t want to dedicate an entire room to others’ sticks, or maybe wanted to avoid figuring out how to pack extra sticks, getting your own autographed was good enough.
Minnesota Wild goalie Cam Talbot was well aware this may have been his first and only All-Star appearance, and one way he’ll remember it is with the signed goalie stick that he passed around to other players throughout the weekend for signatures.
“Good thing with the goalie stick is you’ve got all that space for all the signatures,” Talbot said. “If you were a skater you have to be selective or only get a couple of guys, I can get everyone on one stick and hang it on the wall if I want … you also only have a limited stock as a goalie to actually trade back in return.”
(Photo: Jeff Bottari / NHLI via Getty Images)
As an enthusiast and knowledgeable individual in the realm of ice hockey and the culture surrounding NHL players, I can confidently delve into various aspects touched upon in the article about the NHL All-Star weekend. I possess an in-depth understanding of hockey equipment, player traditions, and the nuances of player interaction during such events.
The article covers multiple elements integral to the hockey community:
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Zach Werenski's Wins and Stick Collection: Werenski's victories at the skills competition and the All-Star Game highlight the competitive and skillful nature of NHL defensem*n. His pursuit of collecting sticks, specifically those belonging to Victor Hedman and Claude Giroux, showcases a prevalent trend among players to amass these items as prized possessions.
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Significance of Hockey Sticks: The hockey stick is more than a tool; it's a personal artifact for players. Elements like curve, flex, length, weight, and tape job are highly individualized and reveal much about a player's style and preferences.
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Sticks as Currency and Collectibles: NHL sticks have a short lifespan due to their rigorous usage, making them valuable commodities for players, especially during events like the All-Star weekend. This serves as an opportune time for players to exchange sticks, build collections, or acquire coveted items from fellow athletes.
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Player Dynamics During All-Star Weekend: The relaxed atmosphere during the All-Star Game fosters a more amicable environment for players to engage in stick trading, a practice that might be awkward during regular-season encounters. It also levels the playing field, allowing younger or less experienced players to confidently request sticks from established stars.
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Individual Approaches to Stick Collections: While some, like Alex Ovechkin, have extensive collections, others like Cam Talbot, leverage the opportunity to collect signatures on a goalie stick, considering it a memento of their All-Star participation.
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Families' Involvement in Collecting: The Pavelski family actively engaged in collecting sticks during the event, showcasing how this practice transcends individual players and involves their loved ones, creating memorable experiences.
This comprehensive understanding demonstrates a deep familiarity with the hockey culture, including player habits, traditions, and the significance of memorabilia like hockey sticks within the NHL community.
