NEW SKATES. OLD PADS. A RIVALRY.

I had no idea how this day was going to go. I learned very quickly that the lightweight skates perform on ice very differently from the Bauer 3000 goalie skates from 1998. Yes, that’s right…my old goalie skates are older than I remember.

The old pads, circa 2007, have straps/laces/buckles in places that do not interact well at all with my new CCM skates from 2026. In addition to the fitment of my custom made Heaton pads, the weight of these pads thoroughly throws off the balance of my new skates. It was truly an experience seeing how the weight/softness of the pads created unique obstacles for me.

The old pads are soft and do not transfer energy to the ice, making movements labored and unstable. With my older, heavier Bauer skates…I never noticed such issues. But now, with lighter and much more balanced skates, the weight differential is immediately apparent.

My goal this day was to improve my ability to skate with two feet instead of “skateboarding” where I push off exclusively with my right foot and glide solely on my left.