InGoal Magazine Summer Camp Edition : Pg 45
InGoalMag.com InGoal Magazine follow up: How did you start with Jaroslav Halak: “It’s all about being comfortable with the Melanson, sounds like it must have been before you were equipment and about service I get, and I’ve got great service drafted by Montreal (in the ninth round in 2003)? with Brian’s. Everything I need I have it in a few days and Jaroslav Halak: “It was through my agent, Allan Walsh. anything I need to change in the gear they will come They did a camp in Slovakia and they brought some Slovak down or come see me somewhere and we get it done. players and I think my first camp (Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre) The design I came up with and I’m not going to change Fleury (a fellow Walsh client) was there too. He came to anytime soon. Right now I just want to keep the same Slovakia and Rollie was working with him. I think Rollie is thing from last season and it’s working so far. It’s all about one of the best coaches in the NHL. I’m not a big guy when being comfortable and they are really great with me and you look at me, I’m just 5-foot-11, and he teached me how trying to work with me and trying to do their best for me. to play big and how to maximize my 5-foot-11 on the ice and that was a big key. “As for equipment, my knee stacks are just one really hard piece so it stays nice and firm so when I go down InGoal Magazine follow up: And yet you’re rarely really out I stay big and tall. And I don’t have a practice glove and game glove, I only use one glove, so it’s going to wear past the edge of the crease? down soon and after three weeks or so I need a new one. Jaroslav Halak: “While you don’t want to get too aggressive, It’s a lot of stuff but you need to feel comfortable out or over aggressive beyond the crease because then you will there, you need to stop the pucks, and that’s my job and start diving in there and I just want to stay in control.” that’s why I need a new glove all the time. I used to have InGoal Magazine reader David Armstrong asks: “What a different practice glove and a game glove that was really can you tell us about your equipment, the decision to wear thin, but after a week and a half it was done, so now I Brian’s, and anything that is special about how your gear is wear the same one all the time. I have only practice glove, the thick one.” set up?” cOMIng sOOn: hALAk prO stOck serIes When it comes to choosing and improving his equipment, Jaro-slav Halak isn’t just hands in and legs in. The Slovakian stopper is also very hands on. “He is pretty involved in the process,” said Brian’s Pro Service Manager Chris Joswiak, who is based in Detroit and either travels or sees Halak at Red Wings games once a month. “He likes to chat or text about gear every week or so.” Halak, who eschewed other offers this summer for a multi-year deal as Brian’s premier goaltender, played a big role in design-ing his current set up, which has been released as a Brian’s Pro Stock series retail line. “His biggest thing he has in mind when designing gear is making himself look as big as possible,” Joswiak said, adding the claw design was made specifically for Halak. “That is the reason the logos and graphics on his pads are towards the bottom and he has mostly white on top, which he feels gives an impression he looks bigger in net. Opposing players have been telling him he has a big presence in net and he feels it’s an illusion due to his gear.” Other traits of Halak’s gear include the stiff gloves he mentioned in this week’s Ask a Pro , which he still replaces after about three weeks. “Jaro likes his glove VERY stiff and protective,” Joswiak said. “He is adamant about having sufficient palm and wrist protection and eliminate all stingers, and he has a special protective bar that goes over the gap in the cuff.” on new gloves and old coaches
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