By Washed Up Goalie on November 18, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

2021 Christmas Shopping Ideas

Last year I debuted my holiday shopping ideas list. Things you can get not just the goalie in your life, but the hockey fan, or even yourself. You may notice many of the selections are similar to last year and that’s because they’re awesome products. There are also new additions. This is by no means a complete list, but merely one to get you started. Oh, and this list is in no particular order.

Washed Up Goalie/Tendy Talk Merch

I’ll start off with the shameless plug for Washed Up Goalie and Tendy Talk merchandise. Get shirts, sweatshirts, leggings, and some cool goalie silhouette pillows and prints for yourself or the goalie in your life. New this year is Tendy Talk appeal. Support the podcast by sporting a Tendy Talk hoodie or shirt to the rink. I have a hoodie myself and it is ridiculously comfortable – and looks great too.

SotaStick

My friends over at SotaStick have some great Minnesota sports-themed apparel. This time of year they have some fun ugly sweater look sweatshirts. I have several of their shirts and sweatshirts, as well as a few pairs of socks. If your team is looking for jerseys, hit them up too. SotaStick did the jerseys for my beer league team. I have a few from playing in their annual SotaStick Hockey Classic as well. My beer league team also got our jerseys through them.

Bone Jack Designs

If you’re looking for some unique goalie themed art, Charles at Bone Jack Designs is your guy. He has some awesome original prints, buttons, hats, shirts, stickers, and even a coloring book (of which I own)for the goalie in your life. You can also commission him to draw any goalie (yourself, your kid, etc.). I’ve been lucky enough to have Charles take some of my Instagram posts and add his artistic touch to them. Be sure to catch Charles on episode 27 of Tendy Talk.

Hockey by Design

Hockey by Design has some awesome hockey-themed products. I have several of their goalie mask stickers, phone cases, prints, and other awesome products that routinely change. My favorite product (that I don’t already have) is a 31 mask grid print that would look awesome in a home office in video call backgrounds. Of the products I do have, I see the Original Six Stickers of six vintage goalie masks every day as they adorn my water bottle I use at work.

Beauty Staus

These fellas have some awesome collections. My favorite is the Triple Deke (Mighty Ducks) collection where they have hats, shirts, and banners that would look great hanging by an outdoor rink that will make you look like you were an extra in any of the three Mighty Ducks movies. I already have the District 5, 92-93 State Championship shirt. The Beer League All-Star Collection is another must-see.

Second String Leather Company

Second String Leather Company has created some incredible wallets, Apple Watch bands, totes, and toiletry bags out of old hockey equipment. They started repurposing goalie equipment, but are now using player gloves as well. Their next collection promises to be their best yet. They have some nice shirts and hats as well. I actually have two of their wallets and an Apple Watch band. One of the wallets and the watch band came from an old pair of Cooper player gloves I sent them. You can also hear the story behind Second String Leather Company on episode 29 of Tendy Talk where I talk to founders Joe and Zac. Not sure about the quality of the wallets, be sure to check out my product review follow-up.

Blade Shades

When I first saw Blade Shades I knew I wanted a pair, but questioned how comfortable they’d be. I meet Ken, Jordie, and Landon at the Let’s Play Hockey Expo when I bought my first pair. I was pleasantly surprised that these are some of the most comfortable sunglasses I have ever owned. The next year I bought another pair so I had both goalie-themed options. If you need sunglasses, do yourself a favor and get a pair of Blade Shades. You’ll look cool, and support two families in the process. Be sure to catch Jordie on episode 22 of Tendy Talk.

The Goalie Guild

The Goalie Guild founder Justin Goldman has created an incredible support system for goalies needing someone to talk to. On top of that, he has written some great books on goaltending (I’m told, but still need to order myself and read) as well. He put incredible effort into creating the Periodic Table of Goaltending poster, book, and flashcards. Let’s not forget the great EBUG hats as well. You can also order some Lift the Mask stickers to let other goalies know you are there to listen if they need somebody to talk to. Be sure to catch Justin on episode 4 of Tendy Talk.

Goalie Gear Nerd

Goalie Gear Nerd has made a name for himself by knowing every little detail about goalie equipment old and new. He also has some apparel through Glass Bangers Hockey. Keep an eye on his social media too if you’re looking for a goalie-themed mask to wear during the COIVD times. The Geery Cheevers stitch mark mask has been very popular. GGN is also a pretty cool fella. Catch Goalie Gear Nerd on episode 12 of Tendy Talk.

TN Hockey Co.

I first learned of the TN Hockey Co. when Dustin “Bones” Smith shared a post wearing one of their shirts. When my wife and I started talking of a possible move to Nashville, I had to check out their offerings. I’m a big fan of the Tri-Blend Logo tee. They have awesome designs, and options for men, women, and kids. I have a feeling I’ll be acquiring a few of their products once we move. As a Blackhawks fan, I’ll have to be selective as to the products I do purchase.

Vintage Goalie Brand

Vintage Goalie Brand creator Matt has created a logo that speaks to the beer league goalies. I’ve even run into another goalie in a hamburger joint in White Bear Lake, MN. The Two Pad Stack Union shirt is one I may have to splurge on soon as I already have Tribute Trucker hat and one of his original logoed shirts. I recently talked to Matt for an episode of Tendy Talk as well. Be sure to catch Matt from Vintage Goalie on episode 13 of Tendy Talk.

Belfour Spirits

I am not a whisky drinker, but after having Ed and Dayn Belour on episode 24 of Tendy Talk to talk goaltending they sent me some of their spirits. Being a gracious recipient of a gift, I sampled some of the Rye Whisky and the Burbon Whiskey finished with Texas Pecan Wood and enjoyed both. I really liked the Bourbon Whiskey finished with Texas Pecan Wood so I am selective as to who I share that with. I had my father-in-law who is a bit of a whiskey snob try both, and he too enjoyed them.

Northern Lids

Nick over at Northern Lids handcrafts some killer lids. From stocking caps to trucker hats Nick has some great options. I wear my Cooper Hockey hat all the time. It seems like whenever I wear it I get comments and people asking where they can get their own. At one of my beer league games I was sporting my Cooper Hockey hat when one teammate walked in wearing the Jofa hockey hat, and another the Koho Hockey hat.

Pro Shop

These guys have some awesome ’90s era logoed shirts. Everything from defunct brands to individual player logos. My favorite is the Belfour eagle shirt, but the Broder 30 logo and Potvin cat shirts are pretty cool, then there is the Roy Avalanch helmet Hawaiian shirt. They have so many awesome options it’s hard to pick just one, or five. Even harder to figure out which one you want first if you plan to place multiple orders until you get every one you want.

CoolHockey.com

I have not ordered anything from CoolHockey.com, but love their offering. They carry NHL licensed jerseys (not the cheap knockoffs from overseas that look good from afar, but clearly aren’t quality items, and often times have the wrong sizing on their lettering. CoolHockey.com also has a monthly mystery box lot where you can order a jersey for under $100, the catch is you don’t know what one you’ll get. 70% of the jerseys they send out in their mystery boxes are blank, but the other 30% have a player name and number on the back. One of these days I’m going to order a mystery box, and with my luck, I’ll get a Blues or Red Wings jersey.

The Goalie Guru

Have you considered cutting a trigger finger into your goalie stick? I know I was, then I was given a Goalie Guru. This little device attaches easily to the paddle of a goalie stick with some supplied super glue and a band to hold it in place until the glue sets. My advice is to use some sandpaper to lightly rough up the area to give the glue something to adhere to. Be sure to catch Goalie Guru creator Corey Brenner on episode 34 of Tendy Talk.

InGoal Premium

Give the goalie in your life the gift of knowledge with inGoal Magazine’s premium membership for less than $5 a month. Their pro reads section is worth it. As a beer leaguer, I love these videos. It gives me something to think about when reviewing my game tapes. Be sure to catch InGoal founders David Hutchison and Kevin Woodly episode 9 and episode 16 of Tendy Talk.

Sense Arena

I haven’t tried one of these things, but want to. My son has an Oculus and I’ve tried some of the games on it so I can only imagine how awesome this project is. I’ve heard the fellas on inGoal talk about the product. I forgot to ask Justin Goldman of The Goalie Guild about it when we spoke for episode 2 of Tendy Talk about how he likes his, but when I talked to Maria Mountain for episode 6 she had nothing but good things to say about it. A monthly subscription can be had for $66/month. You will need an Oculus system and can purchase one through Sense Arena.

The Minnesotan

I can not go to downtown White Bear Lake without stopping into The Minnesotan. I’ve known Corey for a number of years, back to my coaching days when he’d ask me to play goalie for some of his pick-up skates. Their Minnesotan branded apparel is awesome, but they carry some great collections. Their Old School and Hockey collections are my favorites. They also have a MN Highschool Hockey Tournament collection. If you are local and can shop in-store you’d be doing yourself a favor. You can even stop across the street at the 617 for a drink afterward.

S. Preston Art and Designs

Is an artist I first discovered because of his Ballpark Princesses where he goes to MLB games across the country, starts drawing a Disney princess wearing one of the teams playing jersey, and gives it to a fan who finds his seat after sharing it on Twitter. He has some great minimalist logo and mascot prints. If I had an unlimited budget, and wall space I’d have so many of his pieces.

Toe Drag Apparel

So the owner of this company may have gone to a rival high school of mine, but I don’t hold that against him because his Shinny socks are awesome. They look like hockey socks with a hockey skate. If you look at the bottom of the foot there is even the look of a skate blade. They also have a pretty sweet Celly Golf Shirt line that looks like NHL hockey jerseys. Last year I went to buy a pair of the pink breast cancer awareness socks I had seen on the Toe Drag Apparel social media postings for my mom who was going through treatment at the time. I didn’t see them on the website so I sent a quick email to the owner Dan explaining I wanted to send them to mom. He simply asked for an address, then sent her two pairs. She loved them as they were warm, supportive, and made her think of me while she sat in treatment rather than what she was going through.

Hockey Shot

The Hockey Shot is synonymous with hockey training tools. They carry everything from shooting tarps, synthetic ice, slide boards, pucks, nets, passers. You name it, they probably have it. They even have their own Holiday Gift Guide. While their options for goalies are quite limited, we can only hope that’ll change.

Kane Van Gate’s Hockey Journey

There are some great hockey movies, then there is Kane Van Gate’s Hockey Journey Movie. The movie is full of emotion, hockey action, and has some impressive cameos. I do believe Kane was robbed by all of the award committees by not nominating him for even one category. I’ve watched the movie and can say it is well worth the price. If your team is looking at a long bus ride, somebody better hook their computer up to the TVs and get this movie playing. In a decade or two hockey players will talk about watching Slap Shot, Youngblood, Miracle, and Kane Van Gate’s Hockey Journey on those long bus rides. Be sure to catch Kane on episode 17 of Tendy Talk.

BHLPA

All roads lead to the beer league. It’s because of that we have the BHLPA where they have plenty of apparel options to let your team and the general public where your game stands. I have been seen sporting Franchise Goalie shirt in the locker room to remind my beer league teammates of my true value. They also have a full assortment of apparel, with BHLPA logoed apparel in most team colors.

Beer League Players Association

Following in the steps of the BHLPA is the Beer League Players Association (BLPA). The BLPA has some sweet apparel. Their offerings are constantly changing so if you see something you like, you better snag it. I know I’m eyeing the Champion Hoodie. They’re also part of The Tourney Co. that puts on draft experience weekends across North America, primarily for hockey, but venturing into other sports like softball, volleyball, and soccer.

RVHS Hockey

RVHS Hockey was the scene of hockey apparel last year with their retro-inspired designs. If you’re on Instagram you’ve probably seen their shirts on quite a few goalies. Over the year they’ve expanded their line with some cool but simple designs. I’m not sure how I don’t have one of their shirts yet. I think that’ll change before the next gift guide.

Hockey Arsenal

So I’m including the Hockey Arsenal on my list even though Andy hasn’t added a goalie stick to the brand’s lineup of top-of-the-line composite sticks at a fraction of the cost. These are the perfect sticks for beer league players or someone who wants a stick for the outdoor rink. They have three different models to choose from; Jealousy, Covet, and Envy. They also have a pretty sweet jersey you can buy too. Be sure to check out the founder Andy who is a goalie turned forward on episode 36 of Tendy Talk.

M-Graphix

You’ve probably seen M-Graphix and didn’t even notice. She has designed pad graphics for True/Lefevre and other custom designs. She has also launched a shop with apparel and stickers. The Three-Cage Design is probably my favorite Many of her designs are simple, yet get capture the essence of goaltending. The only reason I don’t have something from her collection is because I can’t decide which shirt I want, and in what color.

Hockey Sauce Kit

Goalies are supposed to be the best skaters on the ice, but they’re spending more time working on their stickhandling these days. Before you know it they’ll probably have the best hands on the ice too. A little time with a Hockey Sauce Kit should improve any goalie’s hands. The truth is though this little kit is fun and easy to take just about anywhere. It should be replacing bags as the ultimate tailgating game if you ask me.

Summer Skates

Sure Summer Skates look cool with their skate lace tops, but they’re insanely comfortable too. My son had a pair with his school’s logo on them as they do custom logos, numbers, or names on them. I may have borrowed his Summer Skates a time or two to run the garbage out the curb. They expanded their offering to include a skate lace can coozie.

Good Wood Hockey

Good Wood’s signature products are their intertwined stick hats and shirts, but they have some other designs like their fishbowl shirt, Happy Hockey Days shirt, or happy place shirt. They have a few of the interlocking stick designs though, and they’re all pretty awesome.

Hockey Wrap Around

We all want to use our regular sticks we use on ice when playing in the street like Wayne and Garth, but that ruins the blade. Not anymore with the Hockey Wrap Around which protects your blade. Many people use a piece of tape or two to hold the device on their stick so that it doesn’t fall off mid-shot or when you’re dangling the neighbor kid.

Pacific Rink

Pacific Rink has some cool apparel, but their coolest product has to be The Pond Pack which makes carrying your skates and gloves down to the pond a lot easier than throwing your skates on your stick and wearing your gloves. I could have used one of these in high school when I rollerbladed home most days. The pouches for the skates would have been helpful.

Maria Mountain

Maria Mountain’s Goalie Training Lab has a great free butterfly challenge program, but she also offers other premium programs that will no doubtly help the goalie in your life fell better on and off the ice.

4 The Love of Puck

My friends over at 4 The Love of Puck are working on a documentary chronicling what we love about hockey – the community. They also have some sweet apparel for sale to help fund their project. They just updated their logo, and have some hats with it on there. You can still get their old logo on some shirts and hats. Catch Cas from the 4 The Love of Puck project on episode 23 of Tendy Talk.