Quinn Hughes Talks About Humid Rogers Arena, Baby Powder Tricks, and His Favorite Career Goals
Baby powder might seem out of place in a hockey conversation, but it’s a little-known trick among players — especially for managing stick grip.
NHL athletes are known to be incredibly meticulous about their gear, down to the tiniest detail. Whether it’s the snugness of a helmet or the stiffness of a skate, they often fine-tune every element to fit their preferences. A prime example is Sidney Crosby, who’s held onto the same shoulder pads and jockstrap from his junior hockey days with Rimouski Océanic. Though they’ve undergone endless repairs, they’ve been with him so long it’s almost philosophical to ask if they’re still the same items.
While Crosby values consistency and comfort, other players are always experimenting to find an edge. Elias Pettersson adjusted his skate blade profile after his rookie season to improve turning grip, while Bo Horvat changed his stick flex before the 2022–23 season in an effort to boost shot power — a change that led to a personal best of 38 goals.
Getting an inside look at NHL players’ gear preferences is always fascinating, though they can be guarded about what gives them an edge. That’s why a recent Bauer Hockey video featuring Quinn Hughes and his brothers chatting with Patrick Kane caught attention. Titled “Revealing Equipment Secrets,” it offered a rare peek into their personal habits.
Despite the title being a bit of a stretch, the video has its highlights, including playful jabs — Jack Hughes poked fun at Kane’s receding hairline, prompting a chuckling reply: “You’re 23, bud, be careful.” A reminder to enjoy that youthful “flow” while it lasts.
Among the more technical discussions was their take on the gear they adjust most or least.
“Our rink at Rogers is so wet”
Patrick Kane shared that he constantly tweaks his elbow pads, aiming for that perfect balance: snug enough to stay in place but not so tight they limit movement.
Quinn Hughes echoed this, but noted a unique challenge tied to the conditions at Rogers Arena.
“I’m always dealing with my elbow pads too,” said Hughes. “The rink is so damp, I have to dry them between periods. But you also don’t want them too tight — they’ve got to feel a bit loose.”
His comment about the rink’s moisture is telling. Rogers Arena has a reputation for less-than-ideal ice conditions. Steven Stamkos even once called it the worst ice he’d ever played on.
Hughes’ mention of dampness points to a humidity issue more than a faulty ice plant. Maintaining good ice requires about 40% humidity, but Vancouver’s rainy season — which overlaps with hockey season — keeps outdoor humidity at 80% or more. That makes climate control inside the arena a constant battle.
According to Roberta Staley’s article for the Chemical Institute of Canada, Rogers Arena combats this using high-powered air conditioning and open dampers, trying to vent the moist air before it fogs up the ice — though the arena lacks dedicated dehumidifiers.
“I use baby powder on my stick”
In addition to elbow pad problems, Hughes revealed he goes through a new stick each game and constantly tweaks his grip setup.
“When the grip tape gets sticky and it starts to catch my glove, it really throws me off,” he said. “So I’ll dust it with baby powder. If that doesn’t work, I’ll switch the tape entirely.”
Though surprising to some, using baby powder on hockey tape is common among pros. It reduces the stickiness of worn tape, allowing better hand mobility and preserving glove palms. Even Wayne Gretzky used baby powder on his sticks — both the knob and blade — for grip and to minimize ice buildup, a job modern players often use wax for instead.
Some players apply powder directly to their gloves. Jamie Oleksiak of the Kraken is one such example.
Despite these tricks, gloves still wear out. Luke Hughes said he replaces his roughly every two weeks, while Patrick Kane shocked the group by saying he gets a new pair every game. Not Quinn.
“I might use two pairs the whole season,” he said. “Not much more.”
Maybe it’s the baby powder doing the heavy lifting.
“I was just praying for a goal”
The video wraps with a fun segment: each player sharing their most memorable goal — with a marketing-friendly twist — one scored using a Bauer Vapor stick.
The players clearly know each other’s highlights well. Kane instantly recognized which goal Jack Hughes would bring up — an overtime winner Jack scored while Kane was on the ice.
“When I zipped it right past your feet?” Jack teased. “When you were fishing?”
The goal came against current Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen.
Quinn Hughes chose a couple of meaningful goals. First up: his very first in the NHL.
“That first one was big,” said Quinn. “You want to get that weight off your back. It wasn’t too long in — eight or nine games — but still, a nice goal.”
That goal came against Jonathan Quick — a clean slap shot from the point.
But the one that meant the most came later in his career.
“My best one, probably the most relieving, was in my fourth year,” Hughes explained, confirming the video was filmed before the 2024–25 season. “I had 30 assists in 30 games, no goals, and was getting close to a record — not the kind you want. Finally scoring was the best feeling.”
Jack knew exactly the one: “Didn’t you snap it bar down against San Jose?”
That game was on December 27, 2022, against the Sharks. Up until then, Hughes had racked up 28 points in 29 games — all assists. He scored his first goal in game 30.
And it was a beauty. Hughes weaved around the offensive zone before rifling a shot under the crossbar from a tough angle.
“It was so stressful,” Hughes recalled. “I wasn’t even napping before games. I just kept thinking, ‘I haven’t scored a goal by Christmas.’ It was embarrassing. I was literally praying to score.”
The relief was written all over his face when he finally did — a big exhale, a shake of the head.
That offseason, he radically changed his offensive game plan. The result? He jumped from 7 goals to 17 the following season.
After the goal, teammate Bo Horvat jokingly asked if Hughes wanted the puck.
“It’s funny,” Hughes said, “but it’s also not.”
As for the record he nearly set, it was for most assists in a season without a goal — 29, a mark set by Jimmy Thomson in 1947–48. Hughes was one assist away from tying it… but also just one goal away from avoiding it entirely.
