Raleigh Is A Hockey Town And Look No Further Than The Hurricane's Concession Innovation The Beer Stick

I'm sick of debating this: Raleigh, North Carolina is a bonafide Hockey Town.

No more of this "non-traditional market" nonsense. Would a non-traditional market put beer in a hockey stick and then sell it to you?!

No. No, they would not.

The Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the most active teams in the NHL ahead of the trade deadline, but they've also been at the forefront of concession innovation.

Take a gander at their newest invention: the beer stick.

I love an alternative vessel for beer. The traditional pint glass or plastic cup is fine, but there's just something about drinking beer out of something else. It's like the adult version of eating ice cream out of a little batting helmet.

It's why people love to go to German restaurants and drink out of Das Boot.

So, who wouldn't want to watch their team play with a mini-stick full of suds?

The only thing I'll say is that while the shape is perfect if you're going to hold your beer, I foresee a lot of spillage. You can't just set your beer stick down without it tipping over and spilling your brewski all over the place. You might be able to wedge it into a stadium cup holder but the blade looks a bit wide.

But who cares, because a real fan wouldn't ever set their beer stick down.

So, for those still unsure of Raleigh's place as a Hockey Town, what more could you ask for? You've got a solid team, fans that show up, and they pay homage to their roots by wearing Whalers jerseys and blasting "Brass Bonanza" now and then.

No, they're filling hockey sticks with draft beer. I really don't know what more you could ask for.

Carolina could be a wild environment come playoff time — thanks in part to beer sticks — but also thanks to some big deals the team cut ahead of the trade deadline bringing in Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins and Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Washington Capitals (or more accurately, Hershey Bears).