Today, we are going to be taking a look at some of the things that every hockey player knows before they buy a stick. Whether you’ve been playing the game for a few years or you’re new to hockey, these are going to be some points that you should bear in mind before you pick up your brand new hockey stick.
Puck Drawn Hockey is also going to be taking a look at some of the terminology used with hockey sticks. And explaining. It is a little bit more detailed to look at all aspects of sticks. We’ve broken it down into five different areas. There’s a height, grip, blade pattern, flex, and kick point.
Grip
The first thing, nice and simple: Grip
You either get sticks without grip or, you get sticks with grip. Grip sticks have a few variances. 1S, for example, we’ve got new ridges down the back as if you’re different, you want to stick to stick. However, basically, do you like to tack you feel if so, go for grip, if you like to stick to be quite smooth and by that I mean fairly slippery going in grip.
Height
Next in the list is stick height. This is going to depend a lot on the individual height of the player at all guys is just going to need a longer stick more often than a short guy. But also, these changes depending on the players skating stance. I
f you skate quite upright, you can need a longer stick depending again on life. But this is something we’ll go over later in grade pans. Somebody that skates bent over the short stick. If you look at Crosby, always got his knees bent, use the short stick.
There are going to be a few things that will happen depending on your stick length. If you’re going for a longer stick, you’re going to have better reach. If you’re going through a short stick, you’re going to be better in place.
Take these things into account when you’re picking how long you want your stick. So those are some fundamental rules that should be quite easy to follow.
However, as we always say here, it’s personal preference as much as anything if you prefer a short spear or, you prefer along with the stick, feel free to just go with it whatever works for you ultimately. These are just rules of thumb.
Flex
The final thing to mention about stick length is flex. Some stick lengths are only available in certain places. If you’re looking for a 77 in Bauer, you may not be able to get that the same way you’d get a 75 in CCM. So just be aware of that before you four gather money. This leads us nicely into six flex.
Flex is a number attached to how flexible your stick is the number means the number of pounds needed to flex the stick one-inch. We have some rules of thumb that can be followed for stick flex.
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If you’re a player who usually’s going to be taking slap shots, a slap shot tends to refer a higher flexing the stick. This being, you’re going to put a lot more energy in and going to want that stick to kickback.
Conversely, players who are taking real quick release in tight shots are going to prefer a lower flexing the stick. So you can get more force through that stick without as much energy.
As I briefly touched on before, flex does occasionally reflect the length of the stick that you can be able to buy. Make sure you check your chosen manufacturers stick information before you make your purchase.
As you can imagine with flex is again personal preference. I’m a defenseman, and I need the 75 flex because I’m not the strongest of guys ultimately. What works for you is going to be the most important thing. But these are just some general rules of thumb that might help you make the right decision off the bat.
Another rule you may have heard is that your flex should be half your weight in pounds. For example, if you’re a 210-pound guy, you should be using 105 flex. It’s a general rule. It helps if you are a heavier guy with a higher flex.
However, if you prefer a higher flex for your own reasons. Handling, for example, and passing which very low flex for your own personal reasons you like to bend the stick like a fluke and blow an arrow, then, go with it
You may have noticed that some HL like Johnny Gaudreau is a good example. Infill capital is another using exceptionally low flex sticks. Due to personal preference. Johnny Gaudreau, choose the 55, which is I believe in intermediate flex. That’s just an example that you shouldn’t be afraid to go with something a little crazy if it works for you.
Kick point
One of the things that marries up well with flex is your kick point on your stick. We tend to see either mid, low, or super low kick points. It’s an example of a mid kick. Stick maybe be a Warrior HD One or a Bauer 1s.
Similarly, we’re going for a low kick. That’s going to be a Warrior Alpha or a CCM Ribcor, and if we’re going super low kick, we’re looking at say a Warrior 2RL or Bauer 1x.
If your points are where the stick is going to flex, this is going to change the type of shot that you’re best suited to, with that stick. Super low kick point sticks are more often used for a snapshot or maybe a wrist shot.
Whereas, for example, slap shots are going to require a high kick point if you’re looking to get most out the stick. Notice, it prevents you from taking any kind of shot. It’s just certain sticks are better suited to taking a particular type of shot, and that’s where they excel.
You tend to see that the kid point because it’s related to the type of shot shares. Typical flex snapshots tend to have a lower flex, lower kick point sticks, 1030 be used for snapshots. Therefore, you tend to see a lot of say 75 Warriors URLs or Bio 1 x.’s.
Conversely, slap shots you’re looking for a higher flex point. You’re looking for a high kick point. So you’ll have to get a bow 1s with a 100 or 105 flex. That being said, if you’re used to using a certain, 5 flex and that’s where you get on best with.
Yet you prefer about 1s don’t feel like the two are mutually exclusive. If you want in 1s and you want in 75 legs, go for it. These are just guidelines.
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Blade pattern
Finally, we come to what is probably the most personal preference aspect of any stick, that is your blade pattern. Now you can go to any website and look at their blade pattern chart, which will tell you all sorts of things the length of the blade, the openness of the blade, the depth of the curve. These all change the way a shot will roll off the blade and the way you’re going to be able to use a stick to its most effectiveness.
As much as we can analyze how different patterns are going to affect shot in different ways, this is the most hands-on aspect of sticks. You’re going to have to go out, then you’re going to have to try a few.
I’m lucky enough that I’ve managed to try for you in my time. And I know exactly what I’m looking for now but at the time, when I didn’t have a clue.
The two most popular blade patterns that are going to come across our Bauer are P90 II, which is the equivalent of a Warrior WO3, and the P88, which is the equivalent of a W88. These are two completely different curves.
But these are the two most popular curves you’re probably best off starting here and then moving on from there depending on your personal preference. These are probably the best two examples of two utterly different stick pans.
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PAA is a slightly shorter blade. It’s closed faced, and it’s very, very shallow. It is typically a stick handle type of blade. It’s easy to control on the backhand. But it’s not the best. We’re getting really hard, powerful shots, and the closed face isn’t the best for going top shelf by contrast.
The P90 II slightly longer blade. It’s open, and it’s a toker, which means it’s quite a deep pocket, and it’s mainly located towards the toe. It’s perfect for going top shelf because the openness of the blade and toe-drags and quick wristers are what this dick is all about. The heel aspect of this stick is also really straight, which helps it in the stick having department.
However, I don’t personally prefer as much as I would like the PAA, so these two blades also come in two different lives. This is the angle of the stick blade to the shaft. This is dependent on where your hand position is when you’re playing the game.
If your hands are low, you’re going to have a different light as you stand too high. This is to ensure maximum blade coverage on the ice despite your personal skating stance, high your style.
Though we have only highlighted these two curves, there aren’t many more to pick from, especially in the North American market. You’re going to have access to hundreds, literally hundreds of different curves.
If you go across all makes and models. Make sure if you’re not happy with what you’ve got, go down to the local pro shop, have a chat try, and work out what’s best for you and give it a try.
Most stick manufacturers will have a blade pattern chart, which will give you the pros and cons of all their different patterns. While these are reasonably accurate, the only way you’re gonna be able to tell for yourself exactly what you like and exactly what you’re looking for is to try things out. So make sure to get your hands on as many different curves as possible. If you can get the right fit for you, that was better. I think that’s everything.
Concluding
Let me just wrap, or you can wrap it for you, my guess. Thank you guys so much for reading these sharing-5 things every hockey player should know about sticks before buying. If you want to see more footage like this well.
Puck Drawn Hockey is kind of explaining the differences, especially with sticks, because there are so many different variations. So many different options, please let us know down below in the comment section.
