So as I mentioned in part 1, finding the perfect stick is no easy task when you’re just starting out. One part of choosing the right stick is trying figure out what brand you want to use. They all offer different technologies and feel different on the ice. The only real way to know is to try it out on the ice. But that is the easy part. Next, you have to figure out what specs you want to use.
Construction
There are pretty much two choices here: The one-piece, or two piece. The names speak for themselves. Good thing about a two-piece, is that if one of the pieces break, you can replace it. If you took a massive shot and your blade snaps off, you can go out and buy a new one. This also gives you freedom to try various shaft/blade combos, giving you more customization on your stick. On the downside, the two-piece is going to be a little heavier and less balanced than a one-piece.
With a one piece, it’s done once you break it. Some hockey shops out there offer services where they can fix the shaft. Haven’t tried this myself, but I’m sure it doesn’t feel the same after going through this process. Another thing some guys do is cut off the blade, thus transforming the stick into a shaft for a two-piece. This can work, but it gets tricky with all the different tapered shafts. The open end of the stick needs to match up almost perfectly to the blade, otherwise you will have a loose blade. Good thing about these sticks is that they work to the best of their intended ability. The shaft and blade function as one, as opposed to two separate components.
Wood used to be another thing to consider in this category, but the last NHL’er I know of that used wood was Markus Naslund, who is now retired. Now, pretty much every stick out there is composite. There are some “old time hockey” guys that still use wood, but it’s getting harder and harder to find them. They are super durable, but much heavier then any composite stick.
Curve
This part is a pretty big deal. It is the shape of the blade and dictates how the puck sticks to, and leaves the blade. A bigger curve will cradle the puck and give you great control for sharp turns and a little added “dangle” power. A blade that is more flat gives you more consistency with control, weather it’s on the forehand or backhand. Curves also have variations on the angle of face on the blade. You can see this when you look down at the blade from directly above it. You can get one that is totally perpendicular to the ice all the way down, while some are twisted upwards towards the toe. This is great for guys like me that have a hard time getting my shots off the ice. That extra angle really helps lift the puck, so I can try to send it where momma keeps the peanut butter.
Keep in mind that all manufacturers have a code and/or player name to identify their curve patterns. This info is usually printed at the top of the stick, along with the other specs. If available, remember the code for the curve you like, rather than the player name. Trust me on this one, it will save you a ton of time in the future. I used the Bauer “Naslund” curve when I first started out. As most players do, I cut the stick and taped up a handle (covering the info) on the end of it. Took a while, but eventually the blade snapped off and it was time for a new stick. Went to the store and couldn’t find any “Naslund” sticks. Oh yeah! He’s retired now isn’t he? So now who is the stick named after? Took a little while to research, but thanks to my smart phone I found out that it’s now called the “Backstrom”. If I had known better before, I could have saved a lot of time looking for a “P92″ curve. Aside from players retiring, sometimes they change what company gets to use their name. Ovechkin was the poster boy for CCM, up until this fall. Now he’s signed a deal with Bauer and rocks their gear. So what is CCM going to call their “Ovechkin” curve now?
Flex
This one is pretty simple. How stiff do you want the stick to be? It’s hard to catch it with the bare eye, but your stick bends when you take a shot. You may not feel or see it, but trust me, it’s happening. Higher the flex number, the stiffer (less bend) the stick. Main thing to consider when making this choice is how hard is your shot. For a guy like Zedeno Chara who is abnormally tall and has a rocket of a shot, a higher flex number is ideal. In fact, he uses a custom stick with 120 flex and is longer than regulation size. Some smaller guys who aren’t as strong will use a lower flex. I’ve seen some small guys in beer league use intermediate sticks, because they have a lower flex than seniors. Low flex is great for wrist shots. You don’t need to shoot very hard, and you can feel the ‘whip’ of the stick at it releases the puck. This gives it that extra kick. All depends on your style of play. If you like to take slap shots, go with a higher flex. If you like to take quick wrist shots, lower flex. Also keep in mind that when you cut your stick to make it shorter, the flex number goes up. A lot of sticks have lines at the top to indicate what flex it would become if you cut at that point.
Most new players don’t need a stiff stick. As we’ve all seen on TV, NHL’ers sometimes snap their stick when they take slapshots. These guys are pros, and make millions of dollars for their ability to crank a puck at 100+ mph. Not to say that beer leaguers can’t do this too, but it’s not often that it happens. At least in the leagues that I’ve played in. Chances are, as a recreational player, you will not need a Chara 120 flex stick. However, if you do find that you are breaking shafts often when you shoot, congratulations! You’ve mastered the art of the slapshot. Time to get a stiffer stick.
Lie
The lie is the angle at the heel of the stick, where the shaft meets the blade. A higher lie usually gives the stick a more upright angle to the ice, while a low lie brings the shaft a bit closer to the ice. A players height plays a big part in matching up the right lie, but your hockey stance if a factor too. If you are a smaller player and have a really low stance, then a low lie is better for you. Since they range from 4 to 7, this type of player would be good with a 4. The length of your stick will also affect what lie you should use.
If you look at the bottom of your stick and see that it is wearing down evenly across the bottom, you’ve got the right lie. If the heel is the only spot showing wear, your lie is too high. The opposite applies if only the toe is wearing down. The most common stick lie is 5 or 6. Sometimes 5.5. When you want to go to a 4 or 7, its hard to find.
Grip
Most high tier sticks these days come in two flavors: Grip or non-grip. It’s usually a rubber-like coating on the shaft, to make it stickier. Helps you get a good grip on the stick, without having to squeeze as hard. Some sticks have a textured finish to give you a better grip. Reebok has a “snake grip” that is basically a ribbed shaft. Bauer has Griptac, which is textured edges down the shaft. Not usually a game changer, it’s but another option to look for. Here is a graphic for the Bauer Tac-Spiral technology:
Toe
Not much to say here. There are rounded toes which are most common, and squared ones. The square ones are great for doing toe-drags. Gives you more surface contact on the ice so you’re less likely to lose the puck. If you don’t know what a toe-drag is, you probably don’t need to worry about this stick feature yet. Here is Martin St. Louis showing us how it’s done (sorry Luongo).
We have a massive selection of sticks in our webstore. You prefer to use a one-piece? We carry Bauer, Reebok, CCM, Easton, Sher-Wood and Combat. If you like using a two-piece stick, we have replacement blades as well as shafts. Shipping cost for one stick, is about the same as 10 of them. Want to to save a few bucks on shipping? Order a few sticks at once with some friends. Let us know and we’ll gladly put together a custom package for your order. We also offer free shipping on most of our high-end sticks.
If you have any questions about sticks that aren’t covered in this article, we’d be glad to help you out! Just post a comment below and we’ll try to give you an answer.
If you’re ready to shop for a stick, come check us out! http://hotshotshockey.ca
