Need stick & blade pattern advice

[Chadd 916]

or the sticks could just be crap... I've yet to break any composite in the shaft, and I've got a decent set of shots. I think that it's got more to do with how you use them in between shooting the puck, if you're getting slashed, or slashing that will effect it. Slamming it on the ice that sort of stuff. How are they stored?

In my opinion that's more important in the life of an OPS, but also you have to think of the batches and etc. sometimes they just fail.

Slashes are the single biggest reason that sticks break. Giving and getting slashes will break your stick faster than anything else.

[Ahriman 1]

Guess I'll have to accept that as as good an explination I'm gonna get. He's got a brother who played pro, grew up in the Minnesota high school system playing for good teams. I picked the game up when I was around 11 in the middle of Illinois without a serious hockey presence around me. I have gotten complements time to time on shots from people saying I was getting good flex on my sticks with good form, just not all the time, and thats just stressing the sticks in the wrong place eh?

I know guys (damn good players too) that fire rockets but break sticks constantly. Why? They hammer the stick down into the ice to get maximum flex out of their stiff sticks. It's not an efficient way to shoot. That doesn't mean it doesn't work, just that it isn't efficient. I'm not saying that your form is that way, just throwing it out as an example.

Yeah probably not me, I take a slapshot maybe once a month if that and I'm sure guys would be telling me if my wrist/snap looked weird.

and @westcoastsniper: The shaft breaks I've had were all on Vapor 25s, another guy in the store has broken 3 of them this season as well right in the same spot as me, I really don't want to call it bad design (I'd much rather say he shoots like crap) but my anecdotal evidence is strong :P

[epstud74 24]

or the sticks could just be crap... I've yet to break any composite in the shaft, and I've got a decent set of shots. I think that it's got more to do with how you use them in between shooting the puck, if you're getting slashed, or slashing that will effect it. Slamming it on the ice that sort of stuff. How are they stored?

In my opinion that's more important in the life of an OPS, but also you have to think of the batches and etc. sometimes they just fail.

Slashes are the single biggest reason that sticks break. Giving and getting slashes will break your stick faster than anything else.

That and whacking your stick on the post after a goal :)

[phunky_monkey 6]

Ok, I measured my sticks.

They are both up to my mouth when not in skates, so I guess that will be about my chin when in skates? That sounds about the length that most folk where recommending...

Correct buddy.

That's what was always recommended to me when I was growing up, but it all depends on how you like it. I'm 6'4, and use a full size stick with no extra length added, so mine is up to my chin in shoes. I mostly play defense too, so as other have said if you ever come across a cheap stick, or one of yours is on it's way out, you might want to experiment with length a bit.

[danielb 0]

That's what was always recommended to me when I was growing up, but it all depends on how you like it. I'm 6'4, and use a full size stick with no extra length added, so mine is up to my chin in shoes. I mostly play defense too, so as other have said if you ever come across a cheap stick, or one of yours is on it's way out, you might want to experiment with length a bit.

Cheers for the advice.

I'd been interested in the Crosby pattern as I understood it was actually the pattern he uses and he does a lot of backhand stuff and the idea of trying a lie 7 is appeals. I've always liked to be able to use both sides of the stick, that is what first got me using the Bauer PM9 pattern as its fairly neutral.

However I would be very open to suggestions to good blade patterns for defense man, I had bought a wooden Lidstrom stick but its not the pattern he uses apparently (which seems confusing to me) and I did not get on too well with that stick! Although I find I prefer the feel of the composite sticks to wooden sticks as I can feel the puck on the blade more with a composite, so it could just be the fact the Lidstrom stick is wooden that is putting me off. I saw someone with a CCM Doan stick at practice and it looked pretty interesting...

I should probably add that most of my stick work consists of stick checks, passing, clearing and slapshots from the point, I rarely get much closer than blue line in offensive zone. Being able to pass accurately and stick check is very important to me.

[phunky_monkey 6]

Do you find your shots are accurate from the point? Not consistently too high or too low? Personally I find it much easier to elevate the puck in a hurry than get a low shot off, so I use closed faced curves like the Iginla, Hejduk and P88.

The curves on each brands stick are generally not what the player themselves use, they just use it as a marketing tool for identification, so don't use the name as a basis for which is right for you. Unfortunately a lot of this stuff just comes with trial and error, and you'll eventually find the right blade for you.

[danielb 0]

Thanks for the feedback.

I tried the wooden Lidstrom stick again at morning hockey today and I found the (extra) weight and different feel of the stick very distracting. I seemed to do alright with it passing and it was very easy to lift the puck off the ice with it.

I'm thinking that next stick I should get should be a two piece composite so I can experiment more easily without forking out for a whole composite stick every time I want to try a different blade pattern. Are there any drawbacks to using a two piece versus a one piece composite stick that are likely to effect me as a relative beginner?

[phunky_monkey 6]

As a defenseman I don't think the drawbacks are particularly noticeable. Personally, and as a new user to tapered OPS's, I see the real advantage in the tapered sticks to be wrist/snap shots as I feel a lot more whip on my release. But as a defenseman taking slapshots I don't see a standard shaft as being detrimental in any way, but it comes down to personal opinion.

It is a much cheapers way to find out what curve you like though, so I'd go that way if I were you. But again, it's a personal thing.

[Jarick 5]

No, not really. I'd recommend a solid tapered shaft, like a Dolomite or Easton Synergy II. And I really like Christian/Harrow blades, both for the feel and for the price.

[danielb 0]

If I was looking for a pattern that helps to lift the puck off the ice e.g. for saucer pass to forwards for a breakout. What sort of blade properties should I be looking for?

[Jarick 5]

I'd be working on my saucer passes...loft on patterns I really only like for getting the puck up in the crease.

[vitaminZ 0]

a long flat blade is best for saucer passes