NHL stick lengths.

[mia 0]

I don't know if this was ever covered or not. There are a lot of posts about players stick patterns and flex but I was wondering how long players sticks are. For example, We all know that Crosby's stick blade is short and almost straight but how long is the stick he uses. Inches or cm won't really tell the story so if you respond or post info a good answer would be up to his nose or chin ect. I know you guys know all about this stuff from reading the other threads so know we will get some good insight hear.

[highslot84 0]

This website has some great pictures of him as well as other players from the NHL.

www.cuthockeysticks.com

[DLK 0]

I would say that the average is probably around their collarbone.

Not many seem to use a stick that would reach above their chin.

[Gefiltefish 9]

There is a lot of personal preference... I am not an NHL'er, but I mainly use pro stock sticks... I was using Jason Spezza sticks for a long time, who uses very long sticks. They came to me at 73 inches (against a wall). I had to take off 2 inches. I am 6'0. So the stick was nearly as tall me as me not on skates!

Another thing to consider is that a lot of pro stock/pro return sticks run short beause NHL's insert custom wood/carbon extensions into the stick. Some also prefer to get longer than normal lengths and cut them each time to get them "just right" ...or... to play with length if they feel they need to.

The cut sticks website is interesting. I find more and more players going the opposite way and playing with longer sticks. Defenders seem to like it for extra length. Forwards seem to like it to protect themselves as the puck is usually further from their body. Spezza and Datsyuk are good examples.

[Miseaujeu 291]

This website has some great pictures of him as well as other players from the NHL. www.cuthockeysticks.com

I've never seen this, pretty cool to see all those stick lengths on all those great players. Better get working on a 55" 100flex for all those future all-stars out there.

[mia 0]

This website has some great pictures of him as well as other players from the NHL.

www.cuthockeysticks.com

good info there. It seems most guys favor the shorter stick to the longer.

[MatthewRoach7 130]

I can't believe know one as thrown out the "its not the size of the stick" yet...oh well. I thought that I remember reading that the shorter stick lets them protect the puck by keeping it closer to the body. Maybe this is why they all use a shorter stick.

[shooter27 116]

Lie also plays into the function of stick length. A higher lie will lead to a shorter stick having the blade flat on the ice with the arm hanging down and vice versa. My feeling has always been to find a length that feels comfortable (right around the adam's apple for me) and then find the lie that makes that length work.

[glu 1]

There is a lot of personal preference... I am not an NHL'er, but I mainly use pro stock sticks... I was using Jason Spezza sticks for a long time, who uses very long sticks. They came to me at 73 inches (against a wall). I had to take off 2 inches. I am 6'0. So the stick was nearly as tall me as me not on skates!

Another thing to consider is that a lot of pro stock/pro return sticks run short beause NHL's insert custom wood/carbon extensions into the stick. Some also prefer to get longer than normal lengths and cut them each time to get them "just right" ...or... to play with length if they feel they need to.

The cut sticks website is interesting. I find more and more players going the opposite way and playing with longer sticks. Defenders seem to like it for extra length. Forwards seem to like it to protect themselves as the puck is usually further from their body. Spezza and Datsyuk are good examples.

I've noticed this as well. It looks like all the rookies/sophomores like Couturier, Landeskog, Seguin are using chin length if not higher. Seguin's I'm pretty sure is at least mouth on skates.

Personally, I can use a shorter stick (around chin on shoes) or a longer (around mouth with skates on), but it's the in-between that handcuffs me.

[hyster110 3]

Lie also plays into the function of stick length. A higher lie will lead to a shorter stick having the blade flat on the ice with the arm hanging down and vice versa. My feeling has always been to find a length that feels comfortable (right around the adam's apple for me) and then find the lie that makes that length work.

i find this was a big factor, i switched from a lie 7 P02 bauer stick to a lie 5 PM9 bauer. and there was at least half an inch difference in length between where i was comfortable on the ice. when it come to stick length, i believe there are individual preference and not a standard way for everyone to.

if you play d or are a checking forward, you may want a slightly longer stick, if you shoot the puck, again maybe you want a longer stick to get full advantage on your shot. or if your like ryan smyth, a shorter stick gives you better ability to deflect pucks

best way is to experiment and find what works best for you and stick to that length. dont change it as you will develop your skills with it

[davidfinlay276 4]

The most common stick length would probably be somewhere around the collar bone to the adam's apple on skates, but there are guys who use much longer sticks, and some who use shorter sticks as well. Defensive dmen often use longer sticks, and I've noticed a lot of the really short players use sticks that are relatively long for their height. The perfect storm is someone like Mike Weaver, who's tiny AND a defensive dman, he uses sticks cut to his hairline when he's on skates (or, at least he did when he was with the Nucks):

http://fortheloveofhockey.com/?p=579

The "shorter players often use relatively long sticks" is far from a hard and fast rule, though. In that article you can see that Cliff Ronning used a stick that came up to around his mid-chest, and he was just 5'8".

Basically it all comes down to personal preference. A shorter stick will let you handle the puck better close to your body, it can be really useful in tight traffic, along the boards, when the puck gets caught in your feet, etc. A longer stick is nice for poke checking and big/sweeping stick handling moves. If you're new to the sport, I'd say a good place to start would be at your adam's apple on skates, and to just cut or add plugs from there if you need it shorter or longer. For skill development I personally think that staying away from overly long sticks is a good idea, shorter stick can help teach you good habits (encourages a deep knee bend, easier to learn to stick handle with, encourages you to defend with positioning/skating as opposed to reaching all the time).

[icewalker_bg 126]

For one I always thought Datsyuk uses a stick that is close to his nose, here it looks like chest level, or maybe it is because it is an older pic and he changed since?

[Stryker 37]

Thats an old picture...

[Chadd 916]

And under that tape was mostly wood plug to try and balance out those 9k sticks.

[steelnation248 101]

I'm on my phone so I can't post a pic. Here's Datsyuk from this summer. Looks like his sticks are right around the bridge of his nose.

Edit: Picture posted.

[hunt3rsean 44]

I'm pretty sure Marian Hossa uses a long stick. In interviews with teammates they often comment on how they are baffled how he can stick handle with a stick so long. And in some equipment video (Pure Hockey did it I think....), with Brad Marchand, he mentions how he likes his stick to be up to his forehead. Which....probably makes it a normal length for anyone of average NHL height.

I tried to find some pictures of Hossa standing upright with his stick but couldn't find anything. I'd be curious how long his stick actually is. It always seems he dangles out really far in front of him, but he also has his hands near the top of his stick anyways.

[hockeymass 11]

There is a lot of personal preference... I am not an NHL'er, but I mainly use pro stock sticks... I was using Jason Spezza sticks for a long time, who uses very long sticks. They came to me at 73 inches (against a wall). I had to take off 2 inches. I am 6'0. So the stick was nearly as tall me as me not on skates!

Another thing to consider is that a lot of pro stock/pro return sticks run short beause NHL's insert custom wood/carbon extensions into the stick. Some also prefer to get longer than normal lengths and cut them each time to get them "just right" ...or... to play with length if they feel they need to.

The cut sticks website is interesting. I find more and more players going the opposite way and playing with longer sticks. Defenders seem to like it for extra length. Forwards seem to like it to protect themselves as the puck is usually further from their body. Spezza and Datsyuk are good examples.

If the stick came to you at 73" then I don't see how it could have been cut to size because the maximum stick length in the NHL is 63" unless you're over 6'6".

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

Tobias Enstrom uses a longer twig. It does help when it comes to playing defense and you get more flex.

[chippa13 1844]

If you watch Enstrom play, he often drops his top hand lower on the stick to shoot.

[steelnation248 101]

I'm pretty sure Marian Hossa uses a long stick. In interviews with teammates they often comment on how they are baffled how he can stick handle with a stick so long. And in some equipment video (Pure Hockey did it I think....), with Brad Marchand, he mentions how he likes his stick to be up to his forehead. Which....probably makes it a normal length for anyone of average NHL height.

I tried to find some pictures of Hossa standing upright with his stick but couldn't find anything. I'd be curious how long his stick actually is. It always seems he dangles out really far in front of him, but he also has his hands near the top of his stick anyways.

If I recall, people on here have had Hossa pro stock sticks and said that they are very close to the legal height limit. A number around 64" shaft to heel is ringing a bell.

If the stick came to you at 73" then I don't see how it could have been cut to size because the maximum stick length in the NHL is 63" unless you're over 6'6".

I think he's going by PSHG's measurements which is ground to butt end of the stick instead of from the heel. He mentioned being 6' which is 72 inches and he said he took 2" off the 73" stick, so it'd be 5'11" off the ground.

[Chadd 916]

If I recall, people on here have had Hossa pro stock sticks and said that they are very close to the legal height limit. A number around 64" shaft to heel is ringing a bell.

I think he's going by PSHG's measurements which is ground to butt end of the stick instead of from the heel. He mentioned being 6' which is 72 inches and he said he took 2" off the 73" stick, so it'd be 5'11" off the ground.

NHL limit is 63", and maximum length for those getting a height waiver is 65". Measuring from the ground to the butt end it a terrible way to measure as different lies will give you different lengths. If you measure from the heel to butt end, it will be far more accurate and consistent.

[Gefiltefish 9]

If the stick came to you at 73" then I don't see how it could have been cut to size because the maximum stick length in the NHL is 63" unless you're over 6'6".

As mentioned - that is on its toe against a wall... It was about 67-68 inches from heel to end. A lot of pro stock Easton sticks come at this length as it is their standard "extra long" length.

As for the limits - it is clearly not enforced. Spezza's old wood sticks were illegal in three different ways; curve depth, blade/toe shape and length. He got one minor penalty called on it in how many years? I think its considered one of those gentleman rules.

NHL limit is 63", and maximum length for those getting a height waiver is 65". Measuring from the ground to the butt end it a terrible way to measure as different lies will give you different lengths. If you measure from the heel to butt end, it will be far more accurate and consistent.

Oh, I agree. But I have never seen how a stick is actually measured. What is considered the "heel". Is it the bottom most of the blade?, is it where the bend of the heel starts to occur?... I would actually love to see how a stick length is measured in the NHL to see how they do it.

[mia 0]

Mats Zuccarello. Looks like his stick is up to his eyes.

[dsjunior1388 81]

I'm pretty sure Marian Hossa uses a long stick. In interviews with teammates they often comment on how they are baffled how he can stick handle with a stick so long. And in some equipment video (Pure Hockey did it I think....), with Brad Marchand, he mentions how he likes his stick to be up to his forehead. Which....probably makes it a normal length for anyone of average NHL height.

I tried to find some pictures of Hossa standing upright with his stick but couldn't find anything. I'd be curious how long his stick actually is. It always seems he dangles out really far in front of him, but he also has his hands near the top of his stick anyways.

This is the go-to Hossa picture showing stick length, looks to be roughly up to his nose on skates.

[Chadd 916]

Oh, I agree. But I have never seen how a stick is actually measured. What is considered the "heel". Is it the bottom most of the blade?, is it where the bend of the heel starts to occur?... I would actually love to see how a stick length is measured in the NHL to see how they do it.

Straight down the length of the shaft until you run out of shaft.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26286