Sticks for elite level peewee players

[Innocent Bystander 5]

Hey guys,

I have a daughter that plays elite level female hockey at the U12 level. I got her an Easton RS stick this past year when they went on sale to make room for the RS II. I have to say, it made a great improvement in her game. Girls are not as strong as the boys (generally) so a lighter stick can help when it comes down to the minutia of stickhandling, shooting, etc.

My question is... she outgrew that stick and I am looking for a new one. Her weaknesses are snapshot (strength) and getting good lift on the puck in close to the net. I was looking at the Mako II with the new E28 curve thinking she may be able to use the toe curve to help with lifting the puck up in close. Am I off base with that thought? I know it's a tiny bit heavier than the RS and light weight does seem to help her overall play.

Anyone in a similar situation?

Thanks in advance.

[DEATHTRON 19]

While many different factors are involved in getting the puck up closer to the net, one thing that will help her get pucks up more easily (without changeing anything but the curve) is a more open curve. The Getzlaf pattern is a good example of this. Another viable option is to have her try her teammates sticks and see if any of their blade patterns work for her.

Hope that helps,

Zach

[iceman8310 106]

Try something like the drury curve if you can

[McDougalfaschnitzer 32]

The Mako II is nicely balanced and any additional weight will not really be noticed out there. Regardless of the curve though, practicing and proper technique in conjunction with whatever pattern should allow her to choose her spots. However, the E28 will most likely help out a bit in the short term.

[hunterphfr 12]

Might want to try something with a lower kickpoint. My son can really load up on the Warrior Covert DT1. The lower flex point is pretty good for wrist and snap shots. I think the lower kickpoint helps smaller players who can't really lean into a mid-kick stick.

If she outgrew it in length, you may just want to put an extension into it for now.

[coryroth24 15]

Anything with a low flex and an open faced curve should do. I've been coaching girls hockey for about seven years now, I shudder seeing the younger ones (12U, 10U even some 14U) with these $100+ dollar sticks. At that age these girls are just fine with a $50 mid level junior stick. Hell, few of my best 10U players right now use wood!They're simply not strong enough to need the special kick point and all that jazz that we gear whores look for to enhance our game. There are of course a few exceptions for those 5'8" 115 pound 12 year olds, but that's a rare exception...

[jsykes 35]

The one important question that no one has asked is what curve and flex is she using now? Based on that, a better suggestion can be made as to a curve or flex to try out.

You can likely ignore the comment about the Drury and Getzlaf curves as most companies do not make those in anything but senior sticks, which at 12 I doubt she's using.

[forbs02 20]

Stick flex and curve is most important. A mid-range stick with the correct specs for her play will be more than adequate. It will still look like a cool $200 stick, will perform well for her, and won't empty your wallet. How big is she? Most girls/women don't go past 67 flex, even at the highest levels.

[chippa13 1844]

If her problems are a weak shot and getting the puck up, the first thing I'd recommend is a softer flex and practice. She is still just a U12 so there is a lot of development that can occur before grabbing the loft crutch to get the puck up.

[Innocent Bystander 5]

I should have put flex and curve in the first post... rookie mistake.

She has an original RS, which all come in 50 flex... but once you cut 2 to 3 inches off it, probably more like 65. Hall curve, which is fairly open.

I would agree that expensive sticks seems like a waste of money. However, the lighter weight really helps with hand speed. Hand speed is vital to slick handles. She is a scoring forward, so getting to the net is her job. To that end, I generally do what I can to help, and if that means spending an extra $50-75, then so be it. Sorry... but I am convinced that it DOES make a difference for the smaller players.

Back to her shooting. She has a strong shot when she gets a chance to wind it up and really get a good slide on the puck. Her technique is good, or at least as good as it can be for an 11 year old girl. It's a matter of strength right now for her. From what I have read, the E28 curve is a game changer for quick release, off the toe shots.

Everything else aside (age, price, etc).. does what I am reading make sense? Does the E28 curve help in those situations? Thanks for any help. I know it seems like a waste, but keep in mind she wears S19 and RS gear, head to toe (even the RS junior skates, she declined on the "ugly" Mako skates. Girls). I am of the belief that if she is going to spend 9-10 months of her year in hockey gear, the least I could do is make it comfortable to wear.

Thanks again guys. The advice on here has never steered me wrong in the past.

[Chadd 916]

E28, or any other curve for that matter, is not a "game changer" for shooting or your release. A lot of people have to change their mechanics entirely in order to benefit from the curve. The shooting style they are pushing along with it, tends to actually take longer to wind up and release and has more moving parts to the motion. It's a nice shot to have in the bag, to suse some golf parlance, but it is not the end all - be all that they are promoting it to be.

[Ankles 3]

I agree with Chadd (however, if you listen to Easton, its definitely a game changer.) I spent 2 hours on the ice today with the E28 curve and one would definitely have to change their shooting mechanics. The blade is designed to shoot off the toe only, otherwise the puck never gets off the ice. As far as the Mako II stick, excellent puck feel and super easy to load. Definitely a nice stick. If you're willing to spend the money for her to try it out, then go for it and see it if works. The big difference between the Mako and the RS will be that there will be a lot more flex and torque towards the blade on the Mako, but that's one of the ideas behind it.

[Innocent Bystander 5]

By that.. Do you mean that the Mako has a lower kick point than the RS?

I wished Easton adopted the 40 flex for their upper end junior sticks like CCM has. Even Bauer has a 45 flex offering for the APX. Maybe I need to be looking at sticks with a little more flex.

[Chadd 916]

By that.. Do you mean that the Mako has a lower kick point than the RS?

I wished Easton adopted the 40 flex for their upper end junior sticks like CCM has. Even Bauer has a 45 flex offering for the APX. Maybe I need to be looking at sticks with a little more flex.

A 50 flex easton is going to load more easily than a 45 flex APX, assuming the junior APX has the same flex profile as the senior version

[watchgreat 4]

I have been using the E28/Kreps ever since it hit ebay in the form of letang pro stocks. For me it honestly was a game changer but that is because my shooting style is greatly complimented by the curve. I use almost all snapshots, back when I was a peewee I don't think I even knew what a snapshot was. Just my .02

[shooter27 116]

By that.. Do you mean that the Mako has a lower kick point than the RS?

I wished Easton adopted the 40 flex for their upper end junior sticks like CCM has. Even Bauer has a 45 flex offering for the APX. Maybe I need to be looking at sticks with a little more flex.

I think going to a lighter flex is your best option since it sounds like she's effectively using a 65 flex, which (if I recall correctly) is the same flex Brett Hull used. It sounds like the lighter flex will help a lot

[jsykes 35]

Honestly, I wouldnt mess with her curve. As was said, the E28 requires a pretty specific shooting motion and that would be a lot to put on a 12 year old to go through and change shooting mechanics. I'd stick with the Hall curve, its the best all around curve for kids looking for an open face that can help them lift the puck. Work on her mechanics using that curve and she'll get it.

As to the flex, I'm assuming she'll still be in a jr stick. It sounds as if she's growing out of a cut jr stick, not growing out of a jr and moving to an intermediate.

Remember, as you said, since it was cut, it was slightly stiffer than the 50 flex rating. If she's growing out of it and you arent going to cut it as much (or at all) then she'll effectively be using a softer flexing stick. So you could stay with the 50 Easton and effectively be moving her into a softer stick.

If you would like to go softer, I'd say move away from Easton and look at the new Warrior DT1 stick. The Dagger Taper is easy to load up and its available in a 40 flex at the jr level which should help a lot. You'd be looking at the Kopitar curve to get something equal to the Hall she's been using.

And I agree with you, there are marginal differences in a high end stick that even kids can take advantage of IF they're fitted properly and using the proper flex and curve for their ability and weight. Especially kids playing at a higher level. And if you can afford, why the hell not? :D

[chippa13 1844]

I'll say it again, softer flex and practice, practice, practice. Two months in the driveway/basement will work wonders. A better hammer is nice but it doesn't trump experience.

[MountainKing 10]

I'm probably in the minority but my kid has been playing with wood since he started at the age of 3, and at 8 he is still using wood and when he's 12 he will still use wood. Everybody is a good shooter with a composite stick, the kids who learn on wood are the ones who seem to have really good shooting technique. Until he can start buying his own sticks he'll be a wood kid.

[jsykes 35]

Everybody is a good shooter with a composite stick, the kids who learn on wood are the ones who seem to have really good shooting technique.

Thats just wrong. A properly fitted composite will generally make someone better, but poor techinique is still poor technique and will not make someone a great shooter with a composite. However, a kid that is using good technique will most definitely gain an advantage using composite.

If a kid is 8 and learning, no problem with wood. If a kid is 12 and playing house, no problem with wood. If a kid is 12 and playing at an elite level, then he will get an advantage with a composite and it would be a disservice to him to keep him playing with wood.

[Chadd 916]

I'm probably in the minority but my kid has been playing with wood since he started at the age of 3, and at 8 he is still using wood and when he's 12 he will still use wood. Everybody is a good shooter with a composite stick, the kids who learn on wood are the ones who seem to have really good shooting technique. Until he can start buying his own sticks he'll be a wood kid.

I have to disagree completely with kids growing up using wood having good technique. More often than not, they have never felt their stick flex correctly on a shot and end up using sticks that are so stiff that they don't flex as they get older. When they do make the transition to composite, they end up breaking more because they have always had to put way too much force down into the ice to load a wood stick.

[Cavs019 710]

Mountainking: I'm 17 years older than your son and I grew up on 50 flex Z-Bubbles and 60 flex Griplites with no loft mid curve composite blades. Once I started using Senior sticks, I started out with a Modano (Or whatever you want to name your 3/8 no loft mid heel) until my technique was near perfect and avoided using loft as a crutch. From there (at age 15) I incorporated loft/rocker via the Drury to hone in on blade attributes that I thought would get the most out of my shooting motion. Tying back to the original post. I've always believed that younger kids should learn to follow through to the target with a mild curve as opposed to getting air under the puck with the aid of a toe hook. This promotes shooting "through" the puck as opposed to "flipping" it as they are developing proper shooting mechanics.

As Chadd said, the material in your hands has nothing to do with technique, aside from potentially giving way to bad technique if the flex is off. Your rant on wood vs composite suggests that the switch will turn a no talent Stu Bickel into a Stamkos, and is consistent with the relatively ignorant comments the likes of Mike Milbury make on a regular basis.

[hunterphfr 12]

Do you think it is a matter of her outgrowing her current stick (I'm assuming you're referring to length) AND you'd like a slightly lower flex? If that is the case a simple extension of a few inches in her current stick could add the increased length you're seeking and decrease the flex by I would guess 2-5 at the same time.

[Innocent Bystander 5]

The stick is on the lower end of what I would say is acceptable length. Having been to a few Allen Andrews camps (he is of the "sticks today are too long" mindset), I used the method of cutting from:

http://www.cuthockeysticks.com

It seems to help with her stickhandling... but the properties of a simple lever tell me that she suffers in terms of mechanical advantage when it comes to loading up her shot. Everyone has brought up GREAT points, and the take away for me is that proper technique is the key to success.... and sticks/curves will only enhance that technique. It's the old adage... "It's not the arrow, it's the indian".

The flex is probably the property I am most overlooking. I do like the idea of a "whippier" stick, and the Warrior Covert Dt1 is one I had my eye on. The problem is that she HATES the Warrior grip feel. It used to be really tacky. Have they changed that?

I like the idea of extending her stick an inch or two and going from there. My next question is this. Where do I get the right sized plug for a junior Easton stick?

[salibandy 21]

You can get an extension basically anywhere. As for the Warrior grip, there's really not much grip at all. Just enough to keep your hands in place during a hard shot, but not enough to prevent your hand from moving when stick handling. As a word of advice, personally, I feel that the DT1 plays softer than the Widow that it replaces. But if she can use the 40 flex Widow, it's a great stick for the price you can get it at now.