The RinkFor the not so ready for prime-time players, coaches, referees, and the people that have to live with them. Discuss experiences in local leagues, coaching tips, equipment, and training.
Everyone's principles seems to be different... and I too have came to my conclusion
I think it completely varies based on the lie of the stick, and that the rule between the "chin & nose" w/o skates, or chin and neck area when on skates is completely wrong.
I have had a few sticks through the years, and being a defencemen had always thought that a longer stick is better for poke checking etc...
but since, working at my skating... I've found I stay much lower, keeping my legs constantly bent, generate much more and consistant power, but to my dismay... chickenwings my top hand arm because now the stick is too long.
After talking with a couple power skating coaches, I think this is the best rule of thumb... well especially if you skate correctly:
stand straight on your skates, and hold your stick with the top hand where the blade is flat on the ice with your arm straight down.
At the end of your hand is the point to cut it.
I thought, wow this is crazy... as I had a stick with a relatively upright lie and I literially cut 5" inches from what I had already chopped off.
But low and behold, my stickhandling, puck recieving and shot was tremendously improved.... well snap shots require more load, but at the end of the day... I'm playing much better. In all actuality, because my legs are almost consantly bent, I have a much more stable base to take my snap, wrist and even slappers while providing a even better weight shift. It just takes more energy, but the more you do it, the stronger you get.
the crazy thing is, the stick if it with toe down, now only comes up to about the middle of my chest!
Yes its shorter for poke checking, but if you're an active skater... you can easily compensate 5" of stick
Or you get a stick with a flatter lie, which will still keep the blade on the ice while giving you more lenght
I read on here once to look at how the tape wears on the bottom of the blade, if it wears at the toe it is too short, at the heel too long. I ended up cutting about 5 inches of my stick over a period of a year, and it has worked out very well.
Bah, I inadvertently wrote a novel. I agree with the OP for the most part. Way too many guys use sticks that are too long and too stiff. Cut them 1-2" below the chin for MAXIMUM puck control, unless you need the reach, and you will also need a whippier stick.
Interesting. One of my teammates who is an ex-college player has long advocated cutting sticks way down. I play with mine at chin length on my skates and I like the reach I have with it, but I do find it harder to handle the puck in tight situations sometimes and it just feels really long to me. I may test this out with one of my old sticks.
people should also factor in their type of play and what position they play
absolutely there are exceptions to every rule...
that being said, maximum control and having the top hand in the proper position is crucial...
At the end of the day, you want a flat blade and your top hand to be in the right position... so the factors are definately:
skating position (upright skater, crouched etc...)
length of arms
height in general
however, that being said... because it does take your height, arm length and lie of stick into concideration, I think that the method of having your stick flat on the ice while standing up on skates, and finding where on the stick to place your top hand... is the best method to determine where you should cut.
Then cut down pragmatically, as you don't want to have to add a plug, as again there are variances as to how people skate....
There are players with relatively long sticks, and for example St. Louis plays a massive stick for his 5'8 frame, and he's effective... but as verified by my Neighbor who played with him, he also plays a very flat lie.
When it comes down to flex, yup... Jarick is right, the flex should be based more on height of the player than his weight.
Was it Brier who uses a 70ish flex stick? Well he's not a tall guy and a 70flex stick cut down to his heigh probably has the relative flex of a 90 or 100 full height stick.
I'm finding the better I get, the shorter I want my stick. I just cut 1/2" off it yesterday, and will probably gradually cut off even more.
i can prove you are correct
im not very good and i feel like i wanted a longer stick...
my stick handling is so poor i felt like i wouldnt be loosing anything by trying the next size up... im only 5'8 so the thought of increasing my reach is apealing
what kind of saw are you using to chop down your sticks... seems like a jigsaw with a nice metal blade would work?
Last edited by DougKnowsBest: 10-07-2011 at 11:12 PM.
I'm a n00b. I ordered my stick on the internet. I stand at 177cm or around 5'9-5'10, weigh about 175 pounds. Got a 85 flex Synergy ST, lie 5.5...
When I'm wearing skates, the stick is right between my chin and lips. I'm guessing that's juuuuust a tad high? But I didn't bother cutting it down. It seems my tape wears off a little more at the heels. I don't really notice any obvious issues right now, but I guess I can be oblivious about it since I'm a beginner anyway.
So I tried the stand on skates let arms fall straight down and see where the stick lies flat thingy, and it told me I should cut off about 4.5" from my standard length stick (I've got gorilla long arms). So I took too old sticks, cut one down 2.5" and one down 3.5". Took them and a standard length stick to a skate and shoot and tried them out back to back. Hands down I played my best with the shortest stick.
In practice it seems easier to play with a shorter stick but in games I seem to want them a bit longer. I've been able to use sticks 3" below the chin in practice but as soon as warmups hit I'm shanking every puck and have nothing.
In practice it seems easier to play with a shorter stick but in games I seem to want them a bit longer. I've been able to use sticks 3" below the chin in practice but as soon as warmups hit I'm shanking every puck and have nothing.
I was able to use it in half ice 3 on 3 and I liked it, but my fear is that I'll lose a bit on the stick check and back check in a full ice game. What was really strange was that I felt like I could reach for pucks that were off the mark better with the short stick because I had better control over it. I was able to corral the puck with one hand on the stick better than I could with the longer stick - less bouncing off. It also felt much better picking pucks up off the wall and fighting for loose pucks. Test will be in a real game later this week. There's no doubt the long stick is too long for me. Just a question of how much shorter is right.
Hmm, I have a longer than average stick. I add about 3" of wood plug at the end. I'm 6'2, so when I'm on skates, I'd say the stick is about up to my mouth.
My stickhandling isn't the strongest (I don't have a bunch of dekes in my toolbox) but I have decent composure and can usually get out of trouble. I know that this is partly due to my stick length, but it's a sacrifice I make in order to have better reach which helps me tremendously as a defenseman.
To have a stick that goes up to my chest would mean cutting off about 6-8 inches. It would be an interesting experiment, but I feel like I would almost have to re-learn the game.
Yep and even 1/2" makes a difference. It's interesting. This summer I chopped another 1-1.5" off my sticks and when stickhandling now my hands are almost touching.
Granted it's only C level so I'm not amazing but I can dangle pretty much anyone right now north-south. 4-5 years ago when my stick was almost up to my nose I was playing D level and getting stripped of the puck a lot. It made a big positive difference for me.
I will say I had a harder shot with a longer stick, because I could use a stiffer stick and get more leverage and flex.
Yep and even 1/2" makes a difference. It's interesting. This summer I chopped another 1-1.5" off my sticks and when stickhandling now my hands are almost touching.
Granted it's only C level so I'm not amazing but I can dangle pretty much anyone right now north-south. 4-5 years ago when my stick was almost up to my nose I was playing D level and getting stripped of the puck a lot. It made a big positive difference for me.
I will say I had a harder shot with a longer stick, because I could use a stiffer stick and get more leverage and flex.
Where does the stick come to on you in bare feet? Mine are about at my chin in bare feet and well below that on skates.
It is a trade off. Better shot and better defensively with the longer stick. Much better stick handler with the shorter stick. I haven't decided which one makes me a better player.
is there a different recommended stick length for kids? age 10 or 11
or just do the same thing i did to measure mine? i just noticed my sons stick is to long and ive got the itch to chop it down
I wouldn't cut it down too much..The way I measure how much to take off is I like my sticks to fit right underneath my nose while in shoes and then on skates they are in my chin-mouth area
Where does the stick come to on you in bare feet? Mine are about at my chin in bare feet and well below that on skates.
It is a trade off. Better shot and better defensively with the longer stick. Much better stick handler with the shorter stick. I haven't decided which one makes me a better player.
I'm 6'2" and I cut about 1-2" off my sticks.
Just under my bottom lip in bare feet, same as Brett Hull
Just put a 1.25" plug in a backup stick for S&G and it's about 1/2" below my nose. That's roughly where I played the second half of last winter and after playing with a shorter stick much of the summer I want to compare. And maybe use that longer stick if/when I have to sub on defense.
