One of the most common misconceptions when it comes to hockey sticks is that when retail curves are named after a player, it is because they use that curve. Though there are some cases where this is true (ie Auston Matthews does use the P92 "Matthews" curve), there are many more examples where the name is use purely for marketing purposes.
This is not a new phenomenon. One of the most iconic curves of all time is the P92 "Sakic" curve, named after Colorado Avalanche legend (and current GM), Joe Sakic.
This curve has stood the test of time, is is now offered by nearly every major brand - as the CCM P29 "Crosby", the Bauer P92 "Matthews", the Warrior W03 "Backstrom", the True TC2 "Marner", and so on. However, as you can hear Joe talk about in theabovevideo, it was never the curve that he actually used.
Another prime example of a brand hoping to capitalize on a player's popularity to sell sticks is Patrick Kane and the Bauer P88 curve. The pattern was first made famous as the "Lindros" curve, and when another top player wearing the number 88 came along, it seemed like a no-brainer to name the curve after him, despite it not actually being the pattern Kane uses.
As one of Bauer's most marketable athletes, they wanted to get his name on as many sticks and into the hands of as many kids as possible. Kane's actual pro curve is a modified version of the P10 "Shanahan" retail curve, but it has quite a unique profile and super squared-off toe, which could scare away the average buyer.
Until recently, this meant that the only way to try the real Patrick Kane pro curve was to purchase one of his custom made pro stock sticks. Those bad boys are hard to come by, and even if you can find one, you need to also use his same hand, curve, flex, etc for the stick to work for you.
This year however, we have started to offer curves inspired by what NHLers actually use in our top-sellingPro Blackout Extra Lite stick. In collaboration with Pro Stock Hockey Sticks, we have introduced 19 new curvesbased on the sticks the world's best players use on a nightly basis. Now, customers can play withsticksmore like their favorite players than ever before in a handedness and flex that actually works for them!
@hockeystickman Now you can play more like a pro than ever before!
♬ LIMITS THE SKY - Mpax
| Player | Retail Curve Namesake | Actual Pro Curve |
| Auston Matthews | Bauer P92 | P29 ✔️ |
| Sidney Crosby | CCM P29 | custom flat heel❌ |
| Patrick Kane | Bauer P88 | modifed P10 ❌ |
| Johnny Gaudreau | Warrior W88 | P88✔️ |
| Jack Eichel | Bauer P28 | P28✔️ |
| Connor McDavid | CCM P28 | modified P29❌ |
| Alexander Ovechkin | CCM P88, Bauer P92 | custom open toe❌ |
| Mitch Marner | True TC2 | TC2✔️ |
| Nathan Mackinnon | CCM P40 | modified P71❌ |
| Mark Scheifele | Warrior W01 | W03❌ |
| John Tavares | CCM P45, CCM P90TM | P6❌ |
| Matt duch*ene | CCM P14 | P28❌ |
| Dion Phaneuf | CCM P6 | P6✔️ |
| Max Pacioretty | Warrior W71 | W03❌ |
| Patrice Bergeron | CCM P46 | custom heel❌ |
| Artemi Panarin | CCM P30 | P19❌ |
I'm quite familiar with hockey sticks and the intricacies of their design, particularly concerning the naming conventions of retail curves after professional players. The misconception about the correlation between a player's name and the curve of a retail stick is widespread. While some sticks are indeed designed to replicate a specific player's curve, a significant number are named for marketing purposes rather than mirroring the player's actual preference.
This practice isn't new. Take the case of the iconic P92 "Sakic" curve, named after Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche. It's a widely offered curve across various brands like the CCM P29 "Crosby," the Bauer P92 "Matthews," the Warrior W03 "Backstrom," and more. However, Joe Sakic himself didn't use this curve, despite its popularity bearing his name. This trend extends to other players like Patrick Kane, whose Bauer P88 curve was initially known as the "Lindros" curve, but it doesn't match the pattern Kane uses.
Kane's actual pro curve is a modified version of the P10 "Shanahan" retail curve, distinct with its squared-off toe, a feature that might deter the average buyer. Until recently, accessing the true pro curve meant acquiring custom-made pro stock sticks, often challenging to find and requiring specific hand, curve, and flex preferences.
But the landscape has evolved. Brands are now offering curves inspired by NHL players' actual preferences, like the Pro Blackout Extra Lite stick, featuring 19 new curves reflecting what professional players use regularly. This advancement allows customers to play with sticks more akin to their favorite players', tailored to their handedness and flex preferences.
The table you provided encapsulates various players, their retail curve namesake, and their actual pro curves, revealing the disparity between the marketed retail curves and the ones used by the players. For instance, Auston Matthews' Bauer P92 mirrors the P29, while Sidney Crosby's CCM P29 doesn't replicate his actual custom flat heel curve. However, players like Johnny Gaudreau with the Warrior W88 and Mitch Marner with the True TC2 indeed have retail curves that match their pro choices.
Understanding these distinctions helps hockey enthusiasts make more informed choices when selecting sticks, especially with the increasing availability of sticks modeled after actual pro curves, catering to a broader range of preferences and play styles.
