Hockey Stick Length Sizing Guide (2024)

FAQs

What length should my hockey stick be? ›

Your stick should be anywhere from 1 to 2 inches below or above your chin. Keep in mind that shorter sticks may be great for puck handling, but might not have a powerful shot. Long sticks give you reach and could even help you develop a commanding slap shot with minimal effort.

The most common rule of thumb for sizing your stick is this: When standing in your skates, the end of a stick held with the toe of the blade on the floor should fall between your chin and nose. Players fond of short sticks will have the end of stick at throat height, while long sticks might hit you at the eyebrows.

Once a young person reaches around 5 ft 3”), they should be comfortable with a full size sstick which is called a 36.5 inches, so you do not need to measure the stick to your hip or belly button once you reach this height.

A shorter hockey stick allows for more rapid movement since the puck is closer to your body. This also will help you keep the puck out of reach of a defenseman's reach. On the other hand, using a shorter stick can reduce your reach.

The lower a player is able to get to the ice, the more balanced and efficient they are when skating. Having a stick that is too long forces a player to stand up tall, automatically decreasing their stride length, quickness, balance/strength and ability to generate power.

The right length of the hockey stick is essential to playing the game. If the stick is too long, the player will have a hard time handling, passing, and shooting. If the stick is too short, the player will have to bend forward when skating to avoid swinging over the puck.

If the blade of the stick is flat against the ground, the stick is the proper length. If the toe is up, the stick is too long. If the heel is off the ground, the stick is too short.

Sidney Crosby uses a unique two-piece hockey stick with a blade that's nearly straight. There's no wicked curve on the blade – it bends only slightly near the toe.

The appropriate stick length is somewhere between the chin and nose when a player is standing on bare feet. Hold the stick upright with the toe of the blade on the ground and place the stick knob against front of the face. Look straight ahead.

What size hockey stick for a 13 year old? ›

Once a young person reaches the age of approximately 13 they will be in a full size stick ie 36.5”(5 f 3”), so you do not need to measure the stick to your hip or belly button once you reach this height.

As a general rule, the length of a hockey stick should be from the ice – to between the sternum/above the armpits and below the chin of the player.

Remember, too, you may want to replace a stick when it's not broken—it may have lost its stiffness, its pop. When a stick feels “whippy” or weak in shooting or passing, many players will buy a new stick because the old one isn't performing like it should. It's worn out—a factor that a novice may not even notice.

Hockey stick shafts can be a maximum of 63". Blades, 12.5" long. Players 6'6" and taller may be granted an exemption upon written request to the League. Even then, the NHL still imposes an absolute maximum length of 65" for hockey stick shafts.

This is up to personal preference. Some players prefer lighter sticks because they are easier to handle and move around on the ice. Others choose a stick with more weight because it helps to build up strength while using it and can be tougher for opponents to lift off the ice.

Adult: 42-60 inch long shaft

As specified by rule, defensem*n can have a stick length anywhere between 52” to 72” long. Typically the total combined length of the long pole should be the same height as the player.

From beer leagues to the NHL, taping the stick is often considered to be a holy pre-game ritual for almost every player. The tape job (or "TJ" for short) needs to be perfect, done the same way, to the same length, with the same amount of overlap, and with the perfect amount of wax, no exceptions.

It protects the blade from damage. It “softens” the blade to make accepting a pass easier. Its tackiness makes for more sure-handed puck handling. As for what tape to use, hockey tape (or "hockey stick tape”) is the obvious choice.

Players tape both the blade and knob of their sticks. They tape the blade for added protection and to give them a better feel when controlling the puck. They tape the knob for grip and it helps in picking up the stick quickly if it falls to the ice. Let's look at the reasons players tape their stick in more detail.

What shocked me was he measured the stick and it only about 54" in length. I know he used a short stick, but I never knew it was THAT short. I thought he probably used around 57" or so. Guess I was way off.

Can you lengthen a hockey stick? ›

In addition to cutting sticks to the desired length, players may also extend a stick's length by inserting an end plug at the top of the shaft. This can be used to lengthen the life of a stick and get maximum use if the player cut the stick too short or experiences a growth spurt.

P92 - Another mid-curve blade, opens up mid way, great for shooting high and builds confidence for beginners who struggle to lift pucks with P88. More difficult to execute backhands due to the more open curve (more closed for backhands).

The general rule of thumb for how high a hockey stick can legally go is shoulder height. If a players stick makes contact with an opposing player above the shoulders, a High-Sticking penalty will be called.

When your knees are bent, you can generate more power, make each stride longer, and make it hard to push you off balance. It doesn't matter how small you are. If you bend your knees and stay balanced, it is going to be hard to knock you down and take the puck from you.

Retired goalie Henrik Lundqvist was the last to use a wood Bauer stick, switching to composite in 2018-19, almost 12 years after the company started leading the NHL trend toward composite goalie sticks.

First, players may tape their stick to protect it from wear, tear, and damage. Secondly, players tape their sticks to change how the stick feels and how the player handles it. Lastly, taping a hockey stick can change the control and interaction between the stick and the puck.

Illegal Stick Length

The blade must not exceed twelve and one-half inches (12 ½”) in length or three inches in width. The blade must be beveled on all edges per the rulebooks set by USA Hockey and the NHL. If your stick doesn't meet these requirements, it is considered illegal.

Have the player stand without skates. Then, place the toe of the stick on the ground between the player's feet, positioning the stick vertically. The general rule is that the end of a proper length stick should come to about the nose. However, if the player's skates are on, the stick should come up to the chin.

To add grip to the handle under the knob, wind the full width of the tape down the shaft about 10 or 12 inches, overlapping evenly and consistently. Taping here gives you a good grip on the stick.

DOES CUTTING DOWN A STICK OR ADDING AN EXTENSION CHANGE THE FLEX? The simple answer is yes, a shorter stick will feel stiffer and will perform more similarly to a stick with a higher flex number. A longer stick will feel softer and will perform more like a stick with a lower flex number.

How long is 60 minutes hockey? ›

With all of those breaks and intermissions included, most hockey games will take at least two and a half hours to complete with 60 minutes of actual game play.

At 60 inches the Raven Edge 50 flex is taller than a standard Junior stick and has a lower flex rating than any other intermediate stick on the market; at 60 inches and 50 flex, this stick is a perfect fit for any player under 5'7" and less than 110 lbs.

Bantam Hockey (Ages 13-14) or 14U

14U is also known as Bantam hockey, or “Bantams”.

Note that the youth hockey levels are based on age—everyone in 14U is 14 or under. But kids' hockey equipment categories are based on size—a player on a 14 U team might wear junior,intermediate, or senior skates.

To ensure an ideal fit, have your child wear skates, if possible, and place the end of the blade (the toe) on the ground. The end of the stick (the butt) should come up to his or her chin or slightly below. If your child is not wearing skates, the stick should rest at the tip of their nose.

Wax increases the life of the tape and ultimately your stick by preventing water from settling on the tape. It also helps while you take shots, by reducing friction between the ice and your stick blade while striking the puck.

Why were left handed sticks band? Left handed sticks cause a high risk to injury in the game of field hockey. If a right handed player came in for a block tackle against a left handed stick they would most likely get hit on the follow through swing.

The most common lie, Lie 5, has a lie angle of 135 degrees from blade to shaft (45 degrees from the ice to the shaft). A Lie 4 flattens out a bit to 137/43, a Lie 6 gets more upright at 133/47, and so on.

No, a team can never have less than 3 players on the ice. If a team takes a penalty while they have three players on the ice the penalty will be served at the expiry of the penalty with the least amount of time left.

Is AA or AAA better in hockey? ›

USA Hockey designates four skill levels: Tier 1: The highest level of competition, also called "AAA", following the Canadian system. Tier 2: also called "AA" or "A". Tier 3: may also be called "A", the lowest level of competitive hockey.

In the N.H.L. and collegiate hockey, six-on-threes, though rare, have been used to try to tie the score late in the game, but aside from a minor league game in 1996, no one can specifically recall an instance in North America when it was used during the middle of a game.

The reason for naming this location five-hole comes from Canadian bowling, which uses 5 pins, the centremost of which is worth 5 points. This pin is often called the 5-pin. When the 5-pin is knocked down without hitting any other pins, the hole left in the middle is known as the 5-hole.

How tight should hockey skates fit? Hockey skates should be snug, but not uncomfortably tight. When unlaced, your toes should just barely touch the toe cap. When standing in your skates with them fully laced, you want your heel snug in the heel pocket, so your toes have a bit of space at the end.

Intermediate = 50 to 70 flex (typically for ages 13 - 17, weight 110 to 150 lbs) Senior soft/regular = 75 to 90 flex (typically for ages 14 and up, weight 150 to 180 lbs) Senior regular/stiff = 85 to 102 flex (typically for ages 16 and up, weight 170 to 205 lbs)

Forwards tend to use a lower flex. Some players with a notable low flex are Johnny Gaudreau with a 55 flex and Phil Kessel with a 65 flex.