With so many brands, configurations, and product lines available today, finding the perfect hockey stick can be challenging. But the right stick can make a huge difference in your game — enhancing shot power, accuracy, and puck control. This guide will break down the essentials of stick selection, including flex, kickpoint, curve, and level of play, so you can confidently pick a stick that’s tailored to your style and needs.

1. Flex: Finding the Right Balance

The flex of a hockey stick determines how easily it bends, which directly impacts your shot power and release speed. While choosing the right flex largely depends on physical factors like height, weight, and strength, your playing style also plays a role, as adjusting flex can further customize power and release for optimal performance.

• Lower Flex: Easier to bend, making it ideal for quick-release shots like wrist and snap shots. This is great for players who need fast shots in tight spaces.
• Higher Flex: Offers more power, especially for slap shots, but takes more strength to load and is slower to release.

Flex Guide by Age and Size:

2. Kickpoint: Control Shot Speed and Release

Kickpoint is where the stick flexes when pressure is applied, impacting shot speed and release. Choosing the right kickpoint can optimize your performance, depending on your shooting style.

• Low Kickpoint: Best for quick-release snapshots and wrist shots in close range. This allows faster release but sacrifices some power.

• • NHL stars using a low kickpoint stick: 
    • Leon Draisaitl, Warrior Alpha LX2 Pro
    • Nick Suzuki, Bauer Twitch
    • Nico Hischier, CCM Trigger Pro 

• Mid Kickpoint: Maximizes shot power, making it ideal for players who need added force or  take powerful slap shots However, the trade-off is a slower release time.

• • NHL stars using a mid kickpoint stick:
    • Nathan MacKinnon, Bauer Nexus Sync
    • Cale Makar, Bauer Nexus Tracer
    • Lane Hutson, Bauer Proto-R

• Hybrid Kickpoint: A mix of low and mid kickpoints, providing versatility for both quick snapshots and powerful distance shots. This is typically achieved with a dual flex profile or with a larger flex area. 

• • NHL stars using a hybrid kickpoint stick:
    • Connor McDavid, CCM Jetspeed FT7 Pro
    • Roman Josi, CCM Jetspeed FT7 Pro
    • Auston Matthews, CCM FT Ghost 

Quick Tip: If you’re often taking slap shots, consider a mid or hybrid kickpoint. For close-range, quick-release play, go with a low kickpoint. Hybrid is a good choice if you need a balanced, versatile stick.

3. Curve: Improve Control and Shooting Accuracy

The curve of your stick blade impacts stickhandling, passing (especially saucer passes), shooting accuracy and elevation.  Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Mid Curve: Offers great versatility, improved puck control and is best for quick shots and stickhandling. This is the most common and most popular curve type and a safe pick for players who are uncertain or just starting out. This curve also allows for easy and beautiful saucer passes.

• • Curve codes: P88, P92, TC2
  • NHL players: Patrick Kane, Nathan MacKinnon

• Toe Curve: Provides extra lift, perfect for precision shots, deceptiveness and toe drags. This curve has become more popular among elite players, transitioning from the mid curve. The extra lift provided by this curve can reduce forgiveness for some players, as the larger lift area on the blade can make shots a bit harder to control, sometimes leading to unpredictable results. This curve is popular among players with precise stickhandling skills who need to take quick, close-range shots in tight spaces.

• • Curve codes: P28, P90TM, TC4
  • NHL players: Connor McDavid, Kyle Connor

• Heel Curve: Ideal for powerful shots and added control during slapshots. Heel curves are generally less popular than the other two groups. They tend to be harder to find especially if you are not shopping for an elite level stick.

• • Curve codes: P91A, PM9
  • NHL players: Brent Burns, Shea Weber

4. Level of Play: Choose a Stick That Matches Your Skill Level

Hockey sticks come in various quality levels, each offering different benefits in terms of feel, weight, performance, and durability. Here’s what to consider:

• Elite: Extremely lightweight (less than 415 grams), high-performance sticks with improved balance and responsiveness. They typically cost $240+, but are less durable than lower-end sticks. For example, a Warrior Alpha LX2 Pro will cost you a whopping 400$ before tax. However, they do come on sale if you look for older models, it is not uncommon to be able to pick one up for closer to $180.
• Competitive: Still reasonably lightweight (415 to 460 grams). Offers solid performance and durability at a mid-range price, generally between $140 – $240. This is a tradeoff between Elite and Recreational, offering durability and solid performance at a more affordable price point for those who want quality without the premium cost of elite sticks.
• Recreational: Affordable and durable, recreational sticks cost under $140 but lack the responsiveness of higher-end models. These will feel numb and blade-heavy to experienced users, but are still suitable for beginners or any player who does not care about performance.

Find Your Ideal Stick with HockeyStickFittings.com

We know selecting the right stick can be overwhelming, even with all the insights from this guide. That’s why we created our free online hockey stick fitter, an interactive tool designed to simplify the decision-making process. At HockeyStickFittings.com, you’ll find this smart tool equipped with the insights from this guide — and more — all built into its algorithm to give you tailored recommendations in minutes.

Using the tool is easy and intuitive. Just enter a few quick details about yourself and your game. Based on your inputs, the tool generates a personalized, interactive report that breaks down recommended options and compares them side by side. You’ll get a clear view of the best sticks for your needs, making it effortless to weigh the pros and cons of each.

Our online stick fitter is free, straightforward, and doesn’t require any personal information like phone numbers, emails, or credit cards. Just explore and compare at your convenience. 

Check out the video below for additional tips and insights to help you make the most of your new stick. Get ready to elevate your game on the ice!