How to choose a hockey stick

Updated October 17, 2026

The right stick is one you can bend, control and shoot with today. Four things decide that: size, flex, length and curve. After those come lie, kick point, grip and which side you shoot from. Here's how to get each one right, using the numbers Bauer, CCM, USA Hockey and Hockey Canada publish.

Stick sizes: youth, junior, intermediate and senior

Sticks come in four sizes. Each smaller size is shorter, has a thinner shaft for smaller hands and comes in softer flexes. Your height, weight and strength matter more than your age, so treat the ages as a rough guide.

The flexes and lengths come from current Bauer and CCM product pages and vary a little by model. The age ranges are Pure Hockey's.

Flex: how stiff the stick is

The flex number is the force, in pounds, it takes to bend the shaft about one inch. Higher numbers are stiffer. A stick only adds power to your shot if you can actually bend it.

The rule of thumb: start with a flex a little under half your body weight in pounds. That's Bauer's advice, and USA Hockey gives kids the same rule. In kilograms, it works out to about your weight in kilograms. A 100-pound player starts around 40 to 50. A 150-pound player starts around 65 to 75.

Why kids usually need a lower flex: young players are lighter and not as strong yet. If the stick is too stiff, they can't load it, and the shot comes off slow. CCM points out that a softer stick helps weaker arms put speed on the puck with less force. USA Hockey's example is a 60-pound eight-year-old using about a 20 to 25 flex, especially if the stick has been cut down. Too soft has a cost too: CCM notes a whippy stick can cost you accuracy.

The store test: put the blade on the floor, hold the stick the way you shoot and lean into it. You should be able to bend the shaft a little without much effort. If it barely moves, go softer.

Length: where the stick should come to

Stand up straight with the toe of the blade on the floor between your feet and the stick held straight up. Then see where the top lands.

• In shoes: somewhere between your chin and your nose. Hockey Canada says between the chin and the mouth. Bauer says about nose height.
• On skates: somewhere between your collarbone and your bottom lip, since skates make you taller. Chin height is the most common advice.
• Young players and beginners: stay at the short end. USA Hockey suggests the chin in shoes, or the top of the collarbone on skates.

USA Hockey explains why it matters. Too long makes shooting and stickhandling harder. Too short bends you over and hurts your puck control. Its advice for adults: find one comfortable length and stick with it.

Cutting or extending changes the flex

Cutting a stick makes it stiffer. Adding an extension, called an end plug, makes it longer and softer. That's why a junior stick cut down for a small player can play much stiffer than the number printed on it.

Rules of thumb for how much vary, so check the shaft. Many composite sticks have a chart printed on them that shows the flex at each cut length.

1. Stand in your shoes or skates and mark the length you want with a piece of tape.
2. Cut a little less than you think, about an inch at a time. You can always cut more.
3. Have an adult or the pro shop make the cut.
4. Cover the open end with a plug or tape. USA Hockey and Hockey Canada both require the end of a hollow shaft to be covered. The stick taping guide shows how to build a knob.

An end plug is also an easy way to keep a stick going through a growth spurt.

Curves: P92, P88, P28 and what they do

The curve, also called the blade pattern, changes how the puck comes off the blade. Three things describe it: where the curve sits (heel, middle or toe), how open the face is (tilted back to lift the puck) and the shape of the toe. Brands share many pattern names, but the details can differ. Bauer describes its P88 as slightly open, while CCM calls its P88 closed.

The specs are Bauer's, except the P29, which is CCM's. A few rules of thumb from Pure Hockey's blade guide: a heel curve helps power, a toe curve helps a quick release, and a mid curve balances the two and suits beginners. An open face lifts the puck sooner and makes saucer passes easier. A closed face keeps shots more accurate and the puck easier to control.

For the youngest players: USA Hockey says a straight blade is best for the youngest beginners, and Hockey Canada's equipment guide recommends straight blades on junior sticks. A straight blade works the same on the forehand and the backhand. When a player is ready for a curve, start with a mid curve. To shoot with whatever you pick, see how to shoot a puck.

Lie: the angle between blade and shaft

Lie is the angle of the shaft when the blade sits flat on the ice. Numbers usually run from 4 to 6 in half steps, and a higher number means a more upright stick. On most sticks today the lie comes with the curve: Bauer's P28 is a 5, and its P92 and P88 are 6s. Players who skate low with the puck out in front tend to suit a lower lie. Upright skaters tend to suit a higher one.

To check yours, get in your skating stance with the stick on the ice. The whole bottom edge of the blade should touch, with no gap. That's Hockey Canada's test. If the toe lifts, try a lower lie. If the heel lifts, try a higher one. Your tape gives clues too: tape that always wears through at the heel first suggests the toe is riding up. Fix the length first, though. Pure Hockey says lie stops being a big factor once a stick is cut to the right length.

Kick point

The kick point is where the shaft bends most when you shoot.

• Low kick: bends closer to the blade and helps you get the puck off quickly. Good for wrist shots and snap shots in close.
• Mid kick: bends in the middle of the shaft and adds speed to a big shot. Good for slap shots and one-timers.
• Hybrid: CCM's name for a mix of the two.

Grip or non-grip

A grip stick has a tacky coating on the shaft so your gloves don't slip, especially when they're wet. Most sticks sold today come with grip. A smooth, non-grip shaft lets your hands slide and turn more freely. Some players like that and add tape only where they want hold. If you can, try both at practice. You can also make your own grip with tape, shown in how to tape a stick.

Left or right shot: how to tell

A left shot holds the stick with the right hand on top and the left hand lower, so the blade sits on the left side of the body. A right shot is the opposite. Being right-handed doesn't decide it.

1. Pick up a stick or a broom and hold it like you're about to shoot. Bauer's test: if your right hand naturally goes to the bottom, you're a right shot. If your left hand does, you're a left shot.
2. Stickhandle a ball both ways for a minute each. One side usually feels easier right away. The stickhandling drills work for this.
3. Take 10 wrist shots each way at a wall or a net. Notice which side gets the puck off cleaner.
4. Still unsure? USA Hockey suggests beginners put their stronger hand on top, which for a right-handed kid means a left shot. If a child already feels natural the other way, let them keep it.

Borrow a stick each way before you buy. A curved blade only works on one side.

How to buy a stick on a budget

• Get the fit right first. The right flex and length in an entry-level model beats a top model in the wrong flex. USA Hockey says beginners can't use high-end features yet and suggests starting with a base model.
• Look at last season's models and clearance racks. The fit numbers are what matter, not the newest paint job.
• Don't buy a stick to grow into. It's too long now, and once you cut it, it plays stiffer than you need. Add an end plug later instead.
• Try teammates' sticks at practice. Hockey Canada's guide suggests trying different lengths, lies and flexes to find what suits you.
• Check used sticks closely. Look along the shaft and blade for cracks, chips or splinters. Under USA Hockey rules, officials can remove a cracked or splintered stick from a game.
• Ask about swaps. Some youth programs run used-equipment exchanges. Ask your coach or association.

For the rest of your gear, see the hockey equipment list. And when your stick is ready and you're waiting for ice time, Brudvig Hockey 2027 is a free 3-on-3 arcade hockey game that runs in a web browser, with no download or account.