FIT
Choosing the most suitable stick can be a complicated experience. At Clutch Sports, we will repeatedly communicate this key message. The choices you make for curve, lie, flex, length will be defined and optimized for your style of play.
Whether walking into your local hockey pro shop or scouring online hockey warehouses, one of the most common experiences is to see a wide selection of sticks from different brands. One brand could have 3 different series and within each series are another 5 models that are differentiated by weight and blade performance. Our expectation is to checkout with a hockey stick that allows us to perform to our maximum ability. Unfortunately, this isn’t your typical result and many have suffered from this experience.
As consumers, we tend to use price as a starting point, looking at the sub $200 variations. For the brands out in the market today, that usually means their mid line products that weigh about 460 grams to 480 grams which is a result of either two piece construction or materials other than carbon.
We did not mention weight as a choice previously because Clutch believes you should have the best. Our sticks are manufactured with CONE (Clutch ONE piece construction, 100% carbon aerospace grade T700) technology to provide strength and lightweight (430g – 440g) features.
Definitions at a glance:
BLADE PATTERN
Each blade pattern has a combination of 3 key properties that include, curve, face and lie that define the player profile.
CURVE
The location of the blade where the bend begins starting from the heel towards the toe. This typically defines the player style as the location of the bend in certain areas is optimized for specific player styles.
FACE
The position of the blade following the curve that comes in neutral/closed, slightly open, and open.
LIE
The angle between the shaft of stick and blade when it is placed flat on the ice (when most of the blade bottom is touching the ice/ground). The lower the lie means the angle is smaller and player is lower to the ground. A higher lie number means the angle is larger and player is more upright.
GOALSCORER
FLEX
Main purpose is to score. Get shots off faster. Get a flex that you can easily load. Flex can increase if you are a stronger/heavier player. If you do not plan to handle the puck much and just want to generate quick shots, softer flex will work too. Softer flex reduces puck feel and control.
LENGTH
Shorter is better than longer. Short stick length will allow you to bring in and control pucks closer to the body especially in high traffice scoring areas around the net and top of the circle.
C92
(mid toe curve, open face with round toe, lie 6)
You are not awarded the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy through talent alone. Hard work is a large contributor but mostly placing the puck and stick blade in shooting position at all times. It doesn't hurt to put yourself in an open shooting position or camp in a high traffice area in front of the net minder as well. The C92 blade pattern mirrors that of the most prolific scorers in hockey, past and present.
The C92 blade pattern benefits the player who likes to rip wrist shots over the glove of opposing goaltenders. Shifting of the curve towards the mid toe area of the blade and the higher lie than C14 allows the player to move the puck in close quarters and close to the body to load for a quick wrist shot. The open face allows the player to raise the puck without effort when you need to shoot over the goaltenders glove in front of the net. Bar down!!
C11
(mid heel curve, open face with round toe, lie 6)
The mid heel location of the curve on the C11 generates a heavy wrist shot or snap shot. Slap shots are more difficult with the C11 blade pattern since the puck needs to be struck at an exact point of the curve due to the twist to an open face. This is not a concern for most goal scorers who primarily score from wrist shots at the top of the circle, roofing close rebounds and occassional tips in front of the net.
DEFENCEMAN
FLEX
Heavy slap shots to get through to the goaltender will require a stiffer flex. Battling for puck possession in the corners will require a stiffer flex. C02 is not ideal for puck handling so the stiffer flex is ideal to improve feel and control.
LENGTH
In general, longer is better and adds poke check value for defence man but the C14 already has a lower lie and going with a longer stick will put the puck even further away from the body which makes puck control very difficult unless you are a strong player.
C02
(heel curve, open face with square toe, lie 7)
This blade pattern is for your pure defence man and is well represented in the NHL by past and present all star defence man. The feel curve provides the benefits of crisp hard passes out of the zone to offensive players and high velocity slap shots from the blue line. Square toe of C02 blade pattern helps to pick pucks off the board and ringing pucks around the boards following retrieval of dump in from opponents.
These are the essentials for a defence man to quickly transition the game from defence to offense. Concurrently, the blade pattern is not ideal for puck handling and dekes and the lie 7 is best for upright players.
C14
(mid heel curve, slightly open face with round toe, lie 5)
If you find yourself to be lower to ice defence man that likes to occassionally join the offensive rush, you should also consider to C14 blade pattern. The lower lie also provides comfortable play with a longer stick for poke checks but can diminish puck handling abilities since the blade will be further away from the body.
The curve moves closer to the middle of the blade which allows more blade to work with and aids in shot accuracy and low shots. The passing benefit works well for defence man who frequently start breakouts and need more finesse than a pure defenseman.
PLAYMAKER
FLEX
Puck feel and control are vital so a soft flex can be detrimental, stick to something that is considered neutral and following the general rule of flex rating at half your weight. This can go up if you are a stronger player but would not recommend going too soft.
LENGTH
Playmakers need to have their head up but close enough to the body to maintain control. Good point of reference would be to have the puck in front of you where you can still see as you are looking straight ahead.
C14
(mid heel curve, slightly open face with round toe, lie 5)
This blade pattern is ideal for the player with a passing mentality who frequently carries the puck before distributing. The mid heel curve location ensures optimal puck control in traffic and allows the user to put terrific touch on saucer passes to setup the next scoring opportunity. The subtle curve also maximizes the backhand shot. The nature of the blade face does not make this ideal for a goal scorer as it creates a tendency to release straight shots at the goalie, typically in the chest, and makes it difficult to raise the shot under the bar.
C88
(mid curve, slightly open face with round toe, lie 6)
For the playmaker who wants to keep the puck closer to the body, the higher lie of the C88 blade pattern keeps the puck in great position for passes and a deceptive shot. The C88 pattern is best known as the dangler pattern synonymous with the surgeons in the NHL with great hands and precise puck control and movement. The C88 pattern offers many of the same benefits as the C14, as the slightly open face offers the best blend of touch on passes. It allows for equal touch on saucer, backhand, and forehand passes, and offers a bit more zip on wrist shots than the C14 pattern.
