Most people are not aware that they’re not using Sydney Crosby’s actual curve, or stick, even though it’s one of the most popular curves out there Pro v Retail Curves Most of the sticks solid en-mass to kids and rec-league players worldwide are actually stock curves that have existed for a long time, and their names simply changed to represent popular current players; being more of a marketing gimmick than a representation of the actual players curve. For example, a lot of people remember Sakic, Modano, Nash or Lidstrom curves from the 1990’s and the early 2000’s, but the manufacturers…
Playing defense is a challenging position to play, you’re generally the last line before a forward gets a shot on goal, and you’re the one clearing the scrum in front of your goaltender. Like a goaltender, it takes many years of training to hone your skills, if you’re new to the position, or just need some reminders, here’s some great tips to apply to your game to raise your defensive skills. Read the Play, Read the Play, Read the Play Always keep your head “on a swivel”, keep looking around you and be aware of who is in front…
Take the puck across the net If you happen to find yourself approaching the net with speed or if you’ve just beaten a defender wide, you should almost always take the puck across the crease if you can. When goalies come out to challenge a shooter, particularly if they trust that a defensive player will be able to block a player from cutting across the net, they tend to come out fairly aggressively. If your sole mindset is to get across the crease and tuck one in, you just may be able to. Even if the goaltender doesn’t come out hard,…
Stick-handling is one of the most important skills in hockey, and practicing this skill will give you the confidence you need to concentrate on other areas of the game – aim for 10,000 stick-handle touches over a weekend! Quick top 10 tips for stick-handling Your top hand should be doing most of the work and the main action of holding and cradling the cup. Practice by placing an empty toilet tissue tube in your lower hand and concentrate on just using the top hand to move and control the puck. Use your bottom hand to control where around your body…
Jacques Plante’s is the one who always gets credit for the goalie mask. There is even a charming Heritage Minute in which Mr. Plante, having been badly cut by a slap shot, tells his coach he won’t go back out onto the ice without the strange-looking mask he’d been wearing in practices. Mr. Plante’s insistence that he be allowed to wear it – despite the protestations of Montreal Canadiens coach Toe Blake – not only changed goaltending, it changed the game of hockey. To the modern fan, they bear a close resemblance to Dr. Hannibal Lecter’s mask in “Silence of the…
A Look at Regulations, Terms, Equipment and How the Game Works Ice hockey, one of the worlds fastest paced and most exciting games that marries speed, agility, skill (and how can we say, fighting?) is easy to follow once you have a basic understanding of the basic rules, terminology, equipment and practices. If you’re new to the game, also read up on our Top tips for New Hockey Players. Playing Surface The sheet of ice and room the ice is in is commonly known as the rink. The ice is divided into zones by a red line at centre ice…
Whether you’re 5 or 50, maybe you’ve got some gear, and maybe you’ve read some things online and watched a few of How to Hockey’s YouTube video’s – here’s a quick 10 point tips and a in-depth Guide to help you, or your child, to get started at playing ice hockey Equipment – What you should and shouldn’t do As with any new sport or interest, don’t buy gear. Wait, wait until you fall in love with the game then buy used gear until you know what you like, and what you want. Many people have gear sitting in their garages…
When he bought an ancient stick with a curved blade for $1,000 in 2008 from a barber in North Sydney, N.S., Mark Presley had no idea he’d acquired the world’s oldest hockey stick. He wasn’t even certain the object was a hockey stick. “But it was interesting and it was different,” Presley said Friday at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau. “It really was almost a curiosity. I didn’t expect much beyond that.” The museum announced Friday it had acquired the ‘Moffatt stick’ from Presley for $300,000. Research has established that a member of the Moffatt family handcrafted it…
Their stick is an important piece of equipment for a hockey player. It’s just as important to the player as their skates. Most people would agree that the biggest change in hockey equipment has been the continual development of the hockey stick. Hockey sticks were made of hardwood trees in the 19th century. They were solid wood and this made them extremely heavy. Again, the weight of the hockey equipment had a direct impact on the speed and ability of the players to play the hockey game. Science intervened in the design and production of hockey sticks. Many hockey players…
So which stick flex is right for you? There is a general formula for determining your flex. This is calculated by dividing your body weight in half. If you weigh 170 pounds, (77 Kilos for us Canadians), you should use around an 85 flex. An 85 flex stick requires 85 pounds of force to bend the stick 1 inch with a full length stick. Seems simple enough, right? However, hockey is a game of preference so, just because you weigh 170 does not mean that you must use an 85 flex. You may find that the 85 is too stiff…