{"id":71,"date":"2018-10-30T15:19:45","date_gmt":"2018-10-30T22:19:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hockeycircles.com\/articles\/?p=71"},"modified":"2018-10-31T15:28:01","modified_gmt":"2018-10-31T22:28:01","slug":"5-nhl-players-who-use-unique-hockey-sticks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsa.com\/articles\/5-nhl-players-who-use-unique-hockey-sticks.html","title":{"rendered":"5 NHL players who use unique hockey sticks"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the professional hockey world, sticks are a bit like the fingerprints of the players- not two are exactly the same. Different bodies and a range of personal preferences and various on-ice roles determine the need for different characteristics.\u00a0There\u2019s flex, lie, curve, grip, tape, length, weight and more to consider.<\/p>\n

But some players… some players are really out there. When a guy drops his stick on the ice and skates by the bench to grab another, there\u2019s a few dudes who\u2019ve been told \u201cdon\u2019t give them your stick, nobody wants it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Below are five guys on that list.<\/p>\n

1. Phil Kessel<\/h2>\n

Brand:<\/strong> Easton (S19)
\nHand:<\/strong> Right<\/p>\n

Unique characteristics:
\n<\/strong>James Mirtle wrote a post<\/a> in february that highlighted the uniqueness of phil kessel\u2019s hockey stick:<\/p>\n

New stick technology has changed the way all players interact with pucks in the past decade, but kessel has taken more advantage of it than most. His stick, manufactured by Easton, has a Flex rating of less than 70, one of the lowest in the league.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There are quotes in the story from Joffrey Lupul and former pro Jeff O\u2019Neill who both say something similar: almost nobody else in hockey could use a stick with a flex like that. You\u2019re limited from taking one-timers, you\u2019re hindered when battling for pucks… it\u2019s just too specialized for the average player. The stick has a low kickpoint, so Kessel is able to shoot high while in stride, as we\u2019ve seen numerous times.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Phil Kessel using a 70 flex Easton Stealth CX stick<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Danny Briere<\/h2>\n

Brand: <\/strong>Bauer
\nHand: <\/strong>Right<\/p>\n

Unique characteristics:
\n<\/strong>Most people want their sticks to look and feel exactly the same each time, so that they can think about all the other things on a hockey rink that require attention. Danny Briere knows that he is always at his strongest training camp, so he uses a stiffer flex to begin the year (always quite flexible compared to most players, like 90). During the season, he backs the flex, down to about 75. He also uses a “soft” blade that can give a little more feeling and cushion. Let him tell you here, by telling Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin a couple of years ago:<\/p>\n