Thursday, February 4, 2010
Stick length and rolling the wrists
I just watched this video while muching on some lunch. Putting aside the fact that the video looks ancient, I have two questions for the faithful readers of Puck Boy -- all of whom I assume know much more about hockey than I do:
1. Is it really true the stick should not come over the chin? I've been told that it shouldn't come over the nose and my stick is cut that way. There are often times, particularly when I'm shooting, that the stick feels a little on the long side.
2. Is the coach in the video correct about the straight elbow being the key to rolling the wrists? I was just out in the driveway earlier -- taking a "break" from work, you know -- slapping the puck around and as usual noticed that my wrists are very stiff. I have long assumed that's a bad thing, but have had difficulty making an ajustment.
Please feel free to comment. Puck Boy's ego is still reeling from his rather poor performance during last night's scrimmage, so it's time to look forward and get better. Like now.
--Steve Hymon
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In general I think the stick should come up to your chin. As you observed, the video is pretty old skool--dare I say dated. Sticks now come with options to adjust curve, lie, etc. There is some truth to the bit about rotating the wrists though.
ReplyDeleteIf you think your stick is too long you can always cut it, but keep in mind this will change the flex.
There's no one correct length for a players stick. It's simply personal preference. For instance, Ilya Kolvalchuk uses a very long stick, as does Ryan Getzlaf. Both have great puck control and killer shots. But Ryan Smyth of the Kings, a tall player, has a very short stick. He too has great puck control and a decent shot. The length of the stick is simply the result of each player's preference and style of play. Kolvalchuk and Getzlaf shoot on net from the faceoff dots usually. Smyth battles in the corners and down around the net. His shorter stick allows him to control the puck in tight places. If your stick feels long when you shoot then cut it. Don't worry about any one right way.
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