Equipment: best blade curve for elevating wrist shots (beginner)

[domm17]

i am a beginner just getting into playing hockey, im 21 (better late than never, huh?). im signed up for a roller hockey league for the spring. anyway this is my main dilemma:

one thing ive been having trouble with is getting consistent lift/elevation on my wrist shots. i am currently using just a cheap wooden stick, i think the blade curve is some type of crosby model, but the curve seems almost flat. i have ripped some top corner shots on occasion, but no where near consistently. i know my technique isnt perfect right now, but i feel like if i get a blade that will help me out as much as possible, that would be beneficial. so heres the question.

what blade curve pattern (any brand) will really make it easy to elevate the puck on wrist shots/quick snapshots for a beginner. i dont see myself taking many slapshots at all in roller hockey so thats not too important. id like everything else to be decent though (passing, stickhandling, etc).

feel free to list a few curves that you have used that you think would fit what i am looking for. i was looking a bit at the bauer P88, P92 and i believe P91A. but i dont know much about them so i really have no idea what to get. remember i am a beginner playing roller hockey (we will be playing on a "painted, smooth concrete surface"), so factor that in to your answer. thanks!

additional question: what stick shafts are good for taking mainly wrist shots and getting them off the ground. i was planning on getting a two piece stick (so i can replace the blades when they wear down, this would be a good idea, yea?).

any advice and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

John

Click to read more...

 

[Sureshot]

Personally, I struggled with the P92 when I was starting out. Switched to the P88 and found it much easier to elevate. Personal preference and technique dictates a lot, though.

Do you have a LHS nearby? If so, see if they have a shooting room where you can try out a bunch of types.

 

[Razzmatazz]

I used a Sherwood 5030 Coffey curve, it's a short blade, and a big circular curve. Easy to shoot with, flat and/or long blades make raising the puck a little more difficult for me.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

I have the P92 and I can get wrist/snap shots elevated very easily and quickly. It's a pretty open blade, too.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I was 12 years old when I learned to shoot a puck (I'm 17 now). I started with a whippy stick and a P92 type of curve. It's a pretty long blade, good for overall puck control and toe drags. Stay away from the P88 and the P91A if you have trouble lifting the puck. I used the P88 last year, and I missed a ton of goals because I couldn't put it top shelf in close quarters.

Using a 2 piece stick is a good idea. My suggestion is to get a Warrior AK27 shaft. It sells for $80, and it's easily the best price point shaft on the market. I find a whippier stick helps to shoot higher.

 

[Kale Makar]

What you want is a really open curve, meaning when the heel is on the ground you see the face of the blade. This helps you get a lot of lift. The Bauer P92 and P08 curves are both open. The CCM Nugent-Hopkins/ P91 is pretty open.

Those are all current model curves. If you can find a Warrior stick with a Kremlin curve or, like what I have, a CCM CL with a CrazyOvi curve. Both are ridiculously open:

CrazyOvi:

Kremlin:

Also look at pro-stock sticks, there are usually a lot of pretty open curves.

Hope that helped. Just remember that some of these crazy open curves, like the CrazyOvi, makes backhands a lot harder, considering 2/3s of the stick is facing down... But they are still awesome.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

What you want is a really open curve, meaning when the heel is on the ground you see the face of the blade. This helps you get a lot of lift. The Bauer P92 and P08 curves are both open. The CCM Nugent-Hopkins/ P91 is pretty open.

Those are all current model curves. If you can find a Warrior stick with a Kremlin curve or, like what I have, a CCM CL with a CrazyOvi curve. Both are ridiculously open:

CrazyOvi:

Kremlin:

Also look at pro-stock sticks, there are usually a lot of pretty open curves.

Hope that helped. Just remember that some of these crazy open curves, like the CrazyOvi, makes backhands a lot harder, considering 2/3s of the stick is facing down... But they are still awesome.

I wouldn't suggest these kind of curves for beginners. Remember that he needs to nail down the proper shooting technique first. Using the Crazy Ovi as a noob will have him skying shots at first. When he gets used to it, he won't be able to use anything else.

 

[Kale Makar]

I wouldn't suggest these kind of curves for beginners. Remember that he needs to nail down the proper shooting technique first. Using the Crazy Ovi as a noob will have him skying shots at first. When he gets used to it, he won't be able to use anything else.

I used it this year and I'm a noob...

 

[Baemon Severson*]

I'm still a noob, though I can lift the puck with (relative) ease now and I was looking at getting a stick with the Kopitar curve. What are its strengths and weaknesses?

 

[mattkaminski15]

Personally, I struggled with the P92 when I was starting out. Switched to the P88 and found it much easier to elevate. Personal preference and technique dictates a lot, though.

Do you have a LHS nearby? If so, see if they have a shooting room where you can try out a bunch of types.

Hmm. I use the p88 right now and I can barely lift the puck. Luckily I'm not a sniper so I mostly shoot low but I need to get a more open curve.

 

[Sureshot]

Yeah, it struck me as a little odd too. Every shot with that stick would go along the ground, but using the P88 changed that. Again, probably something to do with technique, and I should probably revisit the P91 someday to see if I can use it now.

 

[TheRedShadow]

Get relatively flat curve (eg, Sakic) and learn to lift the puck?

 

[AIREAYE]

I wouldn't suggest these kind of curves for beginners. Remember that he needs to nail down the proper shooting technique first. Using the Crazy Ovi as a noob will have him skying shots at first. When he gets used to it, he won't be able to use anything else.

Absolutely agreed. Ridiculous recommendation.

Get relatively flat curve (eg, Sakic) and learn to lift the puck?

That curve is by no means relatively flat...

 

[Kale Makar]

Absolutely agreed. Ridiculous recommendation.

He asked for the best curve to elevate shots, and no curves do it better than those....

 

[seafoam]

The answer is the Gaborik curve.

 

[AIREAYE]

Yeah, hence 'ridiculous' lol. I've heard a few different reasons why people like that curve, all are ridiculous haha

 

[Jarick]

I highly, highly recommend starting with a P88 or similar curve. It's good all around with no drawbacks.

There are better curves for certain things, but if you can shoot and pass well with a P88 you're golden.

 

[Kale Makar]

Yeah, hence 'ridiculous' lol. I've heard a few different reasons why people like that curve, all are ridiculous haha

You really have to try using it first.

And BTW, this past season was my first time playing hockey, and I used the CrazyOvi curve. I did absolutely fine.

 

[AIREAYE]

I'm joking lol and hence, I can't believe you're serious!

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I'm still a noob, though I can lift the puck with (relative) ease now and I was looking at getting a stick with the Kopitar curve. What are its strengths and weaknesses?

Kopitar curve = P92
Good overall curve for stickhandling and snapping it top shelf at close range. I started playing hockey with this curve.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

You really have to try using it first.

And BTW, this past season was my first time playing hockey, and I used the CrazyOvi curve. I did absolutely fine.

I've used the Ovechkin curve for 3 months midway through the season, and some parts of my game definitely suffered :
-1. Backhand saucer passes : I know those can be tricky, but I can count on my fingers the number of successful attempts. The puck flutters and bounces over the intended target.

-2. Blue line slapshots : They come off like rockets (I've never shot harder with another curve than the P08), but I could barely keep them under the crossbar. I stopped taking slap shots from the blue line after I nearly ripped someone's head off.
You don't want to use a stick that will impede your performance.

All the other areas of my game were fine with it. It's a fun curve to use if you only care about sniping wrist shots top shelf or pulling toe drags.

For the noobs, I suggest again the P92. Once you're fairly used to it, move on to the Kreps curve, which is IMO the best curve available. No wonder why so many pros use it (Stamkos, Semin,... just to name a few).

 

[Oak]

My son started elevating wrist shots with a straight wooden stick at 5 years old. Just work on your shot and don't get so hung up on curves, it'll come.

 

[Kale Makar]

I've used the Ovechkin curve for 3 months midway through the season, and some parts of my game definitely suffered :
-1. Backhand saucer passes : I know those can be tricky, but I can count on my fingers the number of successful attempts. The puck flutters and bounces over the intended target.

-2. Blue line slapshots : They come off like rockets (I've never shot harder with another curve than the P08), but I could barely keep them under the crossbar. I stopped taking slap shots from the blue line after I nearly ripped someone's head off.
You don't want to use a stick that will impede your performance.

All the other areas of my game were fine with it. It's a fun curve to use if you only care about sniping wrist shots top shelf or pulling toe drags.

For the noobs, I suggest again the P92. Once you're fairly used to it, move on to the Kreps curve, which is IMO the best curve available. No wonder why so many pros use it (Stamkos, Semin,... just to name a few).

To be fair, it was never intended to be a curve for taking blueline slappers. It is made for forwards.

 

[MattGTI]

My son started elevating wrist shots with a straight wooden stick at 5 years old. Just work on your shot and don't get so hung up on curves, it'll come.

This.

Even though I only started playing organized hockey recently. 30+ years ago my dad taught me to shoot with a straight blade, wooden Koho stick. Obviously I don't suggest that. I would however suggest getting a stick with the P88 curve(as Jarick suggested), and just practice on your technique for awhile. Worry about finding a suitable curve for your game, once you develop actually having a game.

 

[Marotte Marauder]

My son started elevating wrist shots with a straight wooden stick at 5 years old. Just work on your shot and don't get so hung up on curves, it'll come.

This.

Even though I only started playing organized hockey recently. 30+ years ago my dad taught me to shoot with a straight blade, wooden Koho stick. Obviously I don't suggest that. I would however suggest getting a stick with the P88 curve(as Jarick suggested), and just practice on your technique for awhile. Worry about finding a suitable curve for your game, once you develop actually having a game.

Definitely these posts! It's rarely the stick and almost always is operator error.