johnny gaudreau 55 flex

[Alexander the Gr8]

I thought he played with a Bauer...APX2 dress?

or did he recently endorse Warrior?

He signed an endorsement deal with Warrior recently.

 

[Summer Rose]

I always thought the general rule was to use a flex that is approx 1/2 your body weight.

Remember too, it's not just how much you make the stick flex, it's how you make the stick flex. Plus, with all the different flex points now-a-days....mid kick point, low kick point - I believe Bauer (I think it was) had/has a stick with 2 kick points.

That's a generally true and broad guideline yes. It's not a bad place to start. Strength and play style can vastly influence the ideal flex, however, and some players can adapt quickly to playing with a flex they're not used to. The power that a high flex can impart into a shot isn't the only factor in choosing a flex though; for example I used to use 63" 105 flex stick for reach and poke checks. There was never any way my physically weak self was going to make use of the stick's stiffness on power of shots, but I liked the stiff flex for other reasons. After dropping all the way down to a 57" 67 flex, I had to adjust my defending style a bit but it improved my shot astronomically.

 

[KirkOut]

I always thought the general rule was to use a flex that is approx 1/2 your body weight.

Remember too, it's not just how much you make the stick flex, it's how you make the stick flex. Plus, with all the different flex points now-a-days....mid kick point, low kick point - I believe Bauer (I think it was) had/has a stick with 2 kick points.

I've literally never heard that, though I'm not a gear junkie. I'm 165-170 lbs and use 105 so I guess I am violating this rule. I've always just liked the firmer sticks. My wrist shots tended to sail when I used 85 and I didn't like that they felt a little more...I don't know the right word...fragile (?) when taking a slap shot.

 

[jorbjorb]

I tried using a 60 flex last night and it was too whippy for me. I couldn't settle the puck down with it lol

 

[tfantasy]

Lol @ this thread

 

[Elias Pettersson]

Lol @ this thread

Whats so funny?

 

[10coach*]

Whats so funny?

55 flex

 

[Elias Pettersson]

55 flex

It's good if you weight 130lbs lol. I can't flex anything else.

 

[NDiesel]

5'7" and 140 lbs. I tried a 55 flex that was cut down a bit. I much prefer a 70 flex not cut at all.

It all comes down to preference either way.

 

[ShootIt]

I now have the urge to buy a lower flex stick and try it out.

 

[Jarick]

That's nuts. I feel a lot better about dropping from 67 to 60 flex though!

 

[Elias Pettersson]

I now have the urge to buy a lower flex stick and try it out.

I recommend it! There's a undeserved stigma attached to using lower flex sticks. I'm happy Gaudreau is dispelling this. You can be a good hockey player and use whippy sticks. Heck Kessel is over 200 pounds and he uses a 75 flex.

 

[Fremitus Borealis]

I just find it interesting how much +/- 5 flex or so works in either direction. 55 is a little too low for me (stick handling is a little tough), but when I got my Bauer Supreme at 60 flex and cut about an inch off, it was perfection.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I recommend it! There's a undeserved stigma attached to using lower flex sticks. I'm happy Gaudreau is dispelling this. You can be a good hockey player and use whippy sticks. Heck Kessel is over 200 pounds and he uses a 75 flex.

And he can't take a one timer or a slap shot to save his life. It really depends which kind of player you are. I like to hang out near the top of the circles and the high slot when I play forward, so I will often use slap shots. I also play defense from time to time, and I couldn't use a wet noodle to play D.

 

[puckpilot]

When I first heard about Gaudreau's stick flex, it was like finding a kindred spirit. I'm 5'5 and I weight 180lbs. I've been as light as 165 and as heavy as 190 in the last couple of years because of health problems. Two years ago I moved from intermediate 55 flex sticks, which after being cut down were around 65-70 flex, to junior sticks. Since then, I've experimented with 40, 45, 50, and 52 flex juniors sticks, with low, mid, and variable kickpoinnts.

The results in my game were pretty significant. Though it took a small adjustment period to be able to take slappers normally again, my snap and wrist shots improved almost immediately. In my first game using a CCM 4052 mid-kick 52 flex, I beat a defender wide and snapped a shot at the top of the circle. It beat the goalie short side, over the couple of inches of opening just over his shoulder as he came across. I don't know who was more surprised me or the goalie, cause that's exactly where I was aiming, and I never hit what I aim for, at least not like that. I'm a disher not a shooter.

As I mentioned the most difficult part of the change was the slapshot. I was so use to having to exert a lot of force to flex the stick that the junior sticks felt like wet noodles. But now I barely give it a second thought. Now I can get all my shots off quicker, and it feels way more natural. If you're wondering about durability, don't, because I haven't broken a single stick, and I play center, and I've had my stick chopped and chopped. I think it helps that I always put a couple of strips of hockey tape over the lower part of the shaft to mitigate chipping.

As for shot velocity, I used my iPhone take video of me shooting at the rink at 240fps using a variety of sticks. Using that video I was able to do rough velocity calculations over sample sizes of around 50+ shots per stick. And I found some interesting trends. No matter what stick I used, the average velocity varied by only about 2mph for slap and wrists shots. So over the long run, the average wrister from a junior stick vs a intermediate stick was almost the same for me.

The differences I found came when I looked at the lowest and highest velocities. The junior sticks had lower low velocities and the intermediate sticks had higher high velocities. This means I have the potential to shoot harder with the intermediate stick. But over all IMHO I shoot better with a junior stick, in terms of technique and quickness of release.

Though, I just got a CCM Speedburner, and the puck feels like it comes off that stick with a lot more pop. It's a 50 flex.

On a side note, there are some nice side benefits to using junior sticks. A low end junior stick is still as light or lighter than most high end intermediate or senior sticks and they tend to be around $20 cheaper when compared to their intermediate and senior counterparts.

 

[Elias Pettersson]

When I first heard about Gaudreau's stick flex, it was like finding a kindred spirit. I'm 5'5 and I weight 180lbs. I've been as light as 165 and as heavy as 190 in the last couple of years because of health problems. Two years ago I moved from intermediate 55 flex sticks, which after being cut down were around 65-70 flex, to junior sticks. Since then, I've experimented with 40, 45, 50, and 52 flex juniors sticks, with low, mid, and variable kickpoinnts.

The results in my game were pretty significant. Though it took a small adjustment period to be able to take slappers normally again, my snap and wrist shots improved almost immediately. In my first game using a CCM 4052 mid-kick 52 flex, I beat a defender wide and snapped a shot at the top of the circle. It beat the goalie short side, over the couple of inches of opening just over his shoulder as he came across. I don't know who was more surprised me or the goalie, cause that's exactly where I was aiming, and I never hit what I aim for, at least not like that. I'm a disher not a shooter.

As I mentioned the most difficult part of the change was the slapshot. I was so use to having to exert a lot of force to flex the stick that the junior sticks felt like wet noodles. But now I barely give it a second thought. Now I can get all my shots off quicker, and it feels way more natural. If you're wondering about durability, don't, because I haven't broken a single stick, and I play center, and I've had my stick chopped and chopped. I think it helps that I always put a couple of strips of hockey tape over the lower part of the shaft to mitigate chipping.

As for shot velocity, I used my iPhone take video of me shooting at the rink at 240fps using a variety of sticks. Using that video I was able to do rough velocity calculations over sample sizes of around 50+ shots per stick. And I found some interesting trends. No matter what stick I used, the average velocity varied by only about 2mph for slap and wrists shots. So over the long run, the average wrister from a junior stick vs a intermediate stick was almost the same for me.

The differences I found came when I looked at the lowest and highest velocities. The junior sticks had lower low velocities and the intermediate sticks had higher high velocities. This means I have the potential to shoot harder with the intermediate stick. But over all IMHO I shoot better with a junior stick, in terms of technique and quickness of release.

Though, I just got a CCM Speedburner, and the puck feels like it comes off that stick with a lot more pop. It's a 50 flex.

On a side note, there are some nice side benefits to using junior sticks. A low end junior stick is still as light or lighter than most high end intermediate or senior sticks and they tend to be around $20 cheaper when compared to their intermediate and senior counterparts.

I would like to try using a lower flex junior stick, but they're usually too short. How do you get around that?

 

[puckpilot]

I would like to try using a lower flex junior stick, but they're usually too short. How do you get around that?

For me, I just use the tallest junior sticks I can find, 52" from heel to buttend. This is as short a stick as I feel comfortable using. It comes up around an inch or two below my chin when I'm on skates. This limits my options on what brands I can use. CCM, Sherwood, and Graf is what I'm using right now.

My prefered brand is the Warrior QR series but they're too short, 51". I tried adding a extension to bring it up to 52" but it killed some of the feel for me. Though I'm still trying to make it work. But it could be an option that works for you for on say a CCM stick. Adding an inch will change the flex to around 48 flex though. Which IMHO still workable.

How tall are you? Intermediate 55 flex sticks I believe come in at 57". I think there may be some that are 56".

So cutting down one of those, you end up with around a 60flex stick. Which might work for you if you're taller.

 

[Elias Pettersson]

For me, I just use the tallest junior sticks I can find, 52" from heel to buttend. This is as short a stick as I feel comfortable using. It comes up around an inch or two below my chin when I'm on skates. This limits my options on what brands I can use. CCM, Sherwood, and Graf is what I'm using right now.

My prefered brand is the Warrior QR series but they're too short, 51". I tried adding a extension to bring it up to 52" but it killed some of the feel for me. Though I'm still trying to make it work. But it could be an option that works for you for on say a CCM stick. Adding an inch will change the flex to around 48 flex though. Which IMHO still workable.

How tall are you? Intermediate 55 flex sticks I believe come in at 57". I think there may be some that are 56".

So cutting down one of those, you end up with around a 60flex stick. Which might work for you if you're taller.

5'7 so not that much taller than you, but just enough that Junior sticks would be too short for me.

 

[puckpilot]

5'7 so not that much taller than you, but just enough that Junior sticks would be too short for me.

Have you taken a look at Easton intermediate sticks? They only go as low as 60flex but their length is 53.5". For Easton, they shorten the stick as the flex goes lower. I have a Stealth 7.0 intermediate. It's really light. If I hadn't been able to go down to junior, this would be the stick I'd probably be using.

Man, I hope one day stick manufacturers start filling in the gaps for short people who like to use really low flexes.

 

[Elias Pettersson]

Have you taken a look at Easton intermediate sticks? They only go as low as 60flex but their length is 53.5". For Easton, they shorten the stick as the flex goes lower. I have a Stealth 7.0 intermediate. It's really light. If I hadn't been able to go down to junior, this would be the stick I'd probably be using.

Man, I hope one day stick manufacturers start filling in the gaps for short people who like to use really low flexes.

Yeah, currently I'm using an intermediate Warrior Dynasty AX2 in 55 flex. I cut it down a bit so it's probably closer to 60-65.
I'd definitely want to try a lower flex just to see what it's like after reading your reply.

 

[Bedards Dad]

As someone who uses 105 I can't even fathom trying to take a slapshot with this stick.

How tall are you and what do you weigh? Odds are thats far to stiff unless you are 6'2 and 230+

 

[Bedards Dad]

And he can't take a one timer or a slap shot to save his life. It really depends which kind of player you are. I like to hang out near the top of the circles and the high slot when I play forward, so I will often use slap shots. I also play defense from time to time, and I couldn't use a wet noodle to play D.

interesting

 

[puckpilot]

Yeah, currently I'm using an intermediate Warrior Dynasty AX2 in 55 flex. I cut it down a bit so it's probably closer to 60-65.
I'd definitely want to try a lower flex just to see what it's like after reading your reply.

I was just on Warrior's site. They do custom sticks. I checked they can make 54" juniors and 55" intermediates. Couldn't figure out how to get pricing. But I can't imagine it being cheap.

Any way I was there to use their site to email them about considering making shorter intermediates and/or taller junior sticks. I figured it'd be worth a shot. Maybe after hearing about Gaudreau enough people will contact them suggesting this to make them consider it.

 

[PCDiesel]

I'm 6 foot 190, and use a 102 flex. Wrist shot suffers a little, but clapper is pure gold with that flex.

 

[Frankie Spankie]

I'm 6'2" and use a 65 flex, then I put a wooden extension on it for an inch or two. I personally love it. I don't remember why I tried getting a 65 one day but I did and have tried going back to 85 since then, I don't like it. I wouldn't be against even trying the 55 flex but 65 feels great to me.