P12 Curve: The Forgotten Bauer Blade for Two-Way Players – and the SOYUZ Alternatives
Last updated: October 2026
Some curves everyone knows – P92, P28, P88. And some curves just disappear. The Bauer P12 is one of them. No hype, no toe-drag reels, no Instagram darling. Yet players still swear by it, and every year people ask us: “Can I still get a P12 anywhere?” The honest answer: not one-to-one. But we have two blades that come very close.
What is the P12?
The P12 is a heel-mid curve: the bend sits between the heel and the middle of the blade, not out at the toe. Add a large blade, a square toe and a rather closed character. Bauer carried it for years; today you hardly see it at retail. HockeyStickMan puts it in the same family as the CCM P38 (Forsberg), CCM P45 (Tavares), Warrior W16 (Karlsson) and the Easton E9 – patterns that used to go by names like Datsyuk, Heatley or Pavelski.
The names tell you what it's about: not the flashiest shot in the league, but players who read the game, win pucks and work both ways.
What the P12 does well
Passing and receiving – on both sides. The fairly flat heel is its big strength. Passes come off cleanly on the forehand and the backhand, hard feeds stick to the blade. If you play a lot of backhand, you'll feel the difference to any toe curve right away.
Holding the puck in traffic. The bend in the middle gives the puck a safe pocket. In the corner, on the boards, in the crowd in front of the net: the P12 doesn't give the puck up easily.
A big surface for defending. Closing passing lanes, picking off pucks, tipping shots in front – a large blade with a square toe simply has the edge here. In the corners and on faceoffs, too.
Controlled shots from the point. Because the bend sits further back, slapshots and one-timers stay lower and more controlled. Ideal for defensemen who shoot for tips and rebounds.
Where it falls short
Honestly: the P12 isn't built for snipers. The wrist shot takes some getting used to, and the puck rises more slowly than with a P28 or P92. And there's no hook up front for toe drags and tight dangles – the square toe doesn't make that easier. If you score from the slot with a quick release, a mid-toe or toe curve will serve you better.
Who is the P12 for?
For two-way forwards and defensemen whose strengths are playmaking and defense. For centers who take lots of faceoffs and backhand passes. And for everyone who used to play a P12 and never found anything like it again.
The SOYUZ alternatives: P41 and P8TM
First, so nobody orders the wrong thing: SOYUZ also has a blade called P12 – and one called P38. Neither has anything to do with the Bauer P12 or the CCM P38. SOYUZ uses its own numbering. If you're after the P12 feel, these are your two:
SOYUZ P41 – the closest blade to the P12. Heel-mid bend, a large blade with a square toe and a calm, rather flat line towards the tip. Exactly the package that defines the P12: safe passes on both sides, lots of surface for defending and controlled shots from the point. SOYUZ lie 6.5.
SOYUZ P8TM – the P12 with more bite. Same length, but more curve in the middle and clearly more toe. If you like the P12's passing but want a little more help on the wrist shot, this is the one. The P8TM clearly leans towards the Datsyuk blade. SOYUZ lie 6.5 or 7. Important: the P8TM is left-handed (LH) only.
You order both as a Pro Custom blade from 3 sticks, delivery time 4–6 weeks. Everything about choosing your lie is in our lie article. In the Curve Lab you can put the two side by side: P41 vs. P8TM in 3D.
Measured: P41 and P8TM next to P92 and P88
From SOYUZ's 3D data, all values in millimetres. Offset = how far the blade bends away from a straight line at the middle and at the tip.
| Curve | Blade length | Height | Offset mid | Offset tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P41 | 289.1 | 77.2 | 3.4 | 6.6 |
| P8TM | 289.1 | 74.2 | 5.1 | 11.5 |
| P92 | 290.0 | 74.9 | 6.1 | 10.8 |
| P88 | 276.3 | 72.4 | 2.0 | 4.9 |
What the numbers say: the P41 is long and, at 77 mm, clearly taller than the others – that's the large blade you know from the P12. Its curve is flat and sits at the back. The P8TM is just as long but has more curve and almost as much opening at the tip as a P92. See for yourself: P41 vs. P92 in 3D.
Don't need 3 sticks? Alternatives from 1 stick
Pro Custom means 3 sticks minimum. If you only want one, two of our standard blades are good fallbacks:
P88 – flat and balanced on forehand and backhand. If what you loved about the P12 was the passing, you'll feel at home quickly.
P92 – more curve in the middle and at the toe. The choice if the P12 sometimes felt too flat when shooting.
Both are available as a custom stick from a single stick.
Which shaft goes with it?
The P12 is a blade for control, not for the fastest release – and the shaft can reflect that. Defensemen with a big slapshot do well with the CLASSIC SPR (high kick), two-way players with the MASTER FRST (mid kick) or the HIT GRIT (hybrid kick). More in our kick point guide.
FAQ
Is the Bauer P12 still available? Practically not at retail anymore. The closest SOYUZ blades are the P41 and the P8TM.
Is the SOYUZ P12 the same blade as the Bauer P12? No. The SOYUZ P12 is a different blade with the same name. If you want the Bauer P12, pick the P41 or the P8TM.
Is the P12 good for defensemen? Yes. Big blade, controlled shots from the point, safe passes on both sides – that's exactly what it's made for. At SOYUZ, the P41 is the first choice for that.
P41 or P8TM? P41 if you want the P12 as calm and flat as possible. P8TM if you want a bit more curve and more help on the wrist shot – and you shoot left.
What's the minimum order? P41 and P8TM from 3 sticks as a Pro Custom blade. Delivery time 4–6 weeks.
SOYUZ HIT GRIT
SOYUZ AURORA
SOYUZ ARCANE
