PM9 Curve Measured: The Flattest Blade – and the SOYUZ Alternative That Actually Fits

Last updated: 25 October 2026 · by Andri Farrer

The PM9 is the blade for players who do not want help from their blade. No built-in lift, no toe hook that flicks the puck up for you. Instead you get a backhand that feels like a second forehand and passes that stay flat. That is why PM9 players almost always ask us the same thing: "What do I use when I can't find a PM9 anymore?"

In this update we answer that with numbers instead of gut feeling: we measured the SOYUZ blades that come closest to the PM9 from the factory CAD files and put them next to the P88, P29 and P28.

What is the PM9 – and how flat is it really?

The PM9 is a Bauer pattern. Hockey Stick Man calls it "the straightest curve offered at retail" and describes it as a very slight heel/mid curve with a round toe and a slightly open face. Inline Warehouse's curve chart lists it as a mid-heel curve with a round toe, medium length and a closed face. So retailers don't fully agree on the face – but on everything else they do:

• Curve: very slight, heel to mid
• Face: closed to slightly open – clearly less open than a P92/P29 or P28
• Toe: round
• Length: medium

Worth knowing: Bauer's current Blade Pattern Guide (ca.bauer.com, October 2026) no longer shows the PM9. It lists the P92, P92M, P28, P88, P90TM and P28Y. Bauer doesn't say there whether the PM9 is gone for good or just no longer listed. For you it means: the PM9 is getting harder to find in stores – and the question of an alternative matters more.

Does Sidney Crosby use a PM9?

Not exactly – but close. Crosby uses a modified PM9, a pro custom blade in exactly this direction. Hockey Stick Man had one of his sticks in hand and describes the blade as "almost flat" compared to the P29; as the closest retail match the site names the CCM P14 or Bauer PM9 – which are even slightly more curved. According to the same source he also uses a very low lie. Those specs come from a 2020 spec check; we leave out which stick model he uses today until we have a current source.

Other names retailers connect with the PM9: Hockey Stick Man mentions Steven Stamkos. And if you like it even flatter and longer, take a look at Leon Draisaitl's stick – his pro stock blade belongs to the same family but is even more extreme.

The SOYUZ alternatives to the PM9 – measured

SOYUZ does not offer a PM9. There is, however, one Pro Custom blade that goes exactly in this direction, and one standard blade you can order from 1 stick. The values come from the SOYUZ CAD files and are the same ones you see in the Curve Lab. For comparison we added the P29 and P28, the two most played blades in our shop.

Blade	Hand	Blade length	Height	Curve depth	Opening mid	Opening toe	Available as
P119	LH only	286.9 mm	73.0 mm	7.6 mm	3.6°	6.9°	Pro Custom from 3 sticks
P88	LH + RH	276.3 mm	72.4 mm	13.3 mm	2.0°	4.9°	Custom from 1 stick + in stock
P29	LH + RH	285.3 mm	74.2 mm	12.1 mm	6.4°	11.2°	Custom from 1 stick + in stock
P28	LH + RH	273.1 mm	74.1 mm	11.2 mm	5.6°	11.6°	Custom from 1 stick + in stock

Curve depth = how deep the blade is curved from heel to toe. Opening = face angle in the middle and at the toe (more degrees = more open = more lift). Small differences between shaft series are possible. We deliberately left the lie out of the table – our lie article explains why.

How to read the table

• The P119 is the real "straight" blade. 7.6 mm of curve depth – that is number 3 out of 128 blade files in the Curve Lab. The P29 is curved more than 50 % deeper at 12.1 mm. On top of that, it opens very little (3.6° / 6.9°). That is the closest to what retailers write about the PM9. Lie according to the SOYUZ list: 5 (SOYUZ number).
• The P88 is the most closed, but not the flattest. 2.0° in the middle and 4.9° at the toe: none of our eight standard blades available from 1 stick is more closed. In return, at 13.3 mm it is curved deeper than the P119. If what you love about the PM9 is mainly control and the backhand, the P88 is the best blade from 1 stick. More in our P88 article.

Bottom line: if you shoot left and really want a PM9, take the P119. Right-handed shooters have it harder: SOYUZ currently has no true PM9 alternative for RH – for you the P88 is the most control-oriented choice. And if you don't want to order 3 sticks, take the P88 as well.

Why almost nobody plays a PM9 anymore

A number from our own shop: of 270 SOYUZ player sticks we shipped between 22 July and 19 October 2026, 90 % had one of seven open standard blades: P29 (26 %), P28 (24 %), P86 (11 %), P92 (9 %), P90TM (7 %), P29M (7 %) and P28M (6 %). The P88 and all Pro Custom blades together share the remaining 10 %.

There is a reason for that: open blades make it easier to get the puck up, and that is what almost everyone wants today. The PM9 goes the other way. It asks for more technique to lift the puck – and gives you control in return. Whether that is the better deal for you depends on your game, not on the trend.

What the PM9 is good at – and what it isn't

Strengths

• Backhand: with so little curve, the back of the blade is almost flat. Backhand passes, chips along the boards and backhand finishes feel natural.
• Passing: flat, hard passes stay down. Receptions bounce off less.
• Predictability: the blade does little on its own. What you do is what happens.
• Flat, accurate shots: ideal for shots just above the ice and for tips in front of the net.

Weaknesses

• Less lift than a P92/P29 or P28 – high shots need more technique
• Not made for toe drags and aggressive toe releases
• Less forgiving: sloppy technique shows immediately

Who is the PM9 direction ideal for?

• Centers: lots of faceoffs, lots of backhand, lots of passes under pressure.
• Defensemen: clean outlet passes, low shots from the blue line, backhand along the boards. See also: which stick suits which position.
• Playmakers: if your game runs through passing and vision, not highlight-reel finishes.
• Old-school players: if you started with almost straight blades 15 years ago, a P28 often feels lost in your hands.

Probably not for you if you mainly want to snipe high and fast, work a lot with the toe or rely on an open blade. Then the P29/P92 or the P28 is the better choice.

The PM9 at other brands

Brand	Similar pattern	Source / note
Bauer	PM9	Original; no longer listed in Bauer's current pattern guide
CCM	P14 ("Duchene")	according to Hockey Stick Man
Warrior	W01 ("Scheifele")	according to Hockey Stick Man
SOYUZ	P119 (LH only)	closest relative according to our CAD data, Pro Custom from 3 sticks
SOYUZ from 1 stick	P88	most closed standard blade, LH + RH

Important: brand equivalents are always "similar", never identical. Shapes change slightly by year and product line. And the same name means nothing – a SOYUZ blade with the same code as a Bauer blade is not automatically the same shape.

How to order your PM9 alternative

1. Check your hand: left shot → P119 (or P88). Right shot → P88. Not sure? Here's how to find your side.
2. Check the quantity: the P119 is a Pro Custom blade from 3 sticks. Only need one stick? Then go with the P88.
3. Pick the model: the blade is one thing, the shaft another. The Stick Finder tells you in five questions which of the seven SOYUZ shafts suits you.
4. Configure: in our custom sticks under "Pro Custom (more blades)". Production takes 4–6 weeks. How it works step by step: ordering a custom stick.
5. Want to play right away? The P88 is in stock on the AURORA (depending on flex and side, as of 25 October 2026) – order by 2 pm and in Switzerland it usually arrives the next day.

A tip from PM9 players: many play their stick on the short side so the flat blade sits cleanly on the ice when the puck is close to the body. How to cut properly: cutting or extending your hockey stick.

PM9 FAQ

Is the Bauer PM9 still available?

It is no longer listed in the current Blade Pattern Guide on ca.bauer.com (October 2026). You can still find leftover stock and pro stock sticks with a PM9 in some stores.

Is the PM9 the flattest curve?

At retail it is one of the flattest – Hockey Stick Man calls it the straightest retail curve. At SOYUZ, the P119 with 7.6 mm of curve depth is one of the three flattest blades in the whole Curve Lab.

Which SOYUZ blade is closest to the PM9?

For left-handed shooters the P119: flat and only slightly open. For right-handed shooters SOYUZ currently has no true PM9 alternative – the P88 is the best choice there. From 1 stick, the P88 is the most control-oriented choice anyway.

Does Sidney Crosby use a PM9?

He uses a modified PM9 as a pro custom blade. Hockey Stick Man describes it as almost flat and names the CCM P14 or Bauer PM9 as the closest retail blades.

PM9 or P88 – what's the difference?

The P88 is more closed (2.0° / 4.9° opening) but curved deeper (13.3 mm). The PM9 direction (P119 at SOYUZ) is flatter, but slightly more open. Both are control blades; the P88 is the easier all-rounder.

Can I see the P119 in 3D in the Curve Lab?

Yes: P119 vs. P88 in the Curve Lab. You can also compare it against the P29 or P28 there.

Conclusion

The PM9 is not a trend blade. It is a decision for control, backhand and flat passes – against easy lift. If that is how you play: at SOYUZ the P119 is the most honest PM9 alternative for left-handed shooters, and the P88 is the best choice for right-handed shooters, for anyone who only wants one stick – and for anyone who needs it tomorrow.

Still not sure? Take the Stick Finder or put the blades side by side in the Curve Lab. Then head over to the SOYUZ custom sticks.

Related curves: P88 measured · P29 / P92 · P28 · P02 / P05 Lidström · Draisaitl's flat blade · Curve Guide 2026

Sources: SOYUZ CAD data (Curve Lab, SOYUZ blade list 13 Oct 2026), ABSHockey order data 22 Jul–19 Oct 2026, Hockey Stick Man ("Bauer PM9 the straightest curve on the market", 2022; "Which stick does Sidney Crosby use", 2020), Inline Warehouse Bauer curve chart, Bauer Blade Pattern Guide (ca.bauer.com, accessed 25 Oct 2026).