What is the right length for an ice hockey stick?

How long should my ice hockey stick be?

Does the length of the ice hockey stick affect performance?

The length of the hockey stick can significantly influence a player’s game. A stick that is not the right length can negatively impact both the stick’s performance and the player’s abilities.

Which parts of your performance are influenced by the stick’s length?

• Puck control: The overall ability to control the puck.
• Shooting: The flexibility (or flex) of the stick is affected by its length.
• Receiving passes: The stick lies flat on the ice (see Crosby).
• Reach: Some players require maximum reach to cover a larger area (mostly defenders).

How does this affect my hockey stick?

If it is too long, the blade of your stick may wear out quickly. Tip: If you play roller hockey, you can easily identify wear patterns. If one part of your stick wears out faster than the rest, you might need to adjust the height and angle.

What are the general guidelines?

When standing upright and looking straight ahead, the stick should rest in front of your body (blade tip on the ground) and reach between your chin and nose. On skates, it should reach about up to your chin.

Which type of player might prefer a shorter/longer stick?

• Short ice hockey stick:
  • “The Dangler”: Players who excel in puck handling often prefer shorter sticks. A short stick makes puck movement easier as it is lighter (less material) and more maneuverable around the body. Many players who are skilled at puck handling keep the puck close to their body for protection while performing a trick. A short hockey stick facilitates these movements.
• Average-length ice hockey stick:
  • “The Grinder”: Fighters enjoy going into corners, digging pucks out, and causing chaos in front of the net. With an average-length stick, you can handle the puck effectively, execute stick checks, intercept passes, and take slap shots.
• Long ice hockey stick:
  • “The Defender”: Defenders often have the longest sticks on the team. A long hockey stick provides more reach, making it easier to poke the puck away from attackers, intercept passes, and stop the puck before it exits the defensive zone. Defenders are also known for hard slap shots, and a longer stick (with proper technique) offers more power for slap shots.

Disclaimer: While the points mentioned above are common in hockey, they are not absolute truths. Some defenders use short sticks, while some players who excel at puck handling use longer sticks (e.g., Jack Eichel, Dylan Larkin). These tips are designed to help beginners find a starting length but don’t hesitate to try something new!

What role does personal preference play?

Personal preferences are incredibly important! Make sure to ask yourself, “Does it feel good in my hands?” General guidelines exist for a reason, and it’s unlikely you’ll drastically improve your game using an unusually short or long stick unless you’re playing at a high level. Experienced players know what length they like and can feel uneasy with changes.

• Gretzky used a short stick...
• Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights uses a longer stick (165cm shaft) and regularly ranks among the league’s top 10 in takeaways. He also uses an extremely large tape knob on his stick, but that’s another story.

What are some common mistakes people make regarding stick length?

• When buying an expensive hockey stick, players and parents are often nervous about the player outgrowing it, so they sometimes leave it too long. Solution: Cut it to the proper length and use an extension if needed as the player grows. Unfortunately, a 350 CHF hockey stick doesn’t mean it lasts long. In fact, newer sticks seem to break more easily than older ones. Fortunately, we offer hockey sticks at low prices to ease the pain a bit when a stick breaks or is outgrown.
• A young child receives a hockey stick broken by a pro/junior, etc., and cannot bend it. Solution: Hang it in the living room or use it for roller hockey and purchase one of the correct size.
• A player gets a larger stick for more slap shot power in practice and now uses it in games. Solution: Fair, but the slap shot is most effective when you can release it quickly and hit the net or get it through traffic in front. There’s a good chance you’re sacrificing a significant part of your game (puck control) for a minor advantage.

Looking for a longer hockey stick?

Since all our hockey sticks are freshly produced, the sticks are available in extended height. You can find all our stick models (YHT, JR, INT, SR) here. We measure all our sticks standing with the blade tip on the ground.

We hope we could help with your decision on stick length. :) Good information about choosing hockey sticks is also available at Hockeystickman.