There has been a lot of discussion about the pros and cons of wood versus composite hockey sticks in the NHL over the past few years. The fact is that wooden hockey sticks are almost extinct in the NHL. But what about the recreational gamer? Wooden hockey sticks are a very viable and sometimes preferred option. We are going to cover the pros and cons of each suit.
The advantages of the newer composite clubs are many. The clubs are lighter, are more consistent from one club to the next, and have been designed to give the player a faster swing. The fastest hitting comes from the lower kick points on composite clubs. The kick point is the play on the hockey puck where the stick bends when you hit the puck. With wooden shafts, the curve tends to be where you place your bottom hand. This causes a longer and slower charge and release cycle. Low kick tip compound drumsticks place the flex point at the bottom of the shaft near the blade. This provides a shorter load and release cycle and the net result is a faster shot.
If you’ve played hockey before, there’s a good chance you started with a wooden hockey stick and it’s still a good choice for today’s beginning hockey players. Wood hockey sticks are significantly less expensive than composite hockey sticks and this certainly helps the budget when you are just starting out and have to equip yourself with all the necessary equipment to play hockey. Another advantage of wooden sticks is that they give a better feel for the puck to beginning players. After you’ve been playing hockey for a while, you’ll be better able to judge the qualities of hockey sticks and how they suit your style of play. That’s a good point to investigate whether or not a composite hockey stick makes sense for you.
For a beginning player, a wooden stick is an excellent first hockey stick. In your early years of playing hockey, the advantages of a composite hockey stick over a wood one may be beyond your ability to take advantage of. The only exception to this is the lighter weight of the composite clubs. Beyond that price, it is usually the factor that most influences the decision to buy wood versus composite. The key to determining is whether the benefits of a composite club are worth the added cost to you.
After making your selection, you still need to choose the blade pattern that matches your preferences and whether you shoot right or left handed. Your pole should be long enough to come up to your chin area when you’re standing on skates, and hold the pole vertically with one end on the ice in front of you. Hockey sticks also have a flex in their shafts just like golf clubs. You will need a pushup that suits your ability, style, overall body weight, and strength.
In the end it all comes down to a personal choice. You should try a wide variety of drumsticks to find the one that best suits your skills and your budget. As your skills and experience improve over time, your “perfect” hockey stick will also evolve.