Hockey sticks are believed to date back to the mid 1800s in what is present day Atlantic Canada. Originally made entirely of wood with a straight blade, hockey sticks have since been redesigned in many ways before ending up in the current form used by pro players and shinny enthusiasts alike.
But how and why did hockey players stop using wooden hockey sticks? With more expensive composite sticks now being the norm, there are several reasons why stick manufacturers moved away from wood.
Hockey players moved away from heavy wood hockey sticks in the 1950s when lighter fiberglass-wrapped blades offering a quicker shot were designed. Even lighter aluminum shafts were added in the 1990s and by 2001, the first one-piece composite hockey stick was made, offering more power and customization over wood.
Over time, certain features and benefits were discovered in some cases by accident as players looked for advantages over competitors and manufacturers looked for better ways to build sticks.
Let’s take a closer look at the the design of hockey sticks and why manufacturers moved away from a strictly wooden stick design to one that is more expensive.
Hockey stick design advancements
Hockey sticks were originally made in one piece from either birch or hornbeam. By the 1920s, two-piece sticks were additionally built with ash, maple, aspen and other woods as manufacturers began experimenting with different designs.
While original wood sticks were desired for their heavy weight, over time players and manufacturers alike realized that lighter sticks were easier to handle and produced harder shots. Just like baseball bat manufacturers tried to come up with ways to build a strong but light bat that was easier and quicker to swing, a lighter hockey stick produced a more powerful shot which came to be more desirable.
Sticks were originally designed with a flat blade but a curved blade of no more than 0.75″ is now allowed in the National Hockey League (NHL). It’s claimed that Chicago Blackhawks player Stan Mikita accidentally discovered the benefit of a curved blade after he cracked his stick and continued using it with a curve. He quickly discovered the benefits of a curve on the blade and it caught on.
In actuality, it appears that the initial use of a curved blade may date back to the 1920s but it wasn’t until Mikita tried in the 1950s that it became a trend that exists to this date. It’s an example of how hockey sticks have evolved over many decades whether by design or accident.
What are hockey sticks made offc?
While hockey sticks were initially one-piece and made 100% from wood, they quickly transitioned to two-piece designs that incorporated other materials like fiberglass, aluminum, graphite and carbon that helped to make them lighter and easier to handle.
Here are the major components of hockey stick over the years.
Wood
Wood hockey sticks were initially prized for their heavy weight which can come in handy when stickhandling and checking an opponent. Over time, it was discovered that a lighter hockey stick could produce a quicker and harder shot on goal, which was soon seen as a greater benefit.
Players got quicker, bigger and stronger and the game of hockey progressed beyond backhand and wrist shots to include more slapshots and skilled stick handling. It’s only natural that their equipment would also progress and stick manufacturers began to experiment with modern materials and design.
Having said that, wooden hockey sticks were also far cheaper and more durable than some of their replacements which helps to explain why wood was used for so long.
Fiberglass
In the 1950s, hockey blades began to be built using wrapped fiberglass which helped to lighten the weight of the stick. Fiberglass is prized for its strength and durability and is widely used in commercial applications around the world in many different industries as a result.
As a result of switching to a fiberglass wrap, manufacturers were able to change the actual blade from heavy ash wood to lighter aspen which further reduced the weight of the stick while adding lamination and enabling the fiberglass wrap to add strength to the blade.
Aluminum
While aluminum baseball bats were first introduced to US college games in 1974, it wasn’t until the 1990s that aluminum hockey sticks popped up. While the first aluminum hockey sticks came out in the 1980s, they were seen as inferior to existing wood products and didn’t gain some acceptance until Wayne Gretzky began using a stick with an aluminum shaft from Easton while playing for the LA Kings during the 1989-90 season.
Still, the general thought was that the new aluminum shaft sticks didn’t have the same feel as a traditional wooden hockey stick and didn’t really catch on as a result.
To date Major League Baseball (MLB) still uses wooden bats and does not allow aluminum although they were used in the NHL for a time.
Composite
The next phase of hockey stick design was the introduction of a composite hockey blade in 1995. The first attempt at composite sticks was frustrating for many pro players as blades often snapped from hard slapshots and even from pro players winding up and placing great strain on the sticks as they leaned on them or slashed an opponent.
Many NHL games featured players breaking sticks during play and having to quickly skate to the bench in frustration for a replacement. As time went on, improvements were made and while composite sticks are far more expensive and do tend to break more frequently than pure wood, the benefits largely outweigh the negatives.
Whereas initial composite sticks were two-piece and made of wood and fiberglass, current composite sticks are one-piece and are the norm for pro players since around 2001. Modern sticks are made largely with multiple layers of carbon fiber and graphite among other materials.
Composite hockey sticks are lighter than wood and also provide more power leading to harder shots.
Another benefit of composite sticks is that they can be made more consistently than wood using modern manufacturing techniques. Whereas wood is a natural resource that can differ from tree to tree and with different tree types, composite materials are more consistent and uniform in design.
Wood vs composite wood hockey sticks compared
Since wood and composite hockey sticks represent the past and present of ice hockey, let’s take a quick look at the two styles to see how they compare. You may hear composite sticks referred to as a composite wood hockey stick but they tend to be made from components other than wood.
Let’s take a closer look at the materials used for both wood and composite hockey sticks and other relevant details.
| Wood hockey sticks | Composite hockey sticks | |
| Material | Pure wood typically from ash, birch, aspen, maple and others. | Made from carbon and graphite but may also incorporate the use of Kevlar, epoxy, nylon, urethane and other components. |
| Weight | Heavier than composite sticks which made them durable and less likely to break but tends to produce slower shots. | Lighter than wood sticks leading to more powerful shots but they tend to break more. |
| Strength | Very strong and heavy. | Becoming stronger as manufacturing techniques and materials are improved upon. |
| Durability | Very durable and they break less than composites. | Less durable than wood and they break more frequently but designs are getting better and durability is increasing. |
| Feel | Players were hesitant to switch to fiberglass sticks in the past due to the lack of feel compared to wood which was up until that point, the norm for sticks. Wood sticks are generally considered to give players a nice feel. | Over time, the feel of composite sticks has been improved by altering the blend of materials used and by adding features to dampen vibrations. It also approximates the feel of wood while offering the lightness of aluminum. |
| Consistency | Less consistent since wood is a natural material that grows and thus can differ from tree to tree. | More consistent since modern manufacturing processes are used and since composite materials can be uniformly produced. |
| Cost | Cheaper than composite. | Very expensive and given that they break more frequently, more expensive to replace. |
| Customization | Very little. Wooden hockey stick blades could be heated and manually bent. Different length sticks were offered and occasionally brands may have two color options. | Very customizable in terms of blade curve, flex, kick point, colors, grip, height, weight and graphics. |
| Other | Often suggested as a learner stick for young players to learn the game of hockey. | Customizable and offer many brands and models that each have specific advantages depending on what you want in a stick. |
Why are hockey sticks taped?
From a young age, hockey players – even road hockey players – tape their sticks at the very top of the stick, on the shaft and around the blade. Black and white cloth tape is typically used.
Why is this?
Players tape hockey sticks at the top of the stick to make it easier to pick up when dropped. Hockey players wear large oversize protective gloves that can be difficult to pick small items up. By taping the top of the stick, it makes it easier for a player to quickly grab a stick that has fallen flat on the ice.
By taping a large knob at the top of the stick it also give the player something to grab if the stick comes loose or if another player tries to pull it out of their hands.
Taping the shaft of the stick can help a player get a better grip on the stick especially during a game where another player tries to grab it out of their hands or during a scrum while fighting for the puck.
By taping the blade, it helps to protect it every time a player takes a hard shot and for kids learning the game, it can help give them a slightly better feel of the puck. Hockey players can hit slapshots in excess of 100 mph (161 km/h) with the hardest shot on record courtesy of defenceman Zdedo Chara who once hit a confirmed 108.8 mph (175.1 km/h) in 2012.
Protective tape can help to extend the life of the blade and thus the stick.
Major hockey stick manufacturers and brands
Most hockey sticks brands traditionally come from North America and Europe from hockey playing countries such as Canada, USA and Finland. Popular stick manufacturers that exist today include:
- Bauer (Canada)
- Easton (USA)
- Warrior (USA)
- CCM (Canada)
- SHERWOOD (Canada)
Stick brands from the past that old time hockey players will remember include KOHO, Canadien, Titan, Playmaker, Victoriaville, Northland and Christian among others.
While hockey sticks were traditionally made in Canada and the US, most are now assembled in China for export.
Popular hockey sticks to consider
Here’s a table discussing various facts and specifications regarding popular hockey sticks to consider purchasing:
| Hockey Stick Model | Material | Flex | Blade Curve | Grip Type | Usage Level | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bauer Vapor Flylite | Carbon Fiber | Low-Med | P92 (Ovechkin) | Griptac | Elite/Pro | Quick release, lightweight |
| CCM Ribcor Trigger 4 | Composite | Mid-High | P29 (Crosby) | Tacky grip | Elite/Pro | Enhanced control, optimized shot |
| Warrior Alpha DX | Carbon Fiber | Mid | W03 (WristShot) | Pro grip | Intermediate | Precision accuracy, responsive |
| Easton Synergy GX | Composite | Low | E3 (Hall) | Clear grip | Elite/Pro | Enhanced puck feel, balanced |
| True AX9 | Carbon Fiber | Mid | TC2 (TC2S) | Soft grip | Elite/Pro | Customizable flex, accuracy |
| Sherwood Rekker EK365 | Carbon Fiber | Mid-High | PP26 (Pacioretty) | Griptac | Intermediate | Durable, versatile curve |
Remember that the specifics of these hockey sticks can vary based on different models and versions. This table is just a general overview and it’s important to research each stick’s details before making a purchase decision.
Summary
While hockey players used solid wood sticks in the past, over time the manufacturing of sticks and the game of hockey developed into a more skilled, faster paced game that placed more emphasis on harder shots. This was accomplished with the design of lighter composite sticks which over time have mimicked wooden sticks in terms of feel and offer more consistency in design.
Modern composite hockey sticks are also very customizable for players more so than in the past when sticks were largely available in different lengths only.
Do any NHL players use wooden sticks? Click here to find out!