How Hockey Sticks Evolved From Wood to High-Tech Equipment
From Stan Mikita's curved blade to Wayne Gretzky's aluminum stick and today's carbon-fiber designs, hockey's most important tool has changed the way NHL players shoot.
Athletes World
• From traditional wooden blades to lightweight carbon-fiber designs, hockey sticks have evolved through decades of innovation, helping NHL players shoot faster, release the puck quicker and gain greater control on the ice.
In the early 1960s, Chicago Blackhawks star Stan Mikita discovered that a damaged hockey stick could give him an advantage.
After the wooden blade bent during practice, Mikita tried shooting with it instead of replacing it. The puck came off differently, and he liked the results.
Mikita began experimenting with curved blades, and teammate Bobby Hull soon joined him. The curve helped players lift the puck more easily, making shots more difficult for goaltenders to handle.
Other players had experimented with curved blades before them, but Mikita and Hull helped make the design popular across the NHL. (Chicago Blackhawks, 2018)
It was an early example of how changing the stick could change the game.
After the wooden blade bent during practice, Mikita tried shooting with it instead of replacing it. The puck came off differently, and he liked the results.
Mikita began experimenting with curved blades, and teammate Bobby Hull soon joined him. The curve helped players lift the puck more easily, making shots more difficult for goaltenders to handle.
Other players had experimented with curved blades before them, but Mikita and Hull helped make the design popular across the NHL. (Chicago Blackhawks, 2018)
It was an early example of how changing the stick could change the game.
