Too Whippy? Too Stiff? NHL Players Try Out Different Stick Flexes

NHL players take to the ice to test 65 and 110 flex hockey sticks and compare them to their current gear.

Subscribe to our channel for the latest hockey action by clicking the big, red, shiny SUBSCRIBE button.

Feeling social?

[CoachJeremy]

Needed to have the guys rip some snappers with the 65 flex.

[BleachCowboy]

I would have loved to see them try the old wooden sticks, or better yet the old Easton aluminum one 😂. That thing was like an iron bar.

[fishclaw]

“My dad said my stick looked like a wet noodle and I took that personally. Now I got 100 flex for 100 points” - Robo

[ehvin]

They went the whole video and never explained what the number actually means. The flex number is the amount of lbs it takes to bend the stick 1" from its center point.

[TheQuinto]

It's crazy that their side by side shots all looked the same regardless of the stick used. Like a machine

[lupup]

Great vid, huge upgrade in production quality from the past. Editing, content, shots, interactions with the stars, visual effects, etc. All really great. Of course still more room for improvement but really a vast step forward already. Well done and thanks!

[Hol_c]

This was a great video! I feel like most people are gear geeks so it’s kinda strange we don’t spend more time talking with players about what they think - they’re the best after all!

[brandonmitchell]

Love these types of videos, can you guys get some discussing curve/stick length? Would be super interesting

[evenmoreevil]

Excellent video and editing. The most in depth stick flex has every been documented

[TorshovG]

Love videos like this! Do more of these, would be cool to see their reasoning behind stick height and skate profiles!

[vrwgqq]

If you guys recall.. flex was regularly >100 in the chell routinely. There were more right handed shots by right handed people, while the shooting methods didn't leverage the blade flex like the more modern wrist/snap, where you draw the puck closer to under your chin prior to release.

Less clappers as well these days, thanks to better defence methods.

Using more 'snappers' and getting them off faster, while using more low kick and blade flex, is likely why more and more people use less overall flex. You need to really don't have to load, lean and fire using weight transfer nor wrists nearly as much, which gives you a faster and more hidden release.

Also, receiving passes with the 1st gen composites, was probably even worse than wood.. So that method to 'cradle' passes was/is still often taught, but with modern blade feel, damping and appropriate 'flex' allows you to just use the stick waay more.

Modern tech has changed the game. Great feel, proper 'whip' = heavy shots, consistent shots that get off faster with less effort and more goals.

[Connor_Herman]

Robertson is an animal for 100 flex. I use 50 flex because I like the feeling of playing with a pool noodle.

[roomy]

Love these types of vids you guys would do the way they tape their sticks next

[TrickShotsCanadian]

That was a cool video! It would be cool to have a similar video, but using different kick points and different blade curves.

[colebevans]

Yall forgot to mention one other important thing. A lot of Centremen who are known for being good in the faceoff dot will use a stiffer stick. Draisatle for example uses a stiffer stick simply because it helps him win more faceoffs which is more valuable to him than a better snapshot.

[jettj]

Felt like a professional video that was enjoyable and filled with personality; considering how the NHL is personality wise. Keep making videos of this quality, and, if not, better.

[direwolf]

as an old timer playing in the late 60s we'd test the wooden sticks for flex until we found a good one .. who knew hockey would go so high tech that you could choose a flex with any consistency ..

[KevinBauman]

After 44 years of hitting the puck as hard as possible, I still can't make a modern snapshot as well as my 13 year old son. Maybe the 110 flex is a bit too much 🤣

[noahbaan]

Good video, shows some history on the NHL, really like the narration, especially for new fans.

[nonyabusiness-fe]

ive used a 75 flex most my life but i put on a bunch of weight and my stick became way too flexible. it got to the point when taking faceoffs i would win the draw but the whip on my stick was so aggressive that the stick would whip back and end up shooting the puck forward.. it was actually driving me insane.