Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick

One of the most common questions I get is about the hockey stick I used. In fact, people would be shocked if they knew just how many sticks a typical player in the National Hockey League goes through in a season. Yet before I go on, I should mention that the stick can be very helpful, but ultimately, it's about the player. If you've got what it takes to make it in professional hockey, then there are many sticks you could use. If you don't have the ability, then even the most expensive stick won't help.

That being said, most NHL players are extremely particular about their hockey sticks. Most have personal contracts with manufacturers in Canada that make custom blades. Usually, a player will use up to 100 hockey sticks between the pre-season, games, practices and the play-offs. Even if you have some left over, you don't want to use them the next season because they wood dries out a bit and can break more easily. The worst thing that can happen in a tight game, especially for a goalie, is to break a stick while the puck is in play. The rule says that if your sticks cracks, you must drop it immediately. This is done to prevent injuries. But it also means that until the puck is frozen or cleared from your zone, you have to use your body to block all shots.

Players experiment with different types of sticks until they find what works best for them. Variables include, weight, flexibility, and curvature of the blade (down to the millimeter). You may not notice these things playing a game of pick-up street hockey, but when you are playing against the best in the world, everything must be absolutely perfect.

Of course, there are very specific rules about the length and curves of sticks. If you are caught using a stick that is too long, you get a two minute penalty. Here's the catch though. You can only get in trouble if the other team challenges your stick. If they are wrong and your stick is legal, then they get the penalty. That is why many players get away with using illegal sticks. To challenge a stick, you have to somehow be sure that the stick is bad.

Yet it happened more than once with disastrous results. It was the Stanley Cup Finals and Wayne Gretzky's Los Angeles Kings were a few games away from being crowned Stanley Cup champions. Yet with two minutes left, defensemen Marty McSorley had his stick challenged. It turns out, it was illegal. McSorley got the penalty and the Canadians scored on the power play. That was the turning point of the whole series. I am sure for all his great achievements, Marty will never forget that one. But my question has always been, how did the Canadians know? Did they have a spy in the Kings locker room?