Dubuque Youth Hockey Association

It is very important that a hockey stick be cut to a length that matches the individual player. Like most attributes of a hockey stick, the right stick length for each player really comes down to personal preference.

Here are two methods to get your stick length in the right ball park:

Standing in skates - Place the stick with the shaft vertical in front of you (so the shaft is parallel with your body) and the toe of the stick resting on the floor or ice.
The stick should reach somewhere near your chin

Standing in street shoes - Place the stick with the shaft vertical in front of you (so the shaft is parallel with your body) and the toe of the stick resting on the floor.

• For forwards – Mark the stick at your upper lip and cut there
• For defensemen – Mark the stick at the bottom of your nose and cut there

Start a little on the long side and you can always cut the stick again.

Also note that cutting a composite hockey stick more than a couple of inches will increase the stiffness of the stick’s flex. You can also check out the hockey stick length chart below for more info on flex versus length.

The actual process of cutting your hockey stick shaft is very straight forward. The first thing to do is to wrap the shaft where you are going to cut with tape to help keep the fraying from the cut to a minimum. Then use a fine tooth saw (power miter saw or a hack saw will work) and cut away. A little sanding might be in order on a wood hockey stick to round over and smooth the edges of the cut. Replace the end cap on composite sticks.

Now proceed to taping your stick handle.

The blade of the stick should always be taped except for in line hockey on concrete or asphalt. Many players use friction tape, or regular cloth tape will work. Friction tape is sticky on both sides and helps players catch passes.

When taping the blade you should always tape from heel to toe. This creates flaps that open as the puck strikes the blade. These pockets slow the puck down and help to keep it from sliding off. They also provide spin when shooting.

Wax should be used on all wood and fiberglass style blades. Waxing the tape will keep the water out of the blade and make it last a good deal longer. Wax on most composite blades will not make a difference in blade life.

Some leagues will allow only black or white tape on blades although it comes in a plethora of colors. I personally prefer black as it hides the puck a little better. If people don’t see you have the puck, it makes life a little easier.

The top of the shaft should be taped as well. Most players will put a small butt-end knob on their stick and several inches of tape below that. This helps you know exactly where your hand is on the stick and keeps you from dropping it.