Using 2 different length sticks (1 for PP, 1 for ES)

[LaineBOOM]

Why dont (or do they?) some PP-specialists (brutal long shot -guys) use 1 stick for PP and another (different length) for ES?

Take Laine for example:
- He blasts bombs on PP with his long and flexible stick. He rarely gets those chances on ES.
- But the same stick is definitely not the perfect fit for him on ES: its too long for consistent stickhandling and too flex for winning puck battles.

He and other similar players are superstar talents. They should be able to learn how to play with 2 different sticks, right?

Im gonna go so far and say that even Ovi could use 2 different sticks, and learn how to use longer and more flexible stick on PP as (when) his age starts to catch up to his body.

Also a few real life examples to show why this should become a trend:
1. Imagine golfers using just a driver or a 6-iron for all their shots. Ridiculous.
2. Even cops dont walk around with their guns pointed at people all the time. They holster the weapon and only take it out when needed.
3. You are going on a date. You shouldnt take Viagra before the date, you only take it if you need to (similarly you take out the long stick only for PP).

Lets discuss this, I cant be the only one to think like this.

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[SnuggaRUDE]

Muscle memory

 

[Toby91ca]

Insanity….id feel like im playing a different sport if you put a different length stick in my hands

 

[kerrabria]

I’m not sold, provide three more examples.

 

[LaineBOOM]

I’m not sold, provide three more examples.

Ok!

4. If you are just gonna do some pushups then you wont take out your benchpressbench.
5. You dont keep an umbrella open at all times, you only open it (if you have it with you) when it starts to rain.
6. You dont need to have a helmet in your head when you are walking, you put it on only when you are about to ride your bike.

Edit: changed some of the examples as they didnt fit so well.

Insanity….id feel like im playing a different sport if you put a different length stick in my hands

i mean these are superstars. They can adjust to it fast if needed.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Muscle memory

This. Also, if one length works for Ovi I’m not reinventing the wheel- getting that good at even strength and PP scoring is the goal.

 

[Toby91ca]

i mean these are superstars. They can adjust to it fast if needed.

It would probably throw them off even more than it throws me off

 

[LaineBOOM]

This. Also, if one length works for Ovi I’m not reinventing the wheel- getting that good at even strength and PP scoring is the goal.

I meam Ovi is top 2 all time in career goals. He has made his stick work as a whole. But can he still blast as hard on PP in 2-3 years from now? Give him da Laine-stick on the PP and he can extend his career for a couple more years.

Give some awesome ES-scorer who sucks at PP-scoring the Laine stick and it can make him a star.

And for Laine.. he is basically sacrificing his ES efficiency/capability for the PP-BOOMs but if he isnt scoring or even getting proper looks on PP for a stretch of games, whats the point of the stick? Make him learn how to shoot hard and accurate on a shorter and less flexy stick if the 2-stick method is not viable.

Having a shorter stick on ES would also confuse the opposition, they be like "oh its Laine with his long weak stick, this is like taking a candy from a small chilwhaaattheheck I cant reach the puck did my stick get shorter or what???"

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

I meam Ovi is top 2 all time in career goals. He has made his stick work as a whole. But can he still blast as hard on PP in 2-3 years from now? Give him da Laine-stick on the PP and he can extend his career for a couple more years.

Give some awesome ES-scorer who sucks at PP-scoring the Laine stick and it can make him a star.

And for Laine.. he is basically sacrificing his ES efficiency/capability for the PP-BOOMs but if he isnt scoring or even getting proper looks on PP for a stretch of games, whats the point of the stick? Make him learn how to shoot hard and accurate on a shorter and less flexy stick if the 2-stick method is not viable.

Having a shorter stick on ES would also confuse the opposition, they be like "oh its Laine with his long weak stick, this is like taking a candy from a small chilwhaaattheheck I cant reach the puck did my stick get shorter or what???"

Ya, I’m gonna go with Ovi’s judgment on this. Hockey ain’t golf, no one is getting confused by short stick vs long stick, I don’t think it’ll catch on.

 

[Figgy44]

I mean, they'll easily play with any stick, but in a super high speed situation, a few milliseconds difference in timing early or hesitancy because they forgot which stick they were holding, can really affect their game. Longer/shorter seems silly.

However, I've wondered whether it's a good idea for an alternate stick for PK, where the players uses those NiCo type sticks that are basically indestructible. It's an extra disadvantage if your stick shatters on a blocked shot or whatever while you're already at the disadvantage of being a man down.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Laine is notorious for skating with his head down. Give him a shorter stick and he probably ends up like Lindros with repeated concussions.

As for Ovi, he used to switch between 85 flex at ES for quick release snap shots and 100 flex on the PP to maximize his slap shot power. I don’t know what he does these days but it still works.

At 240 lbs and with the strength he has, he can still make a 100 flex stick bend like a wet noodle. I don’t think that will ever be a problem for him.

 

[SomeDude]

Gonchar at one point had a specific PP stick. Not sure if it was a different length, might have been more flex or a different curve for shooting.

 

[Sam de Mtl]

I think the golf metaphor was the best one. With that in mind, why stop at two sticks? Aren't there a ton of situations that would warrant different stick usage? Even different sticks in a single shift. Therefore, players should be able to change sticks for every situation. Some guy could follow them around ready to give the best stick for each situation.

Hockey innovation 101.

 

[dire wolf]

Somebody just asked this question about a week ago on the 32 thoughts pod. They didn't really have any examples of anyone doing this. I could see using a longer stiffer/stronger stick with less curve on the PK. But changing your offensive weapon seems more difficult to adapt. Part of the issue is that kids don't grow up with an unlimited budget for sticks, so they learn to play with a single stick.