EVOLUTION OF THE HOCKEY STICK

[@DennuhsPPink]

New fan of hockey here. I was watching a slow motion replay of a shot and realized that the player's stick had a bend to it as he shot. I had no idea the flexible shaft existed until now. This got me interested in stick technology over the years. This video explains perfectly what I wanted to know, including the estimated pricing and some good historical context and details about the craftsmanship. Great informative video. Thanks for the quality content.

[@hockeyalley1]

Yes lots has changed in sticks in the last 20 years thank you for watching my videos.

[@lassehovde]

Additional info: Some people believe Busch was the first composite stick, no. It might have been the first carbonfibre stick. I dont know when it came, but I bought one in 1996. Titan Turbo had a foam and wooden core. The bladeconstruction was like Titan TPM. Wood core, plastic frame and fiberglass lamination, but without the birch veneer at the forehand. Shaft had foam core with laminated wood strips at both the ''narrow sides'' Koho XL4, XLS and so on had a hollow, slightly oval shaped shaft with a ABS plastic blade or later a wooden blade. The first 100% onepiece composite stick was made by Norwegian skimanufacturer Madshus sold under the name JOFA Black-Shot. When Karhu-Titan bought JOFA it was a discussion about if Madshus should continue producing Black-Shot for Karhu-Titan and they made samples. The problem was that Karhu was also a skiproducer and Madshus used similar technology for their ski and stickproduction. Madshus were sceptical to let Karhu-Titan know to much about their know-how. Norwegian and Finnish language are completely different, so they could speak Swedish or English during discussions. During a meeting (I was told by the RD manager) : ''When the Finns started to speak Finnish together the meeting was over'' Madshus produced ca 80-100.000 sticks from 1983 to ca 1986-87. Around 10 years later they made composite shafts sold under K2 brand, wich was the owner of Madshus at that time. They also produced shafts with Sher-Wood logo, which Patrice Brisebois used. Madshus still use the 50 year old carousel press used for skis, shafts and the WORLDS FIRST ONE-PIECE HOCKEY STICK. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHyUimOderuKgtEsi=86H6PEM9cOzn3_IA&t=104

[@davidseanmacdonald1470]

That Blue Sher-Wood is beautiful

[@Brian-dh9lp]

Flex was always important. I used a medium. I couldn't flex a stiff shaft enough to get the snap I needed. Easton 4905 gold Aluminum in late 80's.

[@Koval_71_chuk]

Don’t forget that Louisville TPS Lockjaw stick. One of my favorites growing up. Very interesting way of putting the blade on & off.

[@THESANDMAN9]

Victoriaville sticks had a Fly weight model used by Jaques Lemaire, it was only good for 1 or 2 shifts, but he scored with it.

[@matthewreid7292]

Busch (Swiss) made the first true one-piece composite stick in mid '90s. Laterly named Busch Balance, then made Itech-Busch, and Graf-Busch sticks

[@lassehovde]

No :-) Madshus made Jofa BlackShot onepiece fiberglass sticks from 1983, true onepiece, molded blade and shaft in one operation. Some people believe Busch was the first composite stick, it might have been the first carbonfibre stick. I dont know when it came, but I bought one in 1996 with Sher-wood Busch 2000 lettering. Titan Turbo had a foam and wooden core. The bladeconstruction was like Titan TPM. Wood core, plastic frame and fiberglass lamination, but without the birch veneer at the forehand. Shaft had foam core with laminated wood strips at both the ''narrow sides'' Koho XL4, XLS and so on had a hollow, slightly oval shaped shaft with a ABS plastic blade or later a wooden blade. The first 100% onepiece composite stick was made by Norwegian skimanufacturer Madshus sold under the name JOFA Black-Shot. When Karhu-Titan bought JOFA it was a discussion about if Madshus should continue producing Black-Shot for Karhu-Titan and they made samples. The problem was that Karhu was also a skiproducer and Madshus used similar technology for their ski and stickproduction. Madshus were sceptical to let Karhu-Titan know to much about their know-how. Norwegian and Finnish language are completely different, so they could speak Swedish or English during discussions. During a meeting (I was told by the RD manager) : ''When the Finns started to speak Finnish together the meeting was over'' Madshus produced ca 80-100.000 sticks from 1983 to ca 1986-87. Around 10 years later they made composite shafts sold under K2 brand, wich was the owner of Madshus at that time. They also produced shafts with Sher-Wood logo, which Patrice Brisebois used. Madshus still use the 50 year old carousel press used for skis, shafts and the WORLDS FIRST ONE-PIECE HOCKEY STICK. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHyUimOderuKgtEsi=86H6PEM9cOzn3_IA&t=104

[@emg9823]

I played with the ultra lite graphite, light brown one. Best stick ever

[@concertvids34]

For the One Piece Stick Era it was amazing to see how CCM and Bauer survived the first decade of retail wars. Bauer buying Mission and Easton and Nike Hockey were some power moves. CCM back when the Vector dropped was not as favorable as they are now but they certainly got solid players over the years like Ovi, Crosby, and now Matthews/McDavid to help the brand develop. It's worth noting that CCM was owned by Reebok and then Adidas (which aquired Reebox) and now is owned by a private equity firm. I started hockey late at age 7 in the fall of 1997 inspired by going to the last Hartford Whalers home game. At that time wood reigned Surpreme. By Pewees the graphite sticks came out in 01-02 and by the time I was in late HS and ACHA College Club some of the up and coming kids essentially never held a wood stick from their first skate as a young kid. I feel fortunate to be one of the last kids to experience hockey with wood sticks (and the NHL's two line pass) early in my journey and still grow up later on with the one piece stick.

[@user-xg8ig6zx5r]

Easton made the best Aluminum sticks , I bought one of the first in 1986 for close to $200

[@corbinstevens1683]

I remember most of those sticks back in my younger days I still got the easton synergy grip all yellow with Joe Sakic blade I also have the synergy se elite grip Lindstrom sliver with red letters and easton ST Getzlaf 115 flex only used it for one season still mint and recently found my TPS response with wood blade not sure how much they are worth now days haha

[@silverFOX-dj9zj]

Idk I remember the Synergy being $899 at my local shop, we had one kid on the team had one. Class of 01 here. I fondly remember the evolution of wood to one piece.

[@calvinbaII]

I think the original Synergy was released in 2000/01 but was only available to select NHL players, made custom. The following year 2001/02 is when they released them retail. If I remember, they retailed for about $400 (so maybe $650 in today's money) so very few people had them. By the next year 2002-03 is when you started seeing the CCM vector (blue one) and TPS (yellow one) enter the market and pretty quickly people started switching over. The difference between 2001 to 2005 was like two completely different eras. Wood and even 2-piece seemed to die overnight by about 2006. Really fascinating to witness looking back.

[@BigDaddy-vq5ks]

I paid 150 for mine when it came out and all I could think is omg this is terrible I can’t feel anything

[@concertvids34]

@@calvinbaII Yeah I grew up a few miles from South Windsor Arena which is one of the bigger in person hockey shops in new england (also had ads in USA Hockey) so any new sticks were always available. When the Synergy was available retail it was just over $100 for JR and INT and around $150 for Sr. Louisville had the TPS response competitively priced against the Synergy and as you said the CCM Vector came shortly after with the Mission M-1 pulling up to the game amongst other s. I can't imagine the sticker shock for hockey parents back in my squirt days in 2000 for a Syngergy costing $899 so that definitely seems like a custom shop price directly through Easton.

[@calvinbaII]

@@concertvids34 Damn I had no idea the OG Synergys were that cheap early on release. I'm in Canada so around that time the dollar was really fucking bad, like almost $2CAD was $1USD so about ~$300USD ratio'd. Keep in mind, consumer products here are even more expensive for some reason even after exchange rate, and even if the products are even produced in Canada lmao. This country is a joke. Also, nice shoutout about the Mission M1! I remember that was a huge deal when it was released. There were more brands back then innovating composite sticks: Busch, Innovative, Koho (pre-Reebok), Mission, CCM, TPS, Easton, Ballistik (which I believe became True eventually), then Warrior came along, too. Good times man.

[@jdbankshot]

been looking for easton aluminum shafts on e-bay, no luck. i knew i shoulda kept my old ones.

[@hockeyalley1]

Hi I have some for sale if you want? I have a franklin and Nike.

[@jdbankshot]

@@hockeyalley1tempting, but i'm looking for a silver shaft easton circa 87-88, & the gold shaft easton from a couple years later. saw you had some of both, especially the silver ones. damn, i was 12 when i put an easton on layaway at the local sport shop. 55$ in 1987 was a lot! thanks for answering, & please let me know if we can deal...

[@hockeyalley1]

@@jdbankshot Hi If you can contact me on [e-mail]

[@davidseanmacdonald1470]

I think Bauer made a composite blade in the early to mid 90's as well. I had one. Paid like 60 bucks back then for it.

[@davidseanmacdonald1470]

Might've been Bauer...it was one of those companies!

[@markhuru]

The early one piece really weren’t one piece, a company out of Switzerland patented the first true one piece graphite stick

[@jonathanbeaulieu3630]

Busch?

[@Brian-dh9lp]

Alumimum were always my favorite.

[@walterkeely1499]

Sherwood had a full composit stick in the mid 90’s as well I think it was the 9900 iron carbon. They were like $200 at one point. The hockey shop I worked at got a few on close out. It was insanely stiff and had the Coffey curve. I broke so many graphite shafts until I bought that one. Lol at one point I had broken so many titan 10,000’s they literally asked me to switch sticks! 😂😂

[@fabe1311]

It’s 2022 and I’m still using my Titan Twig

[@TerrysTwigReviews]

Good video. I definitely thought the T flex was released before the Ultra Lite

[@calvinbaII]

You made it! Thank you very much!

[@hockeyalley1]

your welcome

[@davidseanmacdonald1470]

Christian was first. They came up with the idea in Australia i think. He outfitted his whole team then brought it back to the states...I actually read that today!

[@walterkeely1499]

Easton had a graphite blade in the early 90’s was called the j something

[@rowdyroddy519]

KARLAM is what the blade says... CANADIEN was big in the 70s as well. You need a Sher-Wood PMP for your collection and a KOHO

[@hockeyalley1]

I have the sherwood and koho in my collection

[@rowdyroddy519]

@@hockeyalley1 Those were all great sticks. I scored many goals with them all. LOL It's impossible to pick a favourite from that era. So many great memories. I loved my sticks.

[@JEAE315]

Me and a teammate bought the first Easton carbon blades sold in Sweden 1995 or 1996. They were black and grey with Easton Carbon logo on the backside. We put them on our Christian Power-Tech aluminum shafts and the stick lost all feel of the puck. They were as flexible as a rock. Without any puck feel at all. But it was cool to bee the first ones with carbon. Used it for a couple of weeks and changed back to wooden blades again. Slapshots with those felt like hitting a breakerbar on concrete, hands hurt afterwards.

[@hockeyalley1]

Thank you for sharing your comments!

[@Mustang_Dan]

Epic wall!

[@shawnthompson2303]

1:41 pretty sure that'd be an illegal curve today lol

[@chrisfarrar460]

B viper 20 was a great stick

[@waynewright3128]

I have Jofa Kevlar shaft.

[@davidseanmacdonald1470]

I have a question. Let's say you have 2 of the exact same model 🏒, the only difference is one is pro stock and the other is retail. Is one better than the other?

[@hockeyalley1]

Hi great question the pro stock they make them a little bit stronger than retail sticks.

[@markhuru]

Easton approached Christian and made the shafts, same with graphite, then both companies decided to make their own company seeking complete stick. Christin pioneered alot of new innovation, then one piece entered the market and death of any wood in a wood stick

[@calvinbaII]

Christian made the best replacement blades of all time. Even after they were losing market share to the big companies in the early 2000s they would still ship 10s of thousands of replacement blade models to pro shops and retail stores during that era. I used their blades up until I couldn't find them anymore. They were so elite.

[@davidseanmacdonald1470]

I have a problem with these "new one piece" sticks. First, Spending 150-350 on a single stick is robbery. Second, most are now made in China and Mexico! Not in Canada or US. Isn't hockey for everyone?? Or is it just for those that can afford it?! I found where these companies get their sticks made and you can buy the top of the line one piece for under 100 bucks. In fact, 80 dollars got you the same stick that Bauer, CCM, Warrior, now Sher-Wood, and so on are charging 350 for,!