Unfortunately, you can’t play hockey without a stick, which means you’ll have to spend some of your hard-earned cash on purchasing at least one to play with.
You can buy new a new carbon-fiber hockey stick for $40 on the low end and $450 on the high end. The cost of a hockey stick is determined by age group, weight, brand name, design, and material.
Wood sticks are the cheapest hockey sticks because wood is a cheaper material and also of their poor performance compared to the new modern composite hockey sticks.
What Affects the Cost of a Hockey Stick?
Material
The final cost of a hockey stick will depend on the material it’s made of as well as the quality, design, weight, and length of the stick and the production process/labor. For example, carbon fiber costs a lot more than aluminum, fiberglass, and wood.
Warranty
Warranty is very important when you are buying a hockey stick. A typical hockey stick warranty is 30 days from the day it is purchased. A warranty is included in your price, another reason why a stick may cost so much money.
But the plus of a warranty is that if you completely break your stick off (due to damage of manufacturer defects) in the first 30 days you get the exact same stick as a replacement for free. If you break it from normal play you will likely get your replacement, I always do. See Bauer’s warranty information here!
Back to the point, when a stick has a warranty the price is often full price, you are less-likely to find a clearance hockey stick with a 30 day warranty, but it’s still possible. Just ask when purchasing to make sure.
Age Group
Sticks that are built for younger players will typically cost less while those aimed at older and higher-skilled players will cost more. Most brands sell hockey sticks in youth, junior, intermediate, and senior models. These basically translate into budget, mid-range and expensive when it comes to pricing.
The reason why these sticks cost more or less in age groups is simply because youth, junior, and intermediate hockey sticks are physically smaller than senior hockey sticks. This now comes down to the amount of materials needed, which overall impacts the prices.
Demand
Some sticks are more popular than others due to the endorsements they receive from NHL players. These products generally cost more as the manufacturer wants to cover the costs of the endorsement fees.
Also popular sticks are usually in high demand and you may have a hard time finding certain models on the shelf at your local sports store. When specific stick models are flying off the shelves they’re harder to keep in stock due to supply and demand and this generally results in a higher-priced product.
Just think about it, if a company knows a stick is popular they are aware they will be able to sell at a higher price.
How Much Do Senior Hockey Sticks Costs?
Senior carbon-fiber hockey sticks are designed for adult players and those who are playing at a competitive level, however most skill levels go with carbon fiber today anyways. The average price of a senior hockey stick is anywhere between $70 and $375 USD. In Canada, the same senior hockey sticks are anywhere between $80 and $450 CAD.
However, you should be able to find sticks on sale at certain times of the year especially during the off-season.
How Much Do Intermediate Hockey Sticks Cost?
Intermediate sticks are geared towards youngsters between the age of 12 to 15. These can usually be found between $50 and $340 USD. In Canada, you will find the same intermediate hockey sticks for anywhere between $70 and $350 CAD.
How Much Do Junior Hockey Sticks Cost?
Players between the age of 7 to 13 typically use junior hockey sticks and carbon-fiber models can usually be found between $50 and $270 USD. In Canada, the same junior composite hockey sticks are anywhere between $50 and $260 CAD.
How Much Do Youth Hockey Sticks Cost?
Youth carbon-fiber sticks are typically made for youngsters between the age of 3 and 8 and usually sell for between $40 and $200 USD. In Canada, youth composite hockey sticks are anywhere from $40 to $220 CAD.
How Much Do Goalie Sticks Cost?
Carbon-fiber goalie sticks are bigger than those of players as they’re wider since they come with a paddle area. In general, they range from $70 to $350 USD and can also be found in youth, junior, intermediate and senior models. Most goalies use light carbon-fiber sticks these days but some actually prefer the older and heavier wooden models.
How Much Do NHL Hockey Sticks Cost?
Top-of-the-line NHL sticks average about $350 per piece, some top-of-the-line sticks are now at $400 per stick. However, many NHL players like to customize their sticks when it comes to weight, lie, curve, and flex and this can add to the price as there’s generally more work and time involved to design and produce customized models.
See what sticks these NHL players use in our related posts:
- What Hockey Stick and Curve Does Connor McDavid Use?
- What Stick and Curve Does Auston Matthews Use?
- What Kind of Stick and Curve Does Connor Bedard Use?
Do NHL Players Pay for Their Own Sticks?
NHL players do not have to pay for their sticks but they aren’t exactly free as their teams end up paying for them. Hockey sticks aren’t perfect though and they often break, even the most expensive top-of-the-line models.
Hockey sticks aren’t designed to last long; they are designed to perform to the best of their abilities to make the player shoot harder, handle the puck better, and pick up passes easily.
It’s estimated that each NHL team spends approximately $300,000 to $400,000 per season on sticks for their players as team can go through 2,500 to 4,000 sticks per year.
Tips for Saving Money When Buying a Hockey Stick:
1. Wait for a Good Sale
Hockey sticks often go on sale for a variety of reasons. The model may be discontinued, which means the manufacturer isn’t making it any more or the store may simply have too many of a particular model in stock and needs to clear them out to make storage room.
You may also find sticks on sale once the winter hockey season is over and last year’s models need to be cleared out to make room for new models.
2. Buy a Pro Stock Hockey Stick
Pro stock hockey sticks are originally made specifically for a certain professional player, which means they were customized when it comes to the flex, curve and height. However, many players decide they want to change the design and specifics of their stick after using just a few of them in practices and games for whatever reason.
This means the manufacturer has dozens of customized sticks on their hands that no longer fit the player’s requirements. In this case, they often decide to sell the sticks at a reduced price to recoup their costs. The sticks are often sold in bulk to sports stores and in turn they sell them to their customers at low prices. However, most of them don’t come with a warranty so keep an eye for that.
3. Buy a Non-Brand Name
Like most other products in the world, consumers often end up paying more for their hockey sticks due to the famous brand names attached to them. For example, a Rolex watch certainly costs more than a Timex model due to the prestige associated with it.
When it comes to hockey sticks some of the most notable manufacturers are Bauer, CCM, Easton, Mission, TPS, Warrior and True. If you purchase sticks from non-brand name or off-brand name companies you’ll often find their prices are more affordable such as All Black Hockey Sticks.
4. Buy in Bulk
When hockey teams order and buy their sticks in bulk they usually get them at a better price simply due to the volume of the order. Basically, the larger your stick order is the bigger the discount you will receive. If you play on a team see if a bunch of you can place an order for sticks at the start of the season.
5. Buy Used Hockey Sticks
Many junior and pro hockey teams and leagues will sell discarded sticks to the public for a good price or even give them away. Players may not use that certain model anymore or they may find the sticks aren’t exactly what they’re looking for when it comes to the design and specifics. Some players may even discard their sticks due to a slight imperfection or chip or nick in the shaft.
Also, you’ll find many individuals sell used sticks online at places such as Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, or Sideline Swap. These sticks are usually sold at a discount price but it’s a good idea to inspect them first to make sure they’re not damaged in any way. Check the blade as that is typically where you will find weakness and damages.
What Else to Consider When Buying a Hockey Stick?
It’s not really a good idea to walk into a sports store and simply grab the least or most expensive stick available as hockey players need a stick to suit their style of play and size. These are some of the things you need to consider when looking for the right hockey stick.
The Material
The heaviest sticks on the market are made of wood and they’re also the least expensive. However, the lightest, most popular and most expensive sticks are now made from carbon-fiber reinforced polymer.
This is a fiber-reinforced plastic which consists of carbon fibers and epoxy resin. The blades are generally made of a foam core such as polyurethane, which is then soaked with resin and covered with pre-impregnated fibers.
These materials are stronger, lighter and more durable than wood and also more expensive. You need to decide what characteristics you need in a stick when it comes to its weight and durability and the level of hockey you’re competing at.
If you’re just playing for fun on the pond or at the local arena you may decide a wood stick is fine while you may opt for a carbon-fiber model if you’re playing competitively or in a rec league.
Curve Selection
Most hockey sticks in the early days of the game featured a straight blade as the curved blade didn’t really become popular until the 1970s. There are several types of curves available such as the toe curve, mid curve, and heel curve.
A moderate curve depth of approximately half an inch is quite popular as it helps improve your puck control and the ability to lift the puck off of the ice. However, each player is unique and your tastes and needs may differ.
Choose a curve that you’re the most comfortable and effective with but make sure it’s a legal curve and it doesn’t hinder your play while on your backhand.
Read our curve articles here to learn all you need to know:
- Types of Hockey Stick Curves: The Complete Guide
- What is the P88 Curve Good For? (Owners Review & Guide)
- What is the P92 Curve Good For? (Owners Review & Guide)
Flex Options
When deciding what flex your hockey stick should be you may want to buy a stick which has a flex equal to half of your body weight. For example, if you weigh 170 lbs you may want to experiment with an 85 flex stick. This is personal preference and many pros are going with lower flex sticks for a better whip, making there shots even harder and faster.
It all depends on the type of player you are though and what you’re most comfortable with. How you shoot the puck should also be considered when choosing the flex. Players who prefer quick wrist shots often use a lower flex as they require quickness and speed while those who take slap shots may prefer a higher flex for maximum power.
The flex basically represents the spring-like bend of a stick when it hits the ice the moment before it makes contact with the puck. This action helps release the stored energy in the stick to the puck and helps improve the power, efficiency and accuracy of your shot.
In general, the higher the flex number is the stiffer the stick is and a lower flex help you shoot as quickly as possible.
Grip vs No Grip
The grip of a hockey stick refers to how sticky, ribbed or tacky the surface of the shaft is. If you prefer a smooth or matte feeling on the stick then you should go with a non-grip matte or gloss stick.
However, if you’d rather have a stickier feel, texture or grip between your gloves and shaft then you should choose a grip stick. You can slide your hand up and down the shaft easier with a non-grip stick but you may not get a good grip while shooting as your hand could move. A grip option provides a better grip for your lower hand while shooting and passing.
The Length
The length of your hockey stick will affect your shooting, stickhandling, passing, reach and stick checking abilities. As a general guideline your stick should come up to the height of your chin when the tip of the blade’s toe is resting on the ice and you’re wearing skates and it should reach the tip of your nose when you’re not wearing skates.
However, some players prefer shorter sticks and some prefer longer models. In general, defencemen prefer longer sticks to aid their stick-checking game and pass-intercepting while forwards prefer shorter sticks as many of them feel they’re lighter and are better to stick handle with and help them to shoot quicker.
But like just about everything else regarding hockey sticks it all comes down to personal preference. If you have a stick that you feel is too long for you, it can always be cut down and if you feel it’s too short you can insert an extension in the top of the shaft to make it longer.
How Many Sticks Does a Hockey Player Need?
You can never really have too many hockey sticks but most competitive players take at least two with them to the rink. This is because if one of them breaks they have a backup ready on the bench to use.
Some players may also use a different length stick when playing defence and when playing forward as they may prefer a longer model when defending.
Where to Buy Hockey Sticks?
If you are wondering where you can buy a new hockey stick I will list a bunch of locations below:
- www.hockeymonkey.com
- www.prohockeylife.com
- www.sportchek.ca
- www.purehockey.com
- www.prostockhockey.com
- www.icewarehouse.com
- www.bauer.com
- us.ccmhockey.com
- discounthockey.com
- www.sourceforsports.ca
- www.hockeystickman.ca
- www.canadiantire.com
Why Are Hockey Sticks So Expensive?
The reason hockey sticks are so expensive is that they are one of the most important pieces of equipment for a hockey player. This creates a demand for a high quality hockey stick, the better the stick the more people will want it and in some cases need it to play there very best as a competitive player.
Like everything, hockey sticks have been going up fast in price due to inflation in todays world. The past couple of years have been significantly more noticeable, hockey gear is no different than any other product.
Also, hockey sticks being sold by the big brand names have large sponsor ships with famous NHL players which costs a lot of money. But these companies work with the big names, such as Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, so people are influenced to buy these products. Due to cost of marketing they need to make up for it in sales, and increasing prices truthfully does not impact them too much as the competition is slim in the hockey stick department.
Final Thoughts
Nothing is written in stone or guaranteed when it comes to a hockey stick. There are guidelines when it comes to the length, lie, flex, curve, grip and weight etc but that’s all they are, suggestive guidelines. You need to experiment to find out which stick design suits you best and once you’ve decided you’ll know exactly what type of stick you’re looking for the next time you need to buy one.
The brand name and price of a stick doesn’t mean it’s any better or worse than other models as the most expensive stick could break the very first time you use it and the least expensive model may last you for years. The most important thing is to choose a stick that works for you and your style of game and is the one you’re most comfortable and effective with while playing.
Jamie is the founder of Hockey Response and he is the chief writer/ lead editor. Jamie has been playing hockey for over 20 years. He was the defenseman of the year in NL and has played Jr A level hockey. Jamie has coached several kids hockey camps and he was the assistant coach of the Western Kings.
