2026 Hockey Stick Buying Guide: Kick Points & Blade Curves, Explained

Two decisions define how a stick plays: where the shaft bends (kick point) and the shape of the blade (curve). Get those two right and the brand, weight, and price point mostly take care of themselves. Here's what actually matters in 2026.

Kick Points — Low vs. Hybrid

The kick point is the spot on the shaft where the stick flexes most when you shoot. It determines how quickly energy releases into the puck — and that changes everything about how a stick feels.

Low kick point

The shaft is engineered to bend low, down near the taper just above the blade. Because the bend happens close to the puck, energy transfers fast: you get the quickest release of any kick profile.

• Best for: forwards who shoot in stride, quick snap shots and wristers in traffic, players who score off fast hands rather than big wind-ups.
• Feels like: the puck jumps off the blade with very little load-up. Effortless in tight.
• Trade-off: a low-kick stick doesn't store as much energy on a full wind-up, so slap shots and one-timers give up some pure power compared to a mid- or high-kick stick.
• Example: Haggard's Inferno line is built on a low-kick profile — built for the quick-release game.

Hybrid kick point

A hybrid profile blends two bend zones into one shaft — typically a softer lower section with a stiffer upper handle. On short, quick shots it behaves like a low-kick stick (fast release); when you lean into a bigger shot, the shaft loads deeper and releases more like a mid-kick stick (more power).

The best-known example is CCM's JetSpeed line, which literally markets a "Hybrid Kick Point." Other brands use terms like "variable kick" for the same idea.

• Best for: players who want one stick for everything — quick release on the rush and a real one-timer when the chance comes. Versatile forwards, two-way players, anyone who doesn't want to specialize.
• Feels like: easy and quick on short shots, with noticeably more behind it than a pure low-kick stick when you load up.
• Trade-off: it's a compromise by design. It won't release quite as instantly as a dedicated low-kick stick, and it won't load quite as deep as a dedicated mid-kick stick. If you only ever take one kind of shot, the specialist beats the generalist.
• Example: Haggard's Project ICON uses a hybrid kick profile — quick on short shots, with real load-up when you lean into one.

(For reference: mid kick)

Worth knowing since it comes up in every comparison: a mid-kick stick bends in the middle of the shaft. Slower release than low or hybrid, but maximum energy storage — the choice for defensemen bombing slap shots from the point and power forwards who live on one-timers.

Quick chooser

Blade Curves

A curve is described by five things: where the bend sits (heel, mid, or toe), how deep it is, whether the face is open or closed, the lie (the angle the blade sits on the ice), and the toe shape. Here's how the five most popular patterns compare.

P92 — the standard

Mid curve, open face, round toe, lie around 6. This is the most-used curve in hockey for a reason: a big sweet spot, easy to lift the puck, reliable saucer passes, and enough face openness to go top shelf. If you don't know what you want, start here. (Also sold as the CCM P29 and Warrior W03.)

P28 — the dangler's curve (McDavid curve)

Aggressive mid-toe curve, open face, rockered toe, lie around 5. The bend is concentrated toward the toe, which makes toe drags effortless and gives shots a violent, quick release off the toe — the "where did that come from" release. The price: backhands suffer, passes can sail, and the puck can feel unpredictable until you're used to it. For skilled stickhandlers and shooters who live off their toe.

P88 — the playmaker (Kane curve)

Mid curve, only slightly open face, round toe, lie around 5. Shallower and more neutral than the P92, which makes it the best all-around stickhandling curve of the bunch: the puck sits flat and predictable, wrist shots stay accurate, and backhands are the strongest of any curve here. The classic "do-everything" pattern — great for centers, playmakers, and younger players learning the game.

P90TM — the hybrid (Tavares curve)

Think of it as the P92 and P28 blended: the familiar P92-style blade through the middle with a more aggressive, P28-like kink at the toe. Mid-toe placement, open face. You get the easy puck feel of a P92 with the toe-drag and quick-release ability of a P28 — built for players who keep switching between the two and want both. Note the lie varies by brand (Bauer lists it around 6, CCM around 5), and despite the name it is not a max-height blade.

P92M — the P92, maximized

Identical curve geometry to the P92 — same pocket, same lie — but with the blade built to the maximum legal height. More blade surface means more puck coverage: easier to bat pucks out of the air, corral bouncing passes, and block shots. Popular with defensemen and net-front players. Slightly different balance and feel than a standard P92, so try before committing if you're sensitive to blade weight.

Curve comparison at a glance

Putting it together

Kick point and curve are independent choices — mix them to match your game:

• Sniper (quick release, top shelf): low kick + P28
• Versatile scorer: hybrid kick + P90TM or P92
• Playmaker: hybrid or low kick + P88
• Point shooter: mid kick + P92 or P92M
• Net-front / grinder: hybrid kick + P92M

The honest truth: the "best" stick is the one whose kick matches how you shoot and whose curve matches how you handle the puck. Everything else is marketing. When in doubt, start with the most popular combo in the game — a mid/hybrid kick with a P92 — and adjust from there.

Haggard Hockey's Project ICON sticks pair a hybrid kick profile with P92, P28, P88, P90TM, and P92M curves across junior, intermediate, and adult flexes — and the Inferno line brings the same curve options on a low-kick build for the quick-release game.