Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with hockey sticks lately, trying to get that “Bedard” feel everyone’s talking about. You know, Connor Bedard, the new hotshot? Yeah, that guy. He’s got this insane shot, and I wanted to see if I could even get close to replicating it. It all started when I saw him play, and I was like, “What’s this kid doing that’s so special?”
First, I started watching videos, like, a ton of videos. Every game, every highlight reel I could find. I noticed he uses a Sher-Wood Rekker Legend Pro stick. Apparently, he’s got some kind of deal with Sher-Wood. And guess what? I went out and got myself one. It’s a pretty slick stick, I gotta say. Only 390 grams, I heard. Super light.
Then, I started digging into the specs. The kid uses a PP92 curve, which is like an open-faced kind of deal. I heard it’s supposed to be good for stick-handling, but let me tell you, it felt weird at first. I’m used to a different curve, so it took some getting used to. And the flex? He uses a 70 flex. I normally use something stiffer, but I figured, hey, if it works for Bedard, right? I use a Trigger 7 Pro 70 flex before, they look like the same.
So, I’ve got the stick, I’ve got the curve, I’ve got the flex. Time to hit the ice. I spent hours just shooting pucks. Trying to mimic his motion. It’s not just a regular wrist shot, you know? He’s got this weird, almost oval-shaped wind-up. It’s all about that rotation, I think. My arm was killing me after a while, but I kept at it. I taped it with white tape, just like him. Because that is important! Ha!
Here’s the thing, even with the right gear, it’s tough. I mean, the kid’s a natural, you can just tell. I did notice my shot getting a little quicker, a little more deceptive. The puck does come off the blade differently with that PP92 curve. It’s like, it just jumps off. But to get that Bedard level of power and accuracy? Man, that’s a whole different story.
I tried to find out how long his stick was. Seems like it is longer than usual for a guy his height. I didn’t have a measuring tape with me at the rink, obviously. But just looking at him, it definitely looks longer. I’m gonna try a longer stick next time, see if that makes a difference.
- Got the Sher-Wood Rekker Legend Pro stick.
- Tried the PP92 curve.
- Used a 70 flex.
- White tape, of course.
- Practiced that weird, rotational shot.
- Realized it’s harder than it looks.
- Gonna try a longer stick next time.
It’s a work in progress, I guess. It was a fun experiment, anyway. Maybe I won’t be scoring like Bedard anytime soon, but hey, at least I got a new stick out of it. And a newfound respect for the kid, that’s for sure. He made it look easy, but let me tell you, it ain’t.
