Hockey is a popular sport played by many from young children to professional athletes. Hockey sticks have an overall shape which has changed very little since the game was first played. A conventional hockey stick includes a blade mounted to the lower end of an elongated, straight shaft. A grip is usually-formed at the upper end of the shaft, which is typically provided by wrapping the upper end of the shaft with tape. Players may hold the shaft by the grip with one hand, but usually grasp the shaft with both hands, one hand grasping the grip which can be referred to as the dominant control hand and the other hand grasping the shaft further down from the grip. Passing and shooting the puck usually requires holding the stick with both hands.
Although the overall shape of a hockey stick has changed very little over time, the materials from which the sticks are made tend to vary considerably. The blade portion of the stick is usually formed of wood and may be reinforced with a fiber and epoxy matrix. The blade is also sometimes formed from a plastic material. The shaft portion is also usually formed of wood and may also be reinforced with a fiber and epoxy material. Alternative materials to wood such as carbon fiber materials, certain metals including aluminum, or composite materials offering a variety of shaft stiffness and weight are becoming popular among many players. The shaft may be formed as a solid piece or be formed as a hollow tubular structure. The hockey stick is typically provided as an integral unit, with the blade either integrally formed with the shaft or otherwise permanently fastened to the shaft.
Accurately passing or shooting the puck with the stick requires a great deal of skill. Therefore, it is important for the player's hockey stick to enhance the player's skill or at least not unduly interfere or impede the player's ability. A player can select a stick from a variety of sticks offering a range of shaft stiffness, blade curvature, blade to shaft angles, etc.
Although the variety of materials from which hockey sticks are made have provided players with choices to enhance their skill level, there has been very little improvement to the overall shape of the hockey stick shaft. What is needed is an improved hockey stick shaft that provides a more natural/ergonomically correct alignment between the forearm and the hand while keeping the blade of the stick in the correct alignment on the ice for optimal control of the puck. What is needed is a shaft design that allows the muscles in the forearm (which drive the controlling hand), the muscles in the wrist, and the muscles in the hand to function in a more ergonomically correct manner to increase strength, control and mobility of the controlling hand on the stick during shooting, passing, and stick handling.