Every year, you have 50+ sticks released to the market represented by 5 major companies: CCM, Bauer, Warrior, TRUE and Sherwood.
While wood sticks are still being made, the vast majority of twigs are made of carbon fiber, using proprietary technology to make them light and robust.
Bauer went even further by tinkering with Boron fiber technology, which has twice the compression strength and stiffness than the standard carbon fiber. As a result, they released 2 of the lightest sticks to date: the 335g Bauer AG5NT (Canada Here) and 345g Proto R (Canada Here).
As a note, they no longer hold the title for lightest hockey stick made ever - that honor now belongs to Warrior with their 330g Super Novium (Canada Here).
With that said, let me present to you the top 3 sticks on our list:

CCM Jetspeed
FT6 Pro
The FT6 Pro offers a balance between shot power & quick release. It's a favourite amongst goal scorers including McDavid.
Weight: 365g
93% Score

Bauer Vapor
Hyperlite 2
With a 25g weight reduction and low kick point, the Hyperlite 2 is ideal for forwards wanting that quick release.
Weight: 360g
91% Score

CCM Ribcor
Trigger 8 Pro
The Trigger 8 Pro is the low kick gem made by CCM. It is also best for wrist and snapshots, and is incredibly durable.
Weight: 380g.
91% Score
These sticks are from the Pro line and sported by some of the top players in the NHL today. But there are more options available if you want to look outside of CCM and Bauer.
Furthermore, there are other options if your focus is particularly in power - best offered through mid kick sticks.
As a reminder, you basically have four differentiating factors when it comes to your preference in stick.
Kick Point
When choosing your kick point, note that there a 3 options available: low, mid and hybrid kicks.
Low Kick is designed for quick release shots, specifically wrist shots and snapshots. It's found in the lower part of the shaft, which causes the stick to "pop" on shot release.
Mid Kick is designed for power, which is needed for slap shots. The mid kick point is found slightly higher compared to the low kick, and allows for greater energy transfer on shot release.
Lastly, the hybrid kick is an unique design offered from the CCM Jetspeed line. Players such as McDavid and Matthews use these sticks for a well-balanced approach to all shots.
Stick Flex
The choice of stick flex is slightly easier to decide on.
Simply, take your current weight in pounds (lbs) and divide it by 2.
For example, I’m 160 lbs and I fall right in between two flex options with a score of 80 (160/2).
My choices are either 75 or 85 flex, but I’ve now settled comfortably with the 75-flex option. Hence, more stick flexibility (or whip) while loading up on a shot.
And just before we go into the full list, keep in mind to check out some of my other popular titles covering hockey sticks.
Blade Curve
As for the blade curve, you’ll be looking at either the toe or mid curve options.
That’s because the farther away the blade curve is from the shaft, the easier it is to lift the puck on the follow-through.
Furthermore, it allows for better stick handling and seamless passing.
While the CCM Ribcor is my choice, any model detailed above would be just as good a choice.
Once you determine the features that best suit your game type, you can always test out a similar brand or model for comparison.
For each stick in my list, I recommend my preferred blade curves.
But you can refer to the full list from the following link. It includes cross brand comparisons as well.
Stick Weight
Sticks used by the pros typically weigh less than 400g. Just note that some sticks weigh less than others.
While the weight shouldn't impact quality of the stick, there are certain players who prefer the lighter option.
But weightless sticks are not for everybody. For some, the extra load helps with controlling their follow through on both shots and passes.
It's all a matter of preference and, for the average beer leaguer, price.
7 Best Hockey Sticks of 2023
Here are the list of sticks, based on a thorough review. Note that all these tried and tested by NHL players long before there release to market.
Used by Auston Matthews & Mika Zibanejad
CCM Jetspeed FT6 Pro
Released in 2023


Weight
365g
Material
Sigma STP Spread Tow
Flex (Available In)
70, 75, 80, 85, 95
Blade Curve (Suggested)
P29 or P28
Kick Point
Mid
List Price
$349.99 USD
$399.99 CAD
CHECK CURRENT PRICE
Key Features:
What I Like/Dislike About the CCM Jetspeed FT6 Pro:
Like:
Dislike:
Stick Rating Breakdown:
Lightness
Durability
Feel
Top Scorer's Choice
Junior & Intermediate Options:
If you're searching for the same model stick but for kids or teenagers, check out the selection below.
CCM Jetspeed FT6 Pro
JUNIOR
List (USD)
$249.99
CCM Jetspeed FT6 Pro
INTERMEDIATE
List ( USD)
$329.99
Used by Patrik Laine & Pierre-Luc Dubois
Bauer Vapor Hyp2rlite
NEW Release (July 2023)


Weight
360g
Material
ACL 2.0 Technology
Flex (Available In)
70, 77, 87
Blade Curve (Suggested)
P28, P92
Kick Point
Low
List Price
$339.99 USD
$399.99 CAD
CHECK CURRENT PRICE
Key Features:
What I Like/Dislike About the Bauer Vapor Hyperlite 2:
Like:
Dislike:
Stick Rating Breakdown:
Lightness
Durability
Feel
Top Scorer's Choice
Junior & Intermediate Options:
If you're searching for the same model stick but for kids or teenagers, check out the selection below.
Bauer Vapor Hyperlite 2
JUNIOR
List (USD)
$239.99
Bauer Vapor Hyperlite 2
INTERMEDIATE
List (USD)
$309.99
Used by Nathan McKinnon and Sidney Crosby
CCM Ribcor Trigger 8 Pro
Released in 2023


Weight
380g
Material
Nanolite Shield
Flex (Available In)
70, 75, 80, 85, 95
Blade Curve (Suggested)
P29 or P28
Kick Point
Low
List Price
$349.99 USD
$399.99 CAD
CHECK CURRENT PRICE
Key Features:
What I Like/Dislike About the CCM Ribcor Trigger 8 Pro:
Like:
Dislike:
Stick Rating Breakdown:
Lightness
Durability
Feel
Top Scorer's Choice
Junior & Intermediate Options:
If you're searching for the same model stick but for kids or teenagers, check out the selection below.
CCM Ribcor Trigger 8 Pro
JUNIOR
USD
$249.99
CCM Ribcor Trigger 8 Pro
INTERMEDIATE
USD
$329.99
Used by Mikko Rantanen & David Pastrnak
Bauer Nexus Sync
Released in 2022


Weight
365g
Material
ACL 2.0
Flex (Available In)
70, 77, 87
Blade Curve (Suggested)
P92 or P28
Kick Point
Mid
List Price
$339.99 USD
$399.99 CAD
CHECK CURRENT PRICE
Key Features:
What I Like/Dislike About the Bauer Nexus Sync:
Like:
Dislike:
Stick Rating Breakdown:
Lightness
Durability
Feel
Top Scorer's Choice
Junior & Intermediate Options:
If you're searching for the same model stick but for kids or teenagers, check out the selection below.
Bauer Nexus Sync
JUNIOR
List (USD)
$239.99
Bauer Nexus Sync
INTERMEDIATE
List (USD)
$309.99
Used by Brad Marchand & Jake Guentzel
Warrior Alpha LX2 Pro
Released in 2023


Weight
375g
Material
RL 188, Minimus Carbon 25
Flex (Available In)
65, 75, 85, 95
Blade Curve (Suggested)
W03 or W28
Kick Point
Hybrid
List Price
$349.99 USD
$399.99 CAD
CHECK CURRENT PRICE
Key Features:
What I Like/Dislike About the Warrior Alpha LX2 Pro:
Like:
Dislike:
Stick Rating Breakdown:
Lightness
Durability
Feel
Top Scorer's Choice
Junior & Intermediate Options:
If you're searching for the same model stick but for kids or teenagers, check out the selection below.
Warrior Alpha LX2 Pro
JUNIOR
List (USD)
$219.99
Warrior Alpha LX2 Pro
INTERMEDIATE
List (USD)
$329.99
Used by Darnell Nurse & Matt Duchene
Warrior Super Novium
Released in September 2023


Weight
330g
Material
RL 199 and Minimus Carbon 25
Flex (Available In)
65, 75, 85
Blade Curve (Suggested)
W03 or W28
Kick Point
Mid
List Price
$359.99 USD
$429.99 CAD
CHECK CURRENT PRICE
Key Features:
What I Like/Dislike About the Warrior Super Novium:
Like:
Dislike:
Stick Rating Breakdown:
Lightness
Durability
Feel
Top Scorer's Choice
Junior & Intermediate Options:
If you're searching for the same model stick but for kids or teenagers, check out the selection below.
Warrior Super Novium
JUNIOR
List (USD)
$249.99
Warrior Super Novium
INTERMEDIATE
List (USD)
$329.99
Used by Mitch Marner and Brady Tkachuk
TRUE HZRDUS PX
Released in 2022


Weight
345g
Material
Precision Laminate Design
Flex (Available In)
65, 75, 85, 95
Blade Curve (Suggested)
TC2 or TC4
Kick Point
Low
List Price
$359.99 USD
$439.99 CAD
CHECK CURRENT PRICE
Key Features:
What I Like/Dislike About the TRUE HZRDUS PX:
Like:
Dislike:
Stick Rating Breakdown:
Lightness
Durability
Feel
Top Scorer's Choice
Junior & Intermediate Options:
If you're searching for the same model stick but for kids or teenagers, check out the selection below.
TRUE HZRDUS PX
JUNIOR
List (USD)
$229.99
TRUE HZRDUS PX
INTERMEDIATE
List (USD)
$319.99
Two Sticks to Avoid
With so many more options available, I had to include my opinion on which sticks to avoid altogether. This might be controversial for some, but I wouldn't pay full price for these twigs at this point.
BAUER AG5NT (335g)
Low Kick
List (USD)
$359.99
TRUE Catalyst 9X3 (350g)
Mid Kick
List (USD)
$339.99
The Bauer AG5NT had many customer concerns with robustness within the 30-day warranty period. Making matters worse, users would also fracture their replacement stick.
In fairness, there was a fair amount of NHL players that played with the AG5NT the last couple of seasons.
But considering this is an aging model, and is being replaced by the Proto R, it doesn't make any sense to top dollar anymore.
As for the TRUE Catalyst 9X3, the major concern is its durability at the top end of the shaft.
Normally, sticks break anywhere between mid to low shaft area or along the blade, but this one is a head scratcher.
I see TRUE Temper as the little guy, and it's important they keep the big boys (CCM, Bauer) in check. So I appreciate their effort in making a wide range of sticks, especially on the high-end side.
But they'll need to address this particular issue; it shouldn't be a such sensitive part of the stick.
I was also disappointed to see only one Catalyst 9X3 available at my local shop, and they have quite a healthy stick supply.