Sandro Azerrad
If you've been watching Connor Bedard throughout his young career both in the CHL and for Team Canada, you probably knew that he consistently used Bauer hockey sticks.
But following the 2023 NHL Draft, it's confirmed that he signed a sponsorship deal with Sherwood. He's started the NHL 2023-24 season using the Sherwood Rekker Legend Pro.
While we wait for the official Sherwood stick release date, let's take a look at which twigs have been Bedard's go-to, so far.
I break down the features and stick score for each model further below.
Sherwood Rekker
Legend Pro
Bedard made his NHL debut with the Legend Pro in hand. It's the latest Low Kick pro line stick made by Sherwood, weighing in at 390g.
Bauer Vapor
Hyperlite 2
The successor to the Hyperlite, now weighing only 360g. Bedard was a big fan of this model in his junior years.
Bauer Nexus
Sync
Earlier in his career, Bedard was spotted using the Sync which is ultra light (365g) and allows for a fast and dynamic shot release.
Connor Bedard is regarded as the next phenom to begin his journey in the NHL. He's already being compared to Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby - which are mighty shoes to fill.
But with the talent he has, I expect Bedard not to disappoint.
For those that have watched him play so far are aware of his tremendous speed, agility and nasty shot.
While all these talents can be attributed to his raw skills and repeated practice, there's no doubt that his choice in equipment helps.
One particular piece that cannot be overlooked is his preference in hockey stick.
Hockey sticks have gone through revolutionary phase the last 20 or so years.
We originally went from wooden sticks, to two-piece aluminum shafts to the composites of today.
Furthermore, the sticks have gotten lighter without the compromise on durability.
The early days was a speed to who can develop the most weightless stick. But along the way, certain features were added to give a natural feel and improve the player's ability to shoot.
I am specifically talking here about features such as stick flex, kick point, blade curve and lie.
But two brands who have been there from get-go were CCM and Bauer.
These two companies in particular have endured the equipment war, especially for sticks between brands.
For his choice in battle, Bedard has been faithful to the Bauer brand.
What Stick does Connor Bedard Use?
As mentioned above, Connor Bedard is sporting the new Sherwood Rekker Legend Pro stick for the start of the 2023-24 season.
The stick is made of 25K Carbon fiber weave to enhance stick strength. Sherwood also uses a process called Featherlite XT in the blade and shaft to reduce the weight throughout the stick.
The result is a proportionally balanced stick from the upper shaft down the toe of the blade.
The Legend Pro is comparable to other pro line sticks at a weight of 390g. It most resembles the CCM Ribcor Trigger 8 Pro (Canada Here) in weight and kickpoint.
Note that Bedard expressed that he likes using a very low Flex and PP92 curve on his blade.
Remember that he comes in at slightly under 5'10 and 185 lbs.
That said, let's break down the details of the Sherwood Rekker Legend Pro and other sticks Bedard has known to use as well.
Used also by Alex DeBrincat
Sherwood Rekker Legend Pro stick
NEW Release (September 2023)
Weight
390g
Material
Blackline 25K Carbon Fiber
Flex (Available In)
65, 75, 85
Blade Curve (Suggested)
PP92 or PP28
List Price
$279.99 USD
$329.99 CAD
CHECK CURRENT PRICE
Key Features:
What I Like/Dislike About the Sherwood Rekker Legend 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.
Sherwood Rekker Legend Pro
JUNIOR
List (USD)
$189.99
Sherwood Rekker Legend Pro
INTERMEDIATE
List (USD)
$259.99
As mentioned above, Connor Bedard has used other Bauer model sticks. Prior to the Sherwood Rekker Legend Pro, he was using the other popular low kick point model, the Bauer Vapor Hyperlite series (US | CAN).
The main difference between the two models are in the technology and weight. But note that the new Hyperlite comes in at an impressive 360g in weight.
As for the other alternate, Bedard used the Bauer Nexus Sync (US | CAN).
If you elect to go with any of the choices, you'll need to better understand stick flex, kick point and blade curve.
Let's take a deeper look...
Stick Flex, Kick Point and Blade Curves Explained
Bedard's choice described his choice in stick based on feel, his main reasons are likely is based on quick release and shot power.
His preferred shot type is either wrist shots or snapshots. Matthews has pointed out that he rarely uses a slap shot for shot selection.
In fact, 67% of all NHL goals are scored both off wrist shots and snapshots combined. For a summary of how most NHL goals are scored, check out my blog post here.
To achieve both quick release and power on the shot, the main contribution from the stick comes from the stick flex and the kick point.
Stick Flex
Generally, the ideal stick flex is related to each player's weight.
The most basic way to determine your stick flex is to take your weight in pounds (lbs) and divide by two.
The resulting score will land on the exact stick flex required or between two available options. The lower the stick flex value, the more flexible your stick is.
Keep in mind that cutting your stick will increase the stick flex value, regardless of what is described on the stick.
Kick Point
The kickpoint is the area of the stick that absorbs the energy transfer on puck release.
The lower the kickpoint, the more pop one gets off wrist shots and snapshots.
Meanwhile, the mid kickpoints experience less pop, but generate extra power off the slap shot.
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 curve.
But you can refer to the full list from the following link. It includes cross brand comparisons as well.
Used also by Nikita Kucherov & Artemi Panarin
Bauer Vapor Hyp2rlite
Released in 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
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
Low-Cost Equivalent Option (Senior):
For a less expensive model from the same series, try the:
Bauer Vapor X5 Pro
SENIOR
Weight: 390g
List (USD)
$219.99
Bauer Vapor X4
SENIOR
Weight: 425g
List (USD)
$169.99
Used also 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
List Price
$339.99 USD
Promotion
None Currently
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
Low-Cost Equivalent Option (Senior):
For a less expensive model from the same series, try the:
Bauer Nexus E3 Grip
SENIOR
List (USD)
$139.99
Final Thoughts
When I was growing up, the cool thing was to practice my slapshot.
Little did I know that it played a minimal role in scoring, especially for forwards.
And that was back then.
Today’s game is all about speed. Not just in skating, but in shot release.
The fastest ways to shoot the puck is by wrist shots, snapshots and one-timers. Again, you can refer to my blog post here about How Most NHL Goals are Scored.
The NHL stats show that wrist shots and snapshots make up the bulk of the goals.
The style of game Connor Bedard plays is no different than the other elites in the league. He's a dangerous shooter and will rely on that wrist and snap shots to accumulate points in his career.
It is up to you to mimic his tactics.
And what better way than to do so by working with the same weapon (stick) of choice.
