Choosing the perfect hockey stick on offense can be a tough decision to make with a ton of options available.
I made a list below of the best hockey sticks for forwards, including a quick summary of my top 3 choices.

CCM Jetspeed
FT6 Pro
CCM never disappoints with their twigs. Its hybrid kick makes it the best all around stick for any shot type.

CCM Ribcor
Trigger 8 Pro
Another CCM gem designed for quick shot release. The Ribcor line is my personal go-to.

Bauer Nexus
Sync
Coming in at 365g, the Sync is great for stickhandling and provides an enhanced feel on shot release.
There are many ways to shoot the puck, but your main options are wrist shots, snapshots and slapshots - with the one-timer in the back pocket.
In fact, most NHL goals come off the wrist shots and snapshots.
Don't believe me? I did a study on this a few seasons back on my blog post How Most NHL Goals are Scored.
Combined, the wrist shot and snapshot make up 67% of all goals. And the percentage would probably be higher if we isolate goals scored only by forwards.
That said, forwards should look into a stick that focuses on one or both shot types.
The elements of the stick that can help you get the most out of each shot includes the kick point, flex and the blade curve.
Ideal Stick Flex and Kick Point for Wrist and Snapshots
Before I give you my recommendations for sticks, you should know which features are best suited for snapshots.
When shooting the puck, you’ll want to get plenty of arc in the shaft, while getting the quickest kickback from the stick blade.
This would suggest you’re looking at a stick with low flex value and low kick point.
The same features are also recommended for wrist shots, which account for 51.8% of all NHL goals.
However, the top 50 NHL goal scorers tell another story…
Kick Point
Almost half the players (24) elected to go with a hybrid or mid-low kick point. Meanwhile, only 19 players chose a stick with low kick point option.
Hybrid models are used by both Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews – who have especially dangerous snapshots. Both currently use the CCM Jetspeed models.
On the other hand, players like Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby opt for the low kick point sticks.
They both use the CCM Ribcor Trigger Pros.
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 curve.
But you can refer to the full list from the following link. It includes cross brand comparisons as well.
Best Hockey Sticks for Forwards
Enter your text here...
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
Promotion
None Currently
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
Low-Cost Equivalent Option (Senior):
For a less expensive model from the same series, try the:
CCM Jetspeed FT670
SENIOR
Weight: 450g
USD
$139.99
BRAND NEW 2023
CCM Jetspeed FT6
SENIOR
Weight: 415g
USD
$249.99
BRAND NEW 2023
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
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
Low-Cost Equivalent Option (Senior):
For a less expensive model from the same series, try the:
CCM Ribcor Trigger 8
SENIOR
USD
$249.99
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
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
SENIOR
Weight: 450g
List (USD)
$139.99
Bauer Nexus E5 Pro
SENIOR
Weight: 390g
List (USD)
$219.99
Used by Nikita Kucherov & Artemi Panarin
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
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 by Brad Marchand & Jake Guentzel
Warrior Alpha LX2 Pro
Released in 2023


Weight
380g
Material
Minimus Carbon UD
Flex (Available In)
65, 75, 85, 95
Blade Curve (Suggested)
W03 or W28
List Price
$349.99 USD
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
Low-Cost Equivalent Option (Senior):
For a less expensive model from the same series, try the:
Warrior Novium SP
SENIOR
Weight: 445g
List (USD)
$119.99
Used by Patrick Kane & Jonathan Marchessault
Bauer AG5NT
Pronounced "Bauer Agent", released in 2022


Weight
335g
Material
Boron, DuraFlex Resin, Carbon Fiber
Flex (Available In)
70, 77, 87
Blade Curve (Suggested)
P92 or P28
List Price
$359.99 USD
Promotion
None Currently
CHECK CURRENT PRICE
Key Features:
What I Like/Dislike About the Bauer AG5NT:
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 AG5NT
JUNIOR
List (USD)
$269.99
Bauer AG5NT
INTERMEDIATE
List (USD)
$329.99
Low-Cost Equivalent Option (Senior):
The Bauer AG5NT is a limited edition model with a low kick point. The stick with the best matching specs comes from the Bauer Vapor collection.
Bauer Vapor 3X
SENIOR
Weight: 430g
List ($159.99 USD)
$119.99
SAVE 25%
Bauer Vapor 3X Pro
SENIOR
Weight: 410g
List ($219.99 USD)
$164.99
SAVE 25%
Which stick should I buy?
Choosing a composite stick should be based both on your hockey experience and your budget.
If you are new to hockey, you might want to get a feel for your stick. It’s very hard to determine this even if you’re at the store holding the stick.
You’ll want to battle test the stick during a game or practice.
So, I always recommend for beginners to buy a budget-friendly model such as the CCM Jetspeed FT670 (Canada Here).
When it comes to more competitive players, you should consider sticks in the super lightweight or lightweight class.
Just note that the lighter the stick, the more you’ll be dishing out top dollar.
Personally, I’ve been using the CCM Ribcor Trigger Pro series for years now. The current model available is the CCM Ribcor Trigger 8 Pro (Canada Here).
As noted earlier, I prefer the 75 flex and I’ve comfortably toggled between the MacKinnon (P40) and Crosby (P29) blade curves.
These are designated as mid and toe curves respectively. Which simply refers to where the arc initiates on the blade.
As a note, I’m not a fan of heel curves.
I’ve had difficulty stick handling or toe dragging the puck with them and my slapshot was way off. It was a major nightmare for me.
Final Thoughts
Let me know which is your favorite stick for snapshots.
Is there a brand you think stands out more than the others? I’m always open to testing out something new and give you my feedback.
Drop a comment below with your thoughts.