Gretzky and Lemieux Pro Curve
#2
Posted 16 June 2020 - 02:06 AM
A lot depends on what stick you want info on that they used. Both used various brands in their careers.
Adam Oates got into P92 when he was coaching in Washington back in 2013. When he played, he used a pretty straight blade and would cut an 3/4 inch off of the toe of the blade and tape it off.
EASY ACCESS
*Gretzky TPS OPS (TPS Response Plus Red painted XN10 OPS, pattern made from Hespeler wood)
*Hull (Easton Stealth OPS + Easton MM UL Grip + TPS RUBBER Black no logos + TPS RUBBER Black + TPS RUBBER Yellow + Easton and TPS graphite blades)
*Kariya (Easton UL w/epoxied graphite blade)
*Modano (Gold Synergy OPS)
NOT SO EASY ACCESS
Lemieux (Nike game used wood)
Robitaille (TPS XN10)
Let me know if you want pics...
#threadcloser
#3
Posted 16 June 2020 - 09:59 AM
A lot depends on what stick you want info on that they used. Both used various brands in their careers.
Adam Oates got into P92 when he was coaching in Washington back in 2013. When he played, he used a pretty straight blade and would cut an 3/4 inch off of the toe of the blade and tape it off.
EASY ACCESS
*Gretzky TPS OPS (TPS Response Plus Red painted XN10 OPS, pattern made from Hespeler wood)
*Hull (Easton Stealth OPS + Easton MM UL Grip + TPS RUBBER Black no logos + TPS RUBBER Black + TPS RUBBER Yellow + Easton and TPS graphite blades)
*Kariya (Easton UL w/epoxied graphite blade)
*Modano (Gold Synergy OPS)
NOT SO EASY ACCESS
Lemieux (Nike game used wood)
Robitaille (TPS XN10)
Let me know if you want pics...
Fire away if you have them thanks
#4
Posted 16 June 2020 - 10:11 AM
I was under the impression that along with the banning of leather gloves, they outlawed the wooden stick (under the table) due to slivers being found in players hands. They'd go right through the paper thin palms.
- Always looking for new style stars gear, particularly Bauer!
#6
Posted 16 June 2020 - 10:50 AM
Kariya used a Darby/P89 curve if I’m not mistaken. Or at least his brother Steve did because I had a bunch of his blades back in the day.
Oates had a small wedge and like junkyard said hacked off a good portion of the blade. I had a game used stick of his from his ducks days, he also filed down the underside by the toe.
Lemiuex’s gamers that I’ve seen in person were kind of a long blade with average height and a slight mid curve. If I’m not mistaken the retail koho revolution that was available in the early 90’s was his actual curve.
Gretzky’s blade was just a paddle. Slight mid curve If anything although I think towards the end of his career he might’ve tweaked it a little to be bigger.
Outside of a retail modano/PM9 or Bauer P89, Maybe a P91a curve I don’t think there’s much out there for comparison to these guys set ups. Maybe a Crosby pro stock. I get it’s the evolution of the game or whatever but I find it funny that the best players ever didn’t need some dual lie, crazy toe curve, +1 blade height to be the best. But hey you gotta sell and market your products one way or another.
#7
Posted 16 June 2020 - 02:37 PM
https://youtu.be/j_rOlMxOZto
#8
Posted 16 June 2020 - 09:05 PM
Didn't have the Hull's Stealth where I thought it was, but, I will get it out of storage. it is a 1 of 2 and was simply told that "he wouldn't try it." Not sure where the other one is.
These are the pics I have, and some comments:
*Gretzky Response Yellow OPS (1st Gretzky Fantasy Camp; 536g with TackiMac grip + friction blade tape)
*Gretzky XN10 painted in Response Plus Red graphics (2003 Heritage Classic Alumni Game; 440g without grip or blade tape)
*Hull TPS RLXN10 non-tapered OPS painted in Response Plus Red graphics (424g at full uncut length; small 1/4" cloth buttend with 3M grip strip on blade)
*Kariya Easton UltraLite Gen2 (super square cornered shaft w/blade epoxied in; 512g with handle tape, no blade tape)
*Modano Gold Synergy Grip OPS (soft corner original Synergy shaft shape + extra long all graphite shaft; 498g with "heavy" handle tape, no blade tape)
Not pictured = Hull TPS Yellow Rubber with blue kevlar blade (550g; no handle or blade tape)
Had to use my printer to get some shots I wanted...LOL
*Gretzky TPS OPS (TPS Response Plus Red painted XN10 OPS, pattern made from Hespeler wood)
*Hull (Easton Stealth OPS + Easton MM UL Grip + TPS RUBBER Black no logos + TPS RUBBER Black + TPS RUBBER Yellow + Easton and TPS graphite blades)
*Kariya (Easton UL w/epoxied graphite blade)
*Modano (Gold Synergy OPS)
Fire away if you have them thanks
I’ll defer any and all corrections or specifics to Junkyards expertise! Here’s my recollection of some of the curves mentioned:
Kariya used a Darby/P89 curve if I’m not mistaken. Or at least his brother Steve did because I had a bunch of his blades back in the day.
Oates had a small wedge and like junkyard said hacked off a good portion of the blade. I had a game used stick of his from his ducks days, he also filed down the underside by the toe.
Lemiuex’s gamers that I’ve seen in person were kind of a long blade with average height and a slight mid curve. If I’m not mistaken the retail koho revolution that was available in the early 90’s was his actual curve.
Gretzky’s blade was just a paddle. Slight mid curve If anything although I think towards the end of his career he might’ve tweaked it a little to be bigger.
Outside of a retail modano/PM9 or Bauer P89, Maybe a P91a curve I don’t think there’s much out there for comparison to these guys set ups. Maybe a Crosby pro stock. I get it’s the evolution of the game or whatever but I find it funny that the best players ever didn’t need some dual lie, crazy toe curve, +1 blade height to be the best. But hey you gotta sell and market your products one way or another.
Kariya was one of the very first players that Easton made a custom graphite blade for. One thing that surprised me was the thickness of the blade at the heel.
Oates filed upwards from the bottom of the blade towards the toe so that he could bare down on the stick during faceoffs and use his body to push his opponent off of the puck. Keep in mind he used one of the stiffest wood sticks available at the time, Sherwood's 9950.
Mario's blades are as you describe and it was a very slight curve. One thing I noticed on his sticks was the blade length was very long.
Hull, well, pics don't really do the curve justice. It just looks weird when you have it in your hands. When I had him as a client, I asked him how he shoots with that blade and his response was that the flex of the stick had a lot to do with it. He really didn't like the OPS, but this stick I had here was one of many attempts to get him into a OPS. Another stick we made him was an inverted XN10 shaft with the taper in his hands, as the flex point was reversed in order to allow for a regular hosel blade.
#threadcloser