How to Wrap a Hockey Blade
Bobby Orr had a thin strip of black tape on the blade of his stick, Wayne Gretzky wrapped the entire blade of his stick, while Alex Ovechkin wraps the top of the stick handle with red tape. Some players swear by the game-winning effects of wrapping up a hockey stick, but at best the wraps are decorations that show who you are on the ice. Here are some ways to wrap a hockey stick.
Why Wrap the Hockey Stick?
When you first buy a new hockey stick, the piece of equipment comes bare, with only paint and trademark logos found in the handle, shaft, or blade. Many seasoned players take some time to wrap their hockey sticks for many reasons, including the following:
Grip. Some players prefer to have a more rounded, thicker handle on top of the stick to make the stick easier to hold.
Control. Some players wrap the entire blade, or part of the blade, with tape to allow a softer touch when the puck is moved or shuffled on the ice.
Decoration. For many hockey enthusiasts, a hockey stick is an extension of themselves when they play on the ice. The way they wrap and decorate a stick can say a lot about who they are.
Tools
Hockey stick
Electrical tape, Teflon plumbing tape, or grip tape
Pencil and ruler
Steps
Wrapping the Handle
Measure about six to eight inches from the top of the handle to the shaft, and lightly mark the stick with a pencil.
Starting from the top of the stick, wrap the handle to the desired thickness you want for the shaft.
Some players may want a “knob” on top of the handle to improve grip especially in intense plays. To make a knob, wrap very thick, even layers on the topmost part of the handle. Make sure that the knob tapers downward to maintain a smooth, even grip when you need your hands to slide along the topmost part of the handle.
Wrapping the Blade
Determine whether or not you need to wrap the whole blade, half of it, or just the hilt of the blade. It all depends on your playing style. For most players, wrapping half of the blade works to give a soft touch to controlled shots, while keeping half the blade exposed makes for great power shots and deflecting power.
Start wrapping the blade with tape two inches from where the hilt meets the blade.
The thickest part of wrapping should be just an inch below where the stick angles from the shaft to the blade. Make sure that your wrapping tapers on both sides to prevent the wrap from unravelling or breaking apart during high-level play.
Go over the edges of the wrap to check if the seams and edges will hold up to high-level play. You may want to go over the edges with more tape if you feel the wrap will buckle with strong strikes.
No matter what way you wrap the blade, there’s still no substitute for good puck handling and stick skills. With these tips, you can start wrapping up your own hockey sticks from the store, and start building your legend on the ice.