Blade 2
Known As:
Bauer P88 (Kane)
CCM P40 (MacKinnon)
CCM P80 (Ovechkin)
Warrior W88 (Gaudreau)
True MC
STX X88 (van Riemsdyk)
Sher-Wood PP88 (Ryan)
Easton E36
Pro Blackout P88
Formerly Zetterberg/Hossa/Lindros
Description:
Blade 2 is a moderate mid curve with a fairly closed face. Generally Blade 2 will have a round toe (though not as round as most curves), but some brands (ie CCM P40) will have a little bit of a squared off toe.
Looking for Something Similar?:
Many players who like Blade 2 will also like Blade 3, which is similar but notably straighter. Blade 5 has a similar overall curve but is slightly more open and features a square toe. For those looking to be a bit more adventurous, Blade 15 has an almost identical shape through the heel and mid section, but with a toe kink at the end.
What it’s Good For:
A deep pocket makes it easy to cradle and hang onto the puck while stickhandling. This is also a great curve for wrist shots and snapshots, especially when it comes to accuracy on low shots. The closed face also makes this curve a little more comfortable for players coming from more traditional old-school curves.
Downsides:
The closed face can make it challenging for players to raise the puck, especially when in tight or under pressure. Beginners in particular may struggle to get easy loft on their shots. The deep midsection also can make backhands fairly difficult.
Pro Players Using This Curve (or Similar):
Blade 2 seems to have begun to fall out of fashion in recent years, but there are still a number of notable users. A few examples of players spotted using it recently would be Johnny Gaudreau, Mark Stone, Chris Kreider and Brendan Gallagher.
Blade 2 is one of the more traditional curves still widely available. A nice even and gradual curve makes it very usable and the closed face makes it an easy transition for those coming from old-school sticks. Though going bar down is a bit more challenging with Blade 2, it is a great choice for players of all levels.
2 comments
I am interested in possibly purchasing a stick but I need the exact lie of your blade options. If you could provide the list of 5.5 or 6.0 that would be great.
Thanks
Are is the lie on your Blade 2 (P88)? Is it 5 or 6? Comparables are Bauer P88 is 6 lie while True MC is 5 lie. Same question for your P92 blade. Thanks!