One of the most common misconceptions when it comes to hockey sticks is that when retail curves are named after a player, it is because they use that curve. Though there are some cases where this is true (ie Auston Matthews does use the P92 "Matthews" curve), there are many more examples where the name is use purely for marketing purposes.
This is not a new phenomenon. One of the most iconic curves of all time is the P92 "Sakic" curve, named after Colorado Avalanche legend (and current GM), Joe Sakic.
This curve has stood the test of time, is is now offered by nearly every major brand - as the CCM P29 "Crosby", the Bauer P92 "Matthews", the Warrior W03 "Backstrom", the True TC2 "Marner", and so on. However, as you can hear Joe talk about in the above video, it was never the curve that he actually used.
Another prime example of a brand hoping to capitalize on a player's popularity to sell sticks is Patrick Kane and the Bauer P88 curve. The pattern was first made famous as the "Lindros" curve, and when another top player wearing the number 88 came along, it seemed like a no-brainer to name the curve after him, despite it not actually being the pattern Kane uses.
As one of Bauer's most marketable athletes, they wanted to get his name on as many sticks and into the hands of as many kids as possible. Kane's actual pro curve is a modified version of the P10 "Shanahan" retail curve, but it has quite a unique profile and super squared-off toe, which could scare away the average buyer.
Until recently, this meant that the only way to try the real Patrick Kane pro curve was to purchase one of his custom made pro stock sticks. Those bad boys are hard to come by, and even if you can find one, you need to also use his same hand, curve, flex, etc for the stick to work for you.
This year however, we have started to offer curves inspired by what NHLers actually use in our top-selling Pro Blackout Extra Lite stick. In collaboration with Pro Stock Hockey Sticks, we have introduced 19 new curves based on the sticks the world's best players use on a nightly basis. Now, customers can play with sticks more like their favorite players than ever before in a handedness and flex that actually works for them!
@hockeystickman Now you can play more like a pro than ever before!
♬ LIMITS THE SKY - Mpax
| Player | Retail Curve Namesake | Actual Pro Curve |
| Auston Matthews | Bauer P92 | P29 ✔️ |
| Sidney Crosby | CCM P29 | custom flat heel ❌ |
| Patrick Kane | Bauer P88 | modifed P10 ❌ |
| Johnny Gaudreau | Warrior W88 | P88 ✔️ |
| Jack Eichel | Bauer P28 | P28 ✔️ |
| Connor McDavid | CCM P28 | modified P29 ❌ |
| Alexander Ovechkin | CCM P88, Bauer P92 | custom open toe ❌ |
| Mitch Marner | True TC2 | TC2 ✔️ |
| Nathan Mackinnon | CCM P40 | modified P71 ❌ |
| Mark Scheifele | Warrior W01 | W03 ❌ |
| John Tavares | CCM P45, CCM P90TM | P6 ❌ |
| Matt Duchene | CCM P14 | P28 ❌ |
| Dion Phaneuf | CCM P6 | P6 ✔️ |
| Max Pacioretty | Warrior W71 | W03 ❌ |
| Patrice Bergeron | CCM P46 | custom heel ❌ |
| Artemi Panarin | CCM P30 | P19 ❌ |