Kicking it with Datsyuk

By Michael Caples –

Who wants to shoot like Pavel Datsyuk?

Okay, we know that’s like saying who wants to win the lottery. But the engineers at Reebok’s hockey division want you to know that if you’re trying to shoot like Datsyuk, they’ve got a new stick prepared just for you.

Last spring, Datsyuk was the only player in the NHL to tape up Reebok’s new Ai 9 stick and test it out in an NHL game. The Wings’ superstar used it for the second round of the playoffs, where he recorded two goals and seven assists in seven games.

“He loved the stick,” said Jordan Boman, Reebok’s technology rep for the metro-Detroit area. “He was actually given a retail stick; the biggest thing for us is that at retail, the Ai 9 is a pro-made stick, but available at the retail level, and that’s what he was using. He loved it. As a company, we’re really pushing him towards this stick. If you’re a Datsyuk type of player, this is the stick you might want to use.”

Boman said the Ai 9 has been designed to complement the 11K stick — the Ai 9 is designed for players who have time to load up, while the 11K is designed for those who like quick snap shots.

“We use our NHL guys to compare, so for instance, Pavel Datsyuk — great shot, great wrist shot, everybody in Detroit knows how good a shot he has outside the circle. He prefers the Ai stick. Then you take a player like Sidney Crosby; he does those quick snap shots when he’s close to the net. Not a big wind-up, not a big release — it’s a quick snapper. He prefers the 11K, which has the lower kickpoint to it. A lower kickpoint stick will give you that quick snap shot, where the Ai line let you really load up, lean into it, and have it snap and kick out for you.”

The difference in kickpoint comes from the way the sticks are assembled. Boman said the Ai 9 blade and shaft are joined like a spear, as opposed to a more ‘true-one’ type of stick construction.

“Not that the spear technology isn’t a one-piece, its just that they put the blade on in a different area,” Boman said. “With the spear, the blade is put on more towards the heel, whereas the true one-piece Sickick is put on more towards the middle of the blade. It’s just the spear of the shaft going down, so it gives you a different feel, all preference for what type of player you are. For people who like to feel the puck more, a true one-piece would be for you. If you have good enough hands to where you don’t need to focus so much on where the puck is at all times, you might like the Ai stick.”

Reebok also designed the stick to increase durability yet allow for plenty of flex while shooting.

“We also have the ‘2.1 Technology’, which means that on the top of the shaft, it’s a little bit stronger than it is on the side of the shaft. It gives you that durability feel, but with it being a little bit weaker on the side of the shaft, it still has that flexibility to load up easier.”

Boman also said the new stick line will feature Ai 7, Ai 5, and Ai 3, so Reebok can offer a variety of price points.

For more information, visit reebokhockey.com.