Hockey stick size chart: junior, intermediate, senior

Hockey sticks come in three size classes built around the player’s body, not their age or gender: Junior, Intermediate, and Senior. Match the class to the player’s weight and height, then let flex confirm it. Junior suits lighter, younger players, Intermediate suits growing players, and Senior suits adults.

The three classes at a glance

We make one honest build per class, so the numbers below are exactly what you get:

• Junior: 20 flex, 260 grams, about 58 inches (147 cm). Younger and lighter players.
• Intermediate: 50 flex, 320 grams, about 62 inches (157 cm). Growing players, and lighter adults who want an easier flex.
• Senior: 77 flex, 385 grams, about 65 inches (165 cm). Adult players.

Those three weights are the whole range, and they do not change with color or with hand. How much does a hockey stick weigh covers what a gram is worth and what the number leaves out.

Go by the body, not the birthday

Age charts are a rough guide at best, because two players the same age can be a foot apart. Weight and height tell you more. A tall, strong teen can be ready for a Senior, and a light adult can be happier on an Intermediate with its softer flex. When a player sits between two classes, size down for control and up for power. The intermediate to senior step is the one people ask about most, so we wrote up the difference between an intermediate and a senior stick on its own.

Let flex settle a tie

Flex is the tiebreaker. A good starting flex is about half the player’s body weight in pounds. If that number lands near the flex of one class, that is usually your class. A 100 pound player near a 50 flex points straight at Intermediate. We break it down in hockey stick flex, explained. Picking one without a stick in your hands? How to choose a hockey stick flex walks through the whole method.

Then check length

Class sets the ballpark, but you still trim to the player. Stood on its toe, the stick should reach somewhere around the chin on skates. Our guide to measuring stick length covers where to cut, and why every inch you take off stiffens the flex.

Know the class already? Shop hockey sticks and pick a color. Every size comes left or right at the same price, and two quick tests tell you which side you shoot from. Shop them by hand: left-handed hockey sticks or right-handed hockey sticks. Not sure of the class yet? The finder above names a class from two numbers. There is also a two-question size finder on its own page, easier to pass to a parent or a coach. Buying it as a present? The hockey gift guide covers the one thing a size chart cannot settle, which is which hand they shoot with.