We’ve all had those moments where we wished we were just a little better. Like the time you almost chased down an opposing center on a breakaway. Or the time you were down one goal with 10 seconds on the clock and sent a slapshot into the post. Or maybe you almost put a pass on a plate for your winger, but it didn’t have enough sauce to get over the defender’s stick.
Regardless of your skill level or your competition level, every hockey player wants a competitive edge. Ditching traditional hockey stick tape for an engineered better alternative could be enough to put you over the top.
TIP: Keep reading to see how swapping your cheapest piece of equipment could elevate your game by 5%.
#1: Even the Best Could be 5% Better
Even Connor McDavid has a few near misses he wishes had gone 5% better. Take this game against Buffalo in 2019. An open-netter would have guaranteed the win, but the game stayed salty to the final second thanks to Connor's open-net miss. Sometimes, seeing such talented shooters brick a shot is a relief. Other times, it’s just sad. Connor wished his hockey stick tape had 5% more accuracy on March 4, 2019.
#2: Pastrňák Pings the Pipes 5% to the Right
It was round two, game four, of the 2021 playoffs, and David Pastrňák had a golden opportunity to give his team some much-needed first-period energy. Instead, he dinged the post. The Bruins didn’t win another game of the series. It wasn’t all Pastrňák’s fault, but 5% to the left could have swung the momentum of the entire series.
#3: Marchand Needs 5% More Hockey Stick Tape Grip
Brad Marchand probably wished his stick had 5% more grip in this shootout against the Philadelphia Flyers. During a shootout, he failed to pick up the puck at center ice, which caused one of the more bizarre losses in NHL history.
#4: P.K. Suban Wishes He Was 5% More Accurate
P.K. Suban put about 5% too much sauce on this punch and missed Marchand’s nose by about 5% too, which was the difference between getting a clean knockout and looking silly. He fell over, wound up fighting a much smaller guy to a draw, and lost momentum for his team.
#5: Put an End to Adult League Madness
Most of us probably relate to the Terminators more than the McDavid’s of the world. Being a little better may not be able to take you to the Stanley Cup, but it could help your team pull down a few more wins.
Ditching traditional hockey tape could make you 5% better
Rezztek® can’t make your punches 5% more accurate, but a study by the Slovak Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Physics found that it can increase your shot performance by about 5% over traditional hockey stick tape.
In a study of both slap shots and wrist shots, players from amateur leagues up to Zdeno Chára saw a 6% increase in shot accuracy, a 3% increase in shot speed, and a 5% increase in shot energy.
Filip Hronek has been using Rezztek® instead of traditional hockey tape. In fact, he was using Rezztek® when he fired the fasted recorded in-game slap shot at 107.9 mph.
Here’s what he said when Rezztek® founder and CEO Andrej Dula chatted with him about the record: “I have been using Rezztek® since it was introduced to me a few years ago, and I feel really good when shooting with it… it definitely adds speed to your shot.” Changing your tape won’t put you in the Norris Trophy conversation, but a 6% increase in shot accuracy translates to goals over the length of a season.
Rezztek® is the newest technology for the blade of the hockey stick, completely replacing the need for traditional hockey tape. With four patented layers designed for top performance, Rezztek® is 50% lighter and thinner than hockey tape and has been scientifically proven to improve shot speed, accuracy, and puck control.
Featured Image Credits: RTA, GI, Sportsnet, NHLPA
