Hockey stick

Abstract

A substantially non-deformable all-steel player hockey stick for the purpose of training includes a blade having a heel portion and a hollow rectangular tubular shaft formed to receive the heel of the blade. The shaft includes four side walls with each side wall having a thickness ranging from about 1.6 mm to about 3.2 mm. The shaft also exhibits a stiffness of about 250 pounds per inch of deflection. Support tabs extend from opposing side walls proximate a distal end of the shaft and receive the heel of the blade therebetween, whereby each support tab attaches to the heel of the blade to connect the blade to the shaft. The combined weight of the shaft and the blade exceeds one kilogram.

1 . A player hockey stick comprising:
 a metal shaft portion exhibiting a stiffness of about 250 pounds per inch of deflection; and   a blade portion attached to the shaft, wherein the shaft and the blade overall weigh at least one kilogram to assist in training a user puck control skills.   
   
   
       2 . The player hockey stick of  claim 1  wherein the shaft comprises an elongated wall forming a hollow tube wherein the wall has a thickness ranging from about 1.6 mm to about 3.2 mm. 
   
   
       3 . The player hockey stick of  claim 1  wherein the shaft further comprises spaced-apart opposing support tabs extending from a distal end of the shaft for receiving a heel of the blade therebetween, whereby each support tab attaches to the heel of the blade to connect the blade to the shaft. 
   
   
       4 . The player hockey stick of claim of  claim 1  wherein the blade is constructed from metal. 
   
   
       5 . The player hockey stick of  claim 4  wherein the shaft and the blade are constructed from steel. 
   
   
       6 . The player hockey stick of  claim 1  wherein the shaft and the blade overall weigh between about 1.1 kilograms and about 3.6 kilograms. 
   
   
       7 . A player hockey stick for training purposes comprising:
 a blade including a heel portion; and   a hollow rectangular tubular shaft formed to receive the heel of the blade, the shaft including opposing side walls, each side wall having a thickness ranging from about 1.6 mm to about 3.2 mm, wherein the combined weight of the shaft and the blade exceeds one kilogram.   
   
   
       8 . The player hockey stick of  claim 7  wherein the shaft exhibits a stiffness of about 250 pounds per inch of deflection. 
   
   
       9 . The player hockey stick of  claim 8  wherein the blade and the shaft are constructed from steel. 
   
   
       10 . The player hockey stick of  claim 7  wherein the shaft further comprises a support tab extending from each side wall proximate a distal end of the shaft for receiving the heel of the blade therebetween, whereby each support tab attaches to the heel of the blade to connect the blade to the shaft. 
   
   
       11 . The player hockey stick of  claim 1  wherein the shaft and the blade overall weigh between about 1.1 kilograms and about 3.6 kilograms. 
   
   
       12 . An all-metal player hockey stick for use in training a user puck control skills comprising:
 a blade having a heel portion; and   a hollow rectangular tubular shaft formed to receive the heel portion of the blade, wherein the shaft includes opposing side walls having a thickness ranging from about 1.6 mm to about 3.2 mm, wherein the combined weight of the shaft and the blade exceeds one kilogram.   
   
   
       13 . The player hockey stick of  claim 12  wherein the shaft is constructed from steel. 
   
   
       14 . The player hockey stick of  claim 13  wherein the steel is substantially free of aluminum or titanium. 
   
   
       15 . The player hockey stick of  claim 12  wherein the blade is constructed from steel. 
   
   
       16 . The player hockey stick of  claim 16  wherein the steel is substantially free of aluminum or titanium. 
   
   
       17 . The player hockey stick of  claim 12  wherein the shaft and the blade are constructed from steel. 
   
   
       18 . The player hockey stick of  claim 12  wherein the shaft further comprises a support tab extending from each side wall proximate a distal end of the shaft for receiving the heel of the blade therebetween, whereby each support tab attaches to the heel of the blade to connect the blade to the shaft. 
   
   
       19 . The player hockey stick of  claim 12  wherein the shaft and the blade overall weigh between about 1.1 kilograms and about 3.6 kilograms.