What is Lie on a Hockey Stick and How do I Choose?

What Is Lie on a Hockey Stick?

Barn Garb Hockey Threads
Pick up your stick and look near the shaft or blade.

You’ll see a number like:

5.0, 5.5, or 6.0

That’s your stick’s lie.



What is lie on a hockey stick?

Lie refers to the angle between the blade and the shaft.

It determines how your blade sits on the ice when you’re in your natural stance.

  • Lower lie (5 or below) → blade sits flatter when you’re lower to the ice
  • Higher lie (6 or above) → blade sits flatter when you’re more upright

If the lie doesn’t match your stance:

👉 part of your blade won’t touch the ice properly

Understand Your Full Stick Setup

Lie works together with your stick’s flex, curve, and length — not on its own.

Choose the Right Stick Choose Stick Flex Understand Blade Curves View Flex Chart

Why lie matters

This is one of those things you don’t always notice right away—but it shows up in your game.

If your lie is off:
  • passes don’t feel clean
  • shots come off weird
  • puck control feels inconsistent
If your lie is right:
  • the full blade stays on the ice
  • better contact with the puck
  • more control without thinking about it

How to tell if your lie is wrong

There’s a simple way to check.

Look at the tape wear on your blade.


Wear toward the heel

👉 Your lie is probably too high

Wear toward the toe

👉Your lie is probably too low

Even wear across the blade

👉 You’re in a good spot

Improve Puck Control and Feel

If your stick setup is off, it shows up in how the puck comes off your blade.

Improve Shot Accuracy Increase Shot Power Tape Your Stick Properly Low vs Mid Kick Point

What affects the right lie for you

Lie isn’t random—it’s tied directly to how you play.

Your stance

If you skate more upright:
👉 you’ll usually want a higher lie

If you stay lower and more bent:
👉 you’ll usually want a lower lie


Stick length

This connects back to your previous setup.
  • Shorter stick → plays like a higher lie
  • Longer stick → plays like a lower lie
That’s why stick length and lie always go together.

Match Your Stick to Your Body

Stick length and lie are directly connected — one affects how the other feels on the ice.

Find Proper Stick Length Beginner Stick Guide Full Stick Setup Guide Shop Hockey Sticks


Where you handle the puck

If you carry the puck:
  • closer to your body → higher lie
  • farther out in front → lower lie

What most players use

Here’s the reality:

Most sticks fall between:

👉 Lie 5 and Lie 6


And most players:

👉 never change it


Because for many people, that middle range works just fine.


Do you actually need to worry about lie?

For most players:

👉 Not right away

Focus on:
  • flex
  • length
  • curve
first.

But once your setup is dialed in:

👉 lie becomes a small adjustment that can make things feel cleaner

It’s one of those details that comes after you’ve figured out your main setup.


Final takeaway

If you want the simplest answer:

👉 Most players are fine with lie 5–6
👉 Adjust based on your stance and stick length

And if your blade is sitting flat on the ice without you thinking about it:

You’re already where you need to be.


Built for players who care about the details others miss. Barn Garb Hockey Threads makes hockey-inspired streetwear built for life at the barn.
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