What Do PWHL and National-Team Players' Sticks Look Like?

Women’s pro hockey is the least documented part of the tape story. We found far fewer published details about PWHL tape jobs than about NHL ones. This article sticks to what can be verified: the rules, and a handful of sticks and answers on the record. We add to the women’s hockey stories as more turns up.

The rules: the same as the NHL

The PWHL says its rules are based on the NHL’s, with IIHF rules added for body checking, face protection and fighting. Sticks follow the NHL model. Under PWHL Rule 10.1 (2025-26):

• Tape: adhesive tape of any colour may be wrapped anywhere on the stick, for reinforcement or puck control.
• Length: no more than 63 in from the heel to the end of the shaft.
• Blade: no more than 12.5 in long, and between 2 and 3 in wide.
• Curve: no more than 3/4 in.

Rule 10.2 requires a goalie stick to have a knob of white tape or other league-approved material at least 1/2 in thick at the top of the shaft. That matches the NHL.

At the Olympics and World Championships, IIHF Rule 10 applies. It also allows tape of any colour anywhere, and requires a white goalie knob at least 1.3 cm thick. The IIHF’s women-specific rules, 101 and 102, cover body checking and equipment such as face protection. Neither sets a separate stick or tape rule.

What the sticks show

These details come from game-used sticks sold with provenance and from players’ own answers. Each is one stick or one answer, not a permanent habit.

Hilary Knight

A 2024-25 PWHL Boston game-used stick sold through The Realest is a right-handed Bauer Tracer with a white tape handle. The listing does not describe the blade tape.

Sarah Nurse

A 2024-25 PWHL Toronto game-used stick sold through The Realest is a left-handed CCM with blue handle tape over white tape.

Hannah Bilka and Laila Edwards

In USA Hockey’s rapid-fire Q&As during the 2026 Olympics in Milan, both were asked to choose between white and black tape. Both picked white.

Flex and curve

Flex and curve numbers for women pros are rarely published. What we could find:

• Canada, 2012. A Doyle Hockey Development article listed national-team flexes: Marie-Philip Poulin 67, Sarah Vaillancourt 67, Catherine Ward 65 to 67, Caroline Ouellette 80 and Gillian Apps 85. Bauer’s pro custom manager at the time said the average NHL flex was about 95 to 100.
• Brianne Jenner. HockeyStickMan’s 2022 spec check lists a 67 flex and a P88 pattern, a mild mid curve with a closed toe.
• Natalie Spooner. HockeyStickMan has listed a pro stock True Project X under her name, labelled PWHL Toronto, at 70 flex, right-handed, TC3 curve and 59 inches.

Every example here sits well below the 95 to 100 NHL average cited in 2012. See what flex women’s players use.

What we could not verify

• Bauer’s PWHL tape video. In April 2025, Bauer Hockey posted a video titled “The most UNIQUE tape jobs in the PWHL.” Its tags name Marie-Philip Poulin, Danielle Serdachny, Hilary Knight, Hannah Bilka, Megan Keller, Laura Stacey and Alina Muller. We could not confirm what the video shows for each player, so we have not described their tape jobs here.
• Blade tape colour and coverage for most PWHL players. The two game-used listings we found describe the handle, not the blade.

If you have a verifiable source, such as an interview or a photo with a date and team, we would like to hear about it.

What to take from it

• No special rules. Women pros tape under the same rules as the NHL.
• Flex is lower. Most documented flexes are 65 to 70, with two at 80 and 85.
• Tape is personal. White handles, blue over white, a preference for white. There is no single women’s style.

For your own stick, see choosing and taping a stick for women’s hockey, and the forward tutorial for the steps.