advice | What does lie mean for a hockey stick?

The lie of a stick is really about how much of a stick blade lies on the ice.  Generally it ranges from 5 to 6 where 5 means less blade lies on the ice. 

Your preferred lie depends on your blade curve, stickhandling skills, body height, and skating style.  A lower lie is less common and more appropriate to skilled players and arguably shorter players.

A higher lie is more common as most players want more of their blade on the ice, especially when they have the puck on their stick or when they are receiving passes.  It’s kind of like a smaller and bigger baseball glove.  Everyone can catch the ball with a big baseball glove but if you want something more nimble under pressure you go with a smaller glove.  Similarly shorter players or nifty stickhandlers may choose a lie closer to ‘5.’

And no, none of this is a lie!
 

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