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Glam Monitor

What skates blades do NHL players wear?

Author

Daniel Martin

Updated on June 29, 2026

More than two-thirds of NHL players wear Bauer skates. Some of those players may use aftermarket blades (more on those in a bit), but when Bauer introduces a new runner, it's usually a big deal. The LIGHTSPEED 5 Carbon EDGE, new for 2018, is no exception.

What do most NHL players get their skates sharpened at?

You can get your skates sharpened anywhere from 1/8th of an inch to one inch. 1/8th would be the sharpest, and one inch would be the least sharp. The majority of pros use something with a shallower hollow, but preference does widely vary.

Do NHL players use heated skate blades?

Four NHL players are skating on heated blades said to enhance performance. Heated skate blades that are supposed to enhance performance are being used by four anonymous NHL players.

What blade radius do NHL players use?

Most skates are sharpened by cutting an arc in between the two edges, known as the radius of hollow (ROH). This is measured in inches. Hockey player and goalie skates are often sharpened with a ROH from 3/8” up to 1-1/2”.

Do any NHL players use T blades?

Jochen Hecht of the Buffalo Sabres, Dennis Seidenberg of the New York Islanders, Marcel Goc of the Nashville Predators, and Christian Ehrhoff of the Buffalo Sabres are NHL players who use T-Blade skates.

43 related questions found

Do NHL players use flat bottom V?

One of the first NHL teams to be using the flat bottom v skate sharpening method was the St. Louis blues, now over 20 NHL teams are using this method, quite a bold statement for a technique that just took off at the beginning of the year!

What skate profile does McDavid use?

Connor McDavid uses custom Tydan Performance Blades. Connor McDavid runs a 10' profile. We sell Tydan Performance Blades.

Do NHL players wear skate Fenders?

Skate fenders are worn by tons of NHL players since it covers the majority of your foot, sometimes players like PK Suban wear both for extreme coverage.

Do NHL players sharpen their skates between periods?

In the NHL, players will have freshly sharpened skates for every game, but not in between periods.

How often do NHL players sharpen their skates?

Other skate sharpening questions

Some players will sharpen very frequently, such as every 2-3 hours of ice time, while others go for an entire season without sharpening. If you're unsure of where to start, try getting them sharpened after 10 hours of ice time, and then adjust as you feel is necessary.

What are hockey skate blades made of?

Hockey blades are usually made from stainless steel of around 3mm thickness. Some low end blades may be carbon steel, which is a harder metal, but prone to rusting if left wet.

What is Therma Blade?

Thermablade products are heated skate blades that will allow players of all ages to capitalize on an easier way to keep their skates sharp and feel like your skating on a fresh sheet of ice. The lithium Ion Battery keeps for 75 minutes of on ice time while charging in less than 2 hours.

Does skate fuel work?

Product does work well. After trying Skate Fuel for the first time I quickly noticed the performance improvement in my edges, cornering and during cross overs. Would definitely recommend to give it a try. Skate Fuel definitely improved my cornering and edging performance.

What hollow do most NHL players use?

A 1/2” hollow is pretty standard for most players in the League – not too deep, not too shallow and gives a little bit of ability ... The amount of hollow is based on personal preference and style of play, among other things.

What skate sharpening does Patrick Kane use?

With the Sparx Sharpener, elite players such as Patrick Kane, as well as players from all levels, are able to elevate their performance and gain an edge over their competition.

Do NHL players use a new stick every game?

They use one new one per game on average -- not every game they get a new one, but they may break a couple in one game, so it averages about 80 or so per year. There are players in the league that'll use three new sticks in a [single] game, but in general, it's about one."

Do NHL players tape their own sticks?

From beer leagues to the NHL, taping the stick is often considered to be a holy pre-game ritual for almost every player. The tape job (or "TJ" for short) needs to be perfect, done the same way, to the same length, with the same amount of overlap, and with the perfect amount of wax, no exceptions.

What do hockey players sniff?

Smelling Salts for Athletes

Today, smelling salts are still widely used in the NHL, the NFL, and powerlifting and strongman competitions. They cause a quick burst of adrenaline which athletes believe helps them perform better despite the fact that science suggests the effects of smelling salts are extremely brief.

What Hollow Do pros use?

There are several different types of hollows to choose from, but pro shops will commonly use 1/2” as their “standard” cut. The 1/2” hollow offers a respectable mix of glide and control for most players but adjusting the depth of the hollow can offer several benefits when done correctly.

Does profiling skates help?

On top of baking your skate, molding your skate, and doing everything you can to make your skate comfortable, skate blade profiling can greatly help your skating ability. There's lots of options out there, enough to make your head spin.

What is skate blade profiling?

What is skate profiling, and why should I care? Hockey skate profiling is a term used to describe the shape of an ice skate blade where it makes contact with the ice viewing from the side. Other terms for hockey skate profiling you may hear are rocker, radius (not to be confused with a radius of hollow), or contouring.

Are hockey skates harder than figure skates?

Hockey skates have a shorter, more curved blade which allows for more power to be generated and quicker turns but can make it harder to balance. With no toe pick, there is no risk of tripping, but also nothing to stop you from falling forward.