CCM Vizion Stick Reviewed from an Engineer and Hockey Player Perspective

Shaft Shape 

The shape of the Vizion stick is very intentional and clearly designed for shooters. 
If you watch players like Auston Matthews or Bedard, you’ll notice an incredible amount of top-hand torque and a very upright stick position during flexion. They achieve this by rotating their top hand around and underneath the shaft, rather than simply pulling back. 

The top portion of the Vizion shaft reflects this shooting style. 

• The palm side uses a more rounded ridge, allowing the palm to slide naturally down the shaft. 

• The finger side features a cut-out along the bottom, making it easier for fingers to wrap around and grip tightly during rotation. 

Meanwhile, the bottom portion of the shaft carries forward the “Ergo” shaft profile already found in CCM’s Ribcor line, a shape trusted by many professional players. 

Kickpoint 

The kickpoint on the Vizion is the lowest I have ever seen on a stick. 

Kickpoint directly affects the natural frequency of the stick. 
If you think of the stick like a pendulum, with the kickpoint acting as the pivot point and the blade as the swinging mass, you realize that a lower kickpoint results in a higher natural frequency — meaning a faster and more efficient quick release. 

However, while a fast release is obviously valuable, the Matthews or Bedard release style (snapshots using major change-of-angle deception) might actually pair better with a mid-kick or hybrid Jetspeed-style kickpoint. In that sense, the ultra-low kickpoint might not be perfectly optimized for their specific shooting mechanics. 
That said, for a pure sniper, the Vizion’s kickpoint delivers exactly what you would expect — blazing fast shot releases. 

Why Aluminum? 

Carbon fiber is exceptionally strong in tension and compression but is brittle against sharp, localized impacts like slashes or hacks. Under sharp impact, carbon can crack or delaminate. 

Aluminum, in contrast, is tough and ductile. It can bend and distribute energy rather than allowing a sharp object to penetrate easily. This helps shield the underlying carbon fiber and reduce localized damage. 

However, combining aluminum and carbon fiber introduces a major materials engineering challenge: 

• Carbon fiber is very stiff (high modulus of elasticity) and returns quickly to its shape. 

• Aluminum is more ductile and stretches differently under load. 

When flexed repeatedly, this mismatch creates internal stresses at the interfaces between the materials. Over thousands of flex cycles, tiny fatigue cracks can form. These cracks can grow and eventually cause delamination or sudden failure. 

That being said, the specific way CCM implements this hybrid technology is unknown. 
There could be design techniques — like flexible adhesives, dampening layers, or limited aluminum usage zones — that help mitigate these risks. 
Only time and extended use will reveal how durable the Vizion stick truly is. 

The Price 

From an engineering standpoint, the Vizion stick is an impressive achievement, and the $400 price point makes sense when considering the R&D, material costs, and manufacturing complexity. 

However, from a consumer standpoint, $400 is a tough sell, especially when considering: 

• The unique shaft shape and kickpoint will require adjustment time for players. 

• Stick switching between this and a traditional model could be problematic — this is a stick you’d want to commit to long term. 

• Durability remains a question mark, and competitive players typically cycle through sticks every couple of months. 

For players who invest fully into this stick’s unique feel and shooting benefits, the Vizion could be a game-changer. But it comes with the reality of high cost over time. 

Final Thoughts: 
The CCM Vizion represents bold, cutting-edge engineering applied to hockey — a true shooter’s stick with performance innovations that come with both rewards and risks.