Hockey stick with nanofiber reinforcement

A method of forming a hockey stick shaft, comprising:

• forming a shaft preform from a composite material, the shaft preform defining a first corner, a second corner, a third corner and a fourth corner, the composite material formed by layering a first fiber layer and a second fiber layer on a mandrel, positioning a first bridge layer at the first corner between first portions of the first and second fiber layers, positioning a second bridge layer at the second corner between second portions of the first and second fiber layers, positioning a third bridge layer at the third corner between third portions of the first and second fiber layers, and positioning a fourth bridge layer at the fourth corner between fourth portions of the first and second fiber layers,
• wherein each of the first bridge layer, the second bridge layer, the third bridge layer, and the fourth bridge layer comprise clusters of fibers extending in an approximate normal direction to fibers of the first and second fiber layers and wherein the clusters of fibers define channels and wherein the channels extend perpendicular to each other;
• positioning the shaft preform in a mold;
• and
• heating and cooling the mold, and removing the mandrel from the shaft.

A hockey stick structure molded from a composite material, comprising:

• a shaft comprising:
• a plurality of corners;
• a first shaft fiber layer having first fibers extending in a first direction;
• a second shaft fiber layer, layered on top of the first shaft fiber layer, having second fibers extending in a second direction;
• a third shaft fiber layer, layered on top of the second shaft fiber layer, having third fibers extending in a third direction;
• and
• a plurality of shaft bridge layers extending between portions of the second shaft fiber layer and the third shaft fiber layer, wherein each shaft bridge layer of the plurality of shaft bridge layers comprises clusters of fibers extending perpendicular to the second fibers and the third fibers and channels between the clusters of fibers;
• wherein each shaft bridge layer is located at a corner of the plurality of corners;
• wherein a resin content and a mass of the second shaft fiber layer and the third shaft fiber layer are lower than the first shaft fiber layer to accommodate the clusters of fibers and to reduce a mass of the shaft;
• and
• a blade comprising:
• a core, a first blade bridge layer, a first blade layer of fiber material, a second blade bridge layer, and a second blade layer of fiber material;
• wherein the first blade bridge layer extends around the core and between the core and the first blade layer of fiber material and the second blade bridge layer extends around the first blade layer of fiber material and between the first blade layer of fiber material and the second blade layer of fiber material, wherein the first blade bridge layer and the second blade bridge layer comprise clusters of fibers extending perpendicular to the first blade layer of fiber material and the second blade layer of fiber material.