A while ago, Hockey sticks had no curve on the blade and it was harder to have a good shot, and shots were not nearly as hard as they are today. Most commonly recognized as the father of the curved stick is Stan Mikita. Over the years, the curves for hockey sticks have evolved, and people have gotten used to the curved blade. The only downside to a curved blade is that the backhand will not be as good. But other than that, the curved stick is a huge advantage and it revolutionized the game, and made shots much harder for goalies to stop.