Blade 8 
Known As:
Bauer P106 (Richards)
CCM P50 (Gagne)
Sher-Wood P09
Formerly Jokinen
Description:
Blade 8 is a mild mid-heel curve with a fairly open face.
Looking for Something Similar?:
Blade 16 is probably the closest comparable curve, although it is not quite as deep and just as hard if not harder to find. Blade 3 has many of the same mid-heel curve features but is much shallower, and Blade 4 is a true heel curve, but not too dissimilar to Blade 8.
What it’s Good For:
Blade 8 is an excellent beginner’s curve as it is very versatile and easy to use with its gradual curve. The large sweet spot makes it easy to shoot the puck with power and accuracy, and there may not be a better curve for throwing saucer passes to your teammates. The blade is also fairly large, which helps with getting in passing lanes, deflecting pucks, winning faceoffs, and other tasks of that nature.
Downsides:
There really aren’t a lot of major drawbacks to this curve. It has an open face which makes backhands difficult, but beyond that there’s not many faults. The biggest issue with versatile curves like this is they don’t excel in any one area, which can be a problem for more experienced players who know what best suits the strengths of their game.
Pro Players Using This Curve (or Similar):
Blade 8 is not a curve we see too often any more, having been phased out at the retail level for the most part a few years ago. Lots of players do like using a slight heel curve like this though, including Marc Methot and Patrik Nemeth, who uses a variant with an extra toe kink for an interesting twist on the pattern.
A great beginner’s curve and an excellent option for those looking to transition to a heel curve, you really can’t go wrong with Blade 8. As curves trend more towards the toe, we see this pattern less and less, which is a shame because it definitely serves a purpose and was beloved by many.