They were literally giving like a gear update weren't they? Why would he talk about that if he wasn't shortening his stick for the upcoming season? It wouldn't make any sense at all given the context of their discussion. "Oh hey I shortened my stick two summers ago"
And I dunno, but I have about 5 hockey sticks of varying sizes, but within reason for someone my height, and 3 of them are interchangeable and the other two are unusable, and you would never be able to pick which two are unusable for me, it just has to do with what I'm used to, and I play a lot less than Jack. I don't think there's a linear relationship between stick length and ability or inability to do particular things with them.
Excuse making for what? What is more reasonable? That Jack still hasn't figured out how to pick corners with a new twig, but is still a hockey player pacing for more points than he's ever had and doing really well in tight with it? Or that Jack just plain forgot how to do two weirdly specific skills, stickhandling in open ice and taking one-timers? But is great/fine at everything else?