How do I take a better slap shot?

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I can't even do it in the first place. I see my teammates taking slappers from the blueline to warm up the goalie, and I try.. and it just kind of trickles along the ice to the goalie, who is probably laughing behind his mask.

[flyers10 57]

I can't even do it in the first place. I see my teammates taking slappers from the blueline to warm up the goalie, and I try.. and it just kind of trickles along the ice to the goalie, who is probably laughing behind his mask.

One thing that may help you initially is to not worry about a big back swing. Get set in your stance, put the puck in position (for most it is centered or little toward front foot), and just bring stick back about knee high. Focus on transferring your weight and drive the stick down and through. Just hit the ice 2-3 inches behind the puck and drive through it. Once your are comfortable with that progress to waist high or shoulder high back swings if you want and then shooting in motion.

[Chadd 916]

The biggest mistake I see with newer players is having the Puck too far forward or away from their body. The longer the Puck is on your stick, the more power you can transfer into it. Second issue is usually lifting up too early and not following through to the target.

[Tailboard Jockey 25]

The biggest mistake I see with newer players is having the Puck too far forward or away from their body. The longer the Puck is on your stick, the more power you can transfer into it. Second issue is usually lifting up too early and not following through to the target.

Spot on.

Once I figured this out, my slapshots improved dramatically. It did seem kind of uncomfortable at first, but with practice, it will feel more natural. You might also need to shorten your stick a little bit.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I think I just need to get over my embarassment and ask one of my teammates to help me out.

The only time I have to practice such a thing is during warmup before a game. There is no other ice time.

[crazyhick 19]

the best training i've done when working on my slapshot was off-ice. not with real pucks or a hockey ball, but those really light frankin street hockey pucks. when you shoot properly, the puck will fly flat and not curve as much on longer shots. if your shooting form is off, the puck will start to fly erraticly. once you get your form down, you can work on putting more power through the puck along with accuracy.

I also do my off-ice shooting off of concrete (only thing available) so a good abs blade/stick is a must.

[Chadd 916]

the best training i've done when working on my slapshot was off-ice. not with real pucks or a hockey ball, but those really light frankin street hockey pucks. when you shoot properly, the puck will fly flat and not curve as much on longer shots. if your shooting form is off, the puck will start to fly erraticly. once you get your form down, you can work on putting more power through the puck along with accuracy.

I also do my off-ice shooting off of concrete (only thing available) so a good abs blade/stick is a must.

The wrong lie will make the puck stand on end and curve in flight.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

the best training i've done when working on my slapshot was off-ice. not with real pucks or a hockey ball, but those really light frankin street hockey pucks. when you shoot properly, the puck will fly flat and not curve as much on longer shots. if your shooting form is off, the puck will start to fly erraticly. once you get your form down, you can work on putting more power through the puck along with accuracy.

I also do my off-ice shooting off of concrete (only thing available) so a good abs blade/stick is a must.

Doesn't work when you live in a downtown condo ;)

But... I'm moving into a house soon, so I'll have a driveway :)

[Law Goalie 147]

It works in a condo... as long as you can make it to the net on the next rooftop.

[Zootsuit 0]

I do all my off ice shooting on public tennis courts.

[memphishockey06 0]

Question on this one. What's the best way to properly come through a shot? IE: what should I be feeling directly after I make first contact with the puck? I know you can't really "pick" the puck, but should I be concentrating on trying to keep the blade in contact with the ice for as long as possible or just enough to make contact with the puck?

My shot is wildly inconsistent, not so much with height anymore as it is "quality." I can make a pretty good shot in one instance where the puck seems to fly towards it's intended target, but if try to take that shot again chances are just as good that it produces more of a "knuckling" shot that seems to flutter.

It sounds like you may be opening your shoulders when you wind up. This is common when trying to learn your shot, and turns the face of the blade outward as you raise your stick. This causes the puck to glance off the bade and will keep you from coming into full contact.

A good comparison can be used in golf: I have a terrible slice, to the point that an instructor had me turn to head of the club inward so when I make contact the face is square with the ball.

Next time you shoot, try to exaggerate keeping the toe of the blade pointed slightly downward. Keep your shoulders square, and roll your wrist over on the follow-thru - pointing the toe of the blade at your target just like a wrist shot.

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

One could also try a different flex and/or curve. Sometimes it's better to let the stick 'do the work.' Ultimately, working on a technique that gets results is the way to go.

[sickwilly 37]

Lots of good suggestions in here already.

I see a lot of newer playing mainly swinging their arms at the puck and not getting enough leg/knee bend to get into a lower, more powerful stance. It's really important to keep the lower and upper body working together. Like others have said, take a ton of shots whenever/however you can.

I agree that asking a more experienced teammate for some tips is another good (and free) idea. It might also help to try to work on only one or two things at a time (Like staying low and making good contact, or shifting your body weight through the shot for more power).

I'd probably start on just trying to make good contact consistently and go from there.

[Scopes 4]

Something that helped me when I was learning slapshots was breaking down the swing of the shot.

Start by only winding the shot up to roughly your knee height (or lower). Focus on getting a clean shot away that lies flat in the air even if it isnt full power, that will come. Practice shooting against the boards starting with a snapshot (blade starting 6-8'' behind the puck) and slowly increasing the distance behind the puck that you bring the stick up.

Once you are comfortable making this 'half clapper' keep raising the distance that your backswing comes up.

Few things to focus on:

- Get your lower hand low on the stick

- Lunge into the shot

- Practice this standing on the ground in shoes. Have your off foot (if RH shot, this is your left foot, LH shot it is your right foot) about 12'' in front of your inside foot (So for a right handed shooter, left foot heel 12'' in front of right foot toe). Then do a lunge, drop your right knee to the ground and this will force your left leg to bend as well (your right knee should hit the ground near the heel of your left foot).

- Bring your stick down into the ice in time with your lunge, and lock your wrists when you make contact with the puck, so as to drive the blade of the stick through the ice downwards (think a golf iron shot, where you hit through the ball into the ground and take a divot)

- Follow through where you want the puck to go. This is EXTREMELY important.

- I cannot emphasize this enough. If you want the puck to hit the top of the net, follow through high.

Notice Stamkos's follow through is above his head, the puck goes where the stick forces it to go.

Above all, keep practicing. When you move to your house, buy a net, buy a shooting pad (fake ice or whatever) and shoot 50 pucks a day, it'll come.

Hopefully this all makes some sort of sense, and if you have any questions I'd be happy to help. I'm sure I could do a photo tutorial or some sort of video if you're absolutely lost by what I've said but being in the middle of exams it may have to wait till the 25th.

[Chadd 916]

If you drop your hand too much it will be below the flex point of the stick, that's not a good thing. You need to know where your stick flexes and how it loads and releases, you do not want to grip below the kick point.

You want to transfer energy, not lunge. You need to be in control of your body at all times, not throwing every bit of yourself into the shot.

You really should be able to take a slapshot while you are skating and not just stationary. Balance is important for that and, again, lunging is not conducive to good balance.

If you have to drive the stick down (through the ice) in order to load it, go with a lighter flex. Yes, you need some down force to load a stick, but you do not need to mash it into the ice.

While follow through is important, going as high as is pictured is not safe or necessary in the vast majority of cases. In fact, the average player is more likely to get a high sticking penalty with a form like that than they are to score a goal.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Above all, keep practicing. When you move to your house, buy a net, buy a shooting pad (fake ice or whatever) and shoot 50 pucks a day, it'll come.

A net and shooting pad are the first purchases I plan to make once we move :) Well, besides furniture... moving into a place literally 3x the size of what we have now...

[SouthpawTRK 1]

+1 to what Chadd said a couple of posts up. Here's a link that breaks down Lidstrom's slap shot:

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20081008/SPECIAL01/81008002

[hockeyguy1 1]

Just because a certain pattern and lie works for your friend, that doesn't mean that it will work for you. It is possible that you are hammering the heel into the ice when you're shooting or you could just need a stick with a slightly lower lie. Without seeing you shoot, noone really knows.

I have been noticing this on my sticks that the bottom of the blade near the heel the tape is wearing off fast (1 or 2 games) and i have the kane curve and cut the stick 1inch off the stick. Im 5'10. can this mean the lie is too much and i need to go to a lower lie?

[steelnation248 101]

I have been noticing this on my sticks that the bottom of the blade near the heel the tape is wearing off fast (1 or 2 games) and i have the kane curve and cut the stick 1inch off the stick. Im 5'10. can this mean the lie is too much and i need to go to a lower lie?

It sounds like a lower lie would work better for you, or you could shorten your stick as well.

[rawathletics 0]

Practice, practice, practice! Understand the fundamentals (bodyweight shift, puck placement, feet placement, motion, etc), but then just practice, practice, practice.

Some exercises that also might help once you get the fundamentals down:

Russian Twist w/ medicine ball:

Balance exercises

Side Planks and Side Raises

[hunt3rsean 44]

If you drop your hand too much it will be below the flex point of the stick, that's not a good thing. You need to know where your stick flexes and how it loads and releases, you do not want to grip below the kick point.

You want to transfer energy, not lunge. You need to be in control of your body at all times, not throwing every bit of yourself into the shot.

You really should be able to take a slapshot while you are skating and not just stationary. Balance is important for that and, again, lunging is not conducive to good balance.

If you have to drive the stick down (through the ice) in order to load it, go with a lighter flex. Yes, you need some down force to load a stick, but you do not need to mash it into the ice.

While follow through is important, going as high as is pictured is not safe or necessary in the vast majority of cases. In fact, the average player is more likely to get a high sticking penalty with a form like that than they are to score a goal.

I cannot take a slap shot standing still. I see some of our d-men stand there and can take a slapper without gliding forward. Not me. I have to be slightly coasting into the shot to make it work. Even then I only wind up about half to 3/4 what you would see pros do. I still get a decent release and this also helps keep it low. I've never been great at slap shots and take wrist/snap shots 99% of the time.

[pittu 15]

Kind of ironic that I found this thread today. I was at my normal stick time this afternoon screwing around and the rink manager (Steve MacSwain) called me over and gave me some pointers on improving my slapper. Basically he said you dont want to slide your lower hand so far down the stick on the backswing. Keep a "hockey grip" (ie not a death grip) with your lower hand. Just before the stick contacts the puck, grip tightly on the shaft with your lower hand (basically he said "crush the shaft")...then make sure you have a good follow thru so the puck travels off the heel to the toe as you release..

Easy for him to describe, not so easy for an uncoordinated mouth breather like me to perform consistently. Was nice of him to help out an over 40 loser who is just trying to stay in the game :)

[Empieee 0]

Hi,

Nothing wrong with my slapshot besides one little thing. For some reason the damn thing is always and I mean always going high. Height of the crossbar. and the weird thing is even when I do not even follow through it still goes sky high.
Currently using a sakic curve after using a drury curve for half a year. Before that I always used sakic

Any ideas?

[JSK81 400]

Try a closed curve or maybe even a stick with stiffer flex.

Hi,

Nothing wrong with my slapshot besides one little thing. For some reason the damn thing is always and I mean always going high. Height of the crossbar. and the weird thing is even when I do not even follow through it still goes sky high.
Currently using a sakic curve after using a drury curve for half a year. Before that I always used sakic

Any ideas?

[Empieee 0]

Currently using a 100 flex and the weird thing is never had trouble with the sakic curve, most of the time I had trouble getting the puck up high and after the switch back from drury to sakic it went wrong