Eye dominance and wing position

WolfgangPuck

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May 12, 2012
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I shoot left but prefer playing right wing rather than left. Was chatting with another player who shoots right and prefers to play his off wing as well. Interesting he said it was because he was right eye dominant and prefer to see the ice from the right side
I check myself and I am left eye dominant and that seem very reasonable that I prefer to play along the right wing so I can see the ice from “my inside eye” as I head up the ice
How about the rest of you?
Does this theory hold up?
 

RyanHockeyVods

Registered User
Apr 25, 2018
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I shoot right handed, I am right eye dominate, I prefer the left side of the ice. I may be an exception to the rule, not part of it though.
 
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ArGarBarGar

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Sep 8, 2008
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Doesn't really matter to me, personally. On defense I try to play on my offside when in the offensive zone (better location for shots from the point and I have no trouble corralling the puck on the boards from that side) and the outside on the defensive zone (more work along the boards for me). I don't think eye dominance has ever factored in to my personal preferences.
 

puckpilot

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Oct 23, 2016
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Never thought about this. Didn't even know if I was right or left eye dominant until I checked for this post. I'm left. I play center, but generally if I need to pick a side, I pick left. But I'm a left shot, so that's the side where I've always been pushed towards.
 

Summer Rose

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May 3, 2012
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My eyes switched dominance from left to right thanks to some deteriorating vision changes, but I've always preferred the right side (usually RD but RW too) being a left-handed shot because of skating issues. I'm left side dominant in general and skating is no exception. I can cut, pivot, and cross over/under better with the edges on my left skate than my right.
 

ChuckLefley

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Jan 5, 2016
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I play right handed, but like playing on the left side because I like having the better angle to shoot and more ice to utilize when I have the puck.
 

DaveG

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Apr 7, 2003
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Winston-Salem NC
I shoot right handed, I am right eye dominate, I prefer the left side of the ice. I may be an exception to the rule, not part of it though.
I'm in the same boat. RH shot, very slight right eye dominant, I typically play better on the left wing so I tend to prefer that side. I suck though so probably should take what I say with a grain of salt.
 

eternalbedhead

Let's not rebuild and say we did
Aug 10, 2015
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Corona, CA
I'd fit into that category -- I'm a RH shot, right-eye dominant, and I prefer playing my offside, as a winger. However, I think it's more about stick position than eye dominance. Being on my off side puts me in a better shooting position offensively as well as a better position to pass if necessary. If I'm on the right side going into the offensive zone, I usually curl around the net to the left side of the rink before making a pass or shooting. I just don't think my dominant eye has anything to do with my preferences -- if it means much, I'm also a RH shot who usually plays LW/LD on NHL 18 and I don't think eye dominance factors in much there. It's all about stick position, for me, at least.
 

WolfgangPuck

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May 12, 2012
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Left eye dominant prefer to be along the right side of the ice on offense as I can see the play better from my inside eye without having to turn my head Also can make quicker decisions about cutting to the middle as I can see more the peripheral in my vision
 

NDiesel

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Mar 22, 2008
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This theory would check out for me. I'm right eye dominant and right handed on the ice and like my off wing.
 

IDuck

Registered User
Sep 26, 2007
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this doesnt matter that much IMO for hockey...baseball/shooting it is much more of a factor
 

Canadiens1958

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Nov 30, 2007
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Lake Memphremagog, QC.
I shoot left but prefer playing right wing rather than left. Was chatting with another player who shoots right and prefers to play his off wing as well. Interesting he said it was because he was right eye dominant and prefer to see the ice from the right side
I check myself and I am left eye dominant and that seem very reasonable that I prefer to play along the right wing so I can see the ice from “my inside eye” as I head up the ice
How about the rest of you?
Does this theory hold up?

Only part of the picture.

Factor in your ability to turn right or left- may not be equal. Ability to accept or make a pass on your forehand vs your backhand. Your first step. Your ability playing the puck along the boards on your backhand or forehand.

Then there are teammate factors.Playing with a LHS or RHS center. Matching or mismatched handedness with the defenceman on your side. Is compensation required for your handedness depending on the handedness of your opposing winger and defenceman.
 

RandV

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Jul 29, 2003
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I shoot left and play left, though have no idea what my dominant eye side is. What I wanted to say though is it's funny, while I understand the concept of shooting from you're offside but I specifically have a harder time scoring from that spot. Now I don't score with my shot very often, usually bang them in 5 feet in front of the net, but the odd time I do score with a proper shot either in game or during warm up it's always from the left side.

Maybe it's just because my shot isn't good enough, but the impression I get is while you're off wing should give you a better angle I find it also gives the goalie a better angle to square up against me. Shooting from my wing I seem to have a small chance of catching the goalie playing to close to the post, giving me a sweet spot low glove side.
 

Steve Weatherbe

Registered User
Sep 7, 2019
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0
Eye dominance and hand dominance seem to be disconnected. Handedness does not seem to determine which way one shoots in hockey for a lot of people, but is more connected in baseball (hence the prevalence of left handed Canadian batters in baseball, because they first learned to shoot "left" in hockey before picking up their first bat.
The dominant eye question may be independent: does batting or stickshooting work better if it matches the dominant eye. I just read a study that asked the question for tennis players and trap shooters and left me partly baffled. I got this much.Each sport is different
 

Neutrinos

Registered User
Sep 23, 2016
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I shoot right, but play LW

There are just so many advantages to it

Cutting to the middle on your forehand, taking one-timers, etc.

But also on the defensive end, I'm able to pick off a lot of passes up the middle because I'm on my forehand
 

tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
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Bojangles Parking Lot
Only part of the picture.

Factor in your ability to turn right or left- may not be equal. Ability to accept or make a pass on your forehand vs your backhand. Your first step. Your ability playing the puck along the boards on your backhand or forehand.

Then there are teammate factors.Playing with a LHS or RHS center. Matching or mismatched handedness with the defenceman on your side. Is compensation required for your handedness depending on the handedness of your opposing winger and defenceman.

I agree with this. I'm not saying eye dominance isn't a factor at all, but it's pretty far down the list of what makes you effective in the game of hockey. The factors above will all impact you more than eye dominance on a given shift.
 

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