Best Curve (up close)

[Jarick]

I would have loved to try a Smyth blade before they discontinued them. New Kovalchuk's nice though.

 

[bleedgreen]

I would have loved to try a Smyth blade before they discontinued them. New Kovalchuk's nice though.

the smyth was pretty sweet, but the lie was so low i couldnt really get used to it. is the kovalchuk not just the old robitaille? ive had that one before if it is. do you/anyone know for sure?

 

[Hockeyfan68]

ive been playing for over 20 years, i have no problems shooting or scoring. of course technique plays a huge role, but to say certain curves dont lend themselves to roof daddy's is ridiculous....and wrong. for sake of proper education.....learn to shoot. fine. to say someone is a poor shooter because they use a pattern that helps shoot high is as ignorant as saying technique doesnt matter. at the nhl level, players use the blade that plays to their game. crosby goes flat for passing and equal shooting backhand/forehand. malkin uses the big toe hook for dangling and sweet top shelf wristers. is he a poor shooter because of his "crutch"? lets not get on a high horse about this. the sakic/p92 goes top shelf in tight better than the modo. its harder to shoot low from a distance, because the puck sails off the blade a bit, for me to hit the lower corners with them, i aim in my head a foot below the ice surface. from 50 feet out, you really have to focus on your technique to keep it on lower half of the net. regardless of your follow through. thats the point of different patterns, to play to different aspects of shooting/passing/handling. would you hit a 100 ft chip with a 2 iron? no, you hit the wedge. because its made for that. of course you can teach yourself to play the whole round with a 7 iron, but after your there.....why? just use the right club for what you do.

Well I've been playing for over 30+ .... so what.

His key mention in his post was having trouble keeping the puck low from far out. That tells me he has mechanics issues. You know it and i know it.

all shots in tight are top shelf, though its tough to keep it lower from distance.


You also missed the last portion of my post which clearly stated what I was talking about.

Now if one uses an open faced wedge to make shooting up high in tight EASIER that is one thing but using that because it is the only way they can shoot high is a sign of needing a lot more practice because this should be able to be done using literally any kind of blade or curve.

I don't see anything wrong with what I posted because I'm right about it.

The following means YOU need practice as well because this should not be difficult to do at all with good mechanics and knowing how to shoot.

from 50 feet out, you really have to focus on your technique to keep it on lower half of the net.

 

[bleedgreen]

Ok...I would call my style being a dangler, I have alot of speed, have great hands, and RARELY take slap shots. My main problem is getting the puck up high when im in close to the net, one timers up close, etc. Granted I've played 8 years of outdoor roller with a ball, my technique with a puck might just not be there to get my shots up high. I'm used to just a flick of my wrist up close will put the ball in the top shelf. I've been playing with a puck now for 2 years and I still have problems up close getting my shot to go top shelf. Should I be using a different curve to help aid in my lack of technique? If so, what is my best option? Thanks

hockey fan 68:
where is the key mention of shooting low from distance being his problem? maybe now that you read it, you and i will both know he is talking about shooting from in tight, not from outside. he specifically mentions only in tight and close to the net.

as for the second part about my mechanics, if you can crank a rushed slapper from the blue line with a sakic and stiff shaft without taking anything off it and without being the slightest bit aware of making sure your mechanics are tight and able to keep it 3 inches off the rink the whole way then congrats. im 6'4" 230 and when i just let one sail from out there it gets up to the upper half of the net if i dont bear down and focus on keeping it low. that isnt what its made for. its made for in closer snipes and i think you know that. this whole "everyone should be able to do anything with anything" is true, but i find people writing it are being more self serving than helping the guy out with an easy answer to an easy question. open curves will get the puck up quicker. open curves can be used in anyway just as a flat blade can be used in any way. its up to him to not use the curve as a crutch and to develop a well rounded game with it.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

hockey fan 68:
where is the key mention of shooting low from distance being his problem? maybe now that you read it, you and i will both know he is talking about shooting from in tight, not from outside. he specifically mentions only in tight and close to the net.

as for the second part about my mechanics, if you can crank a rushed slapper from the blue line with a sakic and stiff shaft without taking anything off it and without being the slightest bit aware of making sure your mechanics are tight and able to keep it 3 inches off the rink the whole way then congrats. im 6'4" 230 and when i just let one sail from out there it gets up to the upper half of the net if i dont bear down and focus on keeping it low. that isnt what its made for. its made for in closer snipes and i think you know that. this whole "everyone should be able to do anything with anything" is true, but i find people writing it are being more self serving than helping the guy out with an easy answer to an easy question. open curves will get the puck up quicker. open curves can be used in anyway just as a flat blade can be used in any way. its up to him to not use the curve as a crutch and not developed a well rounded game with it.

I made it bold .... he said shots in tight are good but from far out he said it was tough to keep them low. read my posts, not sure what else I can about that.

I'm 6ft 4 in 235 by the way and can shoot a slapshot from the opposite blueline about 6 inches off the ice which is hard to do I admit. I can "roof" a slapshot from the opposite end of the rink too. getting into a wheeing contest about size isn't even the issue here .... it doesn't matter your size with mechanics.

this has nothing to do with his post where he stated simply "I can roof in tight but have a hard time getting it down when further out".

I don't know why you can't see that he has a mechanics issues. It shouldn't even be an issue to keep a puck low. I mean seriously .... people make hard rinkwide passes and they are LOW on the ice no? How does this change when shooting? It doesn't.

Maybe he should make hard passes at the net and he'll figure it out or something.

 

[bleedgreen]

you said the key point of his post is he has trouble keeping it down from distance, i just showed you he said nothing of the sort and wants to know how to roof from in tight. the part YOU are bolding is MY post where i said with a sakic the puck wants to sail and you have to focus on keeping it low. from his point of development, i was saying he may have trouble keeping it down from outside with a sakic, which would seem obvious to anyone who has used one. then he replied he doesnt shoot from outside and thats not an issue for him. all good.


i wasnt saying i cant keep it low from outside. i can. i do think with a sakic its trickier, and i think if you think it isnt than using a modano i think youre a liar. its harder to shoot a 9 iron low intentionally than a shooting a 4 iron low. its just common sense.

of course he has some mechanics going on. we all do. its why we arent pros, but he had a simple question. it had a simple answer but not only you but others just tell him he sucks and to learn how to shoot. i think he knows he needs mechanics work, he just wants something that helps. if brett hull can use a blade that shoots where he wants, why cant this guy? and why does he HAVE to use a flatter blade to improve mechanics first? many ways to skin a cat.

 

[BadHammy*]

The reason why some pros use a totally open curve and can still keep their shots low is because of hand speed and wrist strength. They can completely turn their blade over on the follow through to help keep it low but still have a fast release and powerful shot. When you get shots up and find them constantly sailing, you'll notice you probably left your blade halfway open.

 

[bleedgreen]

as for size and mechanics, bs. as ive gotten older its tough as hell to get in the same position to shoot as i did when i was 17. it absolutely is related to my size and my ability to keep the mechanics correct. when all things are equal in our primes maybe, but we arent talking about that we're walking about normal people in normal circumstances. you cant tell this guy how to shoot because you shoot a certain way. you dont know anything about him or how he shoots.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

you said the key point of his post is he has trouble keeping it down from distance, i just showed you he said nothing of the sort and wants to know how to roof from in tight. the part YOU are bolding is MY post where i said with a sakic the puck wants to sail and you have to focus on keeping it low. from his point of development, i was saying he may have trouble keeping it down from outside with a sakic, which would seem obvious to anyone who has used one. then he replied he doesnt shoot from outside and thats not an issue for him. all good.


i wasnt saying i cant keep it low from outside. i can. i do think with a sakic its trickier, and i think if you think it isnt than using a modano i think youre a liar. its harder to shoot a 9 iron low intentionally than a shooting a 4 iron low. its just common sense.

of course he has some mechanics going on. we all do. its why we arent pros, but he had a simple question. it had a simple answer but not only you but others just tell him he sucks and to learn how to shoot. i think he knows he needs mechanics work, he just wants something that helps. if brett hull can use a blade that shoots where he wants, why cant this guy? and why does he HAVE to use a flatter blade to improve mechanics first? many ways to skin a cat.

Well just don't getting angry and start insulting people .... a good debate is just that.

My point is valid and the truth whether YOU said it or HE said is not the issue honestly.

ANYONE I DON'T CARE WHO DOES IT if one has a hard time keeping a puck down needs to practice because his shooting is poor. If he is buying certain blades because it IS THE ONLY WAY he can roof a shot .... his shooting sucks and needs to be fixed.

My point about the blade curve is *listen carefully please* is that one should be able to shoot a puck anywhere from anywhere on the rink no matter what blade or curve they are using .... a blade pattern will help do so with less effort.

That is fact and the truth no matter how much you don't want to believe it.

 

[bleedgreen]

The reason why some pros use a totally open curve and can still keep their shots low is because of hand speed and wrist strength. They can completely turn their blade over on the follow through to help keep it low but still have a fast release and powerful shot. When you get shots up and find them constantly sailing, you'll notice you probably left your blade halfway open.

yeah, i mentioned the turn the blade over thing before. im not having problems with my shot, was just trying to help the guy who wanted a pattern to help get his shot up a bit.

 

[Bammers]

I think that you guys are arguing basically the same point. If you picked a blade that you have trouble controlling your shot, you need to work out your shot mechanics. IDEALLY, you should be able to control your shot with any blade. This is however not the truth for a lot of guys out there. Some need the added curve to aid their shot. Not everyone wants to invest the time in getting their mechanics worked out; they just want to roof the puck like they see the pros do it. Its their decision, and ultimately they are hurting their own game.

To answer this guys question, pick a curve that is open with a toe or mid curve, or something along those lines. The curves mentioned above are good examples of this type of blade.

 

[bleedgreen]

Well just don't getting angry and start insulting people .... a good debate is just that.

My point is valid and the truth whether YOU said it or HE said is not the issue honestly.

ANYONE I DON'T CARE WHO DOES IT if one has a hard time keeping a puck down needs to practice because his shooting is poor. If he is buying certain blades because it IS THE ONLY WAY he can roof a shot .... his shooting sucks and needs to be fixed.

My point about the blade curve is *listen carefully please* is that one should be able to shoot a puck anywhere from anywhere on the rink no matter what blade or curve they are using .... a blade pattern will help do so with less effort.

That is fact and the truth no matter how much you don't want to believe it.

ok. so if kovulchuk was on here and said, well you know i like my toe hook because it helpes me hit the corners. would you seriously tell him that he needs to work on his mechanics? ive said multiple times of course mechanics is key, and of course anyone should be able to do anything anywhere with anything. buut the truth is not everyone is going to the nhl, and not everyone cares enough to spend the hours of their life practicing like i and likely you have working on their corners. dude just wanted a blade to help go high, i gave him an obvious choice - you gave him and now me a lecture on shooting i didnt need and he likely didnt care about. we're arne having a debate. im not disagreeing with you about mechanics, or whether or not a player should be able to go top shelf with anything. im saying to you OBVIOUSLY some help go high more than others. thats all he wanted, thats all he needs. you just want to tell me over and over again how you can shoot high and everyone should be able to. i dont care. i can already, just helping dude hit his shot better without a lecture.

 

[JSTAFF]

Hockeyfan68 - I appreciate you trying to help but you really are just giving me a headache reading your posts. bleedgreen thank you for your recommendations. No one needs to worry about my mechanics, im not looking to be Gretzky, im simply a dangler that needs some assistance roofing my shots from up close. Sometimes I can get it, sometimes I cant. Thank you all for ur help! good day!

 

[Jarick]

The Kovalchuk is slightly different than the Robitaille. The curve is a little further towards the toe although it's still pretty much a mid curve and it's kinked a little more rather than a gradual curve. The toe is also a bit more round.

Slightly different.

 

[Jarick]

i find that intermediates have trouble keeping it down because getting it up was the first thing they tried to do as beginners. everyone wants to shoot high so they obsessively practice it, teaching themselves that proper shooting motion involves leaving the blade open through the shot. when i taught people how to shoot, i tried to focus on good heel to toe snapping, sweeping the floor while focusing the power forward straight ahead. learn how to get a good snap out of it first before worrying about lifting. once you have power you can adjust how open your wrists are, and by extension your blade is. if your shooting high all the time, look at your blade when the shot is done. if the front of the blade is facing up toward the ceiling youre shooting "technically" wrong and thats why your shooting high all the time. the front face of the blade should be facing down pointing at your target. i say "wrong" in quotes because its hard to tell people things are wrong and right if what they are doing works. id say if you like the way you shoot but know its classically wrong learn the right way and have both shots in your pocket, using the appropriate one when it matters. there is no right and wrong if you like the way you do something,

in time people learn to shoot the way they like. i shoot off the toe a lot off a drag, i shoot low on slappers, i keep the blade really closed on them. with the invention of the composite stick, i feel i lost my best shot, the snapper. if i buy a flex low enough to get it going it breaks too soon, and the stiffer flexes really dont do it well.

I'm one of those people, haha. I have really strong forearms from years of drumming so I get a ton of snap on my shots, but I open up the blade too much when snapping and have a tendency to go high.

Usually I can shoot low if I start with the puck far from my body and pull it towards me while/before coming across my body. I've still got a lot of work to do on my shot.

And then when practicing I completely overthink it and the shot goes to hell, but when coming down on the goalie on a rush I can pick the corners :p

 

[Hockeyfan68]

ok. so if kovulchuk was on here and said, well you know i like my toe hook because it helpes me hit the corners. would you seriously tell him that he needs to work on his mechanics?

That is not what happened though ... people want a pattern that will allow them to roof in tight because they can't do it with other patterns as stated by them and yourself as well.

I clearly stated IF one is buying open faced wedge patterns because they can't shoot a puck up high without one then they need practice because they are shooting poorly. Then to say they cannot keep a puck down from out a ways ... well they obviously have a shooting problem that needs to be fixed.

You then got all bent out of shape over it. I didn't say anything overly complicated.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

Hockeyfan68 - I appreciate you trying to help but you really are just giving me a headache reading your posts.

Well truth is truth about shooting pucks .... what can I do if someone won't listen because they can't conceive the fact that they may be wrong.

I'll buy you some Ibuprofen or something and call it good. I've said all I need to on the subject and would show someone in person so they can actually see what I am talking about right out on an ice rink.

Guaranteed they are shooting poorly. .... heaven forbid that they should take the time to learn something new.

The "I've played twenty years and apparently know everything and do not need to learn anything new" types get me going. I learn new stuff all the time and half the time it comes from THIS forum.

Open your minds and take advice without insult peeps. People should learn how to shoot rather than using an open faced pattern as a crutch because they can only do so with that pattern. One should be able to with ANY blade period.

Practice it with a normal pattern until you can do it and you will be abetter player when you do choose a more open faced pattern. You may even find what you were using as a crutch was overkill to begin with.

 

[BadHammy*]

I'm one of those people, haha. I have really strong forearms from years of drumming so I get a ton of snap on my shots, but I open up the blade too much when snapping and have a tendency to go high.

Usually I can shoot low if I start with the puck far from my body and pull it towards me while/before coming across my body. I've still got a lot of work to do on my shot.

And then when practicing I completely overthink it and the shot goes to hell, but when coming down on the goalie on a rush I can pick the corners :p

That's not unusual. You have to FORCE yourself to follow through and close the blade all the way. Also, don't try to shoot hard or they will sail, focus on shooting with a smooth motion. You will only lose a little speed and gain a ton of accuracy.

 

[bleedgreen]

Well truth is truth about shooting pucks .... what can I do if someone won't listen because they can't conceive the fact that they may be wrong.

I'll buy you some Ibuprofen or something and call it good. I've said all I need to on the subject and would show someone in person so they can actually see what I am talking about right out on an ice rink.

Guaranteed they are shooting poorly. .... heaven forbid that they should take the time to learn something new.

The "I've played twenty years and apparently know everything and do not need to learn anything new" types get me going. I learn new stuff all the time and half the time it comes from THIS forum.

Open your minds and take advice without insult peeps. People should learn how to shoot rather than using an open faced pattern as a crutch because they can only do so with that pattern. One should be able to with ANY blade period.

Practice it with a normal pattern until you can do it and you will be abetter player when you do choose a more open faced pattern. You may even find what you were using as a crutch was overkill to begin with.

im sorry. this conversation is killing me, but i just have to know what i need to learn that is new? just because when off balance from the blue line on the rush with a dude on me when using the sakic pattern my shots sail.....SOMETIMES, imo doesnt mean i have mechanical issues. it means a) i was off balance, b) i dont take slap shots very often, c) i never shoot from the blue line, im a forward who works the corners and slot. have you ever used the sakic? i know, i know....it doesnt matter what pattern you use...blah blah, but seriously its an open hook you have to be mindful of when further out than the circles if you havent used it before. why this is a sticking point to you i just dont get. you keep thinking im not getting your point. i get it. i dont think i have any issues with my mechanics. i have no idea why you care so much. the statement that any person whose shot leaves the ground from distance has mechanical issues makes no sense to me. i dont have a problem with my shot, all i said was to the guy who has trouble shooting sometimes is that if you use the sakic from distance before you get used to it your shot may sail. where you went on all this from that....i just dont understand. i see people have trouble with it all the time, and when i first used it, going from wood to the composite sakic a couple of my shots sailed. i adjusted. it stopped happening. life went on. i used to teach clinics, ive taught a ton of beginners, i know this means nothing to you, but i feel confident in my ability to not only shoot but to teach it as well. i have no idea what your advice is to me, as i wasnt the one having issues in the first place. no one is using an open faced blade as a crutch. some people.....just like them. this guy has been playing for years , and just because he isnt hitting his top shelf like he wants to doesnt mean he needs to go to school on his form, and doesnt mean buying a sakic is a sin. i stopped using it years ago because it was too open and i like neutral faces, but i know for those who want to hit the corners a little tighter from the circles in - it works. there is no denying it. you can sit there for 5 hours a day and practice with a neutral blade, or you can lead an ordinary life with more open blade. the choice is always the players, and no one should ever be made to feel like less of a player because they make that choice. i told all my students they should start with a straight neutral blade, but they are already adults and they only have so much time for lessons and they want to use what they want. its not my place to them they suck because they arent learning right, they're never gonna be good, they just want to hit the upper corner sometimes.

 

[bleedgreen]

The Kovalchuk is slightly different than the Robitaille. The curve is a little further towards the toe although it's still pretty much a mid curve and it's kinked a little more rather than a gradual curve. The toe is also a bit more round.

Slightly different.

thanks! i may check it out, i had an old robitaille which i liked but didnt love.

 

[evgeni71]

im sorry. this conversation is killing me, but i just have to know what i need to learn that is new? just because when off balance from the blue line on the rush with a dude on me when using the sakic pattern my shots sail.....SOMETIMES, imo doesnt mean i have mechanical issues. it means a) i was off balance, b) i dont take slap shots very often, c) i never shoot from the blue line, im a forward who works the corners and slot. have you ever used the sakic? i know, i know....it doesnt matter what pattern you use...blah blah, but seriously its an open hook you have to be mindful of when further out than the circles if you havent used it before. why this is a sticking point to you i just dont get. you keep thinking im not getting your point. i get it. i dont think i have any issues with my mechanics. i have no idea why you care so much. the statement that any person whose shot leaves the ground from distance has mechanical issues makes no sense to me. i dont have a problem with my shot, all i said was to the guy who has trouble shooting sometimes is that if you use the sakic from distance before you get used to it your shot may sail. where you went on all this from that....i just dont understand. i see people have trouble with it all the time, and when i first used it, going from wood to the composite sakic a couple of my shots sailed. i adjusted. it stopped happening. life went on. i used to teach clinics, ive taught a ton of beginners, i know this means nothing to you, but i feel confident in my ability to not only shoot but to teach it as well. i have no idea what your advice is to me, as i wasnt the one having issues in the first place. no one is using an open faced blade as a crutch. some people.....just like them. this guy has been playing for years , and just because he isnt hitting his top shelf like he wants to doesnt mean he needs to go to school on his form, and doesnt mean buying a sakic is a sin. i stopped using it years ago because it was too open and i like neutral faces, but i know for those who want to hit the corners a little tighter from the circles in - it works. there is no denying it. you can sit there for 5 hours a day and practice with a neutral blade, or you can lead an ordinary life with more open blade. the choice is always the players, and no one should ever be made to feel like less of a player because they make that choice. i told all my students they should start with a straight neutral blade, but they are already adults and they only have so much time for lessons and they want to use what they want. its not my place to them they suck because they arent learning right, they're never gonna be good, they just want to hit the upper corner sometimes.

I agree with you man, but I just wanna point out that a little paragraphing would make my eyes bleed less.

 

[bleedgreen]

agreed. my bad!

 

[Hockeyfan68]

im sorry. this conversation is killing me, but i just have to know what i need to learn that is new? just because when off balance from the blue line on the rush with a dude on me when using the sakic pattern my shots sail.....SOMETIMES, imo doesnt mean i have mechanical issues. it means a) i was off balance, b) i dont take slap shots very often, c) i never shoot from the blue line, im a forward who works the corners and slot. have you ever used the sakic? i know, i know....it doesnt matter what pattern you use...blah blah, but seriously its an open hook you have to be mindful of when further out than the circles if you havent used it before. why this is a sticking point to you i just dont get. you keep thinking im not getting your point. i get it. i dont think i have any issues with my mechanics. i have no idea why you care so much. the statement that any person whose shot leaves the ground from distance has mechanical issues makes no sense to me. i dont have a problem with my shot, all i said was to the guy who has trouble shooting sometimes is that if you use the sakic from distance before you get used to it your shot may sail. where you went on all this from that....i just dont understand. i see people have trouble with it all the time, and when i first used it, going from wood to the composite sakic a couple of my shots sailed. i adjusted. it stopped happening. life went on. i used to teach clinics, ive taught a ton of beginners, i know this means nothing to you, but i feel confident in my ability to not only shoot but to teach it as well. i have no idea what your advice is to me, as i wasnt the one having issues in the first place. no one is using an open faced blade as a crutch. some people.....just like them. this guy has been playing for years , and just because he isnt hitting his top shelf like he wants to doesnt mean he needs to go to school on his form, and doesnt mean buying a sakic is a sin. i stopped using it years ago because it was too open and i like neutral faces, but i know for those who want to hit the corners a little tighter from the circles in - it works. there is no denying it. you can sit there for 5 hours a day and practice with a neutral blade, or you can lead an ordinary life with more open blade. the choice is always the players, and no one should ever be made to feel like less of a player because they make that choice. i told all my students they should start with a straight neutral blade, but they are already adults and they only have so much time for lessons and they want to use what they want. its not my place to them they suck because they arent learning right, they're never gonna be good, they just want to hit the upper corner sometimes.

I'll sum this up quickly .... most of these threads around here are always the same "What blade curve will help me shoot up high because I am having a hard time doing so".

The best way to help someone shoot better is to tell them how to shoot better by shooting properly.

I'm not aiming my responses at guys who can already shoot and prefer an open faced blade to make doing so easier. You are NOT reading my posts correctly.

You said YOU have a hard time keeping your shots down from a ways out ... this clearly means your shooting mechanics are out of whack. I didn't say it to insult you and told you it shouldn't matter what blade is used one should be able to EASILY keep a puck low using their followthrough.

There ... it is as simple as that.

A guy wants to shoot a backhander because his sucks ... would you recommend his using a righty blade and he shoots lefty? It sure would be easier to shoot a backhander wouldn't it! How would that be different than telling someone to use an open faced wedge instead of explaining that one can get the SAME results they want with the use of good shooting skills instead of using a crutch?

 

[bleedgreen]

ive never said ive had a hard time keeping shots low.

im done.

 

[stick9]

As for roofing pucks don't get me started on that ... while an open face on the toe helps do it someone should be able to do it with any blade made. it is mechanics and followthrough that roof pucks and not the blade.

Your followthrough should finish generally in the area you are aiming at in front of you. The blade of your stick will be high if followthrough was high and the puck will go high. Curl the blade downward in the followthrough and the puck will go flat on the ice a bazillion miles an hour angering goalies with slow feet everywhere.

All true and great stuff. You have to keep in mind, there are a good portion of players that simply don't have the time to work on their game away from the rink and probably only get ice time once....maybe twice a week. So while correct form and technique will help, it's not always an option.

I know all the mechanics of it and I still choose to use an open face blade to help roof pucks. Even if I had insane technique I'd opt for an open face blade just that added boost.

To the OP - Try a Warrior Draper.