How come right handed glove goalies are nearly nonexistent in the NHL?

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I mean yes I get the NHL is dominated by left handed shots, and thus in turn dominated by left handed catching goalies. But right handed shots are still somehwere from 25-35% of the NHL (I'm not sure about exact numbers, but from what I've read it's roughly there). Yet goalies who catch with their right hand probably make up less than 5% of the NHL goalie population. Is it just pure coincidence that almost every goalie happens to be right handed thus they catch with their left hand, unlike players where there are more left handers that shoot right, or is there a science behind why goalies prefer catching left handed, as opposed to how some people naturally like shooting left or right more?

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[Machinehead]

The left-handed population is still less than ten percent according to some studies.

A two-handed activity like shooting with a hockey stick can really depend which is why we see more variance there.

Goaltending is one-handed, in the sense that you're holding the stick with one hand the majority of the time, and you're going to hold it with your dominant hand.

As opposed to shooters, if you catch with your right hand, you're almost definitely left-handed. Just aren't that many people who are dominantly left-handed.

 

[TaLoN]

As stated by the poster before me... there is a lot more variance in shooters because shooters aren't strictly based by their handedness... but by what the player feels most natural with when holding their stick.

Now a lot of right handed players shoot left because they are taught that their dominant hand needs to be on top of the stick, leaving their less dominant left hand in the middle, but some players just don't feel right holding a stick in that manner and thus are right handed shooting right which increases the percentage for right shooters.

There is no such variance with goaltenders. You will always put a catching glove on your less dominant hand.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

As stated by the poster before me... there is a lot more variance in shooters because shooters aren't strictly based by their handedness... but by what the player feels most natural with when holding their stick.

Now a lot of right handed players shoot left because they are taught that their dominant hand needs to be on top of the stick, leaving their less dominant left hand in the middle, but some players just don't feel right holding a stick in that manner and thus are right handed shooting right which increases the percentage for right shooters.

There is no such variance with goaltenders. You will always put a catching glove on your less dominant hand.

I can understand that. I shoot better when I'm holding a right handed shot stick, but control the ball better with a left handed shot stick.

 

[TaLoN]

I'm right handed and I shoot right. Yes, it does take away from puck skills when trying to do things one handed, but I find most times I keep both hands on the stick anyway when handling a puck, and with the right hand in the middle, I actually seem to have better close quarters control... add in the better control on the shot and that's just my preference.

It always felt completely backwards to me trying to use a left handed stick.

 

[Bruce Granville]

Fun fact:
In Finland they have gear for right handed goalies, only.
That's the main reason Patrik Laine became a skater.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

I'm ambidextrous and used to play net. Growing up you just kinda...pick a side. I eat left handed, write with my right and throw right. It's a bonus growing up not having catch right, it's much easier to find equipment. I remember knowing a few goalies when I was younger who were naturally right handed catching and would use the opposite. It's assumed when you're little that you're likely right handed so even if a kid says otherwise, they'll get them to write with their right, throw with their right etc. At least in my experience.

 

[nicholas89alex]

I'm right handed and I shoot right. Yes, it does take away from puck skills when trying to do things one handed, but I find most times I keep both hands on the stick anyway when handling a puck, and with the right hand in the middle, I actually seem to have better close quarters control... add in the better control on the shot and that's just my preference.

It always felt completely backwards to me trying to use a left handed stick.

same for me. im right handed shoot right handed and when i play goalie i catch left handed.

i think its because goalies only have one hand on the stick 99%of the time while skaters have two hands on their stick 90% of the time. i could catch with either hand equally well but control my stick one handed significantly better with my right, so if im only gonna have 1 hand on the stick im using my right hand. i would think most right handed goalies feel the same.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

because only like 10% of the population is left handed?

not hard to figure out

 

[Warden of the North]

Most people who are right handed catch with their left. The "throwing" arm is the right.

 

[Habs76]

Fun fact:
In Finland they have gear for right handed goalies, only.
That's the main reason Patrik Laine became a skater.

It's tough to find goalie equipment for lefties anywhere.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

The percentage of lefties in the world is pretty much spot on with the percentage of right handed catching goalies in the NHL.

I'm actually surprised it's as high as it is. I'm sure there are lots of natural lefties who catch with their left hand simply because growing up there was left right handed catching goalie equipment around. Goalie gear is expensive. If a kid decided he wanted to be a goalie a Dad generally finds some second hand stuff first to make sure the kid likes it before dishing out thousands of dollars. In doing this they often end up right left handed catching gear simply because it's all they can find. By the time they end up getting the kid his own set he became comfortable and didn't want to switch hands.

Plus if you're a kid who learned to play in gym class or with your buds on the street you definitely learned to play with the glove on the left hand.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

I'm ambidextrous and used to play net. Growing up you just kinda...pick a side. I eat left handed, write with my right and throw right.

That's not ambidextrous, most right-handed people have the fork on the left.

I write right-handed, but in things like shot-put, long jump and boxing I'm left-handed/southpaw

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Most people who are right handed catch with their left. The "throwing" arm is the right.

aka - why they are called "right handed"

i play beer league baseball and have a glove on my right hand because i throw with my left because i am "left handed"

why is this so hard for everyone to figure out?

 

[The Podium]

Im right handed, shoot right as a player, throw right with a left handed glove in baseball, but catch with my right and a left handed stick in net.

 

[RDTBay4]

I'm right handed. Throw with my right hand. Hold hockey stick/baseball bat left handed.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

When I played goalie my glove was on the right side. So idk. Probably overcoaching

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

I'm left handed so play full right in net. Like other people said its because left handed people are a smaller population size.

Vokoun was full right, I always enjoyed watching him play.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Jose Theodore and Tomas Vokoun caught right. Both left and right-handed people can shoot right. But only left-handed people catch right.

 

[Intangiblezz]

Im right handed, shoot right as a player, throw right with a left handed glove in baseball, but catch with my right and a left handed stick in net.

Same here.

 

[Meob]

I mean yes I get the NHL is dominated by left handed shots, and thus in turn dominated by left handed catching goalies. But right handed shots are still somehwere from 25-35% of the NHL (I'm not sure about exact numbers, but from what I've read it's roughly there). Yet goalies who catch with their right hand probably make up less than 5% of the NHL goalie population. Is it just pure coincidence that almost every goalie happens to be right handed thus they catch with their left hand, unlike players where there are more left handers that shoot right, or is there a science behind why goalies prefer catching left handed, as opposed to how some people naturally like shooting left or right more?

I don't consider the side a player shoots on to be handedness. You use both hands equally. It has more to do with whatever you pick up and get used to first.

A lot of people also like having their dominant hand on the knob, so the side you shoot on is often opposite. And most people I've known or seen that were actually pretty left handed (write with their left hand), they shot on the right side.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Im right handed, shoot right as a player, throw right with a left handed glove in baseball, but catch with my right and a left handed stick in net.

Same, but I never play any goal except in skater gear.

 

[Guardian17]

I'm left handed but I catch right handed.

 

[hoglund]

I'm left handed but I catch right handed.

That's what most people do, they catch with their non dominant hand.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

That's not ambidextrous, most right-handed people have the fork on the left.

I write right-handed, but in things like shot-put, long jump and boxing I'm left-handed/southpaw

Many people will switch hands to their dominant hand after slicing food on their plate as it's safer to use a knife in your dominant hand so it's something people are taught young. I'm also a chef who chops and cuts with my left. I've been working in kitchens for over 10 years and I've never seen another person cut with their left. Like I said, sometimes you pick a side.