Advice: Slap Shot - Optimal Puck Position??

[uncleodb]

Hi Guys,

Sorry if this is a silly question, but this is regarding the puck position (setup) prior to taking the shot. For the slap shot, from what I gather from youtube videos the puck is forward in my stance, inside my front foot, similar to how you would setup to hit a golf ball with your driver. But how about the distance of the puck away from your body?

-One instructor told me, you should be able to look down at your puck; your eyes are over the puck prior to taking your shot. He said that it makes it much easier to put your weight down on your stick to flex it.
-One slapshot video from Score100goals (i think) suggests that you should impact the ground with the front portion of your stick blade, not the heel or the centre. I think this also means the puck is close to your body to achieve this?

I tried this a few times, but it just feels weird. The puck feels too close to me, like I'd wiff on my shot. I feel that I also have to keep my top hand closer to my body during the shot (if that makes any sense). So how far in front of your body do you have the puck prior to taking a slapshot? Did you always shoot this way? Did you need to change your swing path or make any adjustments?

Thanks for the advice.

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[Malreg]

Lined up with your front foot? Maybe it's just my personal preference, but that seems WAY too forward to me. I prefer it more towards the backfoot, or at at the most in middle of the stance. If the puck is too far forward you will not get any power on your shot.

 

[BmxHockey]

There's two kinds of slappers. One is hips squarred to the net: i.e. Winger coming down a wing and let's it go all while striding with chest and hips towards (squared) net. The other is hips like you said-a golfer/this is "hips open to puck" for a one timer or a defenseman skating backwards "hips open" to get the slapper off.

The former is less time consuming to get set and I also think takes more mechanical skill I.e. getting that "stick side leg" off the ground so you can get more flex on the stick and then follow through with the other leg pointing at the net. For me the puck just needs to be in front of the skate toe for this method.

I agree with Malreg. The later (hips open to puck) for me the puck needs to be in inside back skate (it's a preference). I think if the puck is too in front (front foot or more) then flex & accuracy are potentially compromised, you're off balance and overall it's all over the place, lol.

Practice in the garage!

Also, any advice on where to strike blade? I have a 5.5 easton lie and I try to strike on the heel? Not in the middle, anybody agree with this?

 

[Wilch]

Just an inch or two inside your back skate. Anything too far up would compromise your shot power and accuracy.

 

[nullterm]

Also, any advice on where to strike blade? I have a 5.5 easton lie and I try to strike on the heel? Not in the middle, anybody agree with this?

Definitely hit the puck with the heel, that's where all the power in a slapshot is.

If it makes contact closer to the toe then the puck might miss and/or go wide.

 

[uncleodb]

I agree with Malreg. The later (hips open to puck) for me the puck needs to be in inside back skate (it's a preference). I think if the puck is too in front (front foot or more) then flex & accuracy are potentially compromised, you're off balance and overall it's all over the place, lol.

Sorry, I explained this terribly. Although my starting position, I have the puck closer to the inside of my front foot, I load my weight onto my back leg as I start my back swing. As I start my downswing, I push off my back leg to transfer the weight to my front leg to drive through the shot. I actually move forward so at impact, i would say that the puck would be at the middle of my stance. Never tried having the puck end up closer to the back leg as I keep thinking i need to hit the ice a few inches before the puck. So this is why I was wondering what everyone's preference for puck position at impact; maybe there is an optimal spot?

Ok, another poorly worded question using directions: For a right handed shooter, where the puck is closer to either your front leg (west) or back leg (east), do you have a preference having the puck further away from your body (north), or closer to your body (south)? Sorry again for the poor question.

 

[BmxHockey]

North-South. Yeah, no power if it's too far north. And if its too far south you better have a high lie. Again this is something you need to develop instinctively, meaning finding the sweet spot for yourself. I was taught to strike the blade on the heel several inches before puck. That said, I have programmed myself to know where the perfect "north-south" and east-west location of the puck for a stationary slap shot. I like the puck around Tennesee, lol.

 

[ean]

The best slapshots are the ones that make best use of the flex of the stick. if your body is too far in front of your stick before it hits the ice, you won't get it to flex well and thus won't get a good shot. How far you want the puck in front of you when you start your wind up will depend on how long your wind up is and how fast, so that depends on the person. But I think you want your head roughly on top of the puck when you are making contact with your stick on the ice, which of course should be several inches before the puck. IMO, many do not leave the puck far enough in front of them to maximize how much stick flex they get when taking slapshots. Try taking a few slapshots with a puck way out in front of you, more than you feel comfortable, and see how it goes and adjust as necessary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJnKTtS9t3g

Hi Guys,

Sorry if this is a silly question, but this is regarding the puck position (setup) prior to taking the shot. For the slap shot, from what I gather from youtube videos the puck is forward in my stance, inside my front foot, similar to how you would setup to hit a golf ball with your driver. But how about the distance of the puck away from your body?

-One instructor told me, you should be able to look down at your puck; your eyes are over the puck prior to taking your shot. He said that it makes it much easier to put your weight down on your stick to flex it.
-One slapshot video from Score100goals (i think) suggests that you should impact the ground with the front portion of your stick blade, not the heel or the centre. I think this also means the puck is close to your body to achieve this?

I tried this a few times, but it just feels weird. The puck feels too close to me, like I'd wiff on my shot. I feel that I also have to keep my top hand closer to my body during the shot (if that makes any sense). So how far in front of your body do you have the puck prior to taking a slapshot? Did you always shoot this way? Did you need to change your swing path or make any adjustments?

Thanks for the advice.