Teaching The Modern Snap Shot

[CarpeNoctem]

I'm trying to teach my friend, who is basically a beginner/novice, the modern style snap shot. His wrister is ok but he can't get the snapper. I'm trying to explain that you lean in toward your inside foot, load the bottom hand/stick, and do it similar to the wrister. You drag it down the blade, let the puck get in inch or two between the blade and push/pull. It took me until I was in my 20s to figure it out.

What else should I say?

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[Canadiens1958]

Snap Shot

I'm trying to teach my friend, who is basically a beginner/novice, the modern style snap shot. His wrister is ok but he can't get the snapper. I'm trying to explain that you lean in toward your inside foot, load the bottom hand/stick, and do it similar to the wrister. You drag it down the blade, let the puck get in inch or two between the blade and push/pull. It took me until I was in my 20s to figure it out.

What else should I say?

Same snap shot since the mid fifties when I started playing.

No need to load or drag. Basically, forehand, stick is almost touching or touching the puck. Proper hand position, snap by rolling your wrists app. 135 degrees. You should be able to direct the snap shot by the position of the tip of the blade relative to the puck.

Dump a bucket of pucks on the ice and just start snapping them. No drag, no load.Rapid fire. Observe what happens as the stick assumes various positions around the face of the puck from 3 - 9 o'clock.

 

[jazzykat]

Same snap shot since the mid fifties when I started playing.

No need to load or drag. Basically, forehand, stick is almost touching or touching the puck. Proper hand position, snap by rolling your wrists app. 135 degrees. You should be able to direct the snap shot by the position of the tip of the blade relative to the puck.

Dump a bucket of pucks on the ice and just start snapping them. No drag, no load.Rapid fire. Observe what happens as the stick assumes various positions around the face of the puck from 3 - 9 o'clock.

So basically, your wrists and forearms do most of the work then? If you are good at it you may be able to get your core and some weight transfer going?

 

[CarpeNoctem]

I think the loading of the stick is the modern part. The method tends to fail without that to me, but anyway... how can I explain or analogize it to my buddy? It's different than any other shot and doesn't make sense to him. I think the loading part is throwing him off.

Check this vid to see the technique I'm referring to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe7LI1l1gCE

 

[Canadiens1958]

Speed of Execution.

So basically, your wrists and forearms do most of the work then? If you are good at it you may be able to get your core and some weight transfer going?

Basic idea is speed of execution(quickness) with the maximum available power. The opposition is not going to give you the time to balance perfectly, aim, load, drag, release.

More wrists than forearms. Core and weight transfer if time allows. You will develop as sense of time. Do not sacrifice quickness as you may lose the opportunity.

You should be able to "Feel" the puck on your stick and recognize what is available when the puck is in the slot or scoring area.

 

[TKSPT]

So basically, your wrists and forearms do most of the work then? If you are good at it you may be able to get your core and some weight transfer going?

The natural motion of your body will be to rotate through the shot and that core rotation is where a lot of power comes from. The loading of the stick is a modern adaptation because sticks allow for more flex now.

That loading combined with a a violent snap forward of the wrists is what makes a snap shot so potent, but you can't really take out the core/shoulder rotation and counterbalance, even when shooting off the inside foot.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

Good post, TK. The Malkin video I posted above is the modern adaptation to a tee. However since I usually use an open heel curve, I prefer to start it near the heel with the same drag as the wrister, half down the blade, then load and snap.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Game Situations

I think the loading of the stick is the modern part. The method tends to fail without that to me, but anyway... how can I explain or analogize it to my buddy? It's different than any other shot and doesn't make sense to him. I think the loading part is throwing him off.

Check this vid to see the technique I'm referring to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe7LI1l1gCE

Understood the technique but that is not an in game situation unless you are in a shoot out or on a breakaway.

Will not work very well in a crowded slot or scoring area situation as the shooter is taking too much time.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

I understand what you're saying. That's why I prefer keeping the puck near the body from the start. You lean all your weight on the inside leg and the puck is only a few inches from your foot. That's the best way to have enough space to get a shot off while doing it and it will be a nasty shot too.

 

[TKSPT]

That Malkin video is a great breakdown of what a snapshot looks like these days. I know some guys like to use the toe of the blade and they'll often start with the puck out a bit wider then toe drag it a bit and snap it in one fluid motion.

It's fairly deceptive for both the D man backing in and the goalie who has squared to the shooter. That slight adjustment can make a big difference in how the shot is read by both.

If you saw Paul Stastny's game winner the other day against Dallas you'll see an excellent example of what that shot looks like.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

Geno is one of the very best. Gaborik is great too though. He uses more of a quicker release rather than loading his stick a lot. It's closer to a wrister IMO but very good.

 

[Jarick]

Check out this thread. While it says wrist shot, it's really more of a hybrid and closer to the Malkin shot.

 

[PhilMick]

Check out this thread. While it says wrist shot, it's really more of a hybrid and closer to the Malkin shot.

Man I love watching that Kessel video. There was a video around here a year or so ago, might have actually been promotional from one of the stick companies, was a guy working with a high school player in a garage on the snap shot, he was emphasizing loading the blade to take advantage of current stick technology. It's what I thought of when I saw this thread, anyone remember that video?

 

[forbs02]

Man I love watching that Kessel video. There was a video around here a year or so ago, might have actually been promotional from one of the stick companies, was a guy working with a high school player in a garage on the snap shot, he was emphasizing loading the blade to take advantage of current stick technology. It's what I thought of when I saw this thread, anyone remember that video?

Yup, Scott Bjugstad

 

[PhilMick]

Yup, Scott Bjugstad

Awesome, thanks

 

[Fanned On It]

Loading your stick is essential in getting a good, hard snap-shot off. The key is to load extremely quick into your inside leg and put that weight into the snap. It will greatly increase your power as opposed to just doing a hard snap with your wrists. Also, a true snap-shot doesn't have the "drag" of the wrist shot (not to be confused with pulling it in towards your body a la toe-drag or what have you).

 

[PhilMick]

Loading your stick is essential in getting a good, hard snap-shot off. The key is to load extremely quick into your inside leg and put that weight into the snap. It will greatly increase your power as opposed to just doing a hard snap with your wrists. Also, a true snap-shot doesn't have the "drag" of the wrist shot (not to be confused with pulling it in towards your body a la toe-drag or what have you).

By "inside leg" do you mean front leg? I guess inside makes sense if we're talking about shooting off the off leg on the fly.

 

[King Karlsson]

My method is kinda weird, I give the puck a tiny push and then do the loading of the blade and snapping. Can't seem to pull it off without doing the push (I can but not with nearly as much power or accuracy). Usually get it going from mid-blade to toe so it doesn't wobble and rises quickly.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

Loading your stick is essential in getting a good, hard snap-shot off. The key is to load extremely quick into your inside leg and put that weight into the snap. It will greatly increase your power as opposed to just doing a hard snap with your wrists. Also, a true snap-shot doesn't have the "drag" of the wrist shot (not to be confused with pulling it in towards your body a la toe-drag or what have you).

I agree, sort of. My method is to start the drag at the heel like a wrister. It gives me the best results, the puck will never roll of my stick, even at high speeds, and it really seems to give me the hardest shot and most control. A lot of NHL players take the shot in a similar way. It's basically a hybrid wrist/snap, best of both worlds.

 

[TKSPT]

By "inside leg" do you mean front leg? I guess inside makes sense if we're talking about shooting off the off leg on the fly.

I think he's referring to the right leg for a RH shooter and left leg for LH shooter. As a RH shooter you would shift your weight over your right leg when shooting.

This is a great shot coming down the wing because there is little wind up required and the transition from stickhandling to shooting is minimal (the puck is already on your forehand side).

 

[Sensinitis]

The follow through is really really important.

 

[LarryO]

I think he's referring to the right leg for a RH shooter and left leg for LH shooter. As a RH shooter you would shift your weight over your right leg when shooting.

This is a great shot coming down the wing because there is little wind up required and the transition from stickhandling to shooting is minimal (the puck is already on your forehand side).

Actually I think the convention is to shift your weight from the leg that's toward the board to the leg that's toward the center of the rink no matter what side you're on and no matter whether you're left handed or right handed. You have to be able to do either foot depending what side of the rink you're coming from. I'm talking about shooting in stride.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

You can do it on either leg, yeah.

 

[TKSPT]

Actually I think the convention is to shift your weight from the leg that's toward the board to the leg that's toward the center of the rink no matter what side you're on and no matter whether you're left handed or right handed. You have to be able to do either foot depending what side of the rink you're coming from. I'm talking about shooting in stride.

Agreed. I was taught early on that a proper shot starts by drawing the puck back and shooting from back leg to front leg when side on. That is a classic style shot but when you're moving a quick snap of the wrists and weight transfer will be more effective, regardless of what side you're shooting off of.

 

[Buckets and Gloves]

I am at work and can't watch the videos (will do so when I am home)...

I usually just have my stick about a half wind (instead of a full like a slapper) and sort of flick my wrist just as I am making contact... find I have good control, can put it high corner or just 1-1.5 feet off the ice, pending how much I flick/snap my wrist on contact.