I have basically watched every game Marian Hossa has played since he signed with the Blackhawks. Over the last two games I saw him take more slapshots than I have in all of the other games combined. He pretty much never took one until just recently. I am wondering if anyone knows if this is new for him or if he used to take slapshots earlier in his career but stopped for some reason (possibly the shoulder injury)?
I don't believe in the injury option.
There are plenty of players like that, Jaromir Jagr is a great example. He almost never used his slapper untill Sergei Gonchar taught him how to one-time it while both were in Washington.
Mikael Renberg almost never used a slapper. Heck Marian Gaborik basically never scores with his slapper, while he uses it at times.
Both Renberg and Hossa use pretty short sticks to start with. They both have -- whats the english term? -- a small angle between the shaft and the blade (for the avoidance of doubt, not the curve on the blade) so that they can handle the puck close to their feets. If he gets a step on a D he'll cut in instead of ripping of a slapper from a bit of a distance.
Hossa also is not the type who creates a lot of open ice far from the net. He cuts around someone and let a shot go in a hurry.