tips for raising slapshot

[VaughanBender72]

Need some tips on how to raise my slapper it has good power, but I noticed it always stays on the ice any tips on how to raise it ?

 

[MD56]

Need some tips on how to raise my slapper it has good power, but I noticed it always stays on the ice any tips on how to raise it ?

What blade pattern do you use? This may be the cheater way of doing it, but switching to a more open face made a huge difference with my slapper. I went from a Hall/Sacik to a Getzlaf and it's crazy how much better my shot is. I think the first time I wound up with it I sent the puck 2 feet over the top of the net which was a first.

 

[JoeCool16]

Are you really leaning over the puck when you take it? That can cause the puck to stay very low. If your body position is leaning back a bit more (and these aren't extremes, just degrees), then the puck is more likely to go higher. Leaning down=lower, leaning back=higher.

Choking up on the stick a bit will also allow you some more control just like with a snapper or wrister, but with a loss of velocity.

 

[Beezeral]

As a goalie, I am no expert on slap shots, but the absolute worst thing you can do is start opening up your blade when you shoot. you will get the puck in the air but lose all speed on your shot

 

[Devil Dancer]

Not to ignore your question, but a hard low slapper can be a great asset.

 

[V4V1984]

What helps with my shot is I have a slight open toe with a heel curve which is minimal.Kind of like a Drury stick. Another thing is film your windup/follow through to see how you execute.Try different sticks,lengths and lies to see what your comfy with.And lots of practice!Ive spent countless hours shooting pucks n now the goalies on my team both tell me I have one of the hardest/heaviest shots on our team.Im also the oldest at 49 and the smallest at 5'7".Most of my teammates are in their late 20's,so If I can get a good shot off the ice so can you.Good luck!

 

[542365]

Not to ignore your question, but a hard low slapper can be a great asset.

Exactly what I was coming to post. A foot off the ice is perfect. I know it's nice to ring one off the bar and in, but more times than not, you'll(or I will) hit the glass. Teammates that are standing near the net will also appreciate a low shot

 

[blackout44]

Try moving your bottom hand lower on the stick. I had the same issue with them staying on the ice until a coach had me hold it lower. Sure enough, I was able to lift them quite a bit. There is a point where they go too high, so I moved my bottom hand back up just a tad. I find that the position of my bottom hand really determines the overall height though.

 

[Ryp37]

Pay attention to your follow through

Watch some clips of Kariya, Yzerman etc and notice their entire torso twists with the shot

 

[VaughanBender72]

I use a stamkos curve

 

[CarpeNoctem]

You're missing in terms of technique significantly if you can't raise it at all and that's what it sounds like here. So, that's usually caused by a few things...

1)Follow through has to be high for a higher shot, and your blade should be waist height, to you, if you're shooting top shelf.

2)You DO need to snap your wrists on your shot, exactly as you strike the ice. Use the push pull motion, just the same idea behind your wrist shot.

3)Be sure all your weight is getting to your front foot, and this will insure that your upper body is rotating as well.

4)The first time you take 50 proper form slap shots, you damn sure should feel it in your lower back. This comes from trunk rotation, which creates a lot of the force in the shot. Is this true for you?

 

[jazzykat]

I use a stamkos curve

So do I and I can send them over the cross bar if I'm not careful...

Keep your blade face CLOSED (until you get to the follow through phase)!!! Otherwise you will lose power.

Make sure you have good BALANCE and practice shifting your weight from front to back. To learn and help exaggerate the movement lift up your back foot when practicing to help get the feeling and balance required to rip a hard slapshot. Once you get the hang of it you can leave your back foot on the ice but it won't have any weight on it.

If you are generating adequate power then it should be a matter of your follow through. When you finish the shot point at the top of the net and see where the puck flies.

Make sure your stick is a reasonable length and flex. There are tons of guides about that but, for me, a slightly shorter stick (a little below the nose in bare feet) will allow me to more easily put weight over the top of it and a lower flex will load easier.


But once you get the technique down very well you will be able to take a slapshot with almost any stick. However, the parameters of the stick will greatly enhance your ability to accurately deliver a powerful shot. So what I'm saying is, don't get depressed if you can't run out and buy a new stick with what you think is the right curve, flex, and kick point because you need to practice regardless and once you get the hang of it you may find that what you think is the right setup when you start may not be the optimal curve when you are more experienced.

Lastly, IMO, the Stamkos curve is the best for taking slappers since you can shoot from anywhere on the blade (although more power comes closer to the heel or so they say) and the more closed curve helps keep your shot down to create rebounds and make deflections easier.

 

[LarryO]

I have the exact opposite issue. My shots are sometimes too high and I use a PM9 curve. I just don't practice my slap shot as much as I should, though. But ever since I've shortened my stick so it reaches my collar bone on skates, I find it easier to get over the puck when I shoot and get more flex out of my stick, despite it being stiffer from cutting off 2".

 

[CarpeNoctem]

I have the exact opposite issue. My shots are sometimes too high and I use a PM9 curve. I just don't practice my slap shot as much as I should, though. But ever since I've shortened my stick so it reaches my collar bone on skates, I find it easier to get over the puck when I shoot and get more flex out of my stick, despite it being stiffer from cutting off 2".

Close your blade more on the follow through. Use both hands to do so. That will fix your problems.

 

[TheRedShadow]

+1 for hand lower on the shaft. I had been having trouble ever getting the puck off the ice., Showed a coach my slapshot last night and he said my bottom hand needed to go lower. I did it and hey presto - the puck's a nice height off the ice every time. It's bizarre how such a tiny change makes the difference.

 

[shoeshine boy]

Exactly what I was coming to post. A foot off the ice is perfect. I know it's nice to ring one off the bar and in, but more times than not, you'll(or I will) hit the glass. Teammates that are standing near the net will also appreciate a low shot

this. the week before Christmas I was hit in the left ear by a teammate's slapshot. it cost me 4 stitches and 2 games.

 

[NICKtheGREEK]

I had the same exact problem, it was driving me crazy, but i lowered my stance, lowered my right hand (I'm a right handed shot) then put more of my weight on the stick (flex) and followed through. If you keep you stick blade open rather than twisting your wrists and pointing to your target with your stick on the follow through, your shot will fly over then net. ( Ive broken multiple windows and security lights like this.) Good Luck! don't give up!

 

[Goonzilla]

I'm just starting to, finally, if not master the slap shot, then at least now have it down enough and am confident enough to let it rip during a game.

I let go of a rocket yesterday, from just inside the blue line, albeit it was about six or eight inches over the cross bar, but people were scrambling out of the way, not having pulled that one out in front of an audience previously; and I suspect wondering where that came from.

Have previously just been too inconsistent, mixing up okay and bad with the occasional 'how did I do that'?

Have found the key is to really bend down to the puck through the knees as I shoot rather than leaning over it.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Don't hit too far behind the puck. The higher I want to shoot, the closer to the puck I hit the ice.

I don't know if there is a correlation between these 2 things, but it works for me.

 

[boo10]

Easiest way to get some elevation on a slapper is to shoot off the toe. Doesn't matter the pattern, as it will work with a straight blade too. Takes practice as it's harder to be accurate and you need to make sure you're not headhunting. You can shoot low off the toe too, but you have to really roll your wrists over on the follow through.

 

[Clarkington III]

Follow through.

 

[STC]

Don't hit too far behind the puck. The higher I want to shoot, the closer to the puck I hit the ice.

I don't know if there is a correlation between these 2 things, but it works for me.

This isn't good advice.

Easiest way to get some elevation on a slapper is to shoot off the toe. Doesn't matter the pattern, as it will work with a straight blade too. Takes practice as it's harder to be accurate and you need to make sure you're not headhunting. You can shoot low off the toe too, but you have to really roll your wrists over on the follow through.

Neither is this.

You don't want to hit behind the puck, you want to hit the puck. You'll lose all power if you hit the ice behind the puck first. Think of it like a golf shot, the last thing you want to do is hit the ground behind the ball before hitting the ball. You'll get a fat shot and lose all your power/distance.

Same goes for hitting it off the toe. You'll lost lots of power if you hit it off the toe.

Follow through.

Now this is good advice. You want to hit your shots higher, its really simple, follow through higher. That's all there is to it

 

[ThisisBen]

You don't want to hit behind the puck, you want to hit the puck. You'll lose all power if you hit the ice behind the puck first. Think of it like a golf shot, the last thing you want to do is hit the ground behind the ball before hitting the ball. You'll get a fat shot and lose all your power/distance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsCdywftyok 2:15-3:15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js6_WAS-Ay4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uudKiSouzo


Don't know much about golf shots but I know for a fact that you want to contact the ice before the puck to increase velocity in your shots.

 

[STC]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsCdywftyok 2:15-3:15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js6_WAS-Ay4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uudKiSouzo


Don't know much about golf shots but I know for a fact that you want to contact the ice before the puck to increase velocity in your shots.

yea you're right, I forgot about the flex.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

You don't want to hit behind the puck, you want to hit the puck. You'll lose all power if you hit the ice behind the puck first. Think of it like a golf shot, the last thing you want to do is hit the ground behind the ball before hitting the ball. You'll get a fat shot and lose all your power/distance.

Now this is really bad advice. How are you going to flex your stick if you don't hit the ice first ?




Follow this.