Whether you're
playing ice, roller or street hockey, the mechanics of the slapshot are the
same. In hockey, a great slap shot can be very intimidating to the opposing defense
and to the goalie. Bobby Hull possessed the most feared slapshot of his day. And with
his slap shot, and over his career, he played in 1063 NHL games, accumulating
610 goals, 560 assists, 1170 points, three Art Ross Trophies, two Hart Memorial
Trophies, a Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, and a Stanley Cup Championship, and
adding, 62 goals and 67 assists for 129 points in 119 playoff games. He played
in 411 WHA games, scoring 303 goals, 335 assists and 638 points, adding 43
goals and 37 assists in 60 playoff games.
In 1983,
As the star of Roller Hockey Magazine's Instructional DVD series, Bobby states, "Many of the tips and techniques shown in the Roller Hockey DVD series are the same ones that I used when I started playing, and have helped me reach a high level of success in the game of hockey." Here is the breakdown of the famous Slapshot:
THE ROLLER HOCKEY SLAP SHOT:
A slapshot is a key shot for your arsenal, and there are two variations of it:
The Full Slapshot - The traditional shot, very powerful but it is not easy to control. And the Quick Release Slapshot - It's a half slapshot. With the half slapshot, you only bring the stick up about waist high. Use this variation when you're in closer to the goalie and this will surprise him. This shot will have more precision but will not be as powerful as the full slap shot.
THE MECHANICS:
- Top
hand grips the knob and the bottom hand is slightly below the center of the
stick. The positioning of your hands is vital in delivering a great slapshot. Your bottom hand should be gripped tightly while your top hand grips a little less tight. The bottom hand is the main component in the execution of the shot and should deliver most of the weight down of the stick. It is important to keep both arms stiff when starting your backswing.
- The puck should be close to your feet, slightly forward from your center. If the puck is not close to your feet, you will find yourself reaching out and subsequently losing power on the shot. If the puck is not close to your feet, you will be reaching out and losing power. Your stick and body weight will be coming down on the puck so you need to keep the puck close to your body.
- Your
feet should be a little more than shoulder-width apart and your knees bent.
- Take
a quick look at your target, and then look back at the puck to line it up
properly, then back up to where you're going to shoot.
- Weight
transfer is from both legs, to your front leg, to your back leg and then back
to your front leg into your follow-through.
- Raise
the stick back well above your head and transfer your weight to your back leg.
- As
you bring your stick forward, transfer your weight to your front leg and down on the puck.
- When swinging the stick down towards the puck, "slap" the ice slightly before the puck and use your weight to bend the stick, transferring the energy in it like a spring. It is the bending of the stick that gives the slapshot its amazing speed and power. The stick should then meet the puck near the heel to center of your blade, and the puck should roll off from heel to toe. When you make contact with the puck, roll your wrists so that the thumb on your lower hand turns down towards the ice. This adds accuracy to your shot.
- Follow
through to your target. Once you have made contact with the puck, your hips and shoulders can then twist as you follow through. If you want the puck to go high, your will need to point the end of your stick high and if your want it to go low, point your stick low.
- And remember to Practice,
Practice, Practice your Roller Hockey skills.
Learn more on how to master your Slap Shot with the Bobby Hull Roller Hockey Shooting DVD.