Ice hockey is a game of speed and skill where players need to shoot the puck into the opposing team’s net to score a goal. There isn’t just one way to shoot a hockey puck; there are many!
Whether you are new to hockey or play the game regularly, understanding each type of hockey shot can make you a better player and hockey fan.
I am going to explain the main types of hockey shots along with some less common types.
1. Slap Shot
The slap shot is the most powerful shot in ice hockey. It is most commonly used by defensemen when on the point. Although it is the hardest and most powerful shot, it is also the slowest type of shot to release.
How Do You Take a Slap Shot?
To take a slap shot you need to wind up, this means you lift your hockey stick backward up into the air, slightly rotating your body back, then you rapidly swing your stick blade towards the puck.
As you swing at the puck your weight is transferring from your back foot to your front foot as your whole body is rotating with your stick as it slaps the puck.
Your blade will hit the ice before you hit the puck for a brief moment. This is to increase the power using your stick flex to your advantage.
After you make contact with the puck you need to make sure to follow through the shot. This follow-through helps with the aim of the slap shot along with the power.
Why Take a Slap Shot?
Slap shots are fast, they are hard to see for a goaltender. The best time to take a slap shot is when there is traffic in front of the net and the goalie can’t see through everyone to the puck.
When a defenseman (or any player) has the puck outside the slot, taking a low slapper can make its way through and the goalie won’t even see it. This makes a great opportunity to go directly in, deflected, or rebounded for a goal.
2. Snap Shot
A snap shot is all about speed by getting off that quick release. Players use the snap shot to shoot fast and catch the goalie off guard (by surprise) by picking corners or snapping in a rebounded shot.
How Do You Take a Snap Shot?
Its best to start the snap shot by dragging the puck from the toe of the blade towards you and then snapping the puck. During the snap shot you are leaning into your stick by transferring your weight into your shot.
This uses the flex of your stick to increase the power and speed of the snap shot.
Why Take a Snap Shot?
The reason you want to use the snap shot is to be able to release the puck so fast that it can catch the goalie by surprise, making you able to shoot the puck quickly to an area of the net where the goalie is not.
The best hockey players in the world have amazing snap shots. They score the most goals in the NHL because of their snap shot skills. This is players like Auston Matthews, Alexander Ovechkin, and Connor Bedard.
3. Wrist Shot
The wrist shot is all about precision. I like to consider the wrist shot as the old snap shot. It used to be more popular until new stick technology made snap shots so quick and accurate.
The wrist shot is about using your wrist to guide your shot; it is more about throwing the puck with your stick rather than slapping or snapping it.
How Do You Take a Wrist Shot?
To take a wrister, you can pull the puck back on the ice and then use your wrist and body rotation to shoot the puck. Your backhand will come back towards you and your bottom hand pushes forward to release the puck.
Typically your front foot will move back and your back foot remains planted.
It’s like you are slinging the puck off of your stick blade. Make sure to follow through and roll your stick forward to help with your accuracy. You almost want to point your stick towards where you want the puck to go during your follow-through.
Why Take a Wrist Shot?
You don’t always have time for a slap shot, and you may not have the control for a snap shot. A quick wrist shot can be extremely precise helping you pick the corner you saw open.
4. Backhand Shot
The backhand shot is simply accomplished by using the backside of the stick blade. It’s a tricky shot to master but it can be difficult for goalies to read. I have been playing hockey my whole life and its still difficult to get off sometimes.
Players often use it in close quarters when they don’t have the angle for a forehand shot. Players with a great backhand shot score many goals as they can release the puck in little space and pick top corners over the goalie’s shoulder without them realizing the shot was even coming.
How Do You Take a Backhand Shot?
There are a few ways to shoot backhanders. There is the snap backhand that is similar to a snap shot but you swing the back of the stick at the puck while you rotate your body into it to get power.
The up-close flip backhander is all about lifting the puck high off the ice to pick top shelf. The is accomplished by using the backhand of the blade to get under the puck to flick it into the air. There is little power but the reason you do this is to shoot high when near the net.
Then you have the backhand style wrister, where you use your wrist to release the puck similarly to how you would forward. The is great for power and precision making it a great shot to have in the bag.
Sidney Crosby is the master backhander and has the power and aim liek nobody else. Watch some of his backhanders here:
5. Flip Shot
The flip shot is designed for up-close scenarios to shelf the puck over the goalie that is down. Or you may use the flip shot to dump the puck up the ice high into the air. The goal is to scoop the puck up with your blade and lift it off the ice. I like to also call this the flick shot because you are flicking the puck up in the air.
How Do You Take a Flip Shot?
You open your blade up, this is to scoop under the puck, then you lift up your stick and the puck will flick up into the air. You need to do it quickly so your stick gets under the puck so you can flick it up in the air.
Why Take a Flip Shot?
Sometimes you are in close to the net, the goalie is down on the ice, and players are scrambling around. You can’t slide the puck in the net, you can’t take a normal shot, but you can flip it over everyone and everything to score the goal. That’s why and when you take the flip shot.
6. One-Timer
The one-timer is a fast-paced shot that requires proper timing and coordination between players. It is one of the best ways to quickly pass and shoot the puck before a goalie can react and move to save it.
A one-timer is when one player passes the puck to a teammate who immediately shoots it without stopping or controlling the puck first.
A perfectly executed one-timer is one of the harder shots to stop as a goalie as you need to move fast and react to where the puck will be.
The one-timer is usually a slap shot or a snap shot that happens immediately after the pass. You can’t really wrist-shot immediately, as it wouldn’t technically be a one-timer anymore after you control it for a second.
Alexander Ovechkin, one of the best goal-scorers ever to exist, is well known for his one-timer on the left side of the offensive zone. Players on his team know to pass to him specifically for the one-timer.
7. Stick Deflection
A deflection isn’t a shot in the traditional sense. But they are counted as shots on goal (SOG), so they are technically a type of hockey shot. Sometimes, a deflection is called a “tip” or “tipping” too.
A deflection in hockey is when a player redirects the puck by changing its trajectory using their stick. This can be done intentionally, with a player positioning themselves in front of the net to deflect incoming shots or accidentally when the puck bounces off a player.
You can increase your deflection skills by practicing your hand-eye coordination with your hockey stick in practice. Stand in front of the net with your stick above the ice purposefully trying to deflect the puck.
Many goals in hockey are scored by stick deflections!
8. Deke
The deke is more of a maneuver than a shot. Players use it to fake out the goalie or defenders by quickly shifting the puck from one side to the other before taking a shot. When executed correctly, a deke can leave the net wide open for an easy goal.
The reason I add it to this list is because there are so many dekes in hockey, especially modern hockey, where they are technically their own shots.
Here are some examples of what I mean:
- Through the legs shot – put your stick between your legs and shoot it
- The Michigan – when a player picks the puck up on their stick blade and throws it in the net.
- Fake shot – this is usually on a penalty shot or shootout, the player moves the stick around the puck on the ice and pretends to go one way, doesn’t even touch the puck and it slides through the goalies five hole and in the net.
- Simple deke and in – After a player completely dangles a goalie and its just an open net, the player will usually just push it in lightly after the deke, not performing any real hockey shot.
There are so many creative dekes and dangles in hockey today. The creative aspect of the game is growing, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of it in the future.
Jamie is the founder of Hockey Response and he is the chief writer/ lead editor. Jamie has been playing hockey for over 20 years. He was the defenseman of the year in NL and has played Jr A level hockey. Jamie has coached several kids hockey camps and he was the assistant coach of the Western Kings.