Wrist shot
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A wrist shot is a type of ice hockey shot that involves using arm muscles (especially those in the wrist and forearm) to propel a puck forward from the concave side of the blade of a hockey stick. Generally, when the puck is shot in a similar manner using the convex side of the blade, it is referred to as a backhand shot. The power of a wrist shot comes from lower body strength more than arm strength. The advantage of a wrist shot over a slap shot is the minimal amount of setup required, creating an element of surprise. Moreover, a wrist shot is far more accurate than a slap shot. Conversely, the reliance on wrist and forearm muscles to propel the puck causes the wrist shot to be less powerful than the slap shot.
The snap shot is a cross between the wrist shot and the slap shot. The shooter uses a small wind up involving other muscles and the flex of the shaft of the hockey stick in order to propel the puck. The snap shot has a strength and accuracy somewhere between those of a wrist shot and a slap shot.
The wrist shot has several phases:
- The bottom hand slides down the shaft of the stick and brings the blade behind the back leg (the leg furthest away from the target).
- Weight is transferred to the front leg as the arms sweep forward.
- The puck is then rolled along the blade of the stick, ending with a flick of the wrist which accelerates the puck thanks to the curve in the stick.
- As the puck is released in the forward motion, the follow through of the stick determines the height and direction of the shot.
