The slap shot is one of the most devastating scoring weapons in hockey. When a professional player takes a slap shot, it can reach speeds that exceed 100 mph. Hall of Famer Bobby Hull was one of the most explosive scorers in the National Hockey League throughout the 1960s and he was widely recognized as having the hardest slap shot of his generation. Hull's explosive power is credited with popularizing the slap shot and turning it into one of the game's most exciting plays.
Use Your Legs
A boxer doesn't throw a knockout punch with just his fist and arm. A home-run hitter doesn't smash the ball over the fence with just his arms. A hockey player doesn't blast a slap shot with just his upper body. You have to get your legs into your swing. As you bring your stick back, your weight will be on your back leg. As you come forward with your stick, your weight will move to your front leg. If you can shift your weight at the instant you make contact with the puck, you can deliver a hard shot on the net.
Grip the Stick
To get power on your slap shot, your bottom hand should be 2 or 3 inches below the midway point of the shaft. You want to develop flex in your stick when you come down on the puck. The lower you can grip the stick and still maintain control over the puck, the harder you can fire the puck when you take a slap shot.
Contact With the Puck
When you take a slap shot, you may feel like you have to hit the puck perfectly to get a shot that flies at top speed. That may be cutting it too fine for most shooters. Instead of trying to hit the puck perfectly, aim for a spot 1 or 2 inches behind the puck. Hitting 1 or 2 inches of ice prior to the puck will not slow your shot and it will make sure you catch all of the puck when you make contact. If you are trying to hit nothing but the puck, you may top the puck and hit a dribbler while breaking your stick. Take advantage of your shooting opportunity and take an inch of ice before you make contact.
Twist Your Wrists
As you learn to hit the slap shot, you can put extra velocity on your shot by twisting your wrists as you make contact and follow through. As you make contact with the puck, twist your bottom wrist. This will help the puck fly and put extra spin on the puck, and that can make it dip or rise as it flies toward the goal. That makes stopping the slap shot even more difficult for the goalie.
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