A wrist shot is a type of hockey shot that's powered by the muscles of your arm and forearm and directed by the motion of your wrists. The wrist shot may not be as powerful as a slap shot or have the quick release of a snap shot, but it may be the most accurate and effective shot in hockey. Because it requires no windup, a well-executed wrist shot can catch a goaltender by surprise.
Flex
Sticks come in different degrees of flex. Flex is the degree of flexibility the shaft of a hockey stick demonstrates when a force is applied. Stick flex affects the power of a wrist shot. As you sweep the stick along the ice, it bends and loads the shaft with a spring-like energy. When you release a wrist shot, the stick snaps forward as it straightens out and transfers its energy to the puck, causing it to accelerate.
Wrist Shot
The height of a wrist shot depends on how far you rotate your wrists and the height of your follow-through. Developing your upper-body strength will help you deliver a more powerful wrist shot. Many hockey players opt for more control over their shots by using the center of the stick's curved blade to cradle the puck. More experienced players position the puck towards the shaft end so that it rolls along the blade and spins on release for a faster, more accurate shot.
Mechanics
To perform a wrist shot, transfer your weight onto your front foot as you rotate toward the goal and sweep the puck forward from slightly behind your body. When the stick blade is even with your body, transfer your weight onto your stick as you push the stick forward with your lower hand and pull back with your top hand. With your shoulders square to the net, release the puck as it passes your front foot while turning your wrists to lift the puck with the blade of the stick. Follow through by pointing the "toe," the tip of your blade, at your target.
NHL
NHL snipers use lightning-fast wrist shots and deadly aim to find openings left by opposing goalies. According to ESPN's John Buccigross, most NHL players have good wrist shots since modern players are so fit and sticks are so technologically advanced. In a top-five list for the Bleacher Report, Bobby Kezneik cited left wing Alexander Semin as having the best wrist shot in the NHL. Buccigross included Semin in his "best wrist shot" list, saying Semin had "a heavy, thunderous wrister that could behead an elk." Both lists included center Phil Kessel.
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