A heavy shot in hockey is one that travels at a high rate of speed and is hard to control once a goalie stops it. There is a difference between a fast shot and a heavy shot. A player who fires a hard slap shot crisply on net may fire a shot that is easy to catch once he gets his glove on it. Another player may fire a heavy shot, that stings the goalie's hand and is difficult to control.
Slap Shot
The slap shot was first brought to prominence by Montreal's Bernie "Boom-Boom" Geoffrion in the 1950s and 1960s. Before Geoffrion's use of a full windup before shooting, players would twist their wrists to release the puck for a shot on net. Although a wrist shot was quick and accurate, it did not have the velocity of Geoffrion's slap shot. When he hit it with a full swing, the slap shot came in with more velocity and power and put fear into opposing goalies.
Bobby Hull
If Geoffrion brought the slap shot to the National Hockey League, it was Chicago's Bobby Hull who made it the most intimidating weapon in the league. Hull's powerful frame and vicious follow through allowed him to fire shots that reached speeds in excess of 100 mph. When Hull was in his prime during the 1960s, many goaltenders were not even wearing masks and facing a shot that had so much steam and power often left most goalies questioning their own decision making. By the early 1970s, the mask became a required piece of equipment and Hull's blasting power -- and those of other skaters -- had much to do with it.
Location
The most accurate shots will be fired at the four corners of the net. Players who consistently can shoot the puck at the upper right and left corners as well as the lower right and left corners have the best chance of scoring goals. However, when those shots go off the goaltender's arms, shoulders, midsection and leg pads, those powerful shots are often described as heavy because they inflict pain and bruises on the goaltender who stops them.
Benefits of Heavy Shot
When a goaltender faces a heavy shot, it is going to be difficult to control the rebounds of those shots. Good offensive players know they can gather those rebounds and fire quick shots into an unguarded portion of the net. While the goalie tries to scramble into position after blocking a heavy shot, the offensive player is shooting the puck or creating a sure scoring opportunity for another teammate by passing the puck for an easy tap-in.
Heavy NHL Shots
Calgary's Jarome Iginla is known for having one of the NHL's heaviest shots. He has scored 484 goals in his career heading into the 2011-12 season and has eclipsed the 50-goal mark twice. Boston's Zdeno Chara has learned how to to get all the power out of his 6-foot-9 frame and unleash a shot that intimidates opposing goaltenders. Chara has won the NHL's hardest shot competition on multiple occasions. His shot regularly exceeds 100 mph when timed on the radar gun. Nashville's Shea Weber and Montreal's P.K. Subban also are two of the hardest shooters in the league.
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