Have you ever wondered how a professional hockey player shoots a puck at over 100 miles per hour? I have played hockey for more than four decades, and I still do not have a 100-mile per hour slap shot, but I will share some basic rules to follow that have helped me improve my shot. It is important to know that hockey shots are broken down into two basic categories. First is the well-known slap shot, consisting of a long wind-up and an extremely fast shot. Next is the wrist shot which is not as fast. However, it is much more accurate. Anyone who has ever shot a puck knows it isn't easy without practice, but I have a few tips that will help improve anyone's shot, and teach him how to choose the correct shot to score the big goal.
             The slap shot is the hardest shot to perfect and takes a lot of practice to get the puck to move as fast as intended. An overwhelming amount of professional hockey players say accuracy comes from technique and power comes from transferring the weight of the shooter's body during the shot. Let's examine technique first; the basis of any shot is hand placement. For a slap shot, the shooter will want his secondary hand at the top of the stick and the primary hand about half way down the stick. One of the first things to learn when taking a slap shot is do not make contact with the ice where the puck is lying. This will help the shooter use the flex of the stick to his advantage. If the ice is hit about six to twelve inches behind the puck, it will cause the stick to bow.
             Consequently, when the stick does come in contact with the puck, it will release the bow creating a sudden snap in the stick and therefore transferring more energy to the puck. The second rule to follow during a slap shot is to transfer the weight of the body. At the start of a slap shot the shooter should be on his back foot (the foot farthest from the goal), and as the stick hits the ice, the body's weight should be thrown to...