Why Has The Slap Shot Gone ‘Extinct’ in NHL Hockey?

#nhl #hockey #torontomapleleafs
The 'Slap Shot' is a dying art in NHL hockey. In this video, we break down why this is the case and how players like Connor Bedard, Auston Matthews, & others are evolving the game with their techniques.
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[@Childofbhaal]

I kind of miss the slap shots being more frequent. Nothing like seeing someone just absolutely laser a puck with perfect accuracy in the net. Watching the Hawks back when they won the cups they had very good defensemen who would throw slap shots from the points all day.

[@SolidPain6624]

Bobby hull was the ultimate example for the hawks

[@johncassens1821]

Watch the video all the Devils goals 2022-2023 Watch Doug Hamilton Jasper Brat Zetterland, holtz etc. not just slapshots but the more difficult one timer slapshots ... I didn't count but its over 20 percent I believ

[@TheRTD420]

As a Hawks fan I hate to admit this, but one of the best/most memorable slap shots for me was the one Stevie Y made in double OT against the Blues. He put an absolute laser high to the far side past John Casey from the blue line. Watch the replay at roughly the 3 45 minute mark of this video and you'll really appreciate what a snipe this shot was. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmm1lX2or7N7fsk

[@narsakucanada154]

A few years ago I repented to God then begged for help, "I was until then an Atheist." I then had a dream of Jesus coming before God and he spoke of the Tabernacle in perfect context, "A word I didn't know existed.", and what I felt from Jesus when I held him was unlike anything I've ever felt before - A lifetime of Love every second - It brought me to sobbing and it changed my life, forever. I've had other experiences since, "Several witnessed", one was seeing a bright orb of light pass across my face in the dark, hours before a major surgery the second I gave up in my heart. Know that God and Jesus ARE real and that they Love us deeply. Let go of your hatred and Imagine yourself holding the people who've hurt you. Tell them you Love them. Always have hope, I believe that prayer, following God's laws & Love is the answer, and through that, Truly becoming humble, merciful, welcoming, giving, gentle, respectful and forgiving, To All.

[@RomainFleuryWhatever]

This is a bit sad because it is so silly and so cool to watch like it is a visible violent spectacle a clean slapshot 😅 but the newer drag-shot style is soo efficient and fast 😳

[@HarryLali-z4t]

Bobby Hull and Guy Lafleur were the best at scoring with the slapshot, combining power and accuracy.

[@billyhomeyer7414]

I think of Phil Esposito

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

Another guy back in that era who was an absolute beast was Buffalo Sabres winger Rick Martin. I remember sitting down at ice level behind the glass at the old Chicago Stadium while the Sabres took warm-up and Martin's slap-shots hitting the glass sounded like a cannon going off. Bobby Hull was a freak of nature when it comes to his strength and speed. Modern-day folks are often skeptical of the claim of 118mph for his slap-shot - which was radar-timed - but I'm not. I saw the man in person, and he could put the fear of God in a goalie with that thing. So could his brother, Dennis Hull, the "Silver Jet," who also had a very hard, heavy shot. I actually saw Dennis Hull smash a pane of plexiglass with his shot. I don't know what their mother was feeding them on that farm where they grew up, but whatever it was, those Hull boys were strong! Brett Hull, too, who took after his old man. Lethal one-timer. In the modern era, Big Z - Zdeno Chara - and Shea Weber were two of the guys known for having not just fast shots, but ones with a ton of torque and spin, too, which made them "heavy." The kind of shot you don't want to block. Ask me how I know; I was a d-man when I played and know whereof I speak about being hurt by hard shots. Thank goodness I never had to face anything like those two! I was very saddened when we lost Guy Lafleur a few years back. I remember watching him and those all-time great Canadians teams from the 1970s, and they were some kind of special. Another guy who could put his shot right where he wanted it. Don't forget "Big Bird," Larry Robinson, he had a cannon of a shot, too.

[@mattblom3990]

As a Canucks fan, I remember when Daniel Sedin suddenly developed a slap shot over an off-season and it was pretty lethal.

[@CurriedBat]

Hopefully Boeser can do the same

[@lukestone365]

April 26th 1994, One of the best slap shots I remember, Game 6 against Calgary in Overtime, Geoff Courtnall coming in all alone against Trevor Kidd & just buried it! Great squad, Great memories, Go Canucks Go!!

[@ninenine2438]

From 2010-2012 the Sedins really peaked. It was beautiful to watch. I don't think we'll ever see twins lead a sports team with such insane chemistry like that in sports ever again. Such a rare thing.

[@coryryder9070]

micheal ryder my cuzin bruins that year :P dont hate me

[@lukestone365]

@@coryryder9070 Mad love for Boston! Only time I was there people were great, terrific scenery, especially the Cheers bar, Norm Peterson was my favourite on the show! Yep! Let's definitely skip any Bruins talk though!!

[@Josh-fg5if]

Gretzky had a great and tricky slap shot. He constantly changed the timing of his shot, which made it unpredictable and basically unstoppable.

[@johnlawson523]

He'd also hover with space & time with a high windup, then sort of bring the stick down 30 degrees then hesitate again, then either deliver a slap pass or launch a bomb (his slapper had underrated velocity). In the 2-3 seconds he'd have glided 30-40 degrees of angle on the net that the goalie would be struggling to shuffle fast enough to keep up with him and still watch the pass option, so when he let a hard shot go they'd really struggle with it

[@nobrainsnoheadache2434]

Mike Vernon is still looking for one shot . . .

[@jmadratz]

Gretzky didn’t have a great slap shot, he just used it a lot because he had an even worse wrist shot.

[@zeroceiling]

@@jmadratz why do you say that?…have you actually seen him play?…or is it the grainy old video footage from the 80’s and 90’s?

[@metalzonemt-2]

@@jmadratz Right...Imagine how many goals he could've scored if he was any good.

[@pdog547]

We must mention Al MacInnis and Al Iafrate - two of the hardest shots in history (wooden sticks of course).

[@franciscavallaro6356]

Yup first two that came to my mind

[@aqn1976]

Funny I thought of this exact thing the other day and low & behold this vid lol... But oh yes, the two "AL's" will be in the Top 5 for sure!!!

[@10.11.9]

@@franciscavallaro6356 Mine too.

[@10.11.9]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJKnlYeog82mh8U

[@ThePerpetualStudent]

Al MacInnis was my favorite.

[@icedo1013]

One of my favorite moments of a hockey game as a kid was when bedlam broke out down in the slot and the puck jittered free slowly toward the blue line; those were the moments I was hoping some ambitious D-man would come out from off-screen to lay every ounce of weight in his body into the puck.

[@DrBdan8]

I'd be interested in seeing stats on the average Slapshot speed vs wrist shot speed over the last 20-30 years. I wouldn't be surprised that with improved technique and stick technology the speed of wrist shots has gotten closer to slapshots

[@seethe313]

That's an excellent point. I remember watching Joe Sakic's wrist shot in the 90s and early 2000s and how quickly he released it with accuracy and mustard on it. It seems like guys now all have that skill and the better sticks just amplify that. I also think goaltenders are too good if they commit to the shot. Without the element of potentially passing, they get aggressive and cut off the angles quickly. Plus, these goaltenders today seem to be much bigger guys.

[@longlifetometal1995]

​@@seethe313Goalies have grown bigger statistically, it's not only an impression.

[@bltsammich9760]

@@seethe313 the average height of goalies is around 6'2", with the shortest at 5'11", and the tallest at 6'6"

[@poika22]

@@longlifetometal1995 But goalie gear has become a lot less bulky to compensate.

[@extragoogleaccount6061]

And perhaps the Bendy sticks that help increase the speed of a wrist shot or not as good for using on slapshots. So perhaps the wrist shot speed has gone up in the slapshot speed has gone down

[@HockeyTownHooligan5]

Brett Hull was the Ben Hogan of slap shots. If you want to learn how to use proper form for a clapper, watch Brett Hull. I’d say Ovi is the top just because of how many goals he’s scored off a slapper. Nick Lidstrom had a very effective slap shot. Daniel Alfredsson, Stamkos, Yzerman, Mathew Schneider, all had awesome shots.

[@Seriously_Unserious]

All the ones you mention were great, but the King of Slapshots has to still be Al MacInnis. No one was as fast, hard or accurate as Al when it came to blasting it from the point. Heck, that guy's slapper was deadly enough he could score them from centre ice and still have it be one the goalie had little chance on. Who else in NHL history can claim that?

[@JonLeejw]

Al Iafrate has entered the chat.

[@thenationalparksguy.1718]

wrong. His Dad Bobby, better yet, his uncle Dennis Hull. Both played for the Blackhawks. Look it up. Brett would agree.

[@tommywallbanger]

Yeah his shot was legendary.....and he used a wooden stick. I remember reading an article about him in like 1989. At that point of season he had put like five guys on to the injured list because they got hit by his slap shot. Most of them were opponents but there were a few of his own guys I guess who are standing in front of the net trying to screen the goalie. That's pretty brave. I also remember back in the day playing hockey video games and he had an absolute blast even on those. Him and Ray bourque.

[@the1andonly759]

This breakdown was top notch dude. Ovi is #1 for me but Chara could literally kill a man

[@hockeypsychology]

❤️

[@Kariakas]

Macinnis is up there also, he had a brutal shot with his old wood stick.

[@reaganharder1480]

I seem to recall at least one instance where Chara almost did kill a man with a shot...

[@dmun8508]

Can’t forget about shea weber guys were scared to block his slap shot from the point

[@10.11.9]

@@Kariakas kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJKnlYeog82mh8U

[@GuinnessMichael]

That Kariya goal was iconic. Would’ve loved to have seen Stevie Ys clapper against the blues on here too

[@TheOriginalTuhat]

I’ll never forget Colton Parayko’s slapshot that hit Ben Bishop like a 12-gauge

[@ThePerpetualStudent]

Yeah!! And the following goal. Love your logo

[@TheOriginalTuhat]

@@ThePerpetualStudent RIP the fellas

[@trinawhitener7753]

That was so lovely to see!! I wish Parayko would practice that and use it more often. More often than not he misses the net by a county. At least he made it count that night.

[@TheOriginalTuhat]

@@trinawhitener7753 these days I’d like to see parayko do literally anything besides timid stick handling, avoiding all physical contact, and turning over the puck

[@trinawhitener7753]

@@TheOriginalTuhat FUCK YES!!! THANK YOU!! He’s the softest big guy in the league. Or throw the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. I hate to say he’s become my least favorite player on the Blues because he’s so soft and just not that great defensively. Frequently a minus. I think he only got that ridiculous deal for sentimental reasons.

[@HairyButWhole]

Ovi is the modern era slapshot king, but I loved Weber's blueline slappers and Pasta has a beautiful onetimer too.

[@CommieCat]

Ova is still lethal at an age where even most Ironman retire. It is truly an art.

[@Petersson69]

Chara

[@fajastata2]

He'a also a supporter of a mass murderer.

[@romaliop]

The function of the slap is to bend the stick against the ice. With the old wooden sticks you simply had to do that to get the stick to flex, because they were so stiff. With modern sticks you don't need as much power to bend the stick so you can just do a snap shot instead.

[@CalgaryDynastar]

Ever heard of Shea Weber?

[@007Hutchings]

No. I’m sure every hockey fan has never heard of Shea Weber.

[@saschaganser9671]

Very true, with modern sticks there`s so much power ins snap, wrist and 2 point shots, that you simply don`t need to wind it up that much anymore.

[@johncassens1821]

The purpose of the Slap shot is to get your whole body into the shot arms shoulders chest core legs of course the stick will bend. Yes the stick will bend with a wrist or snap but you don't get all those muscle groups full strength together mainly arms and one leg for the snap / wrist

[@1rtt1]

Yeah that may be the result of a slap shot but it isn't the function. Especially during the wooden stick era's. Those sticks didn't flex much at all. Those shots were pure power shots done by the shooter not the stick. A proper slapshot will have more velocity and speed then any snap or wrister ever will regardless of the stick.

[@arkadious9320]

The NHL needs to increase the size of the rink. . its no longer adequate with the overall speed of todays players. Spread the game back out so that the skilled players can be more effective.

[@sanaon7453]

When I think of an NHL player taking a slapshot, I think of former Canuck Sami Salo.

[@Tacquito]

The Finnish MacInnis!

[@esperago]

Speaking of Canucks, Elias Pettersson is one of the best new school kids with a snapshot. He's got a great bomb off the rush.

[@WasteYuteeee]

balls of steel!

[@reaganharder1480]

What I find interesting in this whole "slapshots are extinct" talk is that in that chart showing the decline of the slapshot, the reduction from 2012 to 2020 is only about 30%. That is definitely a statistically significant change, but far from extinct. All your points about why the viable use case has reduced were spot on though. I think an underrated element of slap shots is using that huge telegraph of "i'm going to shoot" to your advantage with a slap pass. I've seen it done to great effect, where a defenseman winds up for the big shot and then hammers the puck onto the stick of a teammate waiting 2 feet off the side of the net for an easy tip-in goal. Any time there is an expectation, there is also an opportunity to subvert that expectation, and that may be one of my favorite things in sports, seeing players deliberately use expectations to their advantage.

[@dronlaa]

Kuch makes slap passes perfectly

[@reaganharder1480]

@@dronlaa there's a few players that do it well and do it often and I love to see it.

[@janzy1980]

100% agree, but surely you know that what is truly going extinct are KZbin videos without clickbait titles. ;)

[@hockeypsychology]

Great point. I scoured the Internet trying to find slapshot statistics specifically over the last 3 years also but couldn’t find any hard data like I did from 2012-2020. If anyone does have them, I’d love to see it. The inclination is to believe that decrease has continued but I don’t know for certain. Either way, I thought it was interesting to dive into why elite players in the game often opt for a snap/wrist… and so, that led us to this video lol

[@a_coleman11]

I LOVE the slap pass especially on the PP. use the "im going to shoot" to your advantage. but I think again with how fast the game is and how quickly guys are getting challenged on the rush, blue line, etc., im sure they've been taught to get the shots off quick. plus stick technology allowing a good wrist shot to be almost as fast as a clapper with better accuracy too.

[@TheHoneyBadgerDUDE]

Paul Kariya's slapper vs the Devils was insane, especially considering he didn't even remember the game due to suffering the concussion right before.

[@alexpayne1364]

ahh the good ole days when walking into a slapshot from the point was the meta play

[@tkyntola]

Best slapshot of all time... I probably would like to say someone else for their shear power or for whatever other niche quality, but not saying Ovi here would just not be honest. He is so persistent and effective from the circle that it's just bonkers. Every goalie _knows_ exactly what's coming, yet a blistering fast pass from Carlson, Oshie or Bäckström and Ovi just keeps hammering them in, year after year. You're free say what you want, but I can't get past that.

[@kashmoney2752]

The goalie gets a piece of them a lot of the time too. His shot is remarkable because its so powerful, that combined with the curve on his stick, just creates this knuckling puck that goalies have a hard time reading in the air due the unique and unpredictable trajectory at the speed its traveling. So even the pucks the goalies get a piece of, it often trickles past them. I really don't know if we are ever going to see a player like Ovi again.

[@bangyahead1]

Youre talking about a guy who just ended a 17 game goalless streak lol

[@robnotwicz7002]

The increasing rarity of the slapshot seems to have added a demoralizing factor to scoring with it. The way goalies slump down after getting beat clean with pure power is different than for other shots.

[@Seriously_Unserious]

When talking about the most feared slapshot of all time, it has to be Al MacInnis. He could unload his epic cannon from the point with wrist shot accuracy and even do it with a quick 1 timer. Even as the NHL entered The Dead Puck Era in the mid to late 90s, he could still get those bombs through and goalies still had a hard time stopping them clean, leaving a lot of clean Al MacInnis point shot goals and juicy rebounds for those slot crashers to bang in there.

[@gameburn178]

Imagine him with one of these new synthetic sticks... lol MacInnis also had a really long stick... which is good for defending but it might make it trickier for shooting.

[@BlueFlash25]

Chara, holder of the hardest-hitting slapshot.

[@newfie1613]

Martin Frk would like a word

[@Gantzz321]

Al MacInnis laughs in your face with a wooden stick

[@Desecrator6]

But only one is almost 7ft tall BIG Z

[@jena3566]

Honestly if modern hockey just means its more expensive while missing parts of the game that have been there since the beginning, then I don't think we need it. I've recently watched games from 10-20 years ago, so 2013-2003 and I can honestly say it's just a better version of hockey without a doubt

[@esteads2.010]

Al Macinnis, still the best clapper

[@matt-xe5km]

I didnt watch the vid so idk if he mentions this but i was a professional hockey player (goalie) the reason why the slapshot isnt around anymore is a couple things: it just isnt that much faster of a shot anymore people can get hella fast wristers and snappers now its way less accurate but the biggest reason is the sound, goalies react to a slapper by going into butterfly when the stick hits the ice, when screening the goalie (the most important aspect of hockey scoring today as it is very very rare to score if the goalie has full vision) if a person shoots a clapper you can hear it hence the nickname clapper and a goalie can react by the sound if you wrist it thru the screen the goalie has to fight thru the screen to get vision on the puck.

[@jlalonde1000]

The STICKS a flexible stick not so good a slapshot a hard stick won't bend for snapshot chara used a 130-150 and it still would bend where some guys use 70

[@reaganharder1480]

The flex of the stick is actually a significant factor in getting good power in a slapshot. The flex of the stick allows it to load up like a spring and then release that stored energy, flinging the puck faster than the player is able to swing the stick. To maximise that power you do need to match the stiffness of your stick with how much force you're going to be putting into your shot of course, so guys using a 70 flex are gonna have a harder time firing big clappers, but they chose that flex because it suits their playstyle, they didn't adapt their playstyle to suit their stick. I would wager the flexiness of composite sticks are what allow smaller and lighter guys like Elias Petterson can match shot velocity with much bigger and stronger players.

[@dzh1239]

I believe Ovechkin uses a stiffer stick on powerplays for this purpose. I'm sure a lot of powerplay triggermen do this

[@lynchmob72]

I have loved watching Stammer's one timers through the years, but Ovi is probably king of the Slapper.

[@mrdeeds72]

Al MacInnis has the best and most feared slapshot of all time.

[@bluesbrother2383]

Looking at him you'd never suspect he had a bullet like he did

[@joeshmow1583]

Definitely wasn't the most feared that was shae Webbers and it had to do with the height. His shot was consistently just above the toes to just over the top of the skates where you have minimal padding. He was not allowed to use it in drills where there was a teammate between him and the net. Now if we are talking feared by goalies then ya the Al's take the cake no doubt about it. Wish they could have tried today's sticks they would no joke injure goalies on a regular basis.

[@10.11.9]

@@joeshmow1583 Al MacInnis once clapped one through Jocelyn Thibault's glove, breaking his ring finger in the process.

[@joeshmow1583]

@@10.11.9 Shae Webber literally blew a hole in the net in the Olympics. They went back to video review after iggy swore it went in. I would not have wanted to block either guys shot lol

[@10.11.9]

@@joeshmow1583 Ditto. Big Shea was just so damn strong. Tough way to end a great career.

[@mrpibbyo]

As a Habs fan, I already miss Weber's slapshot. This was deadly good!!

[@tommywallbanger]

Yeah so many NHL guys have really hard slapshots especially the real big strong dudes like Weber. Didn't Sheldon Souray have a pretty hard slap shot too? Sorry if I misspelled their names

[@DatCheeseCake]

As a hockey fan in general, I loved seeing byfuglien, weber, and ovi rip some solid slappers

[@jacobfilicetti5805]

I think one of the best slap shots was Shea Weber's. Dude had the HARDEST shot in the world

[@Filip-xu5vb]

what about zdeno chara

[@WillTBDud]

Cap... It's Martin Frk but Weber is likely more consistent

[@jacobfilicetti5805]

@@Filip-xu5vb True

[@jacobfilicetti5805]

@@WillTBDud I said ONE OF, not THE best

[@michaellamontagne6626]

Souray fear a lot of player at his prime on power play with Markov

[@rogerbutchbouchard8019]

Did you forget how scoring has gone down over the years since the slapshot was used only rarely? Your video left out the amazing excitement of booming slapshots in hockey games. Look how often breakaways result in no goals since the slapshot has almost disappeared.

[@patriciablank597]

Thank you! I learned a lot here. The slap shot is not gone but rather overcome by the game's evolution. This happens with all sports so I'm OK with that. I'm old so I just love to see the game slow down momentarily just long enough to witness this almost-lost art. Can hockey have moments of nostalgia? I think so.

[@Quakes4R]

Hardest slap shot of all time - Dennis Hull. Best slap shot of all time - Bobby Hull.

[@markkramer487]

Hands down correct. I lived down the street from bobby hull when he played for the Hawks.

[@galaxy-aiden]

Thank you, I finally know why it is so hard to make a slap shot when I starts to grow up.

[@YT-qj8nn]

I wish you had included video of "The Greatest Slap Shot (that didn't count)" - Patrick Kane's OT "Winner" against the Vegas Knights (Feb. 21, 2023) : kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZuYameDobCfqqs It's because of shots like Kaner's that fans love the game.

[@teamground0229]

Watching Blackhawks hockey in the 70's as a kid, the defenseman slapshot was big stuff.

[@anonymous134y]

ovi has the best slapshot of all time and it's not even close. Every goalie and player know it's coming from the exact position but somehow the Rocket Richard Trophy, should be called the OVI, is always won by Ovi due to his lethal slapper.

[@darylmorrison6598]

Ovi's shot for sure is lethal, but I'd define his as more of a one-timer, rather than a traditional slap shot. A slap shot is when you have possession of the puck already, wind up, and let it go. Ovi's shot gets fed to him, he never has actual possession of it before he winds up.

[@wormsonly]

they should make a new award called the ovi that's awarded to the player with the most disregard to others safety

[@darylmorrison6598]

@@wormsonly Ovi shoots hard and hits hard!

[@trinawhitener7753]

Has Ovechkin ever sent a puck through a glove, broken a finger and scored a goal with a slap shot? No? That would be Al MacInnis. The true king of the slap shot. Ovechkin has nothing on him as far as slappers are concerned.

[@darylmorrison6598]

@@trinawhitener7753 And MacInnis used a wood stick! Imagine his shot if he had a composite ….

[@james.w]

Brett Hull made me want to learn how to take a slap shot when I was playing hockey as a kid. Guy had a rifle of a shot.

[@MartinAtanasu]

Best one-timer of all time

[@Lazarus294]

MacInnis, Iafrate or Ovechkin. Depends on the era and what kind (slap vs 1T), PP or on the rush? I’m a sucker for an on the rush slapper but Ovy is staring at Gretzky’s record with that usual, predictable 1T that teams have a hard time defending against for a multitude of years. It’s only a matter of time till we recognize that not only there’s a Gretzky’s office but there’s also an Ovy’s office that deserves that level of respect

[@morrisalanisette9067]

people forget though that ovi only started doing that half way thru his career. he was originally known for being a guy to skate down the whole ice and find some way to score through sheer force of will. but then teams learned how to play against that and he had two down years and struggled before discovering this new way which people all know him as doing. he wasn't really known for his slap shot in the early days

[@benkeating3053]

Fear the skullet!

[@illjhero]

Ridley Greig sends his regards.

[@WilliamTheDestroyer.]

Awesome break down! Ovi is all time best, hands down. Brett Hull had the best slap shot prior to Ovi. Iggy was amazing considering his era and adding to the fact that his first 525 goals happened without a single future Hall of Famer on his team.

[@d2c341]

Al MacInnis was the OG

[@bradr539]

Brett Hull doesn't need a power play unlike Ovi to score...

[@WilliamTheDestroyer.]

@@bradr539 Hull is 3rd over all with PPGs. Only 45 less than Ovi.

[@davidreynolds6718]

@@bradr539 All-time even strength goals: Alex Ovechkin - 518 and counting. Brett Hull - 456.

[@ClydeFrog13]

@@davidreynolds6718 And that gap widens even further when you consider era adjusted statistics.

[@grangerjung4129]

Was Orr the only player to use the half-slapper effectively? I remember seeing him wind up for a slap shot, wait for the defender to flinch, move by him and only bring his stick back parallel to the ice, then let 'er rip, often into the net.

[@tommywallbanger]

That's one Bobby or story I've never heard. I was born in 73 so he was a little bit before my time. I heard a lot of great stories about him, but never that he had that snapshot. Mostly hear about his skating

[@phhdvm]

I remember Bobby Hull and maskless goalies. He said he’d send one in, around face high, early in the game just to get in the goalie’s head

[@tommywallbanger]

Yeah and the next one he'd leave right on the ice

[@-mw.]

I think youre missing the bigger picture here. The slap shot is going away because of back check pressure. The key here is what if you miss? Well, the puck slings around the boards, your back d men are off balamce and you have an almost gaurenteed 2-1 / 3-2 . It a shot thats hard to control, and gives the puck away if you miss. Thats the key to why its going away.

[@themanhands5599]

I love the "time and space" hockeyism. That's all. That's my comment.

[@hockeypsychology]

We do seem to use that a lot.... eh? lol

[@caseykalinowski1159]

To be fair, I've heard this my whole sports career in lacrosse and basketball as well.

[@cameronsnyder1246]

I know next to nothing about Hockey but that was fascinating, very informative, abd obviously well researched. 😊

[@JackArctic]

Buddy I love your videos, keep it up!

[@b4ptist]

When I was watching hockey all the time, my favorite player was sami salo. The huge slapshots from the point were so sick. Miss the days when the canucks were good and slapshot were also good.

[@mr_funkyface4811]

good video

[@SirPotato72]

With goalies better than ever today (with bigger pads as well) , I think accuracy and quick release are much more important than power. Also, on average there is not really a ton of additional velocity provided by a slap shot vs a wrist shot IMO, at least with modern sticks.

[@pena380]

False the pads are smaller now they were biggest before 2017-18 rule changes. The game is made more open for scoring which especially helps good players.

[@Dahkeus3]

I imagine the speed and power of wrist/snap shots has increased substantially as well, making them a higher value per time spent shooting than they used to be.

[@timothymacdonnell9079]

I personally am happy about this because I could never get a good slap shot off consistently. I always used a wrist shot even from the point because it was my best shot.

[@pdog547]

Best all time with one-timers? Brett Hull, Ilya Kovalchuk, Steven Stamkos. Just lethal.

[@marianmacko4598]

Peter Bondra

[@stevef4010]

Ovie

[@ianferch7970]

Jari Kurri

[@stephentraskos3130]

As a Caps fan... I can't help but enjoy the "This applies to everyone not named Alex Ovechkin"

[@Khorney]

Gretzky actually talked about this as far as back as in the 80's. He mentioned having a quick release being more important than pure power slapshots, because what good is power when it takes an eternity to load up?

[@kashmoney2752]

Well unless you're Ovi apparently... Gretzy was such a smart player smh. GOAT of any player in the history of any sports league ever, no doubt.

[@tommywallbanger]

I totally agree with that statement. As hard of a slap shot as I had, I hardly ever scored goals on it because once you wind up the goalie comes out, cuts down the angle and people try to stand in front of it or get a stick in the lane. When I used to play goalie, which wasn't very often it was just a fill in but I would always come out and cut down the angle whenever I saw somebody winding up

[@WhatALovelyDisaster]

As someone just getting into hockey, could you explain the method you’re talking about re: coming out (of the crease maybe ???) cut down the angle(putting yourself where the puck is likely to go?) @@tommywallbanger

[@kmcbride1832]

When I played hockey as a center, I had a pretty good slapshot and during practice I could beat some decent goalies from the blue line. Now, looking back, since I would rarely get that opportunity in an actual game, I wish I had spent less time practicing it and should've practiced skating drills instead.

[@marc-antoinemarcoux697]

Love your channel ! Alwayhs goes deep in game analysis instead of focusing exclusively on players stats! That's what makes it special.

[@amelielamothe467]

I also appreciate the non-clickbait-y titles!

[@invertwiley1689]

Missed a potential toe in for the slap-pass. Torey Krug was pretty darn good at it while he was with the Bruins (so long as he wasn't deciding to blast a slapper into the nearest defender for a short handed breakaway - sorry, he had a habit in his last season with them). Pasta made it a frequent habit to Marchand just a few seasons ago as well. When the pass was on point it was almost always a goal cause as you said "It's a giant sign that says' I'm shooting"

[@johnnewell4849]

The slapshot took over in the early 60s with Boom-Boom Geffrion, Bobby Hull and Frank Mahovalich leading the way with the most booming shots using solid sticks, no flex. You had to connect squarely with the puck. Jamming your stick into the ice and hoping it wouldn't break didn't work. The most amazing slapshot ever taken was by Maple Leaf's Frank Mahovalich. Against Boston in the mid-60s, crossing the blue line facing goalie Eddie Johnston. Frank a tall guy, wound up as only Frank could, and let fly. Eddie knew what was coming, had time to get set and he caught the puck easily. But the shot was so hard, it knocked him on his ass and into the net. This was before there were face-masks. All slapshots were fearsome. It took real courage in those days to face a slapshot. no one knew whether the goalie would live if he stopped the puck with his face. They did too. when they did, there they'd be, out cold on the ice. they'd be hauled off the ice on a gurney. Everyone waited to hear whether he made it. Then we'd be told he was okay. Minutes later, he'd skate back out and keep playing like nothing happened. Johnny Bower was the most famous for that, but all NHL goalies in that era went through it. That aspect of life threatening danger made those slapshots an order of magnitude more exciting than any since masks came into play. By the end of Bower's career, his face looked like a road map from all the stitches.

[@63shakeandbake]

The fact that they have taken hitting out of the game allows players to skate faster today and combine t hat with the "whip" action of modern sticks there is little need of a slap shot. Who has the best slap shot of all time? I remember Bobby Hull and his was pretty scary, as was Bobby Orr's. In the 80s Lemieux and Gretzky could fire pretty hard when they chose, as could Al Iafrate. However, probably the best I can remember would be Al MacInnis! He was called, "The "Flame Thrower" for good reason!

[@benoitrobitaille5235]

Marc-André Bergeron Despite a small size he could make shots rivaling some of the greats 103-105/mph if i recall correctly, it was very impressive to see, sadly that small size if compared to other defenseman, or power forwards he had to deal with, visibly limited his abilities defensively which limited his ice time, so he became a 3rd pairing/7th defenseman power play specialists. Still 82 goals in 490 games with limited ice time is nothing to sneeze at.

[@manitobamatt1554]

He could throw some pretty nasty hip checks too. Another lost art.

[@MoonAtomic7]

I remember trading for him in NHL video games back then and liking him a lot

[@mrdcato]

You do a great job explaining all of your videos. Very Nice!

[@darkazon5343]

Zdeno Chara had a bomb of slapahot

[@hockeypsychology]

The gold standard for slapshot power

[@machineunit]

As a fan that was born in the late 80s, I miss the way hockey was played in the 90s. The game is way different today and I think the old product was better. I enjoyed the role players and the different skill sets of the superstars where as nowadays, it feels like everyone can pretty much just do everything and you're really just seeing varying degrees of skill from 1 type of player, the skilled 2-way player. There are no more goons, enforcers, and guys who could do both gooning/enforcing while also scoring goals. Now you got guys like Marchand skating around licking people when guys like McCarty, Domi, or Kocur would have sent him to outter space for that kind of stuff.

[@94champs]

So ironic that the first goal you showed was Kariya scoring after he was knocked out by Stevens, and then asking "Do you remember?" because Kariya HIMSELF doesn't even remember that goal. He blacked out for days after the hit! I believe he also said he doesn't even remember Game 7!

[@anthonyruggiero1988]

I think part of the reason is because if you attempt a slap shot and it hits another guy, he's on LTIR for at least month, if not more. Teams are probably beginning to realize that it's not worth the risk of taking out your buddy or starting a huge fight with the other team over

[@jasonfullerton7763]

Yzerman's G7 OT slap shot to end the 96 series against the Blues might be one of the most lethal slappers I've ever witnessed.

[@bobbys5580]

Ouch from STL. It was an absolute bomb.

[@bettingpicksandparlays8087]

Bobby Hull ( Black Hawks ) and Bill Goldsworthy ( MN. N. Stars ) Very Hard Shots. I Really enjoy your outlook on the game it's refreshing and with your allotted time straight to the point, Really Good Channel keep up the Great work.

[@dourmoose]

Not many of us still around that remember Goldsworthy 👍🏼😎

[@stevenkirby4471]

@@dourmoose Bobby Hull or Goldsworthy are the obvious picks for me, too. One of my most cherished memories from my youth is Dan Kelly calling "a cannonading drive by Goldsworthy" on a CBS Sunday afternoon broadcast. If I see or hear the word slapshot, though, the first thought that pops into my head is "Bobby Hull".

[@mondredgaming8927]

The Evolution of Goaltenders via equipment or skill is part of it, the Speed of the game is another part of it. But personally I feel that it doesn't have to do with either but a similar problem I had when I was playing competitive AAA hockey growing up in Canada, and that issue is the accuracy that most players lose in the attempt of a clapper. Not to say this is my main thought on it, but I do believe that this is another reason for it, as the lack of accuracy just makes it unworthy of using often.

[@Based_D]

I've been tell my youth players for at least two or 3 years now to quit trying to take clappers for all the reasons that you laid out. I also learned that every tenth of a second you can get the shot off can be like adding 5-7 mph on that snap or wrister. I've spent a lot of time researching this and been coaching hockey for the past 8 years and as a full time job for the last 5. Good video, thanks

[@johnlawson523]

I think that's a shortsighted "win now, develop later" mindset

[@jena3566]

This type of maximization of perfection is killing hockey. Its a shame that many youth coaches seek to remove all individuality and personality from young players

[@martincote6499]

Small point of order. at 21 seconds, we see David Desharnais (#51), NOT Brian Savage (#49). Not only not the same number, not even the same SIZE

[@severed111]

For d-men....Sheldon Souray when he could play was devastating, look at the video of that season where he scored 26 with Montreal or 23 with Edmonton. From when I was younger....Brett Hull's and Al MacInnis' were the most impossible to see slapshots that also happened to be hella accurate....and lastly, as Nords fan, Owen Nolan's was BRUTAL.

[@tommywallbanger]

I just made a comment about Sheldon Souray. Somebody brought up Shea Weber and immediately thought about Sheldon. I loved Owen Nolan. I only saw the end of his career but I don't really remember him having that awesome slap shot but I was young.

[@severed111]

@@tommywallbanger Cool! Look at old goals of his in the Nordiques/Sharks and you'll see what I mean.

[@letigidou8660]

MacInnis for the insane windup, Ovie and Brett Hull for PP goal lazers and Gretzky for the sheer amount of slapshot goals, including fake shots.

[@matthewmartin7639]

Gotta be Weber. Went to a game when he was on the preds and one of his shots bounced of the goalies mask and ended up in the nose bleeds. And that goalie definitely got his bell rung on it. He didnt know where he was for a few minutes.

[@stratovani]

The days of Guy Lafleur and Mike Bossy skating over the blue line and letting go of a slapper are gone. Goalies back then didn't have the huge pads they wear today, so it was easier back then to blow the puck past a goalie. Also, like the video says defensemen are a lot faster and better coached nowadays. Like all other sports hockey is changing with the times.

[@MrSam2497]

Hockey has become fast sport like basketball. One way to change pace of game would be making the rink larger. If the rink was same size as in rest of the world, there would be much more space for slap shots

[@bmacaulay18]

Having spent most my years as a defenseman, and one season as a goalie growing up, the slapshot is the ultimate exclamation point on an FU! directed at the goalie. I miss it. 🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@WARRENBUFETT]

Bobby Hull and Zdeno Chara hardest in my experience. Hull's slapshot was legendary, and he was one of the first players to consistently shoot the puck at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. By the way, the Russians always played this way. The NHL is just now catching up to the Russian thinking on slap shots.

[@davidmills5286]

mackinnon is also good on the left wing for the "ovie" one timer set up. Ovi has the best clapper though, the stats dont lie. i wish they would implement a one timer competition in the all star events would be interesting to see speeds and accuracy. Its just a staple in todays game.

[@marblox9300]

The blazing slap shot is more fun to watch even if it is stopped but todays players are just on a different caliber than years ago. I played goal in the 1970s and the entire game today is faster and much more precise. Even the goaltending today is so much more advanced. These guys today are so good at finding the 4 corners of the net - it is amazing.

[@ELias-vn5yv]

U definitely see blow blown slap shots less now than say 10 years ago. One timers are still common on the power play, but like you said, some players don’t even wind up very much for one timers. I think the best slap shot in the league still has to be ovechkin. But I think the most effective one timer is becoming Draisaitls, and he doesn’t wind up for them.

[@z400racerr910]

Its been going more towards snap shots rather than big slap shots. I used snap shots towards the end of my college career in hockey and I had a better ratio for goals with it, its nearly just as fast speed wise but a snap shot will trick the goalie more bc they cant predict as well. Slapshots are just mostly for defense sending bombs

[@tommywallbanger]

Totally agree. You just don't have time to wind up and tea it up. Yep, slapper from the point and leave it about 6 in off the ice. That way there's a rebound in front Too hot to handle for the goalie. And once in a while they go in

[@tankeater]

Your "time" argument is cherry picked with specific situations it's hilarious. Not to mention in some of your clips, a simple pass would blow your argument out of the water. And 1 more thing... Has only the defense gotten faster? So, no innovation in offense has happened and speed doesn't help offense? lmfffaaaooo 🙃

[@mangrove]

I was sitting a few rows behind the glass in Florida when Brett Hull wound up a ripped a one timer over Luongo's shoulder in OT, 2003. That was a sight to behold.

[@danmc7815]

Always preferred shooting more like Draisaitl than the slapshot. Taking a boomer always seemed more for show than scoring. It takes time, and everyone in the rink knows you are shooting. Few can shoot a boomer with precision. But, you can generate some decent power with a wrist shot or a snap shot, a la Draisaitl, it happens faster, but you can also alter the shot nearer the time of release, imo. I have scored from near the blue line just snapping off a quick shot more than I ever did cranking up a boomer. When a goal happened after a boomer, someone else dinked in the rebound. Still a goal, but other shots also create rebounds.

[@MacNur-tu3cq]

Another reason why i dont care for on ice product of today. E nhl hockey 20 years ago. I just rewatched 2003 leafs flyers game 7 and had the most fun. Physicality, great skating, finishing checks, goalies getting physical and playing the puck, slap shots etc. I miss old hockey from my youth will gladly rewatch games from older eras as opposed to todays stuff. Watched a game at a bar other night and was vored to tears. Nhl just aint the same now

[@Jayrobban]

Honestly surprised Steve Yzerman's clapper against the Blues to win game 7 in double OT. Gary Thorne: "Gretzky had it, lost it" Steve Yzerman proceeds to wind up an absolute piss missle from the blue line and scores lol

[@detectiveandy6323]

You still see slapshots, maybe not as frequent, but the players and the style of play have evolved into better techniques and ways to score, you see more snapshots, deflections, redirects and one-timers, so I'd bet that's why the breakaway slapshot have gone the wayside. The game has evolved into speed and guys are defending much faster, and blocking shots more often, it's just the way the game has changed.

[@shiraori3705]

As a goalie I hate when a shooter does a snapshot and it goes straight into my chest and I just know that it's gonna hurt

[@johncassens1821]

Watch the video all the Devils goals 2022-2023 Watch Doug Hamilton Jasper Brat Zetterland, holtz etc. not just slapshots but the more difficult one timer slapshots ... I didn't count but its over 20 percent I believe

[@davesantiago1827]

Best forward one timer I'm going with Bret hull. Defenseman cris pronger I'm a Philly fan not blues 😂 I loved pronger when he was a flyer.

[@patschwartz609]

Would like to add one more supporting thought to your analysis... slapshots increase your chances of breaking a stick, which is immensely inconvenient, thus making it less of a go-to

[@pa-james9220]

There's a young kid on Edmonton that kinda looks like a father who seems to have no problem getting slap shots off.

[@billbeliakoff5589]

There's so many wings and centers from the past to choose from, so I'm going to say which defenseman had the best and say Doug Wilson.

[@MSmith-cp1tz]

Elias Pettersson has a real Howitzer of a slap shot. But hockey sticks have evolved as well. They used to be mostly wood with minimal flex. New sticks don't have that inflexibility and firmness to generate that kind of power. Thats why you see more players whip pucks in rather rather than taking slap shots. more control

[@josh33172]

Not that it's a major reason, but sticks as well... If you look at Bauer and CCM (and others), they specialized their with a flex and kick point favoring a certain type of shot. They do have "hybrid" sticks that fall somewhere in the middle, but they're a bit less common. It's a big heavy piece of lumber from the likes of Sherwood where they really were just meant to stand up to the punishment the players dished out. Now they really dial in the stick to match and enhance their strengths

[@markkramer487]

Bretton Hull had a great slap shot, but he learned it from the greatest his father BOBBY HULL,with help from his uncle who had the hardest slap shot Dennis Hull.

[@thebluefus]

Stevie Y had that game 7 slap shot vs the Blues. Such a beauty

[@bonesjackson81]

Not enough room on the ice. Guys have gotten bigger be it player themselves or pads. Especially goalies. Need to go to international ice size and either chop down the giant goalie pads or make the net bigger. Open it up.

[@ethanparker7900]

Ovi, Stamkos, Weber and Chara are ofc the kings of slapshots but others were quite solid like Maclnnis or Brett Hull!!