How to Shoot like Connor Bedard and the Best Hockey Players

Demi-god, Connor Bedard, says something that he does differently. In his own videos, you will see he doesn’t actually get his hands out when he shoots, even though he says to get your hands out while you shoot.
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So notice that I did not say, “he shoots wrong.” I instead said, “he’s wrong ABOUT how he shoots.” Which means what he’s teaching is not what he does. Ibviously he is one of the best shooters on the planet.
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But if you’re trying to learn from the best, what you copy from them matters more than copying everything that they do. In this specific case, you wouldn’t listen to him about shooting if you wanted to get his style shot. You would instead need to look at his film from multiple angles, and look at the film with many other players.
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I suspect Bedard did exactly this on himself when he looked at Auston Matthews. And it’s not his fault that he’s given a coaching cue that doesn’t work for a lot of players. Because if it did work, all players would have his shot. And they don’t!
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The next time you watch Connor Bedard shooting look at his footwork, look at his hips, look at his knees, look at his shoulders, look at the entire thing. But don’t look at it with static imaging, because you can’t study something dynamic with static imaging. And btw, that’s where the “hands out” cue comes from.
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[@howtohockeytraining]

Great breakdown For the record in that video I wasn’t trying to shoot like Bedard. I was showing how his shot is different compared to mine. They are different styles of shots. Thats why it was labeled his VS mine.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

no problem with that. There's always value comparing your own footage with the footage of an expert model. You can only do so much on your own until you add video of yourself, especially when replicating a complex movement with someone who's better than you. That's why I talk so much about reaching their standards.

[@CoachChris77]

Bedard was in dress shoes doing a pull release.....Your shot looks very similar to the Matthews shot @6:29 that hockey hacks seemingly has no issue with. hots I see no issue in either.....just different shots for different spots.

[@av8r1111]

Older player here…I grew up playing before composite sticks and never learned how to “flex” the stick. I’ve been trying for years to get the “push-pull” method down with thousands of off-ice shots that never transferred to on-ice results. I’ve tried different curves, lengths and flexes, weight training for chest and arms etc….nothing worked. THIS is the first thing that makes sense. I finally get it, the power comes from rotation and weighting/flexing the stick comes from collapsing the hip. With only one practice session off-ice I could see results that actually transferred to on-ice. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Wow!!! Thank YOU for sharing this! I want more people to know about this!

[@bradoalfredo5203]

Never played hockey as a kid (except street) so never learned how to shoot. Joined a beer league team and after many embarrassing muffins, I decided to start learning about technique. Ive spent many hours searching/watching coaches breakdown ‘how to shoot’. Everyone said to do the “top hand far away from chest, punch movement”. Anytime I tried to do this it felt very awkward and brutal on the shoulder. Your breakdown, combined with slo-mo clips, destroying this false idea was absolutely beautiful. Thanks for this video.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Wow! amazing! now that you mention the shoulder loosening up rather than tightening up, I've noticed that same thing too! Amazing work🔥

[@hotforrobot]

I'm a complete beginner learning to play roller hockey as an old guy. I came from freestyle inline skating, so I have a strong feel for full body skating movement. I've spent about 10 hours in dynamic shooting drills to feel out the transitional movements into a shot. My shot is slowly evolving into something similar to what you are describing. Having the arm punched out felt so inefficient. While skating with power, the rotating of shoulders and softening of hips feel like the most important cues. Then natural stick handling skills kind of take over and your muscle memory puts the blade where it needs to be. There is so much full body mechanics involved, especially in dynamic movement.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

There's a lot of truth with what you've seen and felt, keep it going 👊🔥

[@RobertManlove]

Great video. Nice to see something longer that addresses more of the nuances of a very complex skill. Will definitely dive into the rest of your content while I'm out of action recovering from shoulder surgery.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Appreciate your support❤️🔥👊 Do you need help with your shoulder? I've fixed many of them with my clients

[@ChaseConstrucionInc]

Been trying to learn this shot and I’m glad you called this out. Everyone doing it differently in real action

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

of course! I'm chasing it too!

[@ChaseConstrucionInc]

@@hockeyhacks2.0 was playing last week with some big corn feed fella and he had a nasty snap shot. I was watching his body and arm movement and he was twisting his torso more then messing with his arms

[@KINGTRADINGCO]

Hi Mason you are 1000% correct I’m a tennis player and hockey and you are definitely correct👍🏼 For natural raw power you need the kinetic chain to produce the effortless power not muscling the puck. Great Job!

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

We look to tennis as a great example to see the moving parts of the body better, because as you know all the hockey gear hides the moving body parts. Glad you see this too🔥👊

[@armiddle29]

I've watched like a hundred videos saying "just move your top hand away from your body" and it got me nowhere this video is a gem

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

amazing! appreciate your support

[@davidrolston2249]

I have really enjoyed seeing your development as a coach and analyst over the years, and this is a great video for people who really want to dig into popular misconceptions and the way so many coaches are still teaching things that don't work. For the how-to hockey video, I have done some thinking about what he keyed in on with the Bedard video ever since I first watched it. One thing I realized about it, is that what is really going on with starting your hands to the right of the body, is that this is winding up the psoas and abdominal muscles that unwind during rotation. It works if you are (as in the Bedard video) actually twisting your hips and shooting off your knob hand leg. If however, you are shooting off the right foot, perhaps with a weight shift onto the outside edge you, it's unbalancing to the point that it doesn't work. There isn't any one true place for the hands to start, but without a doubt, rotation and winding/unwinding/sling is the foundation that then enables the things Bedard/Matthews/Pettersson/MacKinnon etc. are doing. Keep up the great work Mason.

[@vind98]

Damn man, the closing statements are savage haha! I love the confidence - in order to teach, you still have to be in the trenches to learn, and I respect that you are putting in so much work to better yourself, and to leave behind the parts of your game that no longer apply. Speaking of which, care to take on a project of rebuilding a hockey player from scratch? I'm getting older, haven't played in 15 years due to injuries, but my body and mind are still capable of making this comeback. The analytical approach that you and Jason (Train 2.0) take is very appealing to me. Let me know how I can reach out to you guys and discuss it more!

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

I appreciate your support, and I give you credit! Not many people will listen to someone like me; I’ve been compared to both a beer leaguer AND an AHLer in the same day LOL! I would love to help, click on my calendly link below to set up a call with me👊 calendly.com/masoguchi/30min

[@vind98]

@@hockeyhacks2.0 I will do that! Be in touch soon 💪🏾👊🏾

[@PuckHead00]

As usual, this is pure gold, Mason! 👌🏼 I’ve been doing this for over 4 decades, and so very few people get this concept. If I had a dollar for every time somebody laughed at me (even though I have an outstanding shot) for explaining this, I’d be beyond retired. 🤷🏻‍♂️ LOL You and Jason truly need to be commended, and thank you so much!! 🍻 P.S. Haters will always hate (oftentimes, with minimal/no bona fide data), so it’s best not to waste our precious time and energy on them.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

appreciated your support❤️ Thankfully the comments here have been very sensible and respectful. Instagram is another story. But the fact that there’s this must support in addition to this much controversey means that we hit something.

[@timpattydaechsel5988]

This very interesting, I remember Joe Sakic , who had in his era the best wrist shot in the league , saying his wrist shot was from his legs and hips , here we are 25 years later and thousands of slow mo clips later you have explained what Joe Sakic meant way back then….Thankyou and we’ll done sir

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Yea! Sometimes these greats from back then eventually find the words to explain their tricks, whether they keep it to themselves or just learn how to communicate what they do when they finish their careers.

[@S0larW1nd]

Thanks for putting this excellent and informative video Jason. Completely agree with all points. Interestingly enough the body tends to auto-correct so these who truly put time in perfecting their shots naturally develop the hip drop & twist. What's also interesting is that the push-pull & press into the grown motion has a Lot less success on ice than off-ice due to reduced friction and the difference between shoes & skates. So a lot of the coaches you’re comparing with had the advantage of being off-ice. The video is sufficiently supported by deep video analysis, so it’d be even more credible if you kept it purely factual and cut the last few minutes of I I I out ;)

[@andybearvlog6140]

What a great analysis of Connor shooting.

[@calamitysweezey3155]

Great video. Very informative

[@keithcantrell4409]

Your video was extremely helpful. I never looked at it this way.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

always here to help!

[@unstoppableeric8011]

The best way to know is to try it. I’ve always noticed the hip twist in a powerful shot - slapshot, but for Bedard’s shot, I hadn't realized its importance. I will explain this to my children. When they added the extended arms, it helped with their quick release, but we knew something was missing. So, my kids are going to try changing their form by using hips more. Be careful when you say that older people who no longer train can’t teach... it's like saying Arnold Schwarzenegger can’t teach you how to train because he isn’t as muscular as he used to be… :) Thank you for the advice, and I'll keep you updated on my children’s progress with their shots (they are 11 and 13 years old).

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

I do try it, in fact its part of the Standards list that I have all my clients train. That perspective, matching the standards players like Bedard have set, has allowed me to create breakthroughs not just with myself but anyone I teach. Hockey Training desperately needs strict measurables instead of random experiments because players have specific goals that need the specific measurables. Please share it!

[@rrocket1117]

It as if his right hand is a sort of center hinge, and he’s getting that snap from pulling his left or top hand in with the rest of his body coming around opening and the right hand is for wrist action and control the hinge

[@0After30]

I 100% AGREE that we're not interested in how to shoot like coaches, we want to shoot like NHL players since they are the best in the world, period. But of course not all NHL players are the best teachers and coaches teach what they think or what was passed down from generations. And that classic "drive off the back leg" is not that efficient. It limits your option of getting power from only your quads and arms The twist of the hips and hip drop gives the illusion of a leg drive since your legs automatically move when you move your hips. I wouldn't swing a tennis racket by jumping off my back leg, and punching my hand, that won't get as much power as twisting which uses the whole body. I love the demonstration of the in-stride shot in 2:58 and 15:53. I knew the power from the shot came from rotation as I learned from Train2.0, but I didn't know if and how to apply in a in-stride shot. I've been taught that an in-stride shot is very linear, basically drive off the back leg and lean on the stick, and looking at NHL players doing an in-stride shot, it gave it the look-feel paradox. But once you showed various camera angles of those shots, I realized you can get rotation in the in-stride shot. My life is a lie!!! And I have to admit, I fell for the "getting your top hand out" cue. I thought you had to do it to get the stick flex for the push-pull motion. Anyway can you explain a bit more on why getting that top hand out won't make the NHL shot possible? Great content, we need more of this in the hockey world.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

really appreciate your support👊❤️ The in-shot stride was also very interesting to me. You know this from the 2.0 content, it's just a stutter-shot ;) Regarding that last point about the top hand, I'm saying it doesn't get fully extended, vs. every demonstration you see it from coaches. And you can see the videos, these players don't extend the top hands. The logic here is that, because these are the best shooters in the world, copying their movements is more important than copying what they say to do.

[@djmaarky]

I self taught this shot and pushing top hand out felt so unnatural. Shoot like bedard is complex movement involving whole body not only hands. Yes there is method of training by exaggeration but never heard any of those renowned coaches talk about it.

[@janzkee]

i think the punch out method works best with quick snapshots off the foot closest to the blade. i've only ever did that motion when doing a snapshot, every other shot requires me to move the bottom half my body and adjusting my arms according to where the puck is, then a punch like motion with my bottom arm, with my top hand almost pulling.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

I literally show in the video with all types of shots that the punch out method doesn't happen, because it's a shoulder and hip rotation, not a hand punch.

[@Reese_md]

This video was so helpful. Now we need a backhand tutorial please. I can’t get it right

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Backhands aren’t easy, but they stillnuse very similar mechanics. Try an anchor synced with your backhand shot

[@chadhockaday8259]

What an awesome video on shooting mechanics Mason. Won’t be long before the Drone coaches will be using your content and calling it there own. Keep up the great work pal.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

thanks for your support❤️🔥👊

[@jichengjeff]

i cannot thank you much. great analysis

[@4TheLoveOfHockey]

I appreciate the time you have spent on this. Is it possible that the "Stiff arm" extended shooting that is practiced is done knowing that in the real world they will still shoot as we see here, and that the practice is helping them get their arms out a little further, even if only slightly? Or its more of a straight arm punch (like the other videos online) strictly when there is a straight on shot, and its more rotational if you are skating and facing any other direction other than the front of the net? Honest question, I don't know the answer

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

I think the question actually is - which of these techniques actually produces an NHL shot? Which of these coaches has an nhl shot?

[@johnduffy6579]

Good job mason

[@davetechme]

This reminds me a lot of basketball where all the athletes and coaches preach shooting fundamentals... but video of the elite shooters clearly shows they don't perform those so-called fundamentals at all. It's like a conspiracy to keep these actual methods a secret. They removed a lot of their old videos (Pro Shot System) but they clearly showed the Pros were shooting different (which helped improve my shooting a ton in a very short period of time). You, Train 2.0, and a few others are doing a great job of exposing this stuff on the hockey side. I've been working with my mite on shooting. I never had hockey instruction growing up since I picked up playing as an adult. In practice, her coaches just told her to sweep the puck from heel to toe while facing to the side instead of the net. No matter how much she tried, she didn't get the hang of it. This method didn't work that well for me either (though I get the concept of saucing to achieve velocity). Instead, I found that getting wide, toe dragging the puck near my skate while moving my skate out of the way, and pulling my top hand back on release is what got me to start getting decent results. So, I taught this to my daughter and she started getting results in a few days. This makes me wonder if the coaches are teaching the same thing to their own stud kids on the team that are so clearly above the rest.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Very interesting that this happens in basketball too. I have a feeling that looking at someone like Curry in video will show this difference too. And it's hard to say if coaches teach the same or different points to their kids or not, but the fact that this specific thought is in your mind leads to the problems of coaching. That shouldn't be something you would ever think of if the coaching actually produced the results you wanted.

[@helmis16]

thanks for your in depth analysis! this seems like a really nice piece of advice to try out. i'm working on 10n2 and corkscrew already but haven't tried to improve my shot yet. guess it's about time i did.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

of course! here to help when you want👊

[@davidcutler1486]

Played with him for a full year and his shot was always really good but after a year of him doing his video training till now is crazy

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

🙏💪🔥

[@franciscorosariojr.6653]

I have noticed what you are talking about. None of them extend their top hand out, it's almost always close to the body. Not only that, but the top hand starts low across the opposite hip/thigh.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

@@franciscorosariojr.6653 yep!

[@pointmudd996]

Great video helped me out a lot I actually thought you did have. To punch it out but youdont thx for that

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Of course! Different cues, yes. But with you seeing it now, you don’t have to punch it out!

[@alexpayne1364]

Man ive only seen 2 people (including you) on youtube really tell and show that most Nhlers don't use the top hand in a punch and pull when I first started shooting that's what I was taught then I learned about the hips dropping, rotation and wrist rolling. So I started Practicing dropping the hips like Laine I started a goalie so the collapsing on the knee and the hips were easier to learn but then my shot started reaching new mph scores and I was like hmmm So is started out with the punch and pull It got me to be about 50mph ish and with now dropping the hips and using the shoulders and elasticity of my body for the rotation I'm getting close to 70mph with my wrist and snap shot still learning, one day I do believe I can reach a Nhler shot speed. Great video explains the real skill of shooting. also noticed its much more natural shooting with the hips and torso instead of just the arms

[@laronda10]

I like to think of it like what lift are you gonna be able to lift more weight with a back fly or a dumbell row

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Kinda. Yes the numbers are different, but structurally you might need a strong flye to get a stronger row, and not the other way around.

[@vil1244]

Appreciate your work very much. Thank you!

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

appreciate your support❤️👊

[@legonexus7666]

Love your work keep it up

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

👊❤️🔥

[@jake13b]

GREAT JOB MASON ! people... train 2.0 already. stop wasting time.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

always appreciated Jake👊🔥

[@PaulMarangoni]

I notice that Connor's stick is very vertical as opposed to being diagonal just before he releases the puck. No one seems to point that out.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Interesting! That may also be the angle of the camera, and it may not be actually vertical.

[@coyotwolf8]

Yeah, coaches say extend, but when I try it it just feeels like ill get injured. I still extend but not like fully. Kind of like bedard

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Right, so it’s not an extension

[@ryanjb7]

Whats happening in all those boomers shots is the legs fire the hips around. The shot is powered by the legs to rotate the hips. Once the hips fire there is nowhere for your shoulders and hands to go but around your spine. The "push" Bedard feels is the shoulder coiling around the spine and the "pull" is finishing the uncoiling of the shoulders after he fire his hip. That move you see with the back leg is them pushing off to fire their hip towards the target and uncoil their shoulders to whip the stick around their body. Its the same move in baseball and golf. Obviously the mechanics are a little different but fundamentally it is the same shoulder coil and uncoiling powered by the legs.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

great explanation

[@Hockey_nerd]

do you gave any specific cues or drills to work onn this?

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Not as much specific cues as a new paradigm of looking at this.

[@johnduffy6579]

Yes can you do stickhandling next

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Absolutely

[@tmoney-fh2yh]

Hey man, good analysis. Play hockey and golf. Golf proves that power comes from rotation and not arms and hands only.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

@@tmoney-fh2yh 10000%

[@Rossanderson-zm7ck]

Soooo do weighted Russian twist to train ??

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

no

[@Hockey_nerd]

awsome content mason! what a big breaktrough! never tought of it myself, before i watched this.

[@alexeyorlov4573]

Interesting video, thx

[@michaelmcmillion6671]

Love it

[@BenBreeg1138]

Good presentation, although a bit of a strawman. The cue I hear most is “get your hands away from your body”. I don’t hear or see coaches, and I would never teach, complete extension of the top arm. The cue is trying to counteract shooters who keep their top hand glued to their body and just push/sweep with the bottom hand. Every slo mo shooting video of pros shows what you demoed, pretty bent top arm. Static images are good to show things that someone might not notice, especially when it happens so quickly.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Static images aren't enough. You need slo-mo and multiple angles of the movement. It's an incomplete analysis from just looking at them.

[@BenBreeg1138]

I didn’t say they were and haven’t really heard others do so either. Like I said, they are part of it, to stop and show something that goes by quickly.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

@@BenBreeg1138 I have heard and seen firsthand for a long time. I'm not telling you to change your mind, but this video would not be up if I didn't think there was a hole in any information for hockey.

[@kevinsmith-uw4mj]

Well done!

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

much love🔥❤👊

[@andybearvlog6140]

If you believe the rest of other people vids on "how to shot like Bedard" and get your arm out like they say, it is a very unnatural position. No matter how much training you do, it still feels unnatural to put your arm and hand out that far and be able to do the rest of the shot. I do have another theory, is that why would Connor Bedard want to show the world exactly how he shoots? I mean, isn't that what makes him famous and successful in Ice Hockey? You will find that most elite players will not share they trade secrets because they don't want people to copy them.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

interesting theory!

[@chrisbezek4235]

I would say that this is what it feels like, rather than what is actually happening.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

Just to clarify, what are you saying to "this is what it feels like"?

[@chrisbezek4235]

@@hockeyhacks2.0 when Bedard/coach’s tell to get the top hand out first.

[@6ugust925]

It’s a Slingshot. If you punch out your top hand the “Sling” will lose momentum. That’s like shooting a Bow Arrow to the ground . 🤯…🤷🏽‍♂️

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

exactly

[@dagger4442]

I would say Bedard was alittle off balance when he shot despite him firing the puck in the net. Nobody is going to be perfect at technique every single time man. Hockey is very fast pace and thats the reality. As far as shooting goes your best to try and emulate a guy that is around the same size as yourself. So if your a shorter guy then maybe look at players that are the same and see what works for them. Alot has to do with our own individual anatomy. Size , height. etc. Thats how we as players figure out our own unique style. Its based on your own frame. Then you look at special talent and a big part is your genes. At the end of the day you just have to experiment and practice and you will figure it out. There are many different ways to shoot the puck.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

I discuss that it's not perfect technique from Bedard here. I know perfectly well hockey is a game of optionality not optimality

[@stuff1015]

All of hockey hacks points made throughout this video were extremely valid. The whole shot is a rotation, and when you get to a high enough level (NHL), the fundamentals for a hard snapshot are all the same. In this video, hockey hacks is breaking down the best players shots which all have pretty well the exact same fundamentals in common, and each of the top players shooting technique doesn't actually vary that much .

[@aseltzer22]

Great video Mason! That 24/7 hockey guy is the worst and has so many poor videos.

[@hockeyhacks2.0]

💗🔥🔥🔥