Red Wings skaters shooting R

[Mila 0]

I just noticed on the Red Wings roster that we slowly but certainly have less and less skater that shoot right.

Couple of years ago, the ratio was approx. 50/50% of skaters shooting L/R. Meanwhile the ratio changed considerably, because many R-shooting skaters like Yzerman, Shanahan, Hull, Mccarty, Verbeek, Murphy, Olausson, Dandenault are gone and only a few R-shooting skaters like Lang or Samuelsson were acquired (the ratio may be somewehere 75%L / 25%R now IMO). Among others, the only R-shooting D-man is Chelios now, who is about to retire soon.

I know it is not a major issue, but IMO the team looks more fine when the ratio L/R is approx. equal. It is obvious advantage on special teams, especially for better point shot on the PP or clearing the puck from the corner on PK.

[betterREDthandead 58]

I think this is an across-the-league thing. I've heard announcers say every so often that left-handed shooters are more common. I think one thing that causes this is that a left-handed shot from the middle of the ice will tend to go to a right-handed goalie's stick side, which is a harder save to make and guarantees a rebound. Glove saves are easier and stop the play.

[timsummers 0]

I think that the majority of Euro players are left handed, and since this team is predominately Euro, we have a majority of left handers. I would say that the ratio is more tilted lefty than you put, 80-85%. just my two cents.

Edited February 5, 2007 by timsummers

[Zetter is Better 0]

Left shooters represent

[cincywingfan 1]

Left shooters represent

Left-Siiiiide :beerbuddy:

They probably are more common since it seems like more people write with their right hand. Your dominate hand should be at the top of your stick so when you have one hand on your stick it's your strong arm.

Most people probably just shoot according to the first stick their folks put in their hand when they were young.

[eva unit zero 271]

They probably are more common since it seems like more people write with their right hand. Your dominate hand should be at the top of your stick so when you have one hand on your stick it's your strong arm.

Does this mean I shoot from the wrong side? :-/

[betterREDthandead 58]

They probably are more common since it seems like more people write with their right hand. Your dominate hand should be at the top of your stick so when you have one hand on your stick it's your strong arm.

I would have thought the dominant hand should be at the bottom so you get better control of all your shots, especially a wrist shot and a backhand. Like gripping a baseball bat; dominant hand closer to the end of the stick/bat, so you have the strength of your better hand controlling the swing. All you're going to do with one hand on the stick is poke at the puck or slide it towards you anyway.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

I just noticed on the Red Wings roster that we slowly but certainly have less and less skater that shoot right.

Couple of years ago, the ratio was approx. 50/50% of skaters shooting L/R. Meanwhile the ratio changed considerably, because many R-shooting skaters like Yzerman, Shanahan, Hull, Mccarty, Verbeek, Murphy, Olausson, Dandenault are gone and only a few R-shooting skaters like Lang or Samuelsson were acquired (the ratio may be somewehere 75%L / 25%R now IMO). Among others, the only R-shooting D-man is Chelios now, who is about to retire soon.

I know it is not a major issue, but IMO the team looks more fine when the ratio L/R is approx. equal. It is obvious advantage on special teams, especially for better point shot on the PP or clearing the puck from the corner on PK.

I'm a left handed shooting right d. And as a kid I actually played right wing before switching to d. There are definite advantages of being a lefty on the left side or a righty on the right side (like moving the puck d to d right at the offensive blue line) but when you do it long enough you compensate and learn some tricks and it becomes no big deal really which hand you are IMO. Obviously though you'd like to have a little bit of both, especially up front or you end up in some situations where guys can't really get setup for one-timers as easily. In a perfect world you'd have probably 2 lefties up front with a right hander and then one of each on the blueline pairings but it seems like more and more these days you find guys playing the "off" side and left or right shooting not being as much of a big deal.

[cincywingfan 1]

Does this mean I shoot from the wrong side? :-/

No, I don't know if it makes sense or not but I can't imagine doing all that I do with just one hand on my stick using my nondominate hand/arm.

Again it's probably just they way my Dad stuck a stick in my hand. Both he and my brother write right and shoot right so who knows.

Edited February 6, 2007 by cincywingfan

[swedishconnection 36]

I would have thought the dominant hand should be at the bottom so you get better control of all your shots, especially a wrist shot and a backhand. Like gripping a baseball bat; dominant hand closer to the end of the stick/bat, so you have the strength of your better hand controlling the swing. All you're going to do with one hand on the stick is poke at the puck or slide it towards you anyway.

I thought the same thing when I first started, then my cousin (who plays league hockey) said I should try lefty cause most people on leagues use right (and I am right handed).

Your dominant hand should be on the end of the stick because it gives your shot more power and the control stems from the top-down.

I also went with lefty cause I am a Defenseman and when I poke check and reach - its just that much more controlled and accurate with my right hand on the top of the stick. That and when I'm on the point, my shot has that much more power when shooting a slapper, and my back-hand dump is much easier to lift.

[Gizmo 21]

Since I shoot right, for me this personally sucks. I've found that you can get some great deals buying game used stuff from the Joe to use yourself. I have a great pair of pro CCM gloves that were used in prospect camp for $50 with little wear on them. The stick I'm using now is a Warrior Dolomite that was Paul MacLean's that I bought for $45. I shoot right, and my only options now are: Chelios (Too expensive to use), Lang (no real cost savings over new), and Maltby, and Williams.

Edited February 6, 2007 by Gizmo

[swedishconnection 36]

Since I shoot right, for me this personally sucks. I've found that you can get some great deals buying game used stuff from the Joe to use yourself. I have a great pair of pro CCM gloves that were used in prospect camp for $50 with little wear on them. The stick I'm using now is a Warrior Dolomite that was Paul MacLean's that I bought for $45. I shoot right, and my only options now are: Chelios (Too expensive to use), Lang (no real cost savings over new), and Maltby, and Williams.

Sorta related to this, but even though I use a Lefty stick, I have an Yzerman blade.... go figure. Its just the best curve ever.

Oh and WOOD RULES - OLD SCHOOL - NO COMP HERE

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Sorta related to this, but even though I use a Lefty stick, I have an Yzerman blade.... go figure. Its just the best curve ever.

Oh and WOOD RULES - OLD SCHOOL - NO COMP HERE

wood kicks ass!!! i've never used anything else. The heft, the price and the look on some 18 year old kids' face when he's wondering if the older guy on the other team with the tissue paper pads, no face shield and menacing piece of lumber in his hands is really going to do the things to me that he said he would if I even come near him again.

priceless

[wingslogo19 281]

Left shooters represent

yeah they do

[betterREDthandead 58]

Your dominant hand should be on the end of the stick because it gives your shot more power and the control stems from the top-down.

Not to dispute from the peanut gallery since I don't play ice hockey, but your shot will have more power if your dominant hand is not on the end of the stick. Nerd alert ahead: a slap shot is basically a lever with the load at the blade of the stick, the fulcrum at the end, and the force applied with the hand you're shooting with (i.e., right-handed shot is so-called because you're using the right hand to apply all the force). The hand on the end is just for control. Power comes from the bottom hand. For proof, look at the overhead view of a slap shot. The stick bends from the middle.

[swedishconnection 36]

I half-agree with the scientific analysis of the slapper.

Its more that just bending the stick in the middle. The pulling back (in towards the body) motion with the top hand is extremely important. My right bicep (on the top of the stick) is far superior to my left. Thats where I develop power for my shot (besides the waist). My left arm is pretty much just providing a brace for the stick to bend at.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Not to dispute from the peanut gallery since I don't play ice hockey, but your shot will have more power if your dominant hand is not on the end of the stick. Nerd alert ahead: a slap shot is basically a lever with the load at the blade of the stick, the fulcrum at the end, and the force applied with the hand you're shooting with (i.e., right-handed shot is so-called because you're using the right hand to apply all the force). The hand on the end is just for control. Power comes from the bottom hand. For proof, look at the overhead view of a slap shot. The stick bends from the middle.

BRTD is right. Your dominant hand is generally the one on the bottom of the stick. A lot of people believe because they write with a certain hand, that they should also shoot with that hand (I.E. if your right handed, you shoot right handed, and thus your Right hand would be on the bottom of the stick). For me, I write left handed, but my dominant hand is my right. With that, I throw and shoot right handed. The force of your shot will come from your hand that's on the bottom of the stick, and thats why "most" players shoot that way.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Not to dispute from the peanut gallery since I don't play ice hockey, but your shot will have more power if your dominant hand is not on the end of the stick. Nerd alert ahead: a slap shot is basically a lever with the load at the blade of the stick, the fulcrum at the end, and the force applied with the hand you're shooting with (i.e., right-handed shot is so-called because you're using the right hand to apply all the force). The hand on the end is just for control. Power comes from the bottom hand. For proof, look at the overhead view of a slap shot. The stick bends from the middle.

There's nothing wrong with being a nerd. And by the way you are correct. Your top hand is your control hand and the bottom hand is your power hand. Isn't this basic hockey knowledge we got when we were 10?

[sibiriak 84]

I am very strongly right-handed, and yet I shoot left. The difference between hands is usually not as much in strength but in dexterity. So one would use his dominant hand for control, and the other one for just holding the stick straight.

Power of a slapshot doesn't come from your hands anyway, it comes from your legs and the weight transfer during the swing. The hands are there to make sure that the puck goes where you want it to.

You need more arm strength for the wristshot, but your bottom hand plays the role of a falcrum, it has to push at the stick. When your top hand has to pull on the end of the stick to generate power on the other end. It is easier to push against the weight than to pull it.

Edited February 6, 2007 by sibiriak

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

I am very strongly right-handed, and yet I shoot left. The difference between hands is usually not as much in strength but in dexterity. So one would use his dominant hand for control, and the other one for just holding the stick straight.

Power of a slapshot doesn't come from your hands anyway, it comes from your legs and the weight transfer during the swing. The hands are there to make sure that the puck goes where you want it to.

You need more arm strength for the wristshot, but your bottom hand plays the role of a falcrum, it has to push at the stick. When your top hand has to pull on the end of the stick to generate power on the other end. It is easier to push against the weight than to pull it.

I've always wondered about the term "dominant" when it comes to discussions of left or right-handedness.

I'm left handed insomuch that I write with my left and I shoot left handed and I throw with my left but that's about it. I started playing baseball the same time I started hockey and immediately I started batting right handed and it wasn't until I was about 13 or 14 that I learned to bat left handed. To this day I still am more natural as a right handed hitter than a lefty. Same way with golf, started righty and switched to lefty only in golf i'm better from the left than the right. I use scissors with my right hand. My right hand and arm are not only stronger than my left but there's also more dexterity. The fingers on my right hand seem to flex more and have a wider range of motion and I can spread my fingers apart further on the right than on the left. All of that and i'm left handed?? I've never really understood what makes you dominant. Is it strictly which hand you write with?

[sibiriak 84]

I've always wondered about the term "dominant" when it comes to discussions of left or right-handedness.

I'm left handed insomuch that I write with my left and I shoot left handed and I throw with my left but that's about it. I started playing baseball the same time I started hockey and immediately I started batting right handed and it wasn't until I was about 13 or 14 that I learned to bat left handed. To this day I still am more natural as a right handed hitter than a lefty. Same way with golf, started righty and switched to lefty only in golf i'm better from the left than the right. I use scissors with my right hand. My right hand and arm are not only stronger than my left but there's also more dexterity. The fingers on my right hand seem to flex more and have a wider range of motion and I can spread my fingers apart further on the right than on the left. All of that and i'm left handed?? I've never really understood what makes you dominant. Is it strictly which hand you write with?

It seems you are ambidexterous. Lucky bastard

[betterREDthandead 58]

I've always wondered about the term "dominant" when it comes to discussions of left or right-handedness.

I'm left handed insomuch that I write with my left and I shoot left handed and I throw with my left but that's about it. I started playing baseball the same time I started hockey and immediately I started batting right handed and it wasn't until I was about 13 or 14 that I learned to bat left handed. To this day I still am more natural as a right handed hitter than a lefty. Same way with golf, started righty and switched to lefty only in golf i'm better from the left than the right. I use scissors with my right hand. My right hand and arm are not only stronger than my left but there's also more dexterity. The fingers on my right hand seem to flex more and have a wider range of motion and I can spread my fingers apart further on the right than on the left. All of that and i'm left handed?? I've never really understood what makes you dominant. Is it strictly which hand you write with?

I imagine "handedness" is the same as eye color or any other physical trait in your genes.....that is, not everyone who has blue eyes have the exact same color blue eyes, not everyone with red hair has the same color red, etc. Some people are strongly right-handed, some are ambidextrous, some can do some things with the left and others with the right, etc.

I could never swing a golf club lefty, for example, and I write with my right hand, I throw and grip a hockey stick righty, a baseball bat righty, I shoot a gun right-handed.....overall, I'm probably more right-handed than most people who are also considered right-handed. I'm so right-handed that I instinctively carry things in my left so the right will be free to do things, and I also instinctively use my left hand to break a fall or stop a skid. Which has led to a number of injuries on my left arm/hand. Again leaving my right hand free to do all the work.

On the other hand (pun very much intended ) I can't do the Vulcan sign with my right. Only my left. So I think it's definitely shades of gray rather than black-and-white as most people tend to think of it.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

I imagine "handedness" is the same as eye color or any other physical trait in your genes.....that is, not everyone who has blue eyes have the exact same color blue eyes, not everyone with red hair has the same color red, etc. Some people are strongly right-handed, some are ambidextrous, some can do some things with the left and others with the right, etc.

I could never swing a golf club lefty, for example, and I write with my right hand, I throw and grip a hockey stick righty, a baseball bat righty, I shoot a gun right-handed.....overall, I'm probably more right-handed than most people who are also considered right-handed. I'm so right-handed that I instinctively carry things in my left so the right will be free to do things, and I also instinctively use my left hand to break a fall or stop a skid. Which has led to a number of injuries on my left arm/hand. Again leaving my right hand free to do all the work.

On the other hand (pun very much intended ) I can't do the Vulcan sign with my right. Only my left. So I think it's definitely shades of gray rather than black-and-white as most people tend to think of it.

The Vulcan sign, GOOD STUFF! I've tried that before too and once again I can do it with my right but not my left. I posted a thread about some of the damage i've done to my left hand playing hockey and its probably a coincidence that I threw more punches with my left hand in turn damaging it alot more than the right and that might explain some of the lack of dexterity and or range of motion in that hand compared to my right hand.

[JKEITH81 0]

I know for me I had a straight blade as a mite. And I guess I just started shooting right. Instincts or something, I guess. Anyway, I'm a righty, and untill just now, never thought about why.

[joshy207 156]

Interesting topic!

I too have noticed that the trend is swinging towards having more left-handed shooters lately. I work for a hockey stick company now, and have worked in the hockey equipment business for 16 years. It used to be that, here in Michigan, right sticks would out-sell lefts by at least a 2-to-1 margin. Now, I'm seeing that it's much closer to 50-50. When I was playing hockey as a kid, there were always more righties on my teams than lefties. By the time I got to Midgets (16, 17) we had more lefties, so I switched over to right wing. At work, I'm shipping out more righties to most stores in the southern US, but it evens out the farther north you go. Canada's more left-handed than right... especially in Quebec, it's about 3-to-1 left to right up there.

I have heard both "schools of thought" regarding which hand should be on top and why. Both have their valid points. When you're learning to play hockey, just go with whatever is more comfortable, more natural for you. Your mechanics will develop with practice. I'm right-hand dominant, and my right arm is stronger than my left, but I can't even swing a stick right-handed let alone fire off a slap shot. My dad and brother are the same, we're all right-handed writers, throwers, etc, but we all shoot and bat left (I think my dad can switch-hit though). Strangely to me, they both golf right-handed, but I'm better (or I should say, less brutal) left-handed. That one I can't figure out.