SHOOTING

TOPIC
SHOOTING

Raise your hand if you would like to shoot the puck like Connor Bedard! Yeah, me too.

Look, I’m not going to sell you a bag of goods and tell you, do this, this and this and you’ll be shooting like him tomorrow. What I will show you are some key mechanics that will get you on the right track to shoot the puck harder and with more power than you do right now.

Now, get your notepad out because we are about to dive in and break this down.

SHOOTING MECHANICS

Take a look at this video of Connor Bedard shooting pucks in an off-ice session.

Now, take a look at him shooting the puck on the ice, stationary and in motion.

Some things we want to look for in both of those videos are his hands, lower body, and puck/stick placement.

Key Points:

• Hands: boxed and out in front of the body

• Top Hand: starts off the body then triggers back into into hip to propel the puck forward

• Bottom Hand: leans down and forward into the stick to generate momentum into the shaft and puck

• Lower Body: feet shoulder width apart. As shooting motion begins, he now lunges downward forcing weight into the stick and in turn generating momentum to sling the puck forward

• Chest, Eyes, & Shoulders: up and forward facing with shoulders square towards the target

• Stick & Puck Placement: puck and stick blade are aligned with the feet at the start. Stick triggers forward pointing

  towards the target

Now, go watch those videos again and see if you notice those things I just pointed out.

Start: hands boxed out in front, stick blade and puck aligned with feet, feet shoulder with apart)

Middle: knees lunge down into the ground producing downward force into the stick with the help of the bottom gripping and pushing force into the stick. Eyes, chest, and shoulders square, up and looking toward target)

Finish: feet are lunged downward. The top hand is triggered back into the body. The stick is pointed towards the target. Eyes and chest up and facing the target.

DRILL OF THE WEEK
Quick Release Shot Drill

This drill is designed to work on our quick release by working on the fast-twitch muscle fibers in our forearms.

Key Points: 
- Brace your core (flex your abs)
- Knees bent in an athletic position
- Feet shoulder width apart, slightly wider won't hurt
- Hands boxed and out in front
- Snap the shot with only your wrists and forearms and nothing else! Be still and maintain body control

Objective: 
We want to be as still as possible with our body movement so we want to emphasize keeping the core tight and only using our forearms to shoot the puck. The puck should be snapped off your stick and released within 6 inches from where it started.

Challenge: Try this one sitting on a bucket or a chair. The feet must remain flat on the floor and again, body still and in control.

That’s all for today folks. Thanks for tuning in and I look forward to having you check back in again soon.

Light the lamp!

— Danny

DISCLAIMER
The views, information, or opinions expressed in the Perez Hockey Development newsletter are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of my employers. The primary purpose of this newsletter is to educate and inform.