Everywhere you look in the world of sports, there’s a mixture of lefties and righties. You’ve got your right-handed athletes like Dustin Hoffman, Michael Jordan and Roger Federer, who are better with their right hand, and your left-handed superstitions like Tommy Lasorda, who always roots for the home team, and Tiger Woods, who’s right-handed but uses his left hand for most things.
But what about when it comes to hockey? Are there more lefties or righties in this world of ice hockey?
This is a question we’ve got to start answering, because the truth is that it matters which hand you use when handling a hockey stick. If you’re a righty, you’ll want to use your right hand for handling and shooting the puck, using your left hand for passing and skating. If you’re a lefty, you’ll do the opposite. So there’s definitely a preference when it comes to hockey hands.
But how big of a preference is there? How many left-handed and right-handed players are out there in the world of hockey? Let’s take a look.
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Hockey Is More A Battleground Than A Sporting Event
Unlike other sports where the handedness of the participants doesn’t matter (we’re looking at you, basketball and American football), hockey is different. In hockey, you’re playing with a puck, and because you’re dealing with a smaller puck, it’s easier for your opponents to gain an advantage by getting the jump on you. Waiting for the other team to make a pass or a shot doesn’t work in hockey; you need to be able to react quickly and move the puck as soon as possible.
So in hockey, your hand preferences matter more than in other sports, and that means you should probably be using your right hand or your left hand, depending on which one you think is better for the game. One of the biggest advantages to playing hockey with a particular hand is that it makes it easier for you to learn how to handle the puck. If you’re a righty, you’ll want to use your right hand for shooting and passing; if you’re a lefty, the opposite is true. Of course, there’s also the issue of whether you’re a rightie or a leftie, but if you’re reading this, I’m guessing you’re probably a righty, so that’s what we’ll be addressing here.
Most Pucks Are Shot With The Big End Forward
When it comes to shooting the puck, the big rule is always keep the puck close to your body. Pucks tend to have more power when shot with the fingers of the shooting hand towards the net, so holding the puck behind your back causes your elbows to bend, which in turn limits the amount of power the puck can have when shot. Keep your hands and the puck close to your body when shooting, and you’ll limit the amount of damage your elbows can do when the puck hits them. It’s all about leverage with this one (or lack thereof).
As you might imagine, there’s a reason why the majority of shots in hockey are taken with the forefinger of the shooting hand placed right in front of the net. The idea is to have the puck fly as far and as high into the net as possible, and because most shots in hockey are taken with the forefinger, or the first three fingers, in front of the net, it makes it easier to achieve maximum height and distance when you shoot the puck.
The Goalies Use Different Straps Around Their Waists
Another thing that sets hockey apart from other sports is that the goalies wear different wrist and ankle straps, depending on where they’re going to be wearing their mask. The closer the strap is to the face, the higher the preference for the goalie to raise his arm to block the puck. The farther back the strap goes, the lower the preference. This is something that might be new to you, and it isn’t something that comes naturally, as you would with a ball or a tennis racket.
You’ll need to practice with the different straps, as well as the different positioning of your arm, to be able to feel its effects. Some goalies prefer the higher arm position while others prefer the lower one. It really depends on the style of the goalie and where he’s playing, as well as if he’s playing off of the puck or on it. This one isn’t exactly subtle, but again, it’s something that might be new to you, and it can help you to become a better goalie by knowing and feeling the differences in each position.
There Are More Goalies Than Ever Before
If we compare today’s hockey arena to a typical hockey arena of the past, we’ll see a sea change in how the game is officiated. Back in the day, it was more common for the goalie to stay back several feet and watch the puck like a hawk. The crease, or the area in front of the net where the puck is most often located, was considered safe. The goalie would stay back a little further from the crease, and would rush out only to challenge shots high and low, sometimes being pulled down by his mask as he dove across the crease to make a save.
Nowadays, the goalie’s role is much different. The goalies are right in the middle of the action, and they’re trying to stop everything that comes their way. For instance, if a left winger shoots the puck, the goalie might leave his crease and come out to challenge the shot. This changes the fundamentals of how the game should be played. The key to having a successful outing is to practice with the different situations you might face and know how to adjust your strategy accordingly. This might mean switching from a high arm guard to a low one, or taking a longer look at the ice before deciding where to go for the save.
These are just some of the things that might be new to you as a hockey player. With some knowledge of where your hands should be placed and which way you should be moving, as well as the fact that most pucks are shot with the arm near the goal, the percentages might start to make sense, and that’s all for now. Feel free to hit me up on twitter (@TKwilson) with any other questions you might have, and as always, thanks for reading.