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Types of Hockey Shots: Wrist, Snap, Slap, Backhand and One-Timer

The main types of hockey shots, the trade-off each makes between release, power and accuracy, the order players learn them, and the rules that shape them.

By Published 6 min read

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Key takeaways

  • Choose a shot by the time you have: the less time and space, the shorter the release you can afford, so a quick wrist or snap shot beats a slap shot that never gets away.
  • Do not judge a shot type by its raw shooting percentage alone, because the figure mixes the shot with where it was taken from.
  • Value chances that arrive close to the net after a quick change of direction: MoneyPuck's model rates quick rebounds near the net, after a large change in shot angle, as the shots most likely to score.
  • Learn shots in the order USA Hockey teaches them: wrist shot and backhand first, then snap and slap shots, then one-timers.
  • Remember the rules: a stick blade may curve no more than three-quarters of an inch, and a goal kicked in or deflected off a stick above the crossbar does not count.

The five main types of hockey shot are the wrist shot, the snap shot, the slap shot, the backhand and the one-timer; each trades release time, power and accuracy against the others. Redirections — tip-ins and deflections — and the wrap-around complete the usual list.

The short version of the trade-off: the more time and space a shooter has, the more release time he can afford to spend on power. The less he has, the quicker the shot has to be.

The shots at a glance

Shot How it is taken What it trades When it suits
Wrist shot The puck is swept from the blade towards the target Accuracy and disguise for some power Most situations, especially in traffic
Snap shot A short wind-up, then the blade snaps into the puck A little control for more speed off the stick Catching a goalie before he is set
Slap shot A full backswing into the ice just behind the puck Release time for maximum power When there is time and space
Backhand Shot off the back of the blade Power and lift for an unexpected angle Close to the net, cutting across
One-timer A pass shot directly, without stopping it Control for timing Beating a goalie moving across
Tip-in or deflection Redirecting a teammate's shot Everything, for a change of direction In front of the net
Wrap-around Carrying the puck from behind the net around the post Time for a surprise angle When the goalie is slow across

Reading shot-type statistics

Shot type is part of the play-by-play data analysts work from: MoneyPuck's expected-goals model, for example, lists "Shot Type (Slap, Wrist, Backhand, etc)" among its fifteen inputs. That makes it tempting to rank the shots by how often each one goes in. Two cautions come first.

Type and location are tangled together. A shooting percentage by type mixes the shot with where it was taken from. Expected-goals models treat those separately — MoneyPuck's model lists shot type and distance from the net as different inputs, and Evolving-Hockey found distance to be the most important variable in its model. So if slap shots go in less often than wrist shots, that does not prove the slap shot is worse from the same spot; slap shots may simply come from farther out.

The labels are judgement calls. Official statistics are entered by people: the rulebook assigns real-time scorers to every game to record them, so the line between, say, a wrist shot and a snap shot is a scorer's call rather than a measurement.

The shots in more detail

Wrist shot

USA Hockey's practice guide for its youngest players describes the basic technique: stand sideways to the target so weight can transfer, start with the puck behind the back foot, sweep it towards the target, keep the head up and follow through. Because the puck stays on the blade until release, the shooter can aim it and disguise when it is coming. That is why it is taught first, alongside the backhand, and why it is the default when time is short.

Snap shot

The snap shot shortens the wrist shot's sweep into a quick wind-up and a snap of the blade into the puck. It gives up a little of the wrist shot's control in exchange for speed off the stick, which makes it a shooter's tool for beating a goaltender before he is set.

Slap shot

The slap shot is built for power: a full backswing, then the stick strikes the ice just behind the puck. The cost is time. A long wind-up gives defenders a chance to block and the goaltender a chance to set, which makes the slap shot a weapon for players with space, such as a defenceman at the point. The rulebook makes one allowance for its arc: a player is not called for high-sticking for accidental contact during the normal wind-up or follow-through of a shooting motion, although a wild swing at a bouncing puck gets no such protection.

Backhand

The backhand comes off the back of the blade. It is harder to put power and lift on, but it can be released from angles a forehand shot cannot, especially while cutting across the front of the net. USA Hockey teaches it alongside the wrist shot from the youngest age group.

One-timer

A one-timer is a pass shot directly, without being stopped. The value is timing: a goaltender has to move across with the pass, and the shot arrives before he is set. It is also one of the later skills to be taught — USA Hockey's skill progressions do not list it until the 14-and-under level.

Redirections and wrap-arounds

Tip-ins and deflections change the puck's direction after a shot, which gives a goaltender almost no time to react. MoneyPuck notes that the highest-probability shots in its model are quick rebounds close to the net after a large change in angle — the same principle. Wrap-arounds, carried from behind the net around the post, try to beat a goalie to the far side before he can push across.

The rules that shape shooting

The NHL's 2026-27 rulebook limits shooting in several places:

  • The blade. The curve of a stick blade may not exceed three-quarters of an inch, measured from a straight line along the blade.
  • What counts as a goal. A puck deflected in off an attacking player's skate or body counts, but one kicked in with a distinct kicking motion does not, and neither does one deflected in off a stick above the crossbar.
  • Penalty shots and shootouts. The lacrosse-style move of lifting the puck on the blade is allowed only if the puck stays below shoulder height and is not carried higher than the crossbar when released; the spin-o-rama is banned outright.

The order players learn them

USA Hockey's Skill Progressions for Youth Hockey lays out which shooting skills are taught at each age, and the order says something about difficulty:

Age group Shooting skills on the list
8 and under Wrist shot, backhand
10 and under Adds flip shots, screen shots, deflections and shooting off rebounds
12 and under Adds the snap shot, slap shot and fake shots
14 and under Adds one-timers, stick position in scoring areas and shots in close
16/18 and under Adds adjusting the angle of the shot just before shooting

Control comes before power, and power before timing. A player who cannot place a wrist shot gains little from a harder slap shot.

Choosing a shot: four questions

  1. How much time do I have? Little time means the quickest release — a wrist or snap shot.
  2. How far out am I? From distance, power matters more, so a slap shot can be worth its wind-up if nobody is closing.
  3. Is there traffic in front? A redirection changes the puck's direction close to the net and leaves the goaltender almost no time to react, so a low, accurate shot a teammate can tip may be worth more than a hard one the goalie sees all the way.
  4. Where is the goalie moving? If he is moving across, a one-timer or a quick shot to the side he is leaving takes advantage.

Shooting in Hockey Career Sim 2026

In Hockey Career Sim 2026, shooting is one of the attributes you develop through training, alongside skating, passing, puck control and the rest, and choosing whether to shoot or pass is one of the decisions that moves momentum in a game. The career unfolds in a fictional league, and the game weights your choices by the attributes you have built. Stamina, positioning and awareness covers the attributes players tend to neglect, hockey career archetypes explained covers the scorer and playmaker paths, and hockey positions explained covers where each position tends to shoot from.

For the draft side, 84-0 Hockey Draft & GM Manager has you fill a starting six from a pool built on real players' careers, rated by the game itself; the hockey draft simulator guide explains how to balance scoring against defence. Neither game is affiliated with any league. For more of the sport's rules and numbers, see the hockey hub; the full set of titles is under sports career and GM games.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the main types of shots in hockey?
The core five are the wrist shot, snap shot, slap shot, backhand and one-timer. Redirections (tip-ins and deflections) and wrap-arounds are usually listed alongside them, and youth coaching guides add flip shots, screen shots and fake shots.
Does the type of shot affect the chance of scoring?
It is one factor among several. Expected-goals models such as MoneyPuck's use shot type as one input alongside distance, angle and what happened just before the shot, and Evolving-Hockey found distance the most important variable in its model. So a shot type's raw shooting percentage mixes the shot with the places it is usually taken from.
What is the difference between a wrist shot and a snap shot?
A wrist shot keeps the puck on the blade while the player sweeps it towards the target, which helps accuracy. A snap shot shortens that motion into a quick wind-up and snap of the blade into the puck, trading a little control for more speed off the stick. USA Hockey's skill progressions teach the wrist shot from the youngest age group and add the snap shot at 12-and-under.
What is a one-timer?
A one-timer is a shot taken directly off a pass, without stopping the puck first. Its value is timing: the goaltender has to move across with the pass. It is one of the later shooting skills taught: USA Hockey's skill progressions do not add it until the 14-and-under level.
How many types of hockey shots are there?
There is no official count. This article groups them into five main shots, plus redirections and wrap-arounds. USA Hockey's youth skill guide lists more than a dozen shooting skills by its oldest age group, including flip shots, screen shots and fake shots.

Sources

  1. Skill Progressions for Youth Hockey (opens in a new tab)USA Hockey Coaching Education Program — accessed
  2. 8-And-Under Practice Planner (opens in a new tab)USA Hockey — accessed
  3. National Hockey League Official Rules 2026-2027 (Rules 10, 24, 36, 60, 78 and 84) (opens in a new tab)National Hockey League — accessed
  4. A New Expected Goals Model for Predicting Goals in the NHL (opens in a new tab)Evolving-Hockey — accessed
  5. About and How it Works (opens in a new tab)MoneyPuck.com — accessed

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