Slapshot
A high-speed, low-accuracy shot requiring a long setup.
A slapshot (sometimes written as slap shot) is a forceful ice hockey shot valued for its high speed and long range, but it comes with drawbacks: it requires a long setup time and is often less accurate. The shot unfolds in four smooth steps: the player raises the stick to shoulder height or higher, then forcefully strikes the ice just behind the puck, using body weight to flex the stick and store energy like a spring; as the blade hits the puck, the player rolls the wrists and shifts weight, releasing that stored energy; finally, the stick follows through toward the target. This shot is a signature part of hockey’s image, capable of creating sudden, game-changing scores—similar to a home run in baseball or a Hail Mary in football.
The slapshot is hard and fast but tough to aim, and its slow execution makes it risky under defensive pressure, as an opponent can easily disrupt the windup. When a defender is near, players often choose a quicker shot like the wrist shot. Defencemen at the point use the slapshot most often, especially during a power play, though forwards may also seize an opportunity. Its invention is credited to Montreal Canadiens’ Bernard “Boom Boom” Geoffrion, whose nickname came from the loud crack of his shots. Black Canadian Eddie Martin of the Coloured Hockey League’s Halifax Eurekas is also credited with inventing it in the late 1800s. Dick Irvin, a star in the WCHL and PCHA who later coached Geoffrion, was known for a hard, accurate slapshot; as a child in Winnipeg in the 1890s and 1900s, he practiced shooting at a doorknob in his attic for accuracy, and in summer he drew a chalk net on his family’s sled garage and practiced one-timers off a wooden board embedded in the ground.
Since the 2010s, slapshot use in top professional leagues like the NHL has dropped, except for the one-timer. Defences have grown faster and better at blocking shooting lanes, punishing the slow setup, and improved equipment makes players less afraid to block hard shots. Even when a defenceman doesn’t close in time, goalies are more prepared, expecting a direct shot and squaring up to block it. On offense, modern composite sticks are lighter and more flexible than old wooden ones, allowing accurate wrist shots from farther out.
- Nhl record fastest shot
- 108.8 mph (175.5 km/h) by Zdeno Chara on January 29, 2012, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Ahl record fastest slapshot
- 109.2 mph (175.7 km/h) by Martin Frk on January 26, 2020, in Ontario, California, USA
- Khl record fastest shot
- 114.127 mph (183.67 km/h) by Alexander Riazantsev on January 21, 2012, in Riga, Latvia
Lore & Background
The invention of the slapshot is credited to Bernard 'Boom Boom' Geoffrion of the Montreal Canadiens, a nickname alluding to the thunderous clack of his slapshots. Black Canadian Eddie Martin, of the Coloured Hockey League's Halifax Eurekas, has also been credited with inventing the slapshot in the late 1800s. Dick Irvin, a star player in the WCHL and PCHA who later coached Geoffrion with the Habs, was renowned for having a hard and accurate slapshot. Growing up in Winnipeg in the 1890s and 1900s, he would practice shooting against a doorknob in his attic during winter for accuracy; in summer, he drew a chalk outline of a net onto his family's sled garage and practiced one-timers off a wooden board embedded in the ground.
The slapshot is most commonly used by a defenceman at the point, especially during a power play, although a forward will sometimes find an opportunity to use it. The shot takes longer to execute, and a player usually cannot take a slapshot while under significant pressure from an opponent because they could easily interfere during the windup. Offensive players, when wary of a defensive player intervening, may elect to take a quicker shot such as a wrist shot.
Starting in the 2010s, usage of the slapshot at the highest levels of professional play (such as the NHL) has declined, with the exception of the one-timer shot. This is due to faster defensive players adept at blocking shooting lanes, better equipment making players less fearful of blocking fast shots, and goalies better prepared to square up against a direct slapshot. Modern composite sticks are lighter and more flexible than classic wooden sticks, enabling accurate wrist shots from further out, which players prefer for faster setup and more deception.
Reader's Guide
The slapshot remains a defining element of ice hockey, though its role has evolved. Historically, it was a primary weapon for defencemen at the point, especially during power plays, and could serve as a surprise turning point in a game. Its iconic status is comparable to a home run in baseball or a Hail Mary in American football. However, starting in the 2010s, its usage at the highest professional levels declined, except for the one-timer variant. This decline stems from modern defensive improvements: players are faster and more adept at blocking shooting lanes, better equipment reduces fear of blocking hard shots, and goalies are better prepared to square up against a direct slapshot. Offensively, modern composite sticks allow accurate wrist shots from further out, offering faster setup and more deception to confuse goalies. The one-timer still sees use because the shooter can set up before receiving the puck, avoiding the slow wind-up that gives defences time to react. The slapshot's legacy is also tied to speed records, with pucks reaching over 100 mph, though records from the NHL, AHL, and KHL are not directly comparable due to differing regulations for hardest shot competitions.
Did You Know?
- The slapshot has four stages: windup, slapping the ice to bend the stick, rolling wrists on contact, and follow-through.
- The invention of the slapshot is credited to Bernard 'Boom Boom' Geoffrion, though Black Canadian Eddie Martin has also been credited with inventing it in the late 1800s.
- The KHL record for fastest shot is 114.127 mph (183.67 km/h) by Alexander Riazantsev in 2012.
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