Backhand Shot

Backhand shot is a shot that is executed by releasing the puck using the outer part of the blade of a hockey stick. The shot is released on the player’s backhand; right-handed shooters will bring their stick to their left side before shooting, while left-handed shooters bring their stick to their right side. The backhand shot is not the most accurate or most powerful shot, but it can be the trickiest shot for goaltenders to stop, because it is hard to tell where the puck will go when it is released from the opposing player’s stick.

Because the backhand shot is less powerful than the wrist shot or the slap shot, it will almost always be used close to the goal. The shot is most commonly used by players in situations when they only have the opposing goalie to beat and they are attempting to deke them (eg.:on breakaways, on penalty shots, or in shootouts).

Despite the backhand shot being the least used shot by forwards when they are in the attacking zone, some players, like Sidney Crosby and Pavel Datsyuk, are known for using the shot to score many goals.