THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ICE HOCKEY SLAP SHOT: THE EFFECTS TO STICK CONSTRUCTION AND PLAYER SKILL

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction of players’ skill level, body strength, and sticks of various construction and stiffness on the performance of the slap shot in ice hockey. Twenty male players were tested: ten skilled, and ten unskilled. Each subject performed three slap shots with three sticks of different construction and shaft stiffness. Ground contact forces were measured while simultaneously video recording at 480 frames/second the stick movement and bending. The results indicated that 1) puck velocity was influenced by skill level and body strength but not stick type and that 2) variability in performance measures across subjects was greater than the variability across the stick stiffness. Further studies are needed to address the specific influence body strength and skill on the slap shot.