Puckhandling: Rolling Out The Back

The NHL Player's Association recently came out with their 2021 player poll. A new question this year was "Who is the best stickhandler?" The results: Patrick Kane is clearly an elite puckhandler. This old Bauer Vapor commercial never gets old. Today we want to talk about puckhandling/stickhandling/dribbling technique. Specifically...

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The Widely Known Basics

The fundamentals of quality stickhandling have been known for a really long time.

1. Cupping/Cradling the puck - To keep the puck close and under control.
2. Tight grip top hand - This is the hand that drives the wrist roll to cradle the puck.
3. Soft grip bottom hand - This is the hand that slides and gives guidance. Without a soft bottom grip, a player’s range of motion is drastically reduced.

Rolling Out The Back

• Maximize puck on stick time
• Minimize stick in the air time
• A snap of the top hand at both ends
• Quick, short dribbles

Key Elements of Smooth Hands

• Rolling wrists both ways
• Gentle touch from one side of the stick to the other
• Placing the puck into a great spot for the next play