Puckhandling Technique: A Focus on Top and Bottom Hands
Techniques to Improve Your Stickhandling
Soft and quick hands… everyone wants them, but not everyone has them. One underlying technique is critical to acquiring soft and quick puckhandling/stickhandling: identifying and improving the separation of duties of each of your hands.
Roles of Each Hand
Each hand is a contact point with the stick. What is each’s role?
Top Hand: The control hand
Your top hand initiates the blade’s movements, whether cupping the puck or spinning it on and off the blade. The top hand is actively in motion to apply the forces required.
Bottom Hand: The support hand
Your bottom hand should provide support, guidance, and stability when puckhandling. The bottom hand should be easily slid up and down the hockey stick’s shaft that allows for quality puckhandling in a large range of motion.
Of note… when pucks often bounce wildly off a player’s stick when receiving the puck, it’s almost always driven by a bottom hand that grips the stick too tight.
The bottom hand turns into the “power hand” as a larger force is applied for passing or shooting.
Example Video
Here is a great look at Connor McDavid’s stickhandling technique. The first time through, watch his top hand. The second time through, watch his bottom hand.
If that is too fast, here is the same video at half speed.
Stickhandling requires both hands to work together in concert. It’s important to note that the top hand and bottom hand have distinct roles and vastly different functions.
Next time you are practicing your puckhandling/stickhandling, ensure you have the correct function for each hand.
Cheers to silky mitts that manipulate the puck as well as you can imagine.
Further Reading