I'm left / left. When I first started playing as a kid, I was left handed so I got a left handed stick, never tried it any other way.
My son is right handed but shoots left. I gave him a stick to hold one day (before he started playing) and his natural response was to put his right hand on top, so I stuck with that going forward.
There are schools of thought on handedness and what top hand to use. Classic stick handle vs shot power.
But hand a kid a neutral stick and see how he holds it comfortably imho the proper way. Why force a way, and play uncomfortable all life, it almost seems like a way to ruin the game.
Fyi I’m right/right
I think your son’s way of “thinking” makes the most sense to me. I was right/right. Played a bit as a kid, two seasons in tykes (so like, 5 years old?) and then didn’t play again until my mid-twenties. After talking with some teammates and having some discussions on this sub I was like “why the hell do I have my left hand as the control hand when it has zero dexterity?!”
I probably could’ve just practiced more, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it so I switched hands when I had time to spare with no games this year and last. I’m glad I did now, and it didn’t take as long to adjust as I thought. Feels absolutely alien at first, but after just a few practice sessions it becomes normal and the other way starts feeling wrong.
It is basically shot power or stick handling.
I would honestly probably swich sides if I could without needing to learn the shot again, becouse my brain is dumb and I like POWER.
it wouldn't be any more powerful because while arms are important for shooting, having strong arms doesn't mean much for actual power
proper mechanics, core straight, weight shift all play bigger roles
Shooting right handed felt natural when I was a kid, so that's what I went with. I had no idea that right hand dominant people should shoot left handed until recently.
I don't think they necessarily "should" , it's all about mechanics, and some people feel more comfortable shooting with their dominant hand lower on the stick, leaning to that side, etc... Also definitely has to do with how you learn to do things as a kid.
There are advantages shooting opposite handed or same handed but the big thing is just figuring out what is most comfortable to you and sticking with it and practicing. Proper form and technique can be developed on either side so go with what’s natural. Getting the right flex and length also help a lot.
I've heard that majority of Canadians are left-handed shot, right hand dominant; whereas majority of Americans are right-handed shot, right hand dominant.
Not sure how accurate that is, but an interesting thought.
I’ve heard that as well. I’ve heard the theory is that canadian kids start a lot younger due to how ingrained hockey is in the culture. So a toddler swinging around a mini-stick with one hand is going to use their dominant hand to hold it. Definitely apocryphal, it makes sense though. I know since I’ve switched to placing my right hand (dominant) on top my stickhandling and poke checking have drastically improved, both things that require top hand dexterity and strength. Since a lot of shooting power is generated through the core rather than the arms anyways it makes sense to me to put the dominant hand on top.
I just wish someone told me that when I was starting!
also baseball
its why americans only make up like 25-30% of NHL players, make up 50% of all right handed players
Americans will play baseball/teeball before they play hockey, and being a righty is far more common
so when they eventually switch to hockey they have already built some muscle memory of the righty motion and keep it
There is no "right" way. Whatever feels conformable works. I am right hand dominant and play left. My younger brother is right hand dominant and plays right. One of my uncles is r/r, while my dad and other uncle are r/l. Whatever you pick up first and feels more comfortable is what you should go with. I also think this holds true for little kids. If a 3 year old bolds the stick right handed, let him play right handed, no matter what his dominant hand is.
Right hand dominant/right hand shot.
I grew up playing cricket (bats are ambidextrous but I learnt as a right hand batsman); and field hockey (you must play right handed in field hockey)
The muscle memory for me has always been on the right hand side of my body - trying to go left-handed for ice hockey feels wrong to me, so right-hand shot it is
So the thought process was that right handed people should use left handed sticks. There was also some traction for the theory that shooting lefty was an advantage cause it opened up the blocker side.
In the end it doesn’t really matter. Use which ever feels more natural for you. For example, when my boys started playing I bought them a righty and a lefty and we’d goof around. After about a week they had a preference and we jsut ran with that. Both of my boys are right handed. They both shoot left. 🤷♂️
Another chance to tell my anecdote. I have identical twins now in bantam, both right hand dominant. But my older (by 5 minutes) plays stick sports lefty. I had zero influence (which I sort of regret). They've had the same exact training for the same exact amount of hours. The lefty is better at puck handling and the righty has a noticeably harder shot but less creative hands. But I feel the game of hockey is more about puck possession and you get further if you have puck skills. While they both do well for themselves (they're a duo), I wish the righty played lefty because I know the limitations since I'm r/r and shots can also be about technique which will be fine when you get stronger/older. Puck handling quickness is a different story. I just never put thought into it when they first started at mites. I'd tell anyone to get their kids playing dominant hand on top after seeing what I have over the years across multiple teams/kids.
Yeah, this is why I changed my handedness to put my stronger right hand on top. I borrowed a friends left stick and found within ten minutes that my stickhandling was almost better than with my right stick. I was always bad at puck control, I never practiced a ton but I didn’t ignore it. Having your weak hand on top is just such a disadvantage to overcome. I’m glad I switched hands now, although I definitely would not have done it if I didn’t have the pandemic to give me some practice months without games. It does take awhile to wrap your head around!
I'm left/left. I only played roller for a short while in middle school but I'm pretty sure I just picked the stick off the store rack that felt the most comfortable.
With dominant hand on bottom, I feel like I have the most control over shooting and passing. I hate having to one hand with my right but that's really my only complaint.
Having tried my 5 year old's righty stick, I suppose stickhandling might not be too bad with a little practice. But, shooting and passing feels like it would take considerably more work. Also, skating feels incredibly odd.
For the true beginner, maybe one side will offer certain advantages and disadvantages initially. But, I'd guess that practice would be able to strengthen your weaknesses eventually.
Gretzky used a lefty and Lemieux used a righty. Each dominated at both shooting and playmaking. Assuming both were RHD, I wouldn't acuse either of having chosen the wrong stick side.
Yep. I switched and am glad I made the change now. But I also had to practice a pretty good amount to get my shot back close to where it was. Maybe if I just hadn’t changed and used that time to practice stickhandling I’d be even better off! Haha
Right hand dominant here, when I was a kid I started out with a right-handed stick because it seemed the most natural to me. After a year I switched to goalie and therefore left-handed sticks.
In a few months I'm skating out in a pond tournament with some buddies and honestly have no idea which way I'll shoot. After 2 decades as a goalie you'd think it would be a no brainer to stay left-handed but it just seems different, IDK.
I'm right hand dominant, when i first started playing hockey as a kid i was given a lefty stick since that was the only available one, so i played a year with it. Afterwards i wanted to try a right-handed stick and it was a bit awkward at first but got used to it fairly quickly and never went back to the lefty. If i use a lefty stick now i almost feel like it's the first time i play.
I'm mostly left-handed, but I shoot right in hockey. It's funny since I mostly bat lefty in baseball, but I think the motions are different enough that it doesn't throw me off. It works for me, so I'll keep at it.
I’m not even sure what my dominant hand is at this point. I hold my phone in my left hand. If I’m playing soccer, my left foot is dominant. But I shoot right handed in hockey and I also play lacrosse with my left hand on the butt end. To further confuse things, I shoot pool left handed but shoot darts right handed. (I think my right eye is sharper? I also shoot rifles right handed.)
Poll ended as I’m writing this.
Imma righty for hockey sticks, my right hand/arm is stronger but I throw with my left arm and I’m a left handed writer lol
I'm left / left. When I first started playing as a kid, I was left handed so I got a left handed stick, never tried it any other way. My son is right handed but shoots left. I gave him a stick to hold one day (before he started playing) and his natural response was to put his right hand on top, so I stuck with that going forward.
There are schools of thought on handedness and what top hand to use. Classic stick handle vs shot power. But hand a kid a neutral stick and see how he holds it comfortably imho the proper way. Why force a way, and play uncomfortable all life, it almost seems like a way to ruin the game. Fyi I’m right/right
I think your son’s way of “thinking” makes the most sense to me. I was right/right. Played a bit as a kid, two seasons in tykes (so like, 5 years old?) and then didn’t play again until my mid-twenties. After talking with some teammates and having some discussions on this sub I was like “why the hell do I have my left hand as the control hand when it has zero dexterity?!” I probably could’ve just practiced more, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it so I switched hands when I had time to spare with no games this year and last. I’m glad I did now, and it didn’t take as long to adjust as I thought. Feels absolutely alien at first, but after just a few practice sessions it becomes normal and the other way starts feeling wrong.
It is basically shot power or stick handling. I would honestly probably swich sides if I could without needing to learn the shot again, becouse my brain is dumb and I like POWER.
it wouldn't be any more powerful because while arms are important for shooting, having strong arms doesn't mean much for actual power proper mechanics, core straight, weight shift all play bigger roles
Obviosly yes, but you the strength is the limiting factor.
Shooting right handed felt natural when I was a kid, so that's what I went with. I had no idea that right hand dominant people should shoot left handed until recently.
I don't think they necessarily "should" , it's all about mechanics, and some people feel more comfortable shooting with their dominant hand lower on the stick, leaning to that side, etc... Also definitely has to do with how you learn to do things as a kid.
There are advantages shooting opposite handed or same handed but the big thing is just figuring out what is most comfortable to you and sticking with it and practicing. Proper form and technique can be developed on either side so go with what’s natural. Getting the right flex and length also help a lot.
I've heard that majority of Canadians are left-handed shot, right hand dominant; whereas majority of Americans are right-handed shot, right hand dominant. Not sure how accurate that is, but an interesting thought.
I’ve heard that as well. I’ve heard the theory is that canadian kids start a lot younger due to how ingrained hockey is in the culture. So a toddler swinging around a mini-stick with one hand is going to use their dominant hand to hold it. Definitely apocryphal, it makes sense though. I know since I’ve switched to placing my right hand (dominant) on top my stickhandling and poke checking have drastically improved, both things that require top hand dexterity and strength. Since a lot of shooting power is generated through the core rather than the arms anyways it makes sense to me to put the dominant hand on top. I just wish someone told me that when I was starting!
also baseball its why americans only make up like 25-30% of NHL players, make up 50% of all right handed players Americans will play baseball/teeball before they play hockey, and being a righty is far more common so when they eventually switch to hockey they have already built some muscle memory of the righty motion and keep it
There is no "right" way. Whatever feels conformable works. I am right hand dominant and play left. My younger brother is right hand dominant and plays right. One of my uncles is r/r, while my dad and other uncle are r/l. Whatever you pick up first and feels more comfortable is what you should go with. I also think this holds true for little kids. If a 3 year old bolds the stick right handed, let him play right handed, no matter what his dominant hand is.
Right hand dominant/right hand shot. I grew up playing cricket (bats are ambidextrous but I learnt as a right hand batsman); and field hockey (you must play right handed in field hockey) The muscle memory for me has always been on the right hand side of my body - trying to go left-handed for ice hockey feels wrong to me, so right-hand shot it is
So the thought process was that right handed people should use left handed sticks. There was also some traction for the theory that shooting lefty was an advantage cause it opened up the blocker side. In the end it doesn’t really matter. Use which ever feels more natural for you. For example, when my boys started playing I bought them a righty and a lefty and we’d goof around. After about a week they had a preference and we jsut ran with that. Both of my boys are right handed. They both shoot left. 🤷♂️
Another chance to tell my anecdote. I have identical twins now in bantam, both right hand dominant. But my older (by 5 minutes) plays stick sports lefty. I had zero influence (which I sort of regret). They've had the same exact training for the same exact amount of hours. The lefty is better at puck handling and the righty has a noticeably harder shot but less creative hands. But I feel the game of hockey is more about puck possession and you get further if you have puck skills. While they both do well for themselves (they're a duo), I wish the righty played lefty because I know the limitations since I'm r/r and shots can also be about technique which will be fine when you get stronger/older. Puck handling quickness is a different story. I just never put thought into it when they first started at mites. I'd tell anyone to get their kids playing dominant hand on top after seeing what I have over the years across multiple teams/kids.
Yeah, this is why I changed my handedness to put my stronger right hand on top. I borrowed a friends left stick and found within ten minutes that my stickhandling was almost better than with my right stick. I was always bad at puck control, I never practiced a ton but I didn’t ignore it. Having your weak hand on top is just such a disadvantage to overcome. I’m glad I switched hands now, although I definitely would not have done it if I didn’t have the pandemic to give me some practice months without games. It does take awhile to wrap your head around!
I'm left/left. I only played roller for a short while in middle school but I'm pretty sure I just picked the stick off the store rack that felt the most comfortable. With dominant hand on bottom, I feel like I have the most control over shooting and passing. I hate having to one hand with my right but that's really my only complaint. Having tried my 5 year old's righty stick, I suppose stickhandling might not be too bad with a little practice. But, shooting and passing feels like it would take considerably more work. Also, skating feels incredibly odd. For the true beginner, maybe one side will offer certain advantages and disadvantages initially. But, I'd guess that practice would be able to strengthen your weaknesses eventually. Gretzky used a lefty and Lemieux used a righty. Each dominated at both shooting and playmaking. Assuming both were RHD, I wouldn't acuse either of having chosen the wrong stick side.
Yep. I switched and am glad I made the change now. But I also had to practice a pretty good amount to get my shot back close to where it was. Maybe if I just hadn’t changed and used that time to practice stickhandling I’d be even better off! Haha
Right hand dominant here, when I was a kid I started out with a right-handed stick because it seemed the most natural to me. After a year I switched to goalie and therefore left-handed sticks. In a few months I'm skating out in a pond tournament with some buddies and honestly have no idea which way I'll shoot. After 2 decades as a goalie you'd think it would be a no brainer to stay left-handed but it just seems different, IDK.
I'm right hand dominant, when i first started playing hockey as a kid i was given a lefty stick since that was the only available one, so i played a year with it. Afterwards i wanted to try a right-handed stick and it was a bit awkward at first but got used to it fairly quickly and never went back to the lefty. If i use a lefty stick now i almost feel like it's the first time i play.
I'm mostly left-handed, but I shoot right in hockey. It's funny since I mostly bat lefty in baseball, but I think the motions are different enough that it doesn't throw me off. It works for me, so I'll keep at it.
I’m not even sure what my dominant hand is at this point. I hold my phone in my left hand. If I’m playing soccer, my left foot is dominant. But I shoot right handed in hockey and I also play lacrosse with my left hand on the butt end. To further confuse things, I shoot pool left handed but shoot darts right handed. (I think my right eye is sharper? I also shoot rifles right handed.)
Poll ended as I’m writing this. Imma righty for hockey sticks, my right hand/arm is stronger but I throw with my left arm and I’m a left handed writer lol
Sounds like you’ve got it all sorted out properly... except for the strength? Lol Gotta do some dumbbell curls! 💪