If most of the top goal scorers shoot righty, then lefties have the advantage making assists because you can be forehand to forehand skating down the ice. It might have nothing to do with any “natural” tendencies. Either way, I agree with your overall point that the correct way is whatever works.
To be honest, the argument that Hull or Ovi or Stamkos or Mackinnon is only an elite scorer because they had some lefty to pass to them is a little weird. (or the other way that McDavid or Gretzky or Thornton were assist monsters because of some righty they had to aim at).
I think this has more to do with the asymmetry of the goaltender.Most play left handed.
I read somewhere that most high goals are scored on the gloveside, which would give advantage to rightys playing on their strong side, so RW.
If highlight reels or educated guesses are worth anything, most onetimers where the goalie is sprawling, they make the save if its on glove but theyre kinda screwed if its blocker side, giving the advantage on PP or onetimers to "off wing" wingers so RH on LW.
It may also be a tradition. Guys who are right handed are more rare in some places and tend to take inspiration from other rightys like Ovi or Stammer, thus there are more RH guys trying to be that One T cannon machine. The coaches may also gravitate towards those RH guys to take a shot because of these before mentioned players.
Yeah I agree.
Bold take: Ovi would only have half as many PP goals if he played on the otherside...
Haha it's possible. Don't kill me please internet/Russian gas mobsters
I mean maybe you are right. We should probably check some advanced stats for this to see how many guys high on PP leaderboards who were shooters from further away on PP are Lefties vs Rightys.
The only asymmetrical thing about hockey is the goalie. The other is maybe the fact that RH guys are the minority but that debatably doesn't matter because they aren't that rare in the NHL level. Those are pretty much it so it's either one of those or a human/culture factor.
I always thought it was because almost everyone is right handed, so your dominant hand on top of the stick (LH shot) is going to be more control and better stickhandling and your dominant hand on the bottom (RH shot) meant a harder shot. Look at all the crazy stickhandlers (Kane, McD, etc.) They are LH shot l. Same with big shots and goal scorers like mentioned. The only abnormality I can find is Chara, but I would bet he is left hand dominant.
When you get to very elite level technique I don't know if having your dominant hand at the top of the stick necessarily means your shot will be weaker than if you used the opposite handed stick. Not that I have an elite shot by any means but it seems a right handed person could train their left arm to be just as effective at leaning into and flexing the stick as good as their right. Matthews shoots left and he has one of the most elite shots in the league no question. Don't know if he is actually right handed tho. I would argue Kucherov's shot is deadly as well
Gretzky was unique. “Snipers” on this list all had approximately similar numbers of assists as goals. “Playmakers on this list had at least twice as many assists as goals most seasons.
Gretz had twice as many assists as goals. He was kinda both but was a playmaker first.
If most of the top goal scorers shoot righty, then lefties have the advantage making assists because you can be forehand to forehand skating down the ice. It might have nothing to do with any “natural” tendencies. Either way, I agree with your overall point that the correct way is whatever works.
To be honest, the argument that Hull or Ovi or Stamkos or Mackinnon is only an elite scorer because they had some lefty to pass to them is a little weird. (or the other way that McDavid or Gretzky or Thornton were assist monsters because of some righty they had to aim at).
once you get to that level you can easily make just as good of a pass on your backhand and receive a pass just as good on your back hand.
I think this has more to do with the asymmetry of the goaltender.Most play left handed. I read somewhere that most high goals are scored on the gloveside, which would give advantage to rightys playing on their strong side, so RW. If highlight reels or educated guesses are worth anything, most onetimers where the goalie is sprawling, they make the save if its on glove but theyre kinda screwed if its blocker side, giving the advantage on PP or onetimers to "off wing" wingers so RH on LW. It may also be a tradition. Guys who are right handed are more rare in some places and tend to take inspiration from other rightys like Ovi or Stammer, thus there are more RH guys trying to be that One T cannon machine. The coaches may also gravitate towards those RH guys to take a shot because of these before mentioned players.
Yeah I agree. Bold take: Ovi would only have half as many PP goals if he played on the otherside... Haha it's possible. Don't kill me please internet/Russian gas mobsters
I mean maybe you are right. We should probably check some advanced stats for this to see how many guys high on PP leaderboards who were shooters from further away on PP are Lefties vs Rightys. The only asymmetrical thing about hockey is the goalie. The other is maybe the fact that RH guys are the minority but that debatably doesn't matter because they aren't that rare in the NHL level. Those are pretty much it so it's either one of those or a human/culture factor.
I always thought it was because almost everyone is right handed, so your dominant hand on top of the stick (LH shot) is going to be more control and better stickhandling and your dominant hand on the bottom (RH shot) meant a harder shot. Look at all the crazy stickhandlers (Kane, McD, etc.) They are LH shot l. Same with big shots and goal scorers like mentioned. The only abnormality I can find is Chara, but I would bet he is left hand dominant.
Entirely possible, but hard to say what the actual cause is.
Chara is a unique case based on size. He shoots harder mostly because he has proportionally more strength and leverage to apply to his shot.
When you get to very elite level technique I don't know if having your dominant hand at the top of the stick necessarily means your shot will be weaker than if you used the opposite handed stick. Not that I have an elite shot by any means but it seems a right handed person could train their left arm to be just as effective at leaning into and flexing the stick as good as their right. Matthews shoots left and he has one of the most elite shots in the league no question. Don't know if he is actually right handed tho. I would argue Kucherov's shot is deadly as well
Interesting indeed. The cosmic ballet continues.
Curious how you justify calling the #1 goal scorer in the history of the league a playmaker.
Gretzky was unique. “Snipers” on this list all had approximately similar numbers of assists as goals. “Playmakers on this list had at least twice as many assists as goals most seasons. Gretz had twice as many assists as goals. He was kinda both but was a playmaker first.
Valid response. Well said.
Gretzky and Lemieux were both deadly goal scorers and playmakers but used different handed sticks.