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Left or Right Hand Hockey Stick? Most Players Get This Wrong.

The truth about hockey stick handedness — and why the "righty uses a right-hand stick" rule is a myth.

Here's a stat that stops most people cold: roughly two-thirds of NHL players shoot left, but somewhere between 85 and 90 percent of the entire world is right-handed. If picking a hockey stick was as simple as "right-handed person uses a right-hand stick," that number would be flipped. So what's actually going on — and more importantly, how should you pick your handedness?

This is one of the most misunderstood topics in hockey, especially for new players. Let's break it all the way down.

First — What Does "Handedness" Actually Mean in Hockey?

In hockey, your "handedness" refers to which side of your body you shoot from — not which hand is dominant in everyday life. A left-hand shooter puts their right hand at the top of the stick (the grip) and their left hand lower on the shaft, with the blade on the left side of the body. A right-hand shooter flips that — left hand on top, right hand lower, blade on the right.

This already breaks the intuitive "right-handed people use right-hand sticks" assumption. Your top hand provides control and feel; your bottom hand generates power. Which hand does which job matters more than which hand you write with.

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How Does a Hockey Stick Curve Factor In?

The curve of a hockey stick blade is tied directly to handedness. A left-hand stick has its blade curved for a left-shooter's forehand — and a right-hand stick mirrors that for a right-shooter. Using the wrong handedness doesn't just feel awkward; it actively works against your stickhandling, passing, and shooting mechanics because the blade's curve is fighting you on every touch.

If you're curious about specific blade curves and what they're built for, check out the Hockey Monkey curve chart — it's one of the clearest references out there.

The Two Schools of Thought

There are two competing philosophies on how to pick your side, and both have legitimate reasoning behind them.

School of Thought #1 — Top Hand Is the Dominant Hand

The first school of thought says your dominant hand should be your top hand on the stick. The top hand is your control hand — it's responsible for stickhandling feel, puck protection, and finesse. The idea here is that you want your most capable hand doing the most technically demanding job.

Under this logic, a right-handed person would put their right hand at the top — making them a left-hand shooter. This actually explains a lot of that NHL stat. Most of the world is right-handed, and many players were taught (or naturally gravitated toward) putting their dominant hand on top — which made them left-shooters.

School of Thought #2 — Bottom Hand Is the Dominant Hand

The second school of thought argues your dominant hand should be your bottom hand. The bottom hand generates the power — it's what drives slap shots, one-timers, and hard wrist shots. Since shooting is one of the most important skills in hockey, the argument is that your stronger hand should be doing the heavy lifting.

Under this logic, a right-handed person would put their right hand lower — making them a right-hand shooter. This is the "obvious" choice most non-hockey people assume, and it's not wrong — it just isn't the only valid approach.

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Why Most People Are Wrong About This

The real problem isn't which school of thought someone follows — it's that most new players (and even parents signing up kids for hockey) make the decision based on something completely unrelated to either argument: they just copy whatever feels instinctively familiar, or they pick the side everyone else around them is using, or they get handed a stick at a store and go with it without thinking. 

KEY TAKEAWAY: JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOUR TOP HAND IS THE CONTROL HAND. 

Neither school of thought is universally correct. The NHL has top players on both sides who are dominant-hand-on-top and dominant-hand-on-bottom. The difference is they found what worked for their game and built on it. Most casual players never even ask the question. But again, the key is that you utilize your top hand for puck handling, regardless of which hand is dominate.

How to Actually Pick Your Side

Here's the practical approach — especially if you're new to hockey or helping someone else get started:

1. Try both. If you have access to sticks of each type, pick them up and take some shots. One side will feel significantly more natural than the other almost immediately. Trust that feeling — it overrides all theory.
2. Consider what you want to prioritize. If stickhandling and puck feel are most important to you (think forwards), lean toward dominant hand on top. If raw shooting power is the priority (think defensemen taking slap shots from the point), lean toward dominant hand on bottom.
3. Don't overthink switching later. Some players switch handedness after years of playing and adjust fine. It takes time, but it's not impossible. If you've been playing left and feel like right would serve your game better, it's worth experimenting in practice.
4. Don't let anyone tell you there's one right answer. There isn't. Both sides produce elite NHL players. The goal is finding what gives you the most control and the most natural feel on the ice.

The Bottom Line

Two-thirds of NHL players shoot left. Most of the world is right-handed. Both facts are true, and neither one tells you what to do. The answer is more personal than most people realize — and now you have the framework to actually make an informed decision instead of just grabbing whatever's on the shelf.

Watch the full breakdown in the video above for the complete visual walkthrough, including more detail on how blade curves interact with handedness and what to look for when testing each side.