? Switching glove hands ?

[The Wall33]

This might seem a little bit out there....

Has anyone ever switched their catching and blocking gloves? For example, I currently catch with my left hand and wear my blocker on my right. I'm thinking about trying to switch and catch with my right hand and block with my left....

Why?

Because I shoot right handed and I would then have a much better stick handling ability b/c I would eliminate my current situation of using a right curved stick and having to flip it over to pass the puck...

Besides, I think it would be a mind trip if you switched glove hands bewteen periods.... just think how messed up the shooters on the other team would be!

I know this would entail a high degree of coordination, in essence becoming ambidextous...

Let me know what you think...

Dave Wells

[glennhealy]

I think it would probably be easier to just learn to shoot left handed.

I was in the same situation as you where I catch with my left hand, but am naturally a right handed shot. I just practiced shooting left handed and now I can do so well enough to employ it in my game.

I don't think it's worth the trouble to completely rework a major part of how you play goal just to improve your stickhandling ability.

A goalies main job is to stop pucks, stickhandling is just a fun extra.

[Frosty]

Switching hands is like double dating

[Huntster]

Wall

Same boat. If I was able to borrow some wrong handed equipment it would be fun to try.

[Racer96]

I'll admit that I haven't watched Joseph closely lately, but I do recall that he used to shoot right. He'd keep the blocker hand down low, and use the catch on the top, you could try adding that in as well.

I'd think that working with the way you currently play, would make alot more sense than trying to switch it up and start learning the other way now.

But, it would indeed be kewl to see

Mike

[wavecave]

Actually I do switch hands. When I play for the beginner league at my local rink I have to use "regular" gloves (I'm a full-right normally) This is to "handicap" me since I'm considered a higher-level player.

It's cool, though the few times you end up trying to use your trapper as a blocker or trying to catch the puck with the blocker are weird

Of course, having grown up play street hockey helps, as it wasn't very often I had full-right gear to use, so my glove hand is great, no matter what side it's on

-Dan

[The Wall33]

Yep, it would definitely be smarter just to learn how to shoot with my wrong hand but I've been practicing this for years and I have no coordination.... it's just one of those things...

I still think it would be awesome to be a lefty one shift, go to the bench, switch gloves and stick, then suddenly reappear as a rightie....

[29smoke]

is that like if you have a good hand you go alone???

[PDManseau]

Dave, I did this, and have never looked back. However I initially had pretty good dexterity in both my hands. I am now a full right goalie, and can shoot the puck well. However I can't right now due to a broken finger. However, I do not recommend this to everybody, because I know some people that have had a problem trying to get acclimated to playing the opposite manner. If you feel that you can achieve a similar level of play, by switching your gloves, then by all means go ahead. However, if it is going to cause alot of problems. Then I would recommend staying the way you are and learning how to shoot the offhand. Also, I switched at a young age, and if you ever want to buy used equipment, it is very difficult to find full right gloves.
-Phil

[azdaren]

When I first started playing in net (about 15 months ago), and didn't have any gear yet I used to play either way. Sometimes they guy who would lend me his gear would be full righty and I'd have to switch hands. For anyone whos played baseball you know it is harder than it looks to catch with your wrong hand. The nice part is the shooting, everytime I had a set of full right equip, I was way better at handling the puck cause I shoot righty when I play out. I think you should find out which way you stop more pucks and go with it. You can always learn to shoot lefty by practicing.

Daren

[bEaStFrOmThEaSt]

You could play around with an opposite handed player stick , It helped alot becuse i like to play roller player sometimes.

[Gump]

One of the first(and only) goalies with the ability to catch pucks with both hands equally well was a goalie who played for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1940's or 1950's was Bill Durnan! You should check out his backround and his terrific career. He grew up in Toronto and his coach told him that because he was so slow moving from side to side in goal, he needed to learn how to switch hands re-holding his stick! Both of his gloves were used like trappers and I believe the gloves are on display in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. These gloves probably couldn't stop the slap shots of today but in his time he was successful in capturing at least a couple of Stanley Cups while he played in Montreal! Check him out--Bill Durnan. Gee, some nights I have trouble trying to snag some pucks with one hand only!!

[stollie_the_goalie]

When I was first getting into hockey, I would play street hockey without any pads, and I played full right. However, I went and bought my first glove, but they only had left-handed ones, so I made the change over to holding my stick with my right hand.

Now playing full right feels weird for me, even though I started out that way.

I bought a full right glove from PDManseau, and now occasionally I'll play practice with 2 gloves on. It's a bit painful when I try to block the puck with the backhand of my glove, though.