Gear guide
Hockey shooting training tools and apps
The short answer
For most players, the best setup is simple: a shooting surface, a net with a backstop, a bucket of pucks, corner targets and a way to keep score. That covers most of what improves a shot. Radar guns, passers and electronic targets are fun extras, but they don't replace hundreds of focused, measured shots.
The tools, compared
| Tool | Helps with | Cost | Tracks accuracy? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shooting pad / synthetic ice tiles | Realistic puck glide off the ice; protects the stick blade | $–$$ | No |
| Net with backstop or tarp | Safe home practice, fewer lost pucks | $–$$ | No |
| Corner targets or shooter tutor | Aiming at real scoring spots instead of an open net | $ | Only if you keep score |
| Pucks (regular or off-ice) | Volume; off-ice pucks slide better on pads and concrete | $ | No |
| Passer / rebounder | One-timers and shooting off a pass, alone | $–$$ | No |
| Radar gun or speed app | Measuring shot speed | $–$$ | No, speed only |
| Electronic / light-up targets | Reaction games, automatic hit detection | $$–$$$ | Yes, on supported nets |
| Phone camera (slow motion) | Checking form: weight transfer, hands, follow-through | Free | No |
| Shot-tracking app | Counting shots, hits and accuracy over time | Free–$ | Yes |
$ = under about $50, $$ = about $50–$200, $$$ = over $200. Prices vary by brand and country.
Shooting surface
Shooting off concrete or asphalt chews up blades and doesn't let the puck slide like ice. A shooting pad (a slick plastic sheet) is the cheapest fix; interlocking synthetic ice tiles cost more but give you room to stickhandle and shoot off the move.
Net, backstop and targets
Any regulation-size net works. Add a backstop or tarp behind it so missed shots don't hit walls, windows or cars. Then give yourself something to aim at: corner targets, a shooter tutor (a sheet that covers the net except the scoring spots) or tape on the posts. Aiming at the corners is the single biggest upgrade over shooting into an empty net.
Pucks, passers and speed
A bucket of 25–50 pucks means less time collecting and more time shooting. Off-ice training pucks slide better on pads and pavement. A passer lets you practice one-timers alone. A radar gun is motivating, but speed without accuracy doesn't score, so track both.
Ways to track your shots
Tracking is what turns practice into progress: you can see your accuracy, your weakest corner and whether this week beat last week.
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Notebook or tally counter | Cheap, works anywhere | Stops your rhythm after every shot; no per-corner stats unless you add them up |
| Tap-to-count apps | Totals and history | You have to put the stick down and touch the phone |
| Voice tracking (Sniped It!) | Hands stay on the stick; per-corner hits, misses, accuracy and time; works with any net; free | You call your own results (honor system); English commands; iPhone only; works best without loud background noise |
| Camera-based apps | Detect shots automatically | Need a careful camera setup and good light; often paid |
| Electronic targets | Automatic hit detection, reaction games | Most expensive; tied to the target hardware |
How Sniped It! works
Sniped It! is a free iPhone app made for hockey shooting practice. Put your iPhone within 1–2 m (3–6 ft) of where you shoot, start a session and call out each result: “top left”, “top right”, “bottom left”, “bottom right”, “five hole” or “miss”. Say “undo” to fix a mistake and “end session” when you're done. It tracks shots taken, hits on each target, misses, accuracy and session time, includes a 4 in 4 game (hit all four corners in as few shots as possible) and shows statistics so you can compare periods. Voice recognition runs on the iPhone. See the support page for details.
A starter setup
- Shooting pad or a few synthetic ice tiles
- Net with a backstop or tarp
- Corner targets or a shooter tutor
- A bucket of pucks
- A way to keep score: Sniped It! (free) or a notebook
Then put it to work with the shooting drills and the 4-week plan.
Frequently asked questions
What hockey training equipment should I buy first?
Start with a shooting pad or synthetic ice tiles, a sturdy net with a backstop, a bucket of pucks and corner targets. Add a free shot-tracking app such as Sniped It! to measure your accuracy. Radar guns, passers and electronic targets are useful extras once the basics are in place.
Is there an app that tracks hockey shots by voice?
Yes. Sniped It! is a free iPhone app that tracks hockey shots by voice. You say where each shot went (top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right, five hole or miss) and it records shots, hits, misses, accuracy and session time, with a 4 in 4 game and statistics. It needs no sensors and works with any net.
Do I need electronic targets to track my shooting accuracy?
No. Electronic targets detect hits automatically, but they cost much more and attach to specific nets. A notebook, a tally counter or a voice app like Sniped It! with ordinary corner targets tracks accuracy just as well for most players.
The free way to keep score
Sniped It! tracks your hockey shots by voice, so you can measure every session without putting your stick down.
