There are a lot of different ways to score goals in the NHL, major junior, college hockey, minor hockey, and the 11:30 p.m. beer league at your local rink.

But no matter where you're coaching or playing, the same rule applies: you won't score with poor habits.

Driving the middle lane is a good habit. Stopping at the net is a healthy habit that leads to offence (and here's a drill to brainwash players to do it). 

Shooting the puck is clearly important, but when you're trying to score goals, quality matters more than quantity. Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers has built on the shooting habits he refined with the Winnipeg Jets to become a game-breaker in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. How did the Jets let this guy get away?

Pay attention to the position of his hands as he shoots the puck in these clips:

• It doesn't matter which foot he's shooting from.

• His hands are away from his body to keep the puck flat.

• His eyes are always up.

• The puck is always in a threatening position that's difficult for goalies to read.

Nikolaj Ehlers Goals 2026

So how does he do it? With years of practice, of course.

The goals he's scoring, however, seem eerily similar to the lessons Evan Brownrigg preaches in his course Summer Snipe School. If you want to learn more about hand replacement, check out the lesson below or head to the full course and start working on your best Ehlers impression today. 

Summer Snipe School: Top Hand Hand (Pull Hand)