Quick answer
The forehand-to-backhand deke is the most fundamental move in hockey: you show the goalie or defender the puck on your forehand, get them to commit to that side, then quickly pull the puck across your body to your backhand and finish on the open side. To do it, carry the puck on your forehand with a little threat of a shot, sell the fake with your eyes and a slight lean, then sweep the puck across and roll to your backhand with soft hands. Keep the puck close and controlled, and finish with a backhand shot or tuck. Learn it slow and stationary first, sell the fake, and it becomes the move that beats goalies and defenders more than any other.
Key takeaways
- Show the forehand, sell it, then pull the puck across to your backhand to finish on the open side.
- Sell the fake with your eyes, head, and a slight lean — not just the puck.
- Keep the puck close and cupped as it crosses your body so it stays controlled.
- Finish with a backhand shot or a tuck into the open net.
- It's the highest-percentage deke in hockey — learn it before the fancy stuff.
- Drill it slow and stationary, then add speed and a defender.
Why this is the move to learn first
Every flashy highlight move is built on this one idea: make the defender commit one way, then go the other. The forehand-to-backhand is the cleanest version of that, and it's the move that scores the most goals in tight, on breakaways, and in shootouts. In thirty years I've watched players chase between-the-legs and spin moves before they could reliably beat a goalie forehand-to-backhand — and it's backwards. Master this first. Once you can sell the fake and finish on your backhand, the fancy moves are just variations, and defenders never stop respecting it.
How to do it, step by step
- Attack on your forehand. Carry the puck on your forehand with the threat of a shot so the defender or goalie honors that side.
- Sell the fake. Drop your eyes and lean slightly toward the forehand shot — make them believe it. Cue: "sell it with your eyes."
- Pull it across. Sweep the puck across your body to your backhand, keeping it close and cupped so it stays controlled.
- Roll to the backhand. Roll your wrists so the puck settles on your backhand blade, ready to finish.
- Finish open side. Shoot or tuck the puck into the space the defender or goalie gave up.
Coach Erik's tip: The fake is sold with your eyes and body, not with a big puck motion. Goalies read your head and shoulders — look at the forehand corner, lean like you'll shoot there, and they'll drop to that side. Players who only wave the puck across without selling the shot never fool anyone. Sell the shot first, then make the move.
Where and when to use it
| Situation | How it works |
|---|---|
| Breakaway | Sell the forehand shot, pull to the backhand, tuck it far side |
| Shootout | The classic move — freeze the goalie forehand, finish backhand |
| In tight on the net | Beat the goalie's pad by moving the puck across |
| 1-on-1 with a defender | Fake the forehand, pull to the backhand past their stick |
Drills to build it
Groove the move on a smooth surface with a stickhandling trainer and a ball for soft hands, finishing at a goalie target or net.
- Stationary pulls. 3×10 slow forehand-to-backhand pulls, keeping the puck close. No finish.
- Fake-and-finish. 3×8 sell the forehand, pull across, backhand shot at the open corner.
- Breakaway reps. Skate in, sell the shot, finish backhand. 10 reps.
- Head-up sell. Practice looking at the forehand corner while your hands make the move.
Build the hands and backhand behind it with our soft hands, backhand, and breakaway guides.
Coach Erik's tip: Practice your backhand finish as hard as the move itself. Most players sell the fake fine but then fumble the backhand shot because they never trained it. The move only scores if you can finish on your backhand — so shoot backhands until they're as reliable as your forehand.
Common mistakes
- Not selling the fake. Nobody bites. Fix: sell the forehand shot with eyes and lean.
- Puck too far from the body. You lose it crossing over. Fix: keep it close and cupped.
- Weak backhand finish. The move works but you miss. Fix: drill your backhand shot.
- Going too fast too soon. No control. Fix: slow and stationary first.
- Moving too early. The defender recovers. Fix: commit them to the forehand first.
- Head down. Can't sell it or read the net. Fix: eyes up, look at the forehand corner.
FAQ
What is the forehand-to-backhand deke?
It's the fundamental hockey move where you show the puck and a shot threat on your forehand, get the goalie or defender to commit to that side, then pull the puck across to your backhand and finish on the open side. It's the highest-percentage deke in the game.
Why should I learn this before fancy moves?
Because every fancy move is a variation of the same idea — commit them one way, go the other — and this is the cleanest, highest-percentage version. Master it first and you'll score more than players who chase flashy moves they can't finish.
How do I sell the fake?
With your eyes, head, and a slight lean toward a forehand shot, not just by waving the puck. Goalies read your head and shoulders, so look at the forehand corner and lean like you'll shoot there before you pull the puck across.
Why do I keep losing the puck on the move?
Usually because the puck is too far from your body as it crosses over. Keep it close and cupped on your blade through the whole move so it stays controlled, and slow the move down until the path is clean.
How do I finish on my backhand?
Roll your wrists so the puck settles on the backhand blade, then shoot or tuck it into the open side, angling the blade to lift it if needed. Train your backhand shot specifically — a good move with a weak backhand finish still misses.
Can I practice this off the ice?
Yes. Groove the forehand-to-backhand pull on a smooth surface with a ball or trainer, then add the fake and a backhand finish at a target. Head-up, sell-the-fake reps off the ice transfer straight to breakaways and shootouts.
Summary
The forehand-to-backhand deke is the foundation of beating goalies and defenders: attack on the forehand, sell the shot with your eyes and lean, pull the puck close across your body, and finish on your backhand into the open side. Learn it before any fancy move, and drill the backhand finish as hard as the fake. Build the pieces with our soft hands and breakaway guides, and explore the Hockey Stickhandling hub for more.
