Detroit's Jimmy Howard is one of the most aggressive goaltenders in the NHL often challenging beyond the blue paint - confident the Wings' defenders will cover threats behind him (Scott Slingsby photo).

Triangulation is categorized by Hockey Canada as a group tactic. It involves 3 attacking players and is commonly employed in odd man rushes. Most commonly this is a 3-on-2 rush. In this situation two attackers go wide with one being in possession of the puck. They form the base of the triangle (see diagram). The third attacking player is the high man and forms the triangle’s apex. Unfortunately this man is frequently left unchecked due to miscommunication or poor back-checking efforts which created the odd man rush to begin with! With the puck carrying winger going wide, a pass is commonly made to the high trailer. If the two wingers are appropriately covered the high man commonly elect to shoot the puck. He may shoot to score or he may shoot to create a rebound. However, this scenario can be discussed in another article!

Now let us look at things from the goaltender’s perspective. Initially, the goalie must recognize the situation and assess how well the D-men are containing the wingers going wide. The goalie must also respect the fact that a shot may be taken from a poor angle. If a pass is made from winger to winger then there is a serious breakdown in defensive coverage and the play has realistically evolved into a 2-on-1, but I digress. The goaltender must communicate with the “D” and let them know with basic triangulation that the “D” are responsible for the wingers and the goalie is responsible for the high man. This should allow the “D” to shut down any passing lanes. This is not to say however that the “D” should continue to collapse forever and turn a 3-on-2 with triangulation into an uncontested breakaway! There comes a point in as the play unfolds where (1) passing lanes are no longer available or practical and (2) the “D” therefore slow down their retreat and start to move towards the puck carrier . Once responsibilities have been established, it is time for the goaltender to challenge the high man.

I have seen too many young developing goaltenders not be aggressive in stepping out to take away open net at this point. Some have not received proper training. Some are too immature in their development to understand the importance of managing depth when time is available and the situation calls for it. Yet others over think the play and believe by being out beyond the blue paint they will get “burned” by a pass to the winger down low. Can this happen? Most certainly, and it proves two things: (1) Clear communication must occur between teammates and (2) a systematic approach must be established for common tactical situations by the coaching staff so everyone is “on the same page.” Everyone wants to blame the goaltender but no logically thinking coach would blame his keeper if the “D” are not capable of executing their responsibilities. Furthermore, I am not suggesting that the goalie be excessively aggressive which is ridiculous and ill-advised.

Triangulation is a commonly tactical situation with which all goaltenders must be familiar. There are many variants of the basic scenario describe in this article. However, if things go the way they should from the goaltender’s perspective, the high puck carrier will have to take a shot within a short time of receiving the puck. Goaltenders should realize when this is the case and take an extra step out to reduce some open net for the best players who only need a tiny open target to score.

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Roberto Luongo checks for potential scoring threat while playing on his blocker side post. (InGoal File photo)

Looking off the puck (LOTP) is a small but critical element to the success of any goaltender’s game. As the phrase implies, the goaltender takes a very brief opportunity to look away from the puck location to see what potential passing and/or shooting options are available to the puck carrier. The issue is not IF the goalie is going to LOTP but when to do it, with what type of frequency and for what duration of time.

The most common location to find a goaltender in when LOTP is with goal-post integration. The puck will be located either in the (A) QUIET ZONES down low or (B) along the half wall which some refer to as PERIMETER ZONES. In these areas of the defensive zone a puck battle frequently occurs involving two or more players. There is no immediate threat of a shot being taken or of a goal being scored. Hence, this is the perfect opportunity to analyze possible tactical options available to your opponent should they emerge with the puck. LOTP simply employs a technique referred to as “Head-on-a swivel”. The goaltender should look high on the strong side (1), to the slot (2), on the weak side (3) and of course to the back door (4) for the presence of an opposing player and the viability of a passing lane.

As the goaltender moves further from the goal-post (and more towards the top of the crease arc) the available options and tactical complexity increases. In such a scenario the goaltender may have to look to the weak side and down low on both sides (e.g. power play). However, as the complexity of the situation increases, the goalie should also rely on other stimuli to help increase his/her chances of success. These stimuli can be auditory, visual and kinesthetic in origin.

Auditory signals which help with anticipation include the sounds of skates moving, tapping the stick on the ice to receive a pass and of course verbal communication between you and your teammates. Visual signals rely on both central and peripheral vision. Central vision is that object on which the pupil is focused which is viewed clearly. Peripheral vision is everything else within your visual field, and although not entirely in focus, is still providing the brain with information about the location of certain players. Kinesthetic signals basically refer to an inner sense or feeling the goaltender may have about the way a play will develop (i.e., anticipation). Remember, ice hockey is a game of situations and these situations repeat themselves again, again and again. With intelligence and enough playing experience the best goaltenders have a sense of what is going to happen before it actually does! The goaltender always has to respect the puck carrier but can frequently LOTP to see how things have changed. This takes less  than a second at a time. Turning your head on a swivel is not even required as the goalie may just to turn his eyes within the mask for a fraction of a second.

What is it that separates the best from the rest? It is not size, mobility, power, speed, agility, or technique – although these are all required. The two main things are a great competitive spirit and play anticipation. Similar to chess, the world’s greatest goaltenders anticipate plays before then have fully evolved. “Looking off the Puck” and the other types of stimuli to which I have made reference can help any goaltender make better tactical reads and therefore more saves. Remember to LOOK OFF THE PUCK !!

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In recent articles I have discussed goal-post integration with respect to both stick and trapper positioning options with the goaltender standing on both skates, and also utilizing the V-H technique. However, when teaching goaltenders about goal-post integration we usually without much thought tell them to place their legs on a 45-degree angle to the goal-line. Where does this 45-degree angle come from and is it universally applicable ?

I have yet to read an article that explains the above mentioned teaching point in full; however, let us assume that since the slot is the prime scoring area (due to the best available shooting angles), you want the goalie to be at the top of the crease (or in the area) to reduce these angles of open net. The fastest way to get there is on your feet by performing a T-push in either a straight or curved line (although some would argue that sliding is faster !). This may be close to 45 degrees although I have never thought to measure it. Nevertheless, this is at least the logic I have applied in trying to answer this question myself.

It should be noted though, that pass-outs can be executed to any number of different angles be they to the strong side, high or low slot or anywhere on the weak side including down low. This is why the goaltender must “look off the Puck” to readjust his/her angle specifically to the location of the attacker’s stick blade. This is illustrated in the diagram below:

The diagram illustrates three different points of attack (A,B and C) where the opponent’s stick may be located. A 45-degree integration angle may be correct for an attacker located somewhere in the slot. However, as you can see, the further and lower the opponent’s stick is located on the weak side, the flatter, or lower, the angle between goaltender and goal line must become. This is based on the goaltender’s ability to read the play and make correct adjustments while hugging the post. If the goaltender does not have the correct angle on which to either push off or slide, he/she will neither end up on angle nor be square to the puck. If the goaltender chooses to slide then the length of the slide must also be controlled with excellent edge work. Many young goaltenders make a nice slide to the correct angle but then go past the target point by not controlling their edges. In these cases too much net is frequently left open on one or both sides of the net either by not having adjusted to the correct angle or overplaying the situation.

In conclusion, remember that hockey is very dynamic and that nothing remains the same for more than a few seconds, if that. Goaltenders must constantly be looking at what is going on by looking at the puck and “looking off the puck”. Pass-outs are a common tactical scenario that require goaltenders to readjust their integration angle so they can attack the target both on angle and squarely. Keep working at it.

Thoughts? As always, please hit the comments below!

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Dallas Goaltender Kari Lehtonen maintains his elbow inside the post on the trapper side. InGoal File photo.

In my last article on goal-post integration  and stick optionsI discussed  basic considerations such as skate positioning and the goal stick itself.  In this article we will discuss trapper positioning options both with the goaltender standing up and when using the V-H technique.

Let us first look at options when standing on your skates.  On the blocker side the traditional teaching is to have to trapper pocket facing the area behind the goal-line.  The purpose is to intercept pucks being passed out to the slot area.  I have caught many pucks in my time but arguably not enough to warrant using this set up.  Why?  First and foremost, most pucks on pass-outs are either pushed directly on the ice (outside the reach of the goalie’s comfortable stick range)  or are saucer passed just a couple of inches off the ice.  With a comfortable and neutral body position on the post, the goaltender will likely not reach these passes but would have to bend down to get them.  Also, depending on the location from which the saucer pass is coming, the goaltender may have to turn further from the front of the net (increasing the angle between goal-post and goal-line)  to reach those passes.  If the pass-out is successful under these circumstances an increased amount of open net will be available to a shooter in the slot.  The goaltender will have to turn the trapper back towards the slot which takes time which may not be available. A more progressive option would have the trapper facing the slot and back door area to begin with (Photo #1).

You forgo the small number of passes you might intercept for the purpose of having your trapper immediately ready for shots if the pass out is successful.

On the trapper-side post, traditionalists will have the trapper on the outside of the goal-post.  Some goaltenders position the trapper and elbow slightly on the inside margin of the post (Photo #2).  I disagree with this.  It can be very restrictive to have your elbow on the inside of the post when, for example,  you want to drop to your knees and cover a puck in close proximity to the post.  It is an error in my opinion but occurs commonly. Most coaches will have the trapper pocket facing the area behind the goal-line.   I am certain I have not caught more than a dozen passes with this approach over my Tier I minor hockey or senior ‘A’ career.  The benefit of this approach probably also becomes marginalized as the players become more proficient with their passing skills and learn your tendencies as a goalie.  A more progressive option is holding the trapper up facing the slot area.

Some goaltending gurus will have their students place their elbow on the inside of the post with trapper covering the surface area immediately under the crossbar for a quick release shot (Photo #3).  I like the idea of having the trapper facing the slot but the overall set up seems uncomfortable to me.

If integrated using V-H technique, trapper options are quite limited.  On the trapper side there is really only one logical location for trapper positioning.  It is on the top of the Vertical pad (Photo #4) to protect that small amount of net available under the crossbar.  On the blocker side, the trapper can be held at any height.

It may be sideways to intercept cross-crease passes (Photo #5)  or facing the slot to make beautiful reactionary-type saves as the goaltender slides out from the post or across the crease.

As mentioned in my previous article on goal-post integration, it is important to be familiar with all available options.  Use that which the situation calls for and that with which you are comfortable and  having success.

Let me know what works and doesn’t work for you and why in the comments section below.

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With the puck behind the goal line, Philadelphia's Ilya Bryzgalov doesn't bother trying to block a pass out. Scott Slingsby photo.

When discussing goal-post integration there are some constants and a few different options that we all encounter at the rink and at the numerous goaltender specific schools. Here are some constants with which we all likely feel comfortable:

1. The goal-skate is on the inside of the goal-post. Young goaltenders frequently have their skate on the outside of the post which results in them falling as they move away from the goal-post to challenge the Shooter.
2. The post skate should be loaded on its inside edge allowing the goalie to use the edge to push off towards a certain point of attack.
3. The legs should be slightly bent at the knees to load the quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups for the purposes of storing energy and power to push off the goal-post.
4. The goaltender should not be cheating or leaning off the post in an effort to gain a lead in heading in another direction. This has always resulted in poor short-sided goals!
5. With respect to the stick, the knob should either be big or small enough that it cannot get stuck in the net’s meshing and the stick should always be on the outside the goal-post so it can remain active if required.

This brings use to more debatable issues including whether the blade of the goal stick, on the trapper or blocker-side post, should be turned to the area behind the net (Photo #1A & 1B) to deflect or intercept a pass-out attempt to the slot. Is this traditional teaching point of much value considering the small number of passes that are actually within the reach of the stick (especially on the blocker-side post which has shorter reach) to intercept or deflect?

A more modern consideration is having the stick blade facing the front of the net (Photo #2A & 2B)

Why? If the pass out is quick and outside the range of deflection with traditional positioning, then additional movement, and hence time, is required to re-position the stick to face the shot. This wasted time may be enough with a quick release shot to sneak through the 5-hole along the ice. This consideration is applicable on both sides of the net.

With the introduction of the V-H technique, goal-post integration has another set of principles and available options. In V-H positioning the stick is placed into cover the ice in the seam between the vertical and horizontal pad. On both sides of the net the stick may be held in an upright position which maintains the blocker in a higher position (Photo #3 A & B).

However, Another option is available on the trapper-side post. Here V-H technique may be used with the stick in a paddle down technique (Photo #4).

This allows the goalie to use V-H while sealing the ice in a fashion similar to a wrap attempt. This is not a bad option if the goaltender is uncertain whether the attacker will attempt a wrap-around or a pass-out. If the pass-out occurs the goalie merely pushes off the post towards the attacker out front while already sealing the ice to the far side of the net with the horizontal pad. The down paddle covers the 5-hole until the drag leg is brought in to create a tight butterfly.

This approach is however not without fault. With a pass-out, a shot taken moderately high to the far side of the net requires the blocker to be raised from the ice surface to make a reactionary-type save. Once again, this takes an extra move and extra time that you may not have. Therefore, if you think the pass-out is more likely to occur than a wrap attempt, you may want to use V-H while maintaining the stick in a vertical position for the aforementioned reason. This requires exceedingly quick decision making by the goaltender.

So what should the modern goaltender do concerning stick positioning as it relates to goal-post integration? I believe the modern goaltender first and foremost should be knowledgeable about all available options. Secondly, they should use what works for them and not for someone else. A lot of practice is required to make this decision. Thirdly, the goalie must remain flexible in the sense that each situation and each game may be slightly different and hence the technique utilized may not be the same all the time!

Please take a look at the different photos of the various approaches and hit the comments section to let me know what you believe is most effective or ineffective for a certain situation and why you believe that to be the case.

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Between whistles there is a good opportunity to incorporate positive self-talk into your routine to prepare for the next face-off. David Hutchison photo.

When I was first introduced to the psychological aspect of becoming a better athlete – “The Mental Game” – the concept I found the easiest to learn and implement is what sport psychologists refer to as Positive Self-Talk. This very important aspect of mental training will help goaltenders achieve greater success during competition.

Simply put, positive self-talk is either an audible or non-audible conversation that athletes have with themselves. It involves the use of either statements (e.g., “ I will stop the puck, I will stop the puck” ) or isolated words (e.g., “patience, patience”) carefully chosen to cause emotional arousal (getting ready) to enhance a performance outcome. In clinical psychology, these words or phrases are referred to as task-specific or task-relevant cues. When adding positive self-talk to a pre-competitive / competitive routine, there are at least some things to take into consideration: (1) during which pre-competitive and competitive circumstances are the chosen cues to be used ? (2) What is the content of the term(s) chosen? (3) What are the desired emotional responses and (4) what is the resultant performance outcome? The last consideration is obviously the most important since the entire purpose of mental training in sport is to make athletes more confident, thereby reducing stress, and hence obtaining better results during competition.

This all sounds easy enough but it is an acquired skill and not infrequently a lot of time and effort is required to affect long-term change. This is most commonly due to deep-seated lack of self-esteem or self-confidence on the part of the athlete. Both athletes and coaches must understand that with a longstanding history of negativity and self-deprecating behavior (and therefore sub-optimal results) altering brain biochemistry will not happen overnight. One must first eliminate the negativity and then establish positivity to influence a more desirable athletic performance.

Two of the ways in which an athlete can begin to eliminate negative thoughts include the mental training techniques of Reframing and Countering.

Reframing is the process of altering the manner with which an athlete views or approaches something. If a goaltender is more focused on the consequences of losing than on that which is required to succeed then reframing is required. An athlete must embrace the significance and excitement of serious competition. If you are capable of getting to the point where you only focus on that which you can control, you will be able to reduce or control symptoms of anxiety and self-doubt. A simple way to look at reframing is to ask yourself have you done everything to the best of your ability to prepare for competition. Are you well rested ? Are you properly hydrated? Did you train properly with intensity and efficiency? Is your nutrition appropriate? Have you reviewed recent performance difficulties with your goalie coach and reviewed film (if available)?

The other technique is referred to as countering. It is defined as a process of internal debate of logic and rational thought to counter-act or off-set self-defeating thoughts. In simple terms, it means why am I feeling the way I am (which is insecure) and is my thought process justified? If you have answered positively to the questions above (and others) then there is really no reason not to believe in your abilities. This can be a difficult hurdle over which to get especially if you have not experienced previous competitive success. With previous success it is much easier to affect mental change since previous accomplishments “are the strongest contributor to sport’s confidence”(note 1). Here is an example of how to use positive self-talk.

1. Choose a positive, self-affirming statement or word (“I will stop the puck”)
2. Determine when the statement will be used (pre-game routine while visualizing or during warm-up to promote emotional arousal/ during games when negative thoughts enter your mind)
3. Understand what the desired emotional response should be (decreased stress, decreased anxiety and increased focus)
4. Understand what the desired performance consequences should be (getting closer to you peak performance state)

Tim Thomas' trademark battling style. There are no negative thoughts here - Thomas believes he has a chance to make every save. Scott Slingsby photo.

One must understand that feelings of uncertainty are most prolific during stressful periods. Stress is generated when something is of concern or of importance to someone and the outcome (be it an examination or a competition) is yet to be determined. The quintessential example of that is competitive sports.

In the early stages of mental training with positive self-talk the biggest hurdle to overcome is stopping the negative thoughts. There are numerous exercises available in sport psychology which an eager student can use to start training correctly. These include:

1. Journal Writing (write down what you were thinking, when you thought it and how it likely adversely affected your performance state)
2. Thought Stopping (this is arguably the most simple exercise and one I like myself. As soon as a negative though enters your mind you fight back immediately by saying “NO!” and come back with your re-affirming statement(s))
3. Rubber Band Snapping (have a rubber band around your wrist and snap it every time negativity enters you mind)
4. Change Self-Limiting Comments to Questions (Instead of saying I can’t stop this guy’s shot say how can I stop this shot, and build yourself up from there)

This article is but a brief overview of the positive self-talk  topic. I have experienced self-doubt both as a goaltender and with high altitude mountaineering. At 5000+ meters it is the determination and inner fortitude to continue that often determined my success and, regrettably, my failures. There is no more powerful force on this planet than the positive power of the human mind and what it can accomplish. Just as goaltending techniques become learned skills with repetition so the mind can be trained to help athletes achieve desired performance outcomes and peak performance states.

With a strong body and a healthy mind the possibilities are endless….

REFERENCES:
1.Sports Psychology: Self-Confidence in sport – make your ego work for you! , Karageorghis, C.
Cognitive Style and Athletic Performance Part II: Positive Self-Talk, Schienberg, P. ,2003

This is the second in a series on Mental Training articles by Tomas – read part 1: Win as a Team, Lose as a Goalie here.

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This is the fifth of a five part series by Larry Sadler, the Director of Smartgoalie.com.

After more than 30 years as a goaltending coach I am constantly reminded of how some things just don’t seem to change. Unfortunately, one such thing seems to be very evident – coaches often hurt their goaltenders. In fact, they may slowly destroy them. Now a few coaches do this intentionally, but many do it unintentionally and they do it in many ways. I have categorized some of these mistakes into 5 key points. Check them out to see if you have inadvertently fallen into any of them.

We hope this young goalie is in good hands. Is your little guy or girl?

Coaches Misguide Them

General

• Coaches who allow improper goaltending instruction. Coaches who take the first person who volunteers to work with their goaltenders without checking them out first could risk making matters worse. Developing competent goaltending skills requires a competent goaltending instructor.
• A big problem today is with the number of poor goaltending coaches out there. Many are lack teaching skills or are not very knowledgeable. Think of it this way:  if a head coach knows nothing about goaltending and then selects the goaltending coach how can he properly evaluate that goaltending coach? How does he make sure the goaltending coach is competent and doing his job?
• Coaches set improper or unrealistic goals. Coaches who set goals, which are too low or too high, allow their goaltenders to develop improperly. A coach who knows his goaltenders (i.e. their strengths and limitations) sets more realistic goals for them. Allowing them to underachieve or forcing them to strive for something they are not ready to attempt is dangerous and could forestall the goaltender’s progressive development.
• Coaches who allow the goaltending coach to impose an improper style upon the goaltenders. Coaches who allow goaltending coaches to impose a “cookie cutter” approach to their goaltender may program a goaltender to fail. A good goaltending coach teaches proper principles to their goaltenders. These principles are based on a scientific approach based on an understanding of proper bio-mechanics, and statistical analysis. A goaltending coach who just teaches what worked well for himself back when he played without really knowing why can damage a young goaltender’s development. Goaltenders are all different due to individual body mass, height, strength, agility and acuity. A style must be scientifically accurate – based on statistical analysis and on proven biomechanical principles. Coaches shouldn’t allow the goaltending coach to force their goaltenders to become something they aren’t. Allowing them to imitate pro goaltenders without allowing for their own personal differences and abilities will cause problems.
• Coaches who acquiesce to their goaltending coach. Coaches should know what their goaltending coaches are doing and make sure they are in agreement with the approach taken. Accepting the goaltending coach’s approach without proper explanation could cause confusion down the road and could end up sending conflicting messages to their goaltenders at critical times.
• Coaches who don’t screen their goaltending coach before hiring him. Coaches have to be sure their goaltending coach has the credentials and track record needed to improve their goaltenders.
• Coaches who preach using the butterfly in every situation. Coaches who preach the butterfly on every save are programming their goaltenders to fail down the road. Each save is a response to a specific situation. Using the butterfly on every shot does not reinforce proper play reading nor does it allow for quick lateral movement and more effective rebound control.

Game-Related

• Coaches who use Shots Against stats without taking into consideration the difficulty of the shots. A coach who looks at Shots on Net stats should be sure to qualify the difficulty of shot by where they originated and how fast or slow they were.
• Coaches who constantly force their goaltender to “be safe” by staying in the blue ice of the crease. A coach who tells his goaltender to stay constantly in the crease or “blue ice” hampers the goaltender’s ability to challenge opposing shooters. By staying back in all situations more of the net area is exposed to shooters. Staying back also considerably reduces the goaltenders’ arsenal by reducing their ability to intimidate the opposing shooters by challenging more.
• Practice-Related
• Coaches who don’t require their goaltending coach to clear his practice plan in advance. Coaches must have a comfort level with their goaltending coach. Therefore be sure the goaltending coach states what his practice plans are. This way the coach can ensure he is sending the same message to the goaltender. Also reciprocate the gesture by providing your goaltending coach with a copy of your practice plan in advance so he is aware of what you are planning.
• Coaches who don’t supervise their goaltending coach. A coach should be sure to periodically see what skills his goaltending coach is teaching, why he doing so and how he is teaching them.

 

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Larry Sadler is the Director of Smartgoalie.com.

For further information on goaltending instruction please contact Larry at lsadler@smartgoalie.com.

 

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Larry Sadler is the Director of Smartgoalie.com.

For further information on goaltending instruction please contact Larry at lsadler@smartgoalie.com.

 

 

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This is the third of a five part series by Larry Sadler, the Director of Smartgoalie.com. Check back next Thursday for part four.

After more than 30 years as a goaltending coach I am constantly reminded of how some things just don’t seem to change. Unfortunately, one such thing seems to be very evident – coaches often hurt their goaltenders. In fact, they may slowly destroy them. Now a few coaches do this intentionally, but many do it unintentionally and they do it in many ways. I have categorized some of these mistakes into 5 key points. Check them out to see if you have inadvertently fallen into any of them.

3. Coaches Under Work Them

Game-Related

• Coaches will prevent the backup goaltender from getting any game work or severely reduce them from doing so. No matter how weak their back-up goaltender is a coach risks making them worse and thus potentially weakens the team by not giving the back-up goaltender sufficient game time. They need the in-game work so they can both maintain and improve their self-confidence.
• Coaches refrain from giving the back-up goaltender any significant responsibilities. Coaches who don’t give their back-up goaltender proper responsibilities in games prevent them from developing their analytical skills. Operating a door on the player’s bench will not teach a goaltender how to better play a 2-on-1. Having them take stats or game notes will.
• Coaches don’t provide the game goaltender with the opportunity to review their game performance critically. Coaches who don’t allow their goaltenders the opportunity to assess their performance after they have played prevent their goaltenders from developing their analytical skills. In addition, the coach prevents the goaltenders from correcting their errors and in improving their play.
• Coach refrains from having any goaltender stats taken. Coaches who don’t provide goaltender specific stats severely hamper their goaltenders’ ability to learn from the game effectively, particularly from their mistakes and accomplishments. By goaltender specific stats I mean – shots against, save percentage, shot charts (where each shot directed at the net originated from on the ice) or net charts (where shots hit or entered the net).
• Coaches who don’t allow their goaltender specific off-ice conditioning. Coaches who provide no goaltending specific eye-hand and agility based conditioning prevent their goaltenders from developing their hand and foot speed and thus allow their goaltenders to fail.
• Coaches who don’t develop their goaltender’s ability as a defensive zone QB. Coaches who fail to enhance their goaltenders natural ability to direct play in the defensive zone hurt their team’s ability to develop. Goaltenders have the opportunity to help a team by being more aware of what is going on in the defensive zone. Goaltenders see more of the complete defensive zone and can relay information to their team specifically about offensive openings and defensive coverage needs.

Practice-Related

• Coaches who don’t provide specific goalie drills. By giving goaltenders little to do or too little to work on in a practice a coach allows their goaltenders to stagnate and prevents them from improving and growing as a goaltending unit. Coaches must stress drills in which the goaltender’s ability to move quickly and to stop the puck efficiently is enhanced.
• Coaches who don’t provide high intensity drills – Coaches who don’t create drills which properly progress to a higher intensity pace will prevent their goaltenders from learning to excel – to push those limitations that separate them from what they can do now from what they should be able to achieve in the future.
• Coaches who don’t provide balance and agility work. All goaltenders need to improve their balance, footwork, and agility. Coaches who fail to emphasize this in practice will force their goaltenders to fall behind the pace of the game. They will therefore not become faster, instead they will get slower.
• Coaches don’t provide progressive drill work. Coaches who don’t allow their goaltenders to increase their ability to perform a skill at game pace by increasing the difficulty of a drill allow their goaltenders to stagnate.
• Coaches who allow soft non-game-like shots. Coaches who encourage soft or weak shots in practice fail to test their goaltenders and therefore fail to allow them to develop properly.
• Coaches who allow non-game-like drills. Coaches who fail to use game-like drills in practice prevent their goaltender from developing their play-reading ability.
• Coaches who give their goaltenders too much time between shots and the next segment of the drill. Coaches who unrealistically space their shots out in drills prevent their goaltenders from increasing their recovery time in response to the pace of the game.
• Coaches who fail to focus on the sloppy rebounds which occur in practice drills. Coaches who don’t do anything to encourage their goaltenders to direct or to move rebounds away from the danger areas (i.e. in front of the net) send improper messages. They don’t allow their goaltenders the opportunity to develop good habits.

Larry Sadler is the Director of Smartgoalie.com.

For further information on goaltending instruction please contact Larry at lsadler@smartgoalie.com.

Copyright The Goalie Magazine - InGoalMag.com

This is the second in a five part series by Larry Sadler, the Director of Smartgoalie.com. Check back next Thursday for part three.

Sent in by a reader, this little guy is probably being well-looked after, but not all youngsters are so lucky.

After more than 30 years as a goaltending coach I am constantly reminded of how some things just don’t seem to change. Unfortunately, one such thing seems to be very evident – coaches often hurt their goaltenders. In fact, they may slowly destroy them. Now a few coaches do this intentionally, but many do it unintentionally and they do it in many ways. I have categorized some of these mistakes into 5 key points. Check them out to see if you have inadvertently fallen into any of them.

2. Coaches Pressure Them

General

• Coaches who constantly point out a goaltender’s mistakes. Coaches who criticize their goaltenders without pointing out proper corrections put an inordinate amount of pressure on them and therefore program their goaltenders to fail.

Game-Related

• Coaches who become excessively upset when their goaltenders are scored upon. A coach who becomes clearly agitated when their goaltenders “let in” a goal undermines the goaltenders’ self esteem and weakens the goaltenders’ resolve.
• Coaches laying the difference between winning and losing solely upon the goaltender. A coach who makes it clear to everyone that the goaltender’s performance is the difference between winning and losing puts an incredible amount of pressure on that goaltender. If anything, the coach should be trying to lift pressure from a goaltender’s shoulders so he can concentrate more effectively on the game. Remember, too much pressure makes a goaltender too tense, and leaves his self-esteem brittle and easily fractured. Coaches who blame their goaltenders for all goals against fail to realize that it took a mistake by at least one forward and another mistake by at least one defenseman to get the puck to the net. Sometimes blaming just the goaltender for a goal is like blaming a puddle for the rain.
• Coaches who play a goaltender until he loses. This attitude makes the wins contingent on the goaltender’s performance alone. Minor or youth coaches who continue to constantly play goalies until they lose will cause their back-up goalies to wither and will definitely wear out their first string goalie.
• Coaches who humiliate their goaltender for poor performance in front of the team. Any coach who openly criticizes any player in front of his team mates risks ruining his self-confidence. It is even worse for a goaltender because the nature of his position quite often sets him from the rest of his team already. Coaches who shout out non-specific or critical comments directed to the goaltender from the bench do nothing to help the goaltender’s development and only serve to embarrass and frustrate the goaltender.
• Coaches who pull their goaltenders from a game too soon or keep them in too long. Coaches who pull their goaltenders too soon risk ruining their self-esteem and leaving them in too long, especially in an embarrassing situation, is just as bad. Pulling a goaltender without telling them why also sends the goaltenders a bad, demoralizing message.
• Coaches who send small negative messages by telling their goaltenders they are “starting” rather than “playing” the game. A little thing like telling a goaltender he is starting implies he may not be finishing a game. Tell him he is “playing the game”. Referring to them as “targets” also implies the goaltenders can not be proactive.
• Coaches who tell their goaltenders “It’s all up to you”. By putting too much emphasis on the goaltender as the prime reason for winning a game the coach puts too much pressure on the goaltender.

Practice-Related

• Coaches who expect their goaltenders to stop every puck in practice. Setting unrealistic objectives in practice and letting them know when they fail to live up to these objectives will cause many goaltenders to crack. To properly ensure goaltenders develop remember the 70% success rate rule. Every drill should guarantee an average of 70% success or goaltenders will get discouraged.
• Coaches who allow their players to run the net in practice or to humiliate the goalies in practice. Coaches who don’t provide for their goaltender’s safety or who fail to prevent their goaltender’s embarrassment at the hands of their team mates will program their goaltenders to become easily intimidated. That quite often carries over into games.
• Coaches who allow their players to “dipsy-doodle” too much in practice when attacking the net. By that I mean, coaches who allow their players to hot-dog or showboat during shooting or offensive drills by slowing down or dragging out their play in a completely non game-like pace. These non-game specific actions will have a detrimental affect upon a goaltender’s timing. It will also have a negative effect on the goaltender’s confidence.
• Coaches who allow too many shots on net at one time. These shooting galleries, in which players shoot all at once at the goaltender at any time in the practice, could injure your goaltender or negatively affect his focus and confidence causing them to wince or to pull up on shots.

Larry Sadler is the Director of Smartgoalie.com.

For further information on goaltending instruction please contact Larry at lsadler@smartgoalie.com.

Copyright The Goalie Magazine - InGoalMag.com

When players return to the Revolution Training studio after a long season, most of them are pretty keen to get training. They want to improve their speed and their strength and they want to start working on that TODAY!

I always do an evaluation before we start the off-season for the players that I don’t get a chance to see throughout the season because they play out of town. When I ask about injuries, at least 50% of them will say something like – “No, I didn’t have any injuries this season – it was good. My groin (or shoulder, or knee) just hurts if I move it like ‘this’ but it doesn’t bug me when I am in net.”

Okay…stop right there! This is an injury.

If you have a joint that gives you pain when you move within your functional range of motion and you have to create compensation patterns to work around it – that is an injury. It may be a small one, but if you continue to work around the issue you may succeed in reducing the discomfort in that joint, but create a dysfunction in another joint.

I have seen this time and again. A player strains his or her groin, so they change their movement patterns to take stress off the groin. The result is not only an increase in your GAA, but knee or back pain down the road.

As a strength and conditioning professional, I am much happier when a player can tell me that they took a hard shot somewhere and that was the cause of their pain. When an injury or ‘tweak’ has a definite cause then it is easier to predict the recovery. When joint or muscle pain gradually creeps up on a goalie, it could be that the area of discomfort is the cause or it could be that compensations from another joint have created this issue.

If you stub your toe, or take a puck off the finger, you can try to train around that as long as you have established that there is no fracture. You are not aggravating it with your activity and it is getting better over time.

If you have a ‘tweak’ that is not getting better, even if you can work around it, you should be getting in to see the best sport physiotherapist that you can find to get at the root cause of the problem. Here is what I suggest as routine treatment of an acute ‘tweak’:

1. Ice only in the first 48-hours, then you can use heat
2. Gentle stretching in a pain free range
3. Training that does not aggravate the area for 4-7 days
4. If it is not getting better over the first 4-7 days (or if it is getting worse) then you should book your appointment to get in for a physio assessment.
5. If it is getting better every day, then you may continue to modify your program for another 4-7 days at which point if you are not pain free with all activity then you need to get the assessment.

If you have had the issue for a month already, then go directly for the physio assessment to get it straightened out.

Starting your off-season training by working around injuries that you have had throughout the season is a recipe for disaster. Not only could you be building yourself up for an even bigger injury, you will at very least impair your development as you work around your issues. Happy training!

Copyright The Goalie Magazine - InGoalMag.com