Why does nobody copy Brodeur’s technique?
There is a very good article by Damien Cox in the Toronto Star this morning on Brodeurs’s style. Damien is well worth listening too as he literally wrote the book on Brodeur. His “Beyond the Crease” is a great read on Marty’s career – although it will need a chapter or two added soon!
Cox’s publisher has arranged for us to do an interview with him soon. I am just awaiting final arrangements from Mr. Cox.
From today’s article:
“It is a question that should perplex the hockey industry.
Given that Patrick Roy is given credit for spawning a generation – perhaps two – of butterfly goaltenders who try to play the game just as he did, why has no one tried to copy Martin Brodeur?”
Don Cherry also brought this up on the weekend, in his own unique way, also wondering why not all goalies wear tiny pads as well.
I’m not sure that this perplexes me at all, really. I would think that we don’t teach the Brodeur style for the very same reason that nobody teaches the Hasek style. How do you teach unpredictability and improvisation? Teachers go for the most basic approach that helps the most students. That a few people have mastered the position using a different approach does not mean that we should all adopt a new way of doing things. Study them, yes. Learn pieces of what they do, of course. But a wholesale adoption of the Brodeur way would not necessarily be in order.
What do you think?
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5 Responses to Brodeur’s half-butterfly effect
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I agree with you… I tend to think of goaltending like I do writing. You learn to be a competent writer by knowing the rules and practicing, but great writers truly have their own voice, and I think great goaltenders have their own “voice” as well.
This artical definatly summed up what I have been trying to say for my entire hockey career. Indeed, it is not my game that needs to be “switched” over to the Roy style, it is the attitudes toward the Broduer style. Maybe now that he has surpasssed Roy’s numbers people will start using a different method of thinking, aswell as training young goalies. Being unpredictable makes people uncomfortable. And being an aspiring goaltender playing to my strengths, like Brodeur, I plan to continue to become better. Female hockey needs a M.B.
The half butterfly has treated me quite well. I started with this style of play only because I played ball hockey before I moved to ice. And Im sure there are some ball hockey goalies that would agree that to pull a full butterfly in running shoes is a disadvantage rather than an advantage. It is a rather akward move that is not helpful, unless you attach the plastic mods to the landing gear or even the inner shoe for sliding purposes. Regarless, this habit of mine kinda carried onto the ice and I have found it helpful – but I only use it when the shot is coming from ethier side (on the left-9 to 10:30ish, or on the right-3 to 1:30ish-at these points the shooter doesn’t really have a great angle on the net anyway) and the leg that stays vertical is the one closest to the post – this way one could butterfly slide faster to the more open side of the net if need be. Does that make sense??
If you didn’t think Brodeur was already in a league of his own, consider the fact that he takes into account that when a shooter encounters a similar scoring scenario on him, he changes up his approach to preparing to make the save so the shooter can’t predict what Brodeur will do.
This is the point I make to parents all the time. Style is something that evolves. Mitch Korn says to teach them every save selection… I try to give my goalies the ability to pull save selections out like tools in a toolbox. Some tools are better for particular jobs but we all know you can use an improper tool when it is the only one that works…That is where an athlete’s individual talent comes into play. When I watch Fluery make a save and then Turco make a save I expect the result with Fluery.. Turco is always an adventure….