Comments on: Overuse of the Butterfly Slide

By: Katelyn Crosby

Katelyn Crosby — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 04:50:55 +0000

I do agree that you shouldn’t use the butterfly slide on everything, but if you learn the skills that go with it, it is quite useful. For instance, I play on a Senior A team (18+), and during one of our recent games I had a 2-on-1 coming my way. The girl to my left passed it across to the right coming in at about the top of the circle. I butterfly slid across. While I was still sliding, she passed it back to the original girl. I knew the possibility was there, so I was ready, lifting up my right leg and pushing back the other way. I kept my body straight and my five-hole closed to make the save. And I’m a 5′ 3″ goalie.

If these goalies want to be pure butterfly (which I personally think is dumb.. you should never commit yourself to a single style) then they at least need to learn to read the play and be able to push side to side at any moment.

I grew up with Hasek and Cujo and Brodeur, so I started with 1/2 butterflys, kicksaves, dives, and whatever else I needed to do to stop the puck I’ve since adapted in the butterfly and moves that go with it. I’m not perfect, but I’m working on it =D

By: Paul 410

Paul 410 — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 19:55:45 +0000

Very interesting article. Our daughter’s co-ed atom level team had a tough year (lost every game). Many of the games were 10-0 to 30-2 with upwards of 90 shots (not exagerating here: we counted). Many of the players got to try goaltender position, since they were first time players. Usually, our daughter got put in goal after the first period because the kid in net was crying, feeling dejected and overwhelmed. She dubbed herself Rescue Rose. The coaches that worked with the goalies had never played hockey, let alone played goal. Therefore, the level of instruction was very poor, and we found it very frustrating. Their instruction was “just go down”, without showing how, when, where or why to. I worked with my daughter when I could, since she is very passionate about goaltending, and I play goal as well. I stayed focused on positioning and skating (t-push, shuffle, c-cuts fwd & rev). From other peoples comments, they seemed to think that many of her saves weren’t very good, because she isn’t flashy, but technical. We have just recently begun adding butterfly saves and b-slide, power-slides and crawls into her training. She is predominatly a “stand-up” goalie, while most of the other goalies in our area are “goalie-puddles”, going down and staying down almost as soon as the puck enters the defensive zone. This goalie-puddle style is being perpetuated by the philosophy that “they can’t raise anyhow.” Our local minor hockey association won’t allow me to coach the goalies because I don’t subscribe to the goalie-puddle philosophy of goaltending. I have had several people comment that stand-up style is dead and that the butterfly is the only way to play the position. After reading your article, I feel more confident in what I am teaching my daughter and other beginner goalies, as well as what I am learning. I have spent lots of time looking into proper form/ and technique because it is very difficult to break bad habits. I believe that if it takes 30 reps to learn how to do something properly the first time, it takes 3000 reps to un-learn doing something improperly. Stick down, eyes up!

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:57:27 +0000

From a roller perspective, it’s incredibly difficult to butterfly slide. The best comparable move I’ve seen performed was a goalie who instructed at a camp I went to. He had the leg strength and balance to combine a t-push with a half butterfly stance and use his ‘down’ leg to continually scoot and push his ‘t’ leg … especially useful on a walkout attack from the corner.

By: Marco

Marco — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:23:33 +0000

Good points all. IMHO I think skating has become less important than technique. Getting back to basics… STAY SQUARE TO THE PUCK. The only question is how do I get there the fastest? Shuffles,
t-push, c-cut, and pivot are the keys followed by save selection. Simply get square and decide on your save selection.
Better skating is the key to success, you have to get there first before you can make a save.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:05:47 +0000

Very good, well written article with strong points.

By: Phil VanV

Phil VanV — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:57:34 +0000

Nik,I think you hit every point and it’s actually been an ongoing issue with goalies since the B-Fly gained it’s popularity. I find it very interesting that at your age you caught on to one of the bigger problems goalie coaches run into. Habits that are learned wrong are very difficult to unlearn..

By: Richard St-Onge

Richard St-Onge — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 03:34:36 +0000

I read and have to agree with Nik on some points. I, being a hybrid goalie and having taught myself how to b-fly over the years, added that i am a very technical observer of any sports movement and application…it came clear to me through personal experience and through watching pro goalies as well that there is a right time to b-fly and a wrong time.

Now, when i refer to the b-fly in this instance, i do not mean a static drop b-fly as in challenging a shot from the point and making the save. I am referring to the sliding b-fly, the recovery b-fly, the backside b-fly. When i teach the young goalies in the summer, i try to teach them logic more than just motor skills. As in the example of Niks first diagram, it would be pointless and ineffective to b-fly slide from one face-off circle to the other as you will still leave plenty of room for the shooter to re-adjust and find the post or corner. And even if you have a powerful push off of the outside leg, you still are taking yourself out of the play should the shooter pass it back to the other side…so it simply becomes a game of “ball(puck) in the middle”.

In that instance, once you established position on the first puck carrier and the pass is made across the slot, your best bet should the pass receiver not move in, is to T-push across and establish positioning. Yet, if the second player, the pass receiver, is moving in, there is a great chance he will attempt a one-timer, in which case, you need to act quickly and logically. Your best option is to b-fly slide, after doing your c-cut, across but at an angle, meaning towards your opposite post or top corner of your crease, establishing position and maintaining a somewhat proper depth closing most angles. The move was quick and of short distance (remember, the shorter distance from point A to point B is a straight line) and of this position, you still have optimal ground to recover to the middle off a rebound or an attempted pass to the top.

If i had video footage i’d post it, but i’m sure most experienced goalies, be it a little or alot, will have a good idea of what i mean.

In the end, goaltending technique is only half the picture…you gotta use your smarts. Be logical and you will be effective.