Pro-Reads: Frederik Andersen Multiple Threats, Keeping VH in the Toolkit and Reads on Instinct
Frederik Andersen walks us through a developing play, his choice of a save selection reaching deep into his toolkit and a great read as predictable situation devolves into desperation.
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An individual scoring chance doesn’t come from a single moment in a game; just as hockey is a dynamic game, so too are individual scoring chances, evolving out of a play that often happened well before.
The Scenario
All of our other Pro Reads have begun with a single scenario, giving you a chance to imagine how a play might evolve. Of course we know any static view could develop in multiple ways. Still, it is an interesting way of looking at the beginning of a read and thinking about what our pros might have to say before we hear from them.
We might have done that with this next read; however, our Pro today, Toronto’s Frederik Andersen, begins his read well before the shot and identifies the developing play. Consider these three images. The play begins with the puck in the corner to Andersen’s right, as often happens starting with a relatively safe situation before the first defensive mistake is made. In the second frame Phil Kessel, who started behind the net in frame 1, has the puck and is skating across the top of the zone. Shots there are not high danger – but Kessel is a talented shooter who has to be respected. Finally, in frame three, Jason Demers has walked down the wall and received the puck from Kessel.
Consider for a moment what you would be preparing for in each of these three frames, just a moment in time for Frederik Andersen to consider as the last line of defence for Toronto.
1
2
3
The Save
Having looked at this developing situation, let’s take a moment to watch and appreciate the work of Frederik Andersen here, watch him track the play, prepare for the shot and ultimately battle to track the puck before making an experienced read on a desparation save.
The Pro-Read
Having enjoyed the save, now we’ll listen as Andersen walks us through the read and his response to keep the puck out of the net with an outstanding save. We love how he considers the situation throughout the entire play, how he selects his save technique and then not only how he battles for the save but how it ends in a “desperation” save that for most would involve throwing up a glove and hoping but for Andersen it was very much an intentional, if instinctual, highlight-reel glove save – with a bit more to offer that we’ll save for later.
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- Andersen breaks down his save on a multi-threat play that develops from the corner through Kessel at the top of the zone to Demers walking down the wall — a sequence he tracks and reads in real time.
- Andersen identifies the threat level at each stage of the developing play, adjusting his preparation as the puck moves from a relatively safe position to a higher-danger shooting angle.
- Andersen explains how he keeps VH as a deliberate tool in his toolkit and describes making the desperation save through an instinct-driven read rather than a pre-set plan.
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