Change of Direction Drill
- Start in butterfly on your knees squared to the faceoff dot, then react to the puck carrier moving unpredictably below the hash marks.
- Get your eyes on the puck immediately — early vision triggers proper rotational movement and brings your hands along naturally.
- Stay down and on top of the puck rather than reaching and opening up holes on tight plays around the crease.
- Use controlled edge work to change direction, not just speed — moving fast without control creates unnecessary gaps.
- The drill simulates real game chaos by letting the coach go any direction without telegraphing the move, forcing true reactive movement.
When it comes to moving side-to-side on lateral passes, deflections and broken plays around the crease, being quick is only one part of having success as a goaltender.
As Calgary Flames goaltending coach Jason LaBarbera explains while walking through a change-of-direction drill with former Flames goalie David Rittich from earlier this season, the ability to go from side to side under control, without opening up holes unnecessarily or chasing plays outside the framework of your net, can be just as important as moving fast.
“A lot of times on plays in tight guys want to reach and open up,” LaBarbera said. “It’s an edge-work rotational drill, working on change of direction on plays in tight and broken plays around the net, and then keeping tight around the crease, not reaching and opening holes. It’s about staying down and on top of the puck on those plays in tight while being able to move.”
This simple drill, captured in mid-February, can help with that. Here’s a quick sample:
Unlock the rest of this premium breakdown
Join thousands of goalies, parents, and coaches who train smarter with InGoal.
15+ years as the #1 goaltending resource
Already a member? Log in