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Thatcher Demko making a blocker seal save in Canucks gear during Ian Clark hand-in-support drill progression

Ian Clark Hand in Support Drill Progression

Kevin Woodley | | 5 min read
Key Takeaways
  • Build coverage from the bottom up: middle, low, flush, vertical, and close — in that order.
  • The pad covers middle, low, flush, and long gaps, while the hand is responsible for vertical and close coverage.
  • The 'hand in support' concept positions the glove or blocker to extend pad coverage vertically, not independently.
  • Bringing the hand closer to the puck release point reduces net exposure on tight-angle and proximity shots.
  • Thatcher Demko and Ian Clark work this drill semi-regularly as part of ongoing in-season maintenance, not just development.

Thatcher Demko has played his way into the Vezina Trophy conversation in his first full season as the Vancouver Canucks No. 1 goalie, continuing an evolution that includes regular maintenance work with goaltending coach Ian Clark.

Being based in Vancouver means InGoal Magazine gets to watch a lot of the work that has gone into Demko’s development path and ongoing in-season maintenance, including this series of progressions that ends in purposeful work for what some see as a desperation situation:

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