Pro Drills inspired by Warren Strelow Featuring Sabres Seamus Kotyk and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
- Warren Strelow identified five key crease positions where goalies are typically located when making saves, forming the basis of his movement philosophy.
- Place five pucks strategically just outside the crease edge to create target points for shuffle and movement drills.
- Run 2-3 five-puck movement drills before every practice or morning skate — the full routine takes only 3-4 minutes.
- These drills build edge work and foot speed but are also effective as a warm-up routine from youth hockey to the NHL level.
- Seamus Kotyk learned these drills working in the San Jose Sharks system under Strelow, the NHL's first full-time goalie coach hired in 1983.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen photo – Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire
IIf you listened to Episode 157 of the InGoal Radio Podcast featuring Buffalo Sabres goaltending development coach Seamus Kotyk you already know how he was influenced by his experiences as a young pro playing in the San Jose Sharks system and working with Warren Strelow, the legendary goalie coach that USA Hockey has since named its annual camps after.
Strelow, who was the first full-time goaltending coach in the NHL in 1983 with the Washington Capitals and is probably too easily overlooked for his role pioneering the position before passing away in 2007 at age 73, laid a foundation based on movement. Kotyk has been kind enough to share video some of those original Strelow drills he still uses with the Sabres goalies, including top prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and spend time reviewing the keys.
The best part of all these drills, which we will roll out here over the coming weeks and months, is they are simple and are effective at every level, from youth hockey right up to the NHL and even beer league, and they can be used to build speed or just to get warmed up.
“We’ll do 2-3 drills like this before every practice and morning skate,” Kotyk said. “It takes 3-4 minutes and it’s a great way to get the feet going, edges going, every day.”
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