Pro Tips with Spencer Knight
- Knight's lateral release movement allows goalies to stay square and on angle without needing a T-push or slide, offering more controlled positioning.
- The movement is effective when pushing off the post in a Reverse, helping goalies avoid going out of position by using the inside leg to guide direction.
- Knight changed his skate sharpening to 7/8 — going duller than his season-starting hollow — to better support the shuffle-based nature of the lateral release.
- Sergei Bobrovsky influenced Knight's approach to warm-up skating during their time together with the Florida Panthers.
- Knight emphasizes the importance of continuously evolving skating options, integrating new movements into pre-practice routines to build edge connection and positional control.
Spencer Knight shared how former Florida Panthers playing partner Sergei Bobrovsky influenced his custom stick paddle in a Pro Gear segment earlier this season, so we shouldn’t be surprised to see at least some similarities in his warm-up skating.
Knight’s pre-practice routine isn’t as in-depth as the Bobrovksy Ballet we detailed during last year’s run to the Stanley Cup but watching him get ready after his pre-deadline trade to the Chicago Blackhawks, it was hard not to see the similarities as he worked to establish a better connection to his edges with a series of movements along the boards.
One movement stood out in particular; a lateral release Knight discussed after:
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