Pro Tips with Michael Lawrence

Michael Lawrence introduced us to his concept of a “Holding Feet” stance last week with a complete breakdown and explanation video that detailed how it built on the popular concept of adopting a narrow stance by eliminating problems associated with it.

Lawrence, who is currently with the OHL Sudbury Wolves after 10 years in Switzerland’s top pro league and twice winning the Spengler Cup with Canada, also shared some drills to help goalies get more comfortable with the concept. But before we get to the first one, a reminder this series is designed to help goalies find a “Holding Feet” stance that allows them to maintain the benefits associated with a “tall” or “narrow” stance — the ability to maintain good lateral movements being the main one — but still be able to make saves from it, something many are struggling with from a less thoughtful narrow or upright stance.

In other words, this is what Lawrence, who teaches a two-stance stance system, would call the “the proper application of a narrow stance,” but one that goalies can still make a save from, allowing them to lock in without getting locked up in a too low, too wide stance, or getting caught in transition between the two stances, another trend at all level.

One last piece of terminology before we share the video: when Lawrence talks about “pushing out” or “drifting,” it’s what many might call “widening” out the stance.