InGoal Radio Episode 327 with Sandra Abstreiter

Intro

Before we get into it, I want to thank everybody for getting back to us or reaching out to us, giving us your thoughts on both the podcast and your journey in goaltending and encourage you to do the same if you haven't. I love corresponding with everybody in the goaltending world. Welcome to InGoal Radio, the podcast, Daren Millard, along with Kevin Woodley today, and we're having some fun going through just as we were setting up to record today, we're bouncing around some ideas. And I have to say, Woody, Scott Wedgewood, who I watched in person this week for the Colorado Avalanche, playing basically every game for for the Avalanche, and they are a wagon right now. The value of having competent depth to be able to lean on without Mackenzie Blackwood has been shining through there.

Yeah. Wedgewood has been fantastic and one of the, you know, one of the great guys in the league too. Like, we we as we say here, on the media world, we don't cheer for teams. We cheer for good people and great stories, and Scott Wedgewood qualifies as both. So glad to see it for him.

Obviously, we hope Mackenzie Blackwood gets back soon, but we've talked about that before and the importance of it in the league. And, man, with this schedule and just, like, I I think it I I think we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg. We've already got injuries, teams going three deep, waiver claims, getting first, second, and third starts in the National Hockey League. We talked about Carl Lindbom last week. He got his second start.

Like, depth charts are being taxed. It's not gonna it's not gonna go away. It's gonna get more pronounced as the season goes on. And when you have a guy in your two spot that can play like a one, man, like, we've talked about that before too. Like, there are some guys that can give you a great start every two weeks, which is a skill in itself.

There are some guys who can give you great starts for two weeks or maybe two months, but the guys that can do both, find you one of those and hang on to them. And Scott Wedgewood's doing it for the Colorado Avalanche.

How they changed their goaltending at the National Hockey League level mid season last year is one of the most amazing transitions that I've seen.

Yeah. That's actually a good point. I'd almost forgotten about it. Like, basically, a complete swap at Christmas, and both guys paying value. Blackwood as good as he was down the stretch, signs a long term deal, and now Wedgewood having a great run early on.

And and, again, like, it does a couple of things. Like, it helps them survive what's happening so far this year and not having their, you know, their their on paper number one. But it also means that when Mackenzie Blackwood comes back, there should be no no rush to overplay him. There should be no hesitation at any point the rest of this season, even into the playoffs, to go to the other guy because he's showing you what he can do. So, again, like, we cheer for the good guys in this league, and Scott Wedgewood is one of them.

So great to see him showing the rest of the league what we've seen in the past, how good he can be.

Yeah. And Wedgewood is one of those guys where I go, I like to play goal like that. Like, some people I know that I can't. Some people just have a different style, but he he's got the the the cool approach, the ability, the the way he handles things. I I'd like to play goal like that.

Thinks to game well.

Right?

Like, yeah. Yeah. We you we need you know, we need we need some Scott Wedge with ProReads. We need to get we

need That'd to get be good, though.

Consider consider yourself on notice, Scott, as if you haven't been busy enough. Woodley's gonna be bugging you soon. Little text message coming in. Ding ding.

Yeah. I got a little bit of a tweak to the Vizual Edge ProReads coming up. But Jacob Markstrom signs the extension. They get that done with Tom Fitzgerald and company.

Would you pardon the pun, Daren? But when it comes to signing goaltens in the league, it is all about the devil you know.

Yes. And and he would have

been proud of that one. Come on. Hutch would have been proud of that dad joke

you deserve stick taps there. And I talked to Tom Fitzgerald the other day on the the 100% hockey podcast, and he told me he and Jake had face to face conversations during the course of the negotiations along with agent and and general manager and just approaching it a little bit different than just so he knew where everything was coming from on on both sides. So I I I give Fitzgerald some credit there.

Well, he got value here. Like, a, he didn't have to lock in an older goaltender to long term, just two more years. And at 6,000,000, right, at a time when and I know Jacob health has been an issue and staying healthy has been an issue. And he plays the game with such a fire and such athleticism that he puts his body in positions where there's some wear and tear and strain involved. But to get him at a, you know, like, 25% discount essentially compared to other elite net minders in the NHL making eight and a half plus, that's not bad, especially when you combine them with Jake Allen who has been so good for them early on and should give them a tandem.

Again, the beauty of depth and Nico Dawes too. You don't have to overplay one guy, and you don't have to put him sorta into the grinder to the point where you worry about losing him from a hell standpoint. Like, you should be able to manage him and it's a both your guys once you get him back.

You you you talk about discount, but based on the previous salary to the next contract, it's the same. Right?

Yeah. I mean, discount at a time when everybody else is going up. The the fact he's the same as the discount.

But how much how often do you see a guy sign for a a a flat level? Well, looking 6,000,000, 6,000,000. That's that's an amazing contract for Tom Fitzgerald and the devils.

Well, if you combine it with Jake Allen, basically, you know, foregoing being the belle of the ball in free agency this summer and being able to probably get a much larger ticket instead settling for term instability five years at a much lower price in New Jersey. Clearly, they've built something there that the goalies wanna be a part of. And so that's never a bad thing. Now Marksham is

approaching 40. We shouldn't lose sight of what he's doing at this age. Pretty impressive.

Is he that old? Like, I like, I covered Jacob Markstrom. I I love talking. Twenty twenty eight

age, sorry, is is is going to be 38. So 38 when it ends. We're mid yeah.

We're getting up there. We're getting up there and if, know, like for that Frederik Andersen territory and, you know, a lot of these guys that are getting up there in years. So but again, you didn't have to commit terms, so it's not a bad deal.

Kevin Lankinenen, I watched him in the shootout the other day.

He's money in the shootout.

Money. Yeah. What is it about that?

I think he's such a good skater. He manages his depth really well on his retreats. I'm willing to bet that if we rewind all the shootouts, when the attacking player gets to the hash mark, I bet you he's really consistently at a specific spot in his crease, probably heals out. And by the time they're at the bottom hash, I bet he's around toes in regardless of what speed or angle they attack on. Kevin Lankinenen is an elite skater, and his ability to sort of anticipate and read and sort of manage his depth, I I think that's a big part of how good he is in the shootouts.

Number one in amongst active goaltenders in terms of, I don't know, about wins, loss success, but in terms of save percentage in the shootout, he is number one after going three for three against the Saint Louis Blues the other night. Now I should say, got a gift on the three for three. We were actually a little unsure of it because Braden Schenn fumbled the puck into the corner and didn't even come close to getting a shot at net, but it still comes off as a it's still the goalie. This is the one area. Right?

At a time when the NHL is cracking down on shot attempts, and it asked to very much beyond net to count, and we're seeing shot totals go way down because they're being so picky about if you stop a puck that was headed an inch wide, you don't get credit for a save anymore. They're tracking that. In the shootout, the guy can fumble the puck into the corner and you still get credit for a fail that for stopping a shootout attempt.

Yeah. I thought

But that to me, that's Lankinen and he intimidated him. That was a Jedi mind trick, Daren.

I just thought it was a really strange time to dump Chase.

Yeah. It'd

be it'd be like if you would meet Monty's reaction.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Just like, are you kidding me?

They're they're scrambling for points right now and to to get a little rhythm going.

And they And that dominated that game. Like, Lankinen was also very good in that game. Like, I looked up the expected goals on clear side analytics the next morning. The canucks were below one and the blues were 3.6 or 3.7.

Do you do that every day? Go back and check expected goals through Clear sight?

I try and do it somewhat somewhat regularly. I certainly do it with the Canucks. If if if it's a game I've watched, which I tend to have to do all the Canucks games even if I'm not covering it just to keep an eye on it for my commentary because I wanna see how much my eye test matches.

That's what I was wondering. And and how often are you on point, and how often are you surprised by the the difference?

I am quite often in the ballpark, but still find myself quite often surprised. Like, and I don't mean

I'm not in the ballpark enough. I'm I'm I'm still struggling to match what the analytics say.

Well, there's times where there's goals that I look at. I'm like, I think there's a lot of times there are goals around the league where I think most fans would look at a guy coming down the wing. He gets, you know, inside the top of the circles between there and the dots, straight line attack, and he rips one and scores. And it's like, oh, that's a great chance. But then I look at the analytics, and it's usually not.

And those are the ones where I where I've the only reason I can say I'm better now is because I've looked often enough.

My eye test always thinks the goaltender played better than the data says.

I think that's just a default for you and I both. Like, that's a that's a good like, honestly, Daren, like, if we didn't have that, I'd be waiting for the old some somebody at the door to take away the goalie the card.

I'm like, that, like, they had five great chances that period, and all of a sudden, it's like two. Like, what? Those are hard saves.

There's a tough one on Bennington. It wasn't his fault. Like, goal like, the puck got given away behind the net after a handle, and he ended up in a really awkward position on the post. Now he could have gotten into his post in a less awkward position, but it basically let chip by him from down around the goal line. And, you know, all the public data was like, oh, high danger chance because it was in tight.

But I think any goalie, and I'm willing to bet his goalie coach would have been like, hey, man. We get into the post a little better, and that's like an absolutely zero danger chance. And it was interesting to sort of take a look at that one. On clear side, it came out as a mid danger chance. So, you know, it's it's I'm not saying that nobody's perfect, but having the ability to look at what I think, is a a system that well, a, at hand measures it.

They're vetting everything by eye, not using AI and having, like, 70% success rates on actually measuring what happens in the game. But I trust them the most, and that's still interesting to see where the differences are between what I think I test and what the stats say.

Gear

Let's get over to our Gear Segment brought to us by our sponsor, Source for Sports Langley, The Hockey Shop, thehockeyshop.com. It's a good one this week. New stuff. You know how I like me some new stuff, especially with everything. This is one yeah.

It's a good one this week. New stuff. You know how I like me some new stuff, especially with everything. This is one yeah.

I always make the joke. It's Christmas in November. It's Christmas in July. We've got something new at the Hockey Shop Source for Sports. This week, literally, folks, like, if you've got a goalie on your list and you're trying to imagine what to get him for Christmas, this twig is, I'd say, stocking suffer, but let's be honest with the price of sticks these days, this is probably a primary gift.

Yeah. This is probably a primary gift.

A little tough to hide, a little tough to wrap, but you're gonna wanna check out the Bauer Pulse. And over at The Hockey Shop Source for Sports, they've got a ton in stock. We're gonna get into it with Cam. We're gonna walk through what makes it special, and you Daren and I will talk about it after. But I wanna let people know that that's not all they've got.

They've got a ton of ProReturn sticks. Up on the website now, we talked about the true ProReturns a couple weeks ago. Next week, we're gonna talk about the CCM ProReturns, show you some of the specifics. But if you don't wanna wait a week because these things sell fast, go check it out at the hockeyshop.com. There was some Stewart Skinner sticks with some really unique grip patterns on the blade.

There were some Juuse Saros sticks and the holy grail. It is available in both the true stick and as the original CCM actual model used in the National Hockey League stick, the Sergei Bobrovsky slope shoulder stick in stock from two different brands at the Hockey Shop right now. So if you've got stick shopping on your list, whether it's the Bauer Pulse we're about to talk to or the pro returns, and I gotta be honest, Daren, CCM XF Pro returns XF Pro Pro returns are actually cheaper than retail. No warrant no warranty, but it's actually cheaper than buying an XF Pro stick off the rack right now. So if you're willing to live without the warranty, you can save some money as well and try a unique paddle shape, unique blade shape, lots of different colors.

Make sure you check it out, hockeyshop.com. But for now, let's have Cam explain to us what's new in Bauer's latest quote unquote innovation twig, the Bauer Pulse.

I've got my fingers on the pulse of goaltending today. The new Bauer Pulse Innovation Series stick with a very unique grip, some changes in the blade, some construction. Cam, let's get into all the details. Oh, it's like

You just made my pulse rise. Oh.

Dad joke's off the charts today.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

Welcome back to The Hockey Shop Source for Sports where we do have the Bauer Pulse, their innovation line. As we know, Bauer has Supreme. Bauer has Vapor.

I thought you forgot there for a sec. A little bit.

My pulse was high. I'm

Okay. Here we go.

Every once in a while, come out with something that actually isn't annually. They come out with something that's just, like, all about the innovation.

So You mean their innovation line of sticks?

Their innovation line of sticks. That is what we have here. A little bit. Yeah. Yeah.

In addition yeah. There you go. Good Christmas gift idea. In addition to being pretty like Cam, it's also got some actual functionality changes. So what let's go.

[crosstalk] Walk us through. Okay. I've delayed long enough. Let's start off with

the bottom this time and talk about that p 28 g curve. G? Yes. For goalie. Okay. Because p 28 is a player curve. Well, we don't want But now we had the g, so it's goalie. So you know it's good.

Yeah. A tow hook on that thing. Yes. So Vetch can ask.

If you are looking for a nice banana curve This is the come out last year for goalies, specifically on watch innovation stick. Do you remember? I don't

remember, Cam. I'm not that bright. I'm old. I forget things.

Comment in comments below if you remember watch stick that was last year that came out. They've already had the agent. They've already had the

Just tell me about the pulse.

Okay. We'll we'll stick back to the pulse.

Or you won't have one soon enough.

Got them. Okay. So new for the P28 though. On the top of the curve, we see that it's square. On the bottom though, it is rounded.

So jam that stick against the boards, that puck's riding along, that square toe will help you kind of cradle it, and then that rounded toe will help you pull it off the boards to be able to shoot, play it out. Like that.

I like that. Say, like, not just like some real honest thought process there.

Exactly. Exactly.

Press cam. Moving up,

the stick. We see that Ergo spine on the back. So reminiscent of the supreme series stick.

Which helps give us some lightweight. That's What are

we at? We on a 25, we are 642 grams.

So not the lightest stick on the market No. But really light and really well balanced in your

And then we're getting kinda to the, I would say, close to the ceiling of that weight story pretty quick here.

I'd say it's probably more of a floor cam. Yes. Yeah. Ceiling? Rather than a ceiling.

Other words, we can't do much more with weight. Let's get to the grip. So grip. What's it called?

Ergo grip. Ergo grip. So Okay. Get a good look at that right there.

Yeah. It's kinda it's gonna be a tough one. We're gonna have to zoom in on this. We'll show that later. Like, it's it's yeah.

Explain it to me.

So It feels good.

It's got that kinda, like, bump that comes out. So you've got a little bit, like, reminiscent of the pentagrip, but when you go into the back of it, it also jets out a little bit more too. So it feels a little bit more suspense.

Pentagrib was just sort of up here. This also has down the bottom and then it also continues into the shoulder as well. Like there's a bump on

the As you're grabbing the stick, it bumps out index finger across I the find that it gives you a lot more control over that stick. You know what

it reminds me of? It reminds me of a lot of the guys that will do, like, custom tape. Like, they'll tape their own sort of custom handle on here and tape down over the top of the shoulder to get that feel. It's they've just built it in. It's it's

It's a big benefit.

Natural feeling in there.

Exactly. A big benefit is allowing you to get that hand over top of that stick a little bit more, a little bit more supreme control as you go through. Okay. What else? Boron makes its return Boron.

To their innovation series. Named after Tim Boron, their pro rep. Not really, but should

be one of the best. So when you are talking about the Boron, it's how it's actually, like, carbon weaved into the stick itself. Okay. So it's adding to some more rigidity of the stick. Moving up to the shaft, you do feel Bauer's raised logoing now this time.

So as you kind of run your hand along, something just a little bit of a different texture feel for them, not something they've done previously in the past.

Not really a performance thing, but it's kinda

No.

It's just it's it's just cool.

Yeah. It's there. And it gives it stick actually a good, like, shine and

sheen to

it to it. Oh, it's pretty.

Yes. Exactly. So we we already talked about that. Only one color. K.

So one curve until you get down to junior when it goes back to P31. So junior size twenty one, twenty two is going to be P31. Once we hit 23 inch into intermediate, that's where that P28 curve comes back, and it's P28 all the way throughout the rest the sizing curve.

All right. This is coming in at a perfect time, sort of Christmas time, early gift ideas. I'm guessing it's going to sell fast just because of all these features. And I got to say, like, I know this is innovation series sort of a one off, but that feels so nice and natural in the hand. I wouldn't be surprised if we see this becomes that I don't know.

I haven't talked to Bauer, but if it was me, I might consider making this something moving forward that's Maybe an additional option on the custom because it's it's it's

it's quite nice.

It's quite nice. No? Alright. Boron. Boron five.

Cam's usually just boring, but he can't be. His pulse is up with this stick in his hand. Make sure you give him a shout if you got any questions. Wanna know what sizing, what what what you need, how to get it, what the shipping dates are. What do they get you?

Six zero four five eight nine eight two nine nine or 1805677790 or check us out at the hockeyshop.com. Remember, we've always got our finger on the pulse of goaltending. Check us out.

You know, I was I was talking to Ryan over at City National Arena here in Vegas, and he was all excited about the Bauer pulse stick, and I I didn't realize that it that it was out. So he brought that to me, and that was three hours ago. And you and I are talking about it now in the Gear Segment. So credit to Ryan.

He's on top of it. He's on top of it. I gotta say, like, I found it really interesting. We were talking about it with other members of the Hockey Shop goalie team after we finished recording this segment. And everybody sort of had the same thought process on it because, you know, they've they've had the pentagrip before, but this thing actually curves sort of down below your fingers as well.

And the the sort of bubble, for lack of a better term, the the curvature, the extra contour on the stick, where the pentagrip would be is in addition to being much thicker. It actually goes down over the top of the shoulder of the of of of the stick itself. Like, actually is the top portion of the shoulder is also raised. And so when you put your hand on it, it just feels like it kills dead space in you. Like, everything is filled.

It feels like a perfectly natural grip. That's what everyone said. Now most of the guys that I talked to at the Hockey Shop hadn't had a chance to take it on the ice, but they all agreed unanimously they loved how it felt. So I'm dying to try one on the ice to see if how it feels in my hand will translate to added control. Like, that's the idea.

Right? If you've got a perfect grip on it, you're gonna be able to hold it a little tighter. Really felt like it would work with a, for lack of a better term, like that index finger down on the you know, if you sort of hold your index finger down along the shoulder, it really felt like it'd be a perfect grip for that. Might don't know. I'm curious to see whether Bauer keeps this as an option in the future for custom because I had a few guys say, like, this thing's perfect.

Would it be even better with the trigger grip? Oh. Maybe we get Daren maybe we'll get Daren a pulse and he can saw a trigger grip into it because I know you're you're working on your Frankensteins, buddy.

Oh, yeah. I I I've I've put a trigger finger with a slow shoulder. It like, it's I'll be on the the trigger finger wasn't the intended part, but I screwed up some of the sawing, so it it I was fortunate. I fell into it. But here's a question.

I'm not allowed to

just just, you know, I'm not allowed to have saws because then I wouldn't have a I wouldn't have a figure. My basically, my family would bet that I wouldn't have a finger left to trigger with.

You should see me trying to wedge the stick to get some some leverage on it, what what I'm saying. On the slope shoulder, how does that affect you when you're paddle down and and your and your blocker going in? Because it's it would be a little bit of an angle, wouldn't it?

I mean, honestly Just thinking that. I mean, a slope shoulder allows you like, for Bob, if you're holding like Bob, he just, like, holds grips right down on the whole shoulder. Right? So So if you

go paddle paddle down

I mean, I I don't know that it would be well, I would actually so I would think a real hard firm paddle down if you're doing it the way Bob holds it, you more of your fingers might get dumped into the ice a little bit. Like, you might Yeah. That might hurt a little bit. But, again, because it's sloped, you know, the middle, ring, and pinky are probably off the ice a little bit. So it would still just be your index that would be your primary point of contact.

Again, to it would depend on how how much you grip down on that slope shoulder. And shameless plug for InGoal Magazine, we over at premium, you can go into pro gear, and we actually have segments over there with both Bob and Spencer Knight talking about how they use that slope shoulder. And Spencer Knight talked about how he holds it further down or further up depending and Chris talked about this too, depending on the situation. So they actually it's like like choking up on a bat when you have two strikes out. In certain situations, they choke further down on that on that slope shoulders.

It is fascinating the degree to which these guys

Can you imagine thinking about that during during play?

Oh, listen. I'm just it's it's like it's like when the guy that I play with who played played a little pro overseas and he's old school and he knows how to bait shooters, he tells, Kev, Kev, just like like, be off your angle a little bit. Show them something and then move back in. I'm like, dude, I'm just trying to survive out here in the middle of my net. If I start trying to go out of the middle of the net on my purpose and then move back in, I'm gonna basically end up in the corner at some point.

So, like Yeah. Just let me stay in the middle of my net. I don't wanna overthink here.

Give it to them and take it away. Yeah. I don't wanna give anything.

Exactly. Exactly. Trust me, buddy. I'm giving them enough already.

ProReads

Yeah. I can I can do the give? I can't get through the the takeaway part. Let's get into our Visual Edge ProReads and something a little different this week, but first a message from Visual Edge.

Yeah. Well, Vizual Edge brings you our ProReads each week, and they are the perfect sponsor because ProReads are all about helping you learn to read and anticipate the game better by sharing footage of NHL goalies explaining how they do it. Vizual Edge is all about allowing you to see and process the game better with their visual and cognitive training tools used by goalie coaches, legends like Mitch Korn, Justin Peters of the Ottawa Senators, as well as goalies like Jordan Binnington, Cam Talbot, and many more. Vizual Edge is a cognitive and visual training tool trusted by the best of the best in the National Hockey League. You can get a discount on a Vizual Edge monthly or annual subscription just using the code InGoal, all caps, or if you're a subscriber to InGoal Premium, InGoal Magazine Premium, log in, go to any ProReads on the website, and get the discount code for 20% off.

The original one gives you 10. The members only discount code gives you 20. Vizual Edge, as the game gets faster, your ability to see the puck quicker and process faster becomes increasingly important. Vizual Edge will give you that tool. And I gotta say, we've had a ton of ProReads up.

We've talked about all the ProReads each week. Got another one from Eric, and a great one from Eric. But in the meantime, I wanted to try something different. I wanted to make them the sponsor of this little rather than doing a ProReads in this segment, I'm gonna share insights from three different Seattle Kraken goalies that I talked to this week about the Samuel Montembeault story. Have you seen this one, Daren?

Montembeault talking about stick blades?

Mind blowing.

So for those uninformed or not caught up, and we're gonna have an we're gonna have a have a story up on the site in a couple of days sort of expanding on this. I wrote one for nhl.com, but we're gonna have the InGoal version of it. Essentially, Samuel Montembeau with the Montreal Canadiens was on a French podcast and or or YouTube show, and he talked about if you give him a name of any player in the league, he'll tell you whether they shoot right or left and what color tape they have. And a lot of people like you, Daren, were like, hey. Mind blowing.

And I was like, given how much we've done in ProReads over the years, I was kinda like, is it? Like, we see how much information these guys know and process. I'm like, I wonder how many of them can do this. So I asked a half a dozen, and I got a mixed bag. I had Jonathan Quick, who's been in the league forever, tell me he couldn't.

He probably can't even do his own teammates. Shesterkin, a little bit, said he could do some. Jakub Dobes, Montembeault's teammate? Nope. That's not his thing.

But then I went into the Seattle room. All three guys figured that everybody else in the league could do it too. The question becomes, where's the value? Is it just a cool party trick, or is there actual value to being able to know all this information and what is it? So I'm gonna give you right now, Philipp Grubauer, Joey Daccord, and Matt Murray talking about that question.

What do they think of it? Do they think most guys know it or not? And what's important to them when they're reading stick blade releases.

Think, like, obviously, like, the most information we get out of the blade of a guy, and the body language, like, they they shoot the puck with, I think, for the modern goalie. I think it it's not looking down the puck. I think it's like seeing the bigger picture, like, what the release is in, like yeah. You you know, like, I've played long enough for most guys, like, I had to enjoy it too. Like, you played long enough for you you know certain guys and how they shoot and and what situations they might shoot.

Obviously, like, from go back ten years ago, I think, like, now not saying, like, ten years ago, guys couldn't shoot, but, like, obviously, like, with technology and, like, sticks and

There's a uniqueness to how some of you shoot too.

No? Yeah. Everybody has, like, a skills coach now, which, like, back in the day, I don't think, like, there was that common, like, in their work on shooting, releasing the puck crack, like, pulling it. Right? So those are all, like, things we kinda, like, look for.

But, yeah, you play certain guys long enough, like, you know what their tape color is. You know you know what their sticks are. I think, like, most goalies in the league know.

Do you do you study, like, the release stuff? If, like, you go into a game, like, again, without specifics, and and if I'm getting too specific, just tell me. But,

[crosstalk] you know, like, so and so likes to pull it into his feet.

So and so has a push. Like, do you have all that?

For sure. Like, Vegas just came up on the on the screen. Right? Like, you look at Ico. Right?

Like, the way he shoots the puck is kinda unique or, like, stone. They have such a, like, long stick and long reach. They can pull it. They can shoot from different situation. They can get the puck off quickly.

They can, they they drag it. So there's a couple guys who actually, like, you gotta watch out for and then, like yeah. It just depends on the team. Yeah.

Yeah. I think it's common. It's common knowledge, especially the offensive guys, like the guys that you really need to worry about, the power play guys. It changes the way you approach the game based on the handedness and especially on the power play, whether it's going from forehand to forehand through the steam or whether it's going from forehand to one timer, whether they're coming downhill or opening up for a one timer. So I think most guys some guys change their tape a lot too.

[crosstalk] Like, you can tell when a guy Even in a game too, there's a couple Yeah. You can tell, like, when a guy's fighting it, maybe he hasn't scored in a while, sometimes they'll switch tape colors. Did you see that right away? I'll notice it right away. Yeah.

Because I'll be like, that looks different. Who's that? And you take a look and you're like, oh, he switched his tape. So you're, like, looking at the blade. It's like, yeah.

Don't write. And then you look Yeah. That's really cool, actually. Yeah. Every like, the way a goalie knows a player usually is by, like, the picture of his blade, would say.

Like, why you can kinda tell a guy's curve. If he's got a big toe curve, can kinda see it when he's shooting at you. Whether he keeps it, like, in tight versus out away from him when he likes to shoot it. Right. And that's the the lie effects where it's bad.

Yeah. Exactly. So that's, like, how I know players is, like, the picture of what their stick looks like when they're shooting. So if I show you a bunch

of sticks, you'd be able

to pick it I mean, for sure on our team because I see it all the time. Yeah. And then the rest of the league, the there's some unique ones that you would know, obviously. Some guys obviously, I'm not gonna know every single player. There's a lot of, like, turnover and a lot of new players coming in too.

So I'm not gonna sit here and say I know every single player, but Yeah. A lot of them for sure. Yeah.

What does a book look like per NHL World Cup in the Bay Area?

He used say, well, he's got a book coming. Shoot it. What is it what what is that information without giving too much of that, what would that information look?

Just tendencies, I think. Some some players, like, every release is so different. It's really hard to describe, to somebody who hasn't been a goalie, but some players, like, the shot comes with a little bit a little bit of arc to it. Some players, it comes on a straight line. Some are very spinny.

Some are more knuckily. Some some flip. Like, is a guy who's, like, really knuckily and fluffy. That's why he scores so much because he he can't really read where it's going. It hurt.

Yeah. It doesn't come in a straight line. So, it's like a curveball at a pitcher. So you really with him, it's like you just try to get big and you hope it hits you because you you your brain, as a human being, you don't have enough time to process the information. So you're looking for their stick blades on the curve with the tape, and then that helps you identify how it it's

more about what that means if it's how it'll come off.

How it'll come off and how you need to react to it too. Like, there's some some guys if they shoot in a straight line, you can get a really good read on it, and maybe you could be a little bit more active and a little bit more, like, intentional about your, like, your movements on your saves. Some guys, like, if you're if you move too much, it can, like, affect you negatively. You can move out too much. You know?

Like, is a really good, example of that. So yeah. Yeah. We probably probably most of us, except for maybe some of the new guys. Right.

You know, like, if there's a rookie on our new team, we probably don't know, but, like, I could go around most of league and pretty much do most of the guys. Yeah. Yeah. And how specific do you know the tape toes? Usually, just kind of the color and Okay.

And, you know, if they have something, like, if they, know, don't do the toe or do the toe or Yeah. It's all built in. Yeah. Like, you know, yeah. Most I would say most goalies will probably tell you they know who everyone else.

Okay. So if that's the information you have already, what does a without giving away the extras too much Mhmm. What does a book look like for modern NHL? What other details do you wanna make sure you know on the phone or

I think more like tenancies and anything like what teams are looking for. They love to go low to high and pound it. Do they look to make plays? They look to look for scene plays. They look to to create off the rush.

You know, there are teams that will shoot every puck.

Right.

There's teams that will individual shoot. Yeah. There's teams that will pass up shots. You know? And then I think also, like, as you play, you know, you go through the league at the starter more and more and you play teams, like, you kinda know where guys like to shoot.

You kinda know guys' moves. You know, okay. Like, I've seen this power play 40 times in

the last three years.

What do they like to do? Right. You know? Like so I think you you once you start to play teams a lot, you notice tendencies that way.

There's not enough room in my head for that to to know one what hand everybody shoots. And I think that's more common, but the stick tape and that area of it takes it to a level that's so far beyond what I expected.

Well, and I love that they explain what the value is. Right? Like, being able to know Yeah. Who who's on the I mean, we we do this in ProReads all the time, right, where guys will be like, hey. Like, I knew it was righty, righty, righty, lefty, lefty on this power play.

Over to my left were two lefties, so I knew that everybody on the other side of the ice was a one time option. And so that's automatically a piece of information that lets you know where you gotta push to and whether you gotta skate or slide depending on where they are on the ice in order to beat that pass or just be taking away the bottom of the ice as you move. Right? Like, so the it matters. But how much does it matter?

Is that the information? And interesting that, you know, some of those guys said being able to know from the stick tape job allows them to, oh, that's him. I know the release because I've it's not so much about the stick tape, but being able to quickly identify who it is shooting if you if you didn't already know who everybody was on the ice and where they were and know the tendencies because you watch them. You've been shot on by that person twenty, thirty, 40 times. I mean, the one to me that cemented it was Matt Murray saying, every once in a while, a guy will change it up, and you'll and you'll look down.

You'll be like, hold on. Who's this? And you'll look up and see who it is and be like,

oh, he changed his tape. That to me, I was like, okay. This guy knows, you know, when that's a sign, you know, you're you're and Matt Murray is a real thinker at the game. Right? So we shouldn't we shouldn't be surprised, but I just love those guys being willing to share that information with me.

And I'd be curious. I wish I had time to ask every goalie in the league and sorta kept this on the back burner, but it might be a question I ask every goalie coming through town now just so I can, at the end of the year, be able to say, Daren, 75 of NHL goalies or 65% of NHL goalies can do exactly what Samuel Montembeaultl. Now one last one. Sorry, buddy. Samuel Montembeaultl, when I talked to him about it, he said he has basically a photographic visual memory video memory.

That's why he allows him to do this, but he's like Devan Dubnyk. Remember, Duby could basically you could tell Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild against the Vancouver Canucks, your night 2018, November 22, third goal scored by this guy, and he'll be able to tell you what the goal was and how it went in. Samuel Montembeault is the same way. Like, and he and he joked, he's like, it's he's like, it makes video review easy, but it kinda sucks because it in your head, all the pictures of getting scored on, that's what's up there. But he can he can remember the specifics of all the goals he gives up.

So as much as the Seattle Goalies all told us they know this stuff, Montembeault definitely has a special talent here in terms of the way he sees things and remembers things visually and the recall that comes with it. So listen, to get a brain like that, I would suggest being smarter than me, first of all. But second of all, Vizual Edge, training your eyes Yeah. Training your brain. The ability to sort of process things will help you recall later on.

Parent Playbook

You're right. Stop It Goaltending U, the app, brings you our parent segment every week. One of the great elements of InGoal Radio, the podcast, is talking to goaltenders, but talking to their support system as well-being mom and dad and and the the people that are leaning into this journey as much as the goaltenders themselves.

Well, and nobody leans into the journey like the crew over at Stop It Goaltending. We've talked about Brian Daccord and all the lessons he brings from over twenty five years in the business as a goaltender, as a goalie coach, as a director of goaltending, as a goalie scout, and now again, as a director of goaltending with the Detroit Red Wings. The entire crew that he works with, a lot of these are goalie coaches working in minor pro, working in college. They bring all that knowledge, all of it. 25 of experience, all that shared knowledge, and they put it in an app for you.

It's called Stop It Goaltending U, the app. And when you get a subscription to it, you get weekly, daily, and sort of big picture, small picture, daily primers you can digest a minute a day. Each week you get longer videos if you wanna sink your teeth into something more. There's new lessons, new tips, new advice constantly on the Stop It Goaltending U app. And the best part of all, you get the same from InGoal Magazine because when you buy a subscription to the Stop It Goaltending U app, you also get a subscription to InGoalmag premium.

It's the best of both worlds. All that knowledge from them, all that knowledge from us and the NHL goalies that share tips and advice with us all rolled into one place. It's Stop It Goaltending U. Make sure you download it. Check it out at the App Store or wherever you people who are on Androids download your apps.

The Stop It Goaltending U, the app parent segment, as Hutch joins us to just do a little q and a with some of our listeners and, delve into some of the, questions and comments, that he receives over the, weeks that we bring you the InGoal Radio Podcast. Hutch.

Sorry I couldn't be with you guys. It really is the highlight every week for me to sit down and chat goaltending with the two of you and with all of our listeners. However, couldn't be, so I took some time and recorded the parent segment, or here I am recording the parent segment ahead of time for everybody. And we were just jumping into the mailbag with a few questions that have been sent my way, or in some cases through, through a Facebook group that I I tend to hang out with. So here we go.

Real quick. First one, where can I get a white cage for his Bauer helmet? Quick, easy answer. You should know what it is. The Hockey Shop.

Go to thehockeyshop.com. I, in fact, ordered several just about a month ago. And, they'll ship anywhere in Canada, and lots of their categories can go into The USA as well. This is not a hockey shop thing. It is not a government political thing.

There's just agreements with several brands that retailers in Canada can only ship within Canada. Retailers in The US can only ship within The US. But, if you call Cam and it's on every single one of our Gear Segment videos or you can email sales@thehockeyshop.com and, you can get in touch with Cam through there or camp somebody on Cam's team and find out what can be shipped your way. But by all means, go through the hockey shop because they're just fantastic. K.

Second one, more technical. Tips for holding your feet. Young goalie going down too much too soon because he's afraid of being scored on low. Here's my answer. There are some drills you can do, but mom and dad, you're not a goalie coach out there typically.

Here's what I would have said to my child when they were younger like yours. With respect to games, I would say nothing. Don't say to them before the game, don't drop too soon. Don't say them that if you go down quick, you're gonna get beat up high. For games, you have to let them play.

You can't be in their head. If they think out there, they're gonna get scored on. But in practice, what I would say is you just have to try. The goals don't matter in practice. You have to try to focus on seeing the puck leave the blade of the stick before you go down.

It's really that simple. Bonus, if they're focusing on the release and making sure that puck has left the blade, they're gonna be focusing more on the release and they're gonna be more effective with everything they do. So that's how I'd handle it as a parent. Similar technical sort of stuff. Somebody wants to know what is most important for a beginner goalie, Sending them for power skating lessons or to goalie specific training.

Most people when this is a comment from Facebook and most people jumped in there and said, skating, skating, skating. And I assume you mean specific goalie skating, but but even pure power skating is fantastic for for young goalies as well. It is for sure the key skill for a goaltender, but my answer would be a little bit more nuanced than that. I don't think it is a a black and white sort of question. Sure.

Skating is the most important skill for your child to have, but the most important thing is that they have fun and want to keep coming back. So I'd be looking for a goalie coach who incorporates skating into all of their work. They're gonna get the specific goalie training, but they'll get a certain amount of skating in every practice that they go to. I personally think with most most kids, that's gonna be the most fun. They'll get the most specific skating stuff and then they're gonna get all the other skills as well.

So check with the goalie coach, maybe watch one of the lessons they work with, see how much skating they do, and see what your kid is interested in. Some goalie coaches will do it for an hour and kids will eat it up and some kids will hate it unless it's only, you know, five minutes at the beginning. The most important thing is that your kid has fun. Okay. Here's another one.

Ideas for a Christmas gift for a U11 goalie. Well, that one's easy. InGoal Magazine. Go to ingoalmag.com. There is a link on there for giving a gift and you can give an easy electronic gift.

After you've given it, you can even print out a little gift certificate that you can include in, you know, in stocking or wrapped up or however you wanna do it. Little closer to Christmas, we'll have our annual Christmas shopping article out and we'll give you lots of other great ideas. You can even go search Christmas at ingoalmag.com and check out last year's article, but every goalie deserves a subscription to InGoalmag. Two more and then we'll be done. One was a quick question asking about which of two specific chesties that their kids should should get.

And and honestly, the only answer to that one I believe is you have to try. You could, again, reach out to Cam at The Hockey Shop if you have a specific question. But the reality is that every piece of gear these days from the major manufacturers are they're great. But everybody's gonna have specifics for what they want based on how they play the game. In fact, that's why every time Kevin does a review for us or Kevin and Cam sit down, they talk about the features so that you can decide what's right for your game.

But we can't say that one is the best for everybody. So the best thing is to get into your local retailer and and give one a try and see what feels the most comfortable. The last one, maybe a little tougher one really, is is a parent of a U15 goaltender and their goalie is being helped by a parent coach. I guess in this team, most of the coaches are they're not parents. They're just paid to be coaches for the team.

But one parent has gone out there to volunteer and help the goaltenders and look, that's great. But it sounds like there's a fair bit of negative commentary that is maybe a little bit over the line to these parents or or to this child. And what would you say to the head coach? I guess you just have to have a bit of a conversation. Look, you don't want if it's too negative an experience, you don't want it to ruin the year for the kid.

If there's something you can guide them through, if you can help them have a conversation with the parent coach at this time, you 15, you know, we're almost into major junior hockey here. So they do need to be able to advocate for themselves. So I would try and help my child advocate and speak to the coach themselves. But for sure, there there comes a time when it's a little too hard for a child or as a parent, you just think it's too far over the line and you don't think they should have to defend for themselves in that respect. Or maybe they just feel like you're putting your child in a difficult spot.

So what would I say to the head coach? I would just I would just lay it out there very nicely, very carefully. I would say, I really appreciate that this parent is out there helping. I know that not many teams are lucky enough to have somebody with experience out there helping the goalies, but you should just be aware that the way my child responds best is is to positive commentary. And he's feeling that this is a little bit over the line.

I'm not looking for somebody to get in trouble. I'm not looking for you to go and tell the guy how to do his job. But maybe you could just sort of keep an ear out on the ice and just, you know, gently guide them into being a little bit more positive with the child. I, my personal opinion is that you as people have probably heard on the show here, is that you get a lot more out of being positive with a child than you do with being negative. So it is it is something that that you need to be gentle about.

I I don't think you can go in there and say, we don't want this happening and and so on unless it's just really really bad. Yeah. Have a careful conversation. Honestly, if it's something you wanna to talk over, you can feel free to reach out to me and and I'd be happy to talk it through with you as well. Got a couple of notes this week from parents who just wanted to touch base because of what I say on the show.

And and that's an offer I make to all parents out there. If you wanna have a conversation about anything or just wanna let me know you're listening to the parent segment or something you'd like to hear about, do reach out please. Parents@InGoalmag.com.

You know, since we were talking about Samuel Montembeault and and the stick take and lefty righty, we've had these conversations, and I still it's in the back of my mind. I'm like, Shea Theodore, black or white. Jack Eichel, black or white. Like, it's it's it's in my head right now. I I can't get that out of my brain.

It was funny because in the Grubauer portion of that interview, you would have heard him talk about, like, the one he picked out. I'm like, it's always tough with these things. I'm like, hey. Like, I really wanna ask you this question, but I'm not asking you to share state secrets. So give me as much as you can kind of thing.

And Grubauer Grubauer, like, playing behind us were the highlights from the night before, and he looks up and he saw an Eichel highlight, and that's why he talked about Eichel's release and the specifics of it. And I was like, jeez, I wonder if Daren is aware of all these specifics or if he's just out there like I would be, like, okay, there it comes again, there it comes again, or how much of the nuance that Grubauer talked about are you picking up on?

There it comes again.

There it comes again.

Yep. There it comes again.

I'd be I'd be like, okay, didn't hit me again. Didn't hit me again. Didn't hit me again.

Well, Jack's got a really unique release too.

That's Because

he's so upright. Yeah. And and

the ability sort

of traditional in in in how it comes off a stick. So it's harder to get a beat on for for me than just the previous five players that have a a more regular hockey body or stride.

Yeah. And and it's funny because, again, to go back to that conversation, like, do you I would assume when it's Jack Eichel, you just know when he's on the ice. Yeah. Right? And you're looking for him.

But but in that split second, when it comes across the crease and there were three guys off to your right and you didn't have a chance to scan the zone right before, if you look and see and know it's his blade, then automatically you know what to expect from his release compared to the other two guys that might have been right shots on the ice at the time with him. And that would be a split second advantage if you're familiar with the uniqueness of Jack's release. So it is a it is an incredible game of cat and mouse we participate in, or I should say they participate in in the National Hockey League, Goalies and Shooters.

The the one guy I do know, and he's a he's a left shot, Thomas Hertl, because the brand that he uses for a stick is has a red paint job down at the bottom and then fades into black. So I always know in summer in the summer at captain skates and and and different practices that I'm out on when it's Hertl coming down just from from that red. So that that's in my head, but that's that's, like, the only guy.

Arttu Ratu of the Vancouver Canucks still uses a white stick with a white white like, forget white tape. It's actually a white blade.

Oh, really?

Yep. So There we go. Every shoe every goalie would automatically know it's him.

We're we're getting you and I are getting better at this.

We're learning, buddy. We're learning.

Feature Interview - Sandra Abstreiter

We're we're cranking it up. I'll just get into our Sense Arena feature interview, and we'll tell you all about that in just a little bit. But first, a message from Sense Arena.

Well, we've talked a lot about all the different tools available at Sense Arena, NHL Sense Arena. We've talked a lot about the goaltender advancement program. And I gotta say, like, stress it again, the screens and the ability to sort of work your way through as much as that is a development tool you can use in the summer and part of their, you know, program, which was designed to be progressive, get back into that during the season because there is no other way to replicate it even at the National Hockey League level, even in practice, because nobody's willing to stand there and eat pucks as a teammate. Nobody's willing to shoot into the crowd of teammates the way they would in a game. You don't have to worry about any of that with NHL Sense Arena.

As matter of fact, as I finished up with that Joey Daccord interview we ran earlier, we just told you about the shooting clips and the stick release clips. We were talking about how they're managing his rest in this workload season, and he talked about NHL Sense Arena and using it to work on screens, to work on seeing pucks, to work on his hands. And if they're using it at the National Hockey League level, you should be using it at your level. You add in their new game flow app, which allows you to bring all that dynamic style of gameplay into a continuous flow motion so you can work on your focus over the course of a period, over the course of a game. It's not just one drill, pause it, start another drill, that continuous action, and there is no better way to stay prepared than NHL Sense Arena.

So make sure you check it out on their website and use the code I g m 50 to get an extra $50 off.

Sandra Abstreiter, Montreal of the PWHL going to be an Olympian and in 2026. Give us the the background before we get into the conversation.

Well, some people will remember we had a quick interview with Sandra earlier last season when Montreal came through town as part of their sort of barnstorming series. I'm so happy that that turned into a franchise, that that exhibition. So it wasn't an exhibition. It was a league game in Vancouver. It's now turned into a franchise in Vancouver and another in Seattle.

So we're hoping to bring you a whole lot more of these as the PWHL teams roll through town. But with camp starting this week, I was able to catch up with her. She was training in Vancouver, so I went out to a PWHL pro skate. So it was her. It was Kristen Campbell, who's also with the Vancouver team.

Kimberly Newell, many will remember, who was in the Olympics for China, lives in Vancouver, is also back with Vancouver PWHL team. So chance to catch up with a lot more PWHL players, and the chance to catch up with Sandra was one that I couldn't pass up. If you remember our last interview, Daren, we talked about self taught around the age of 16 starting as a goaltender, YouTube videos. I just wanted to follow-up, get more sort of insights into how this summer's going, the year ahead, qualifying for the Olympics, how she manages, the pressure that comes with the Olympics and all the other qualifying for the Olympics this summer, like, all those things. Her approach, her joy for the game, and the way she doesn't take anything too seriously while still working as hard as anyone to improve without being overcome by it.

Like, there's just so many things we can learn from the way she approaches the game and the position. So let's let's go. Sandra Abstreiter. It's, there's lessons galore in this one as we catch up again. So welcome back to the InGoal Radio Podcast.

We had a brief introduction to our audience last year when PWHL Victor Montreal, Victor. I almost said PWHL Montreal because I know the whole thing never mind. Sandra, you so much for making the time. How are things?

Thank you for having me, first of all. Things are great. Can't complain. I'm excited to be out here visiting for now before I head to Montreal.

Okay. So walk us through what a summer looks like because, obviously, the season starts later. So I just want you to take part in what I would call a pro skate, you know, top level shooters, top level goalies, a lot of real goalie unfriendly drills where it's all skills work. But what like, where does this type of work fit into your off season as you prepare to go back to Montreal?

Well, now it's really close to the start of the season, obviously. So that's why it is so skills focused for, like, the players. They obviously wanna get, like, the different views that they will get potentially in a game. You're not gonna have the defenders in all the drills, and that's why it kinda, like, looks a little bit not so goalie friendly. But at the same time, it's still just as important for us.

Like, obviously, in a game, you'll know that you have a defender that will take the rebound at least or will try to, like, box him out, like, all those things. That's why specifically about this part of the question that you were saying, like, the not so friendly goalie drills, like, it's don't get frustrated. Like, that's just part of it. And to get back to, like, what you were saying with the summer, like, this is kind of how my summer has been looking like. Obviously, like, in the in July and August, it was a little bit more chill because there was still so much time before the season.

Our off season is so long. It's, I think, five months in total if you add it up. And so you can't go too crazy too early, I would say. But I did skate all summer long. That's why I came to Vancouver in the summer.

I was here for almost two months, actually. And that was just my decision because at home in Germany, we don't have ice everywhere or pretty much anywhere. And I was like, especially this year with, like, me wanting to make another step into the league and with Olympics coming up, I wanted to be as best prepared as possible. So I came I made the decision to come to Vancouver. I have a bunch of friends here, including some coaching friends.

So, like, I was able to skate with them a lot, and that's why I chose to do this.

Okay. So what was the what I'm obviously out here, like you said, a lot of, like, wide open looks and the approach matters how you handle that. I love that about the rebound. What about the rest of the summer? Like, earlier on, what was your focus?

What are some of the things that you you know, how do you break down the summer in terms of how you're working on your game? What's sort of drilling down on your foundation? What's experimenting with new things? How do you how do you balance that?

I think just taking everything that I was taught last year a big thing for me personally was, like, trying to implement the Panda a little bit. I started that throughout the year. So then I would I wanted to, like, don't know, test it out a little bit more in a slower environment. So I would say that's kind of what it would look like. It's like the beginning of the summer is just go back to the completely basic things.

It's like work on your angles, lateral stuff. A player is coming in from a bad angle. Like, those are not, like, high threats, and, like, you don't need to play, like or practice, like, play game situations like that early on. It's all, like, kind of working on the basics. But then, obviously, a lot of times, I was also on the ice just for, like, the players doing the same thing.

So I was just kinda, like, a goalie for them. But I think it's always, like, helpful to, like, see what a player is working on just as I think it's important for a player to see what a goalie is working on so you can kinda, like, learn from each other.

Just don't teach them too much. You You know, you gotta keep some keep some of this stuff secret. But that is part of

the job. Right? And I do think there's times where I mean, we've been guilty at it. I I know early in my writing career and at InGoal where we're like, oh, like, why is there so much of practice that's bad for goalies? And this is just bad but you've gotta get something out of it, and part of the job is being there for your teammates too, even if sometimes that means being a target.

Yeah. Absolutely. There even, like, throughout the year, there's always gonna be drills where you're like, okay. What's the point of this? But, like, there is a point.

A coach has a point in every drill, hopefully, at least. Whether that be for a forward or a d or a goalie. Like you said, you always have to be there for your teammates because what what if something like that happens in game? Like, what if all of a sudden you face a three on o? Like, maybe something crazy happens that and, like, that will happen.

So, like, you always kinda have to be ready for it. And I think it's important to, like, always have good spirits with it. Like, nobody's gonna be mad at you for, like, letting in five goals on, like, three and o's. Like, just try your best and, like and then I think it's more so the opposite. If you do make a nice save, they will all cheer for you.

Jay, is there value there? Like, in terms of building when you're putting that much in for your teammates, do you feel like you get it back out in games? Because they're gonna just gonna go that much harder for you because you're doing it for them on a daily basis?

Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I mean, ideally, every player is going all in for every goalie. Doesn't matter how their relationship is kinda thing, but I do personally, that's my approach. Like, I wanna, like, value them and, like, give things to them.

I wanna be the goalie that's, like, playing every shot to the end if that's what they wanna do. I wanna be the goalie that plays the rebound game with them, like, just because I think it, like, helps build the relationship. And then I think it'll it's it makes it more fun in a game too, and I think that's, like, for especially for me, like, what will make a game that much easier then.

I wanna be the goalie that's, like, playing every shot to the end if that's what they wanna do. I wanna be the goalie that plays the rebound game with them, like, just because I think it, like, helps build the relationship. And then I think it'll it's it makes it more fun in a game too, and I think that's, like, for especially for me, like, what will make a game that much easier then.

Okay. So it's funny you mentioned the Panda. Watching you today in these skates, a lot of, like, players coming off the wall, sharp angles, but in alone one on one, some overlap, some old school VH at times, little like like I love that you have not just default one thing. Talk me through how you've adapted that approach and maybe the importance of not showing them the same look every time, if that's if that's what I was seeing out there.

Yeah. I mean, I think you could never let them know your next move. Right? No. But I think it's important to know all the skills to some extent.

I don't think there's a right or wrong. I think I don't like when a goalie coach is like, this is how you have to do it. This is how my three goalies are gonna, like, be doing it. And and I think, especially in Montreal, like, last year, that that's how we approached it too. Like, all three of us were different, and I'm I'm pretty sure that's how we're gonna do it again this year.

Like, not not any like, none of the goalies are gonna play the exact same. So, like, I think some goalies will do a VH where another goalie will do an overlap. And I think, for me, I've just, like, tried all the things, and somehow, like, everything has worked to some extent. That's why I think I still use all of it, and I don't wanna, like, overthink it and be like, oh, I'm supposed to do this and that situation. I'm just gonna be doing what feels right in the moment.

Last time we talked, you were you you were repping out a lot of RVH at the time and talking about putting it into your game a little more. Again, another tool in the toolbox, more comfortable with it. How's how's that evolution been? And where do you see that? Because it's a technique that gets a lot of heat.

It's a technique that also has a lot of value. Or does it fit in your game, and how have you added or adjusted to it?

I think I've found more like a spot from when a shooter is coming from this spot, this is where I'm most likely gonna use it. But then again, I just said, like, it's more like what it feels like. So I don't wanna overthink it. I just wanna have it somewhere in my brain, somewhere in my, like, what do you call it, body movement, like, options kinda thing. When

you do need it, you know how you're comfortable with it.

Exactly. And and so but obviously, like, that's the thing. It's like, you have to, like, do a a 100, a thousand reps, like, to be able to, like, automatically just do it when you need to. And that's kind of where we were when we were talking last time. It's like, okay.

We're I'm getting to my one one thousand reps, so I can, like, do it when I need to kinda thing. Yeah. But yeah. So then it was just, like, continuing from there on. It's like, okay.

Now you've, like you know exactly how you wanna get into it. You wanna you know how you wanna get out of it, and now you could just start using it, and then we're moving on to the next movement kind of thing.

I like that. I like that. Talk about having three goalies and playing different styles. How much back and forth is there in terms of, you know, just learning the position? Like you like you said, you've said in the past, self described goalie geek, and we wear we wear that like a crown around here.

That's a good thing. You know, are you are you comparing notes? Do you talk technique, the three of you? Like, how how's that relationship, and how do you you know, everybody's different in terms of how they talk about the game or the position. Mhmm.

Yeah. Absolutely. And I think the same goes for me with Montreal and with team Germany. Like, there's so in total, I have five going partners right now. Right?

So there's a lot of, like, exchange and, like, every literally, all all six of us play differently. And some like to talk about it more. Some don't like to talk about it as much because maybe they're just I don't know. They just do whatever they do kinda thing. I think it's fun to talk about it.

And it's it's never, like, criticizing someone. It's more like, oh, I think this could work or, like, have you tried that? Or, like so it's kinda like a friendly exchange, it's never like, oh, you're doing it wrong. You should do it how I am doing it. Because I I mean, everybody respects each other for, like, where we are.

Like, we're none none of us is, like, where we are for no reason, obviously. So, like, we know that everybody is good, and I think it's important to just, like, see that we're just trying to help each other out.

What's Olympic preparation been like? Like, how excited are you for this? I mean, you've been at world championships. Like, you didn't start playing goal till you were 16 years old, and you're going to the Olympics. Like, where's the prep?

How has that been? How do you balance going back for camps and and this season and all of those things that come with it?

It's obviously the most exciting thing I think I've ever been part of. Like, I think it's honestly even cooler. Obviously, it would be nice if we didn't have to qualify, but it is even cooler that we did have to qualify and we did it because now it's like all of us that are most likely gonna end up going to the Olympics is we did it for ourselves. Like, we put the effort in. We we got it done, and we're now get to go to represent our country at the Olympics, which is super exciting.

I think I didn't wanna kinda like the thing that I did change, if you want, is like what I said about the summer. Like, I wanted to put more ice time in into my summer training. And but other than that, it's, like, the same. And and it's kinda like I forget if we talked about it last time, but it's, like, my big thing is that hockey is just hockey. Like, a practice, a game, national team, your club, like, whatever it is, it's just it's still just hockey, and I love hockey.

And and so I think, like, I'm I don't try to get into my head about it, like, too much because I know what I'm doing. I know what I've done in the past. I know, like, if I do the same thing, if I put in the work, then it'll work out for me. Obviously, there is a lot of effort that you need to put in, but I think I'm on the right path for that. And then I can just trust myself, and I can just have fun with it.

And I think that's the most important thing.

Just enjoy it. Be like, it's it's exciting, but there's no point in putting extra pressure on yourself is is what I'm hearing. Yeah. Perhaps the and you've talked about that. Something you do very well.

Exactly. Yeah. And, like, even next week, I think, I'm going back to Germany because we have another tournament with the national team, which will be our last, like, big tournament to prepare before the Olympics. And I'm just excited. I'm not nervous or anything.

Like, it'll be cool to, like, see the girls girls again, like, grow as a group one more time before the Olympics and just have fun. And then, obviously, there's there's a hockey aspect. That's like the coaches, they're gonna do their little tweaks here and there, and we just have to trust them with that, obviously. And but mostly, I think it's just important to get together and have fun again.

How many questions do you get when you go back to national team stuff about your experiences in the PWHL? I mean, you you touched on it last time a little bit, but, you know, like, you're you're playing in the best league in the world, and that's now an option. And what other people and your teammates are probably looking towards as as a goal, what what what's that like when you get to go back to are you sharing stories? What what's that experience like?

Yeah. And, I mean, I try to share as much as I can. I want I want more of us to go, honestly. I want more of us to sign up for the draft. Now we actually have three German players in the league, including me.

So that's exciting. That's all that's all already more than last time. Obviously, I won't I would want it to to be even more like, there's a few girls graduating college next year, so hopefully they will sign up for the draft. And they're mostly the ones that have, like, most of the questions, obviously. Like, they wanna know, like, how is it behind the scenes?

And, like, is it really that professional? And, yes, it is. But, yeah, I'm glad to answer every question like 10 times. I don't mind at all. And it's the same thing with interviewers.

Like, they will ask me the same thing over and over again. But I think it's just important to spread the word and especially bring it to Europe even more and to Germany. Show everybody there that it is like you said, it is possible to to come here and play.

What's I mean, what's your excitement going back to Montreal this year? Continuing to build there. The league continues to build. Like you said, professional at a level we haven't seen before. Getting to be a part of that.

What has anything changed for you heading into this season, like, a mindset standpoint, or is it just soaking it all in and enjoying every moment while you continue to do the work?

I think a little bit of both. I think, obviously, I still wanna enjoy the moment. I I'm excited for the TakeOver Tour games that we will have this year. I'm excited for all the home games that we will have this year. I'm hopefully gonna be more in the game, which, like, that's my big thing for this year.

I don't wanna be satisfied with another year of just practice, which the last two years, I've played in approximately two games total, which was fine, and I still learned a lot, and I still got to play in the national team. I still performed there, which, thankfully, I did, honestly. But I think that just honestly, to give myself a little bit of credit, like, it's just because I put so much work into every practice then, but that's not where I wanna stay. I I don't wanna be a third goalie, and I wanna be just a second goalie. I wanna make the set to become a a first goalie in the league at some point, and I think this year is an important year for me for that too.

Obviously, it's a it's a big year overall with the Olympics and everything, but going into my third year, like, I think it's it's time for me to get more games and then put myself out there and show that the coaches that they can trust me as well. And from the conversations I've had with them so far, like, they obviously wanna put me in the net, and they do trust me, and they do wanna develop me more and more. So that's really exciting.

I was just gonna say, just the number one in Montreal just happens to be one of the best goalies in the world as well. Do you like, do you learn from her as well? Like, strike me as a person who's learning from everybody. Yeah. Like, trying to.

And and so are there any examples of things that you may have tweaked a little bit over the years from your time with with Ann-Renee?

Yes. A 100%. I mean, back back when I was playing my first worlds, I remember I I watched her, like, all of her games, and I was like, everything she does is, like, just so clean. Like, she literally every puck stays in her glove, and, like, it doesn't even snatch back. It just, like, stays there.

Like, as a little example, know? And, like, it's it's crazy in a way. Like, I was looking up to her, and now I'm, like, her teammate. But, like you said, like, I'm trying to learn from everybody, and it doesn't matter who honestly, it doesn't matter who they are. It doesn't matter how old they are, if they're younger or older.

Like, everybody has something that I think everybody can learn from. But, I mean, it is a perk of having Ann-Renee as my goalie partner who is just one of the best goalies in the world to learn from her.

I mean, she's like I was like, technically, she's just, like, so clean on everything.

And the thing is too, like, we do have a completely different style of playing. She loves to use the RVH, whereas I don't use it as much. I think too, I tell her, oh, this is how I would play this. And then she tells me how this is how so it's kinda like what we were just talking about. Like, even though she's one of the best goalies in the world, like, it's still a conversation.

It's not like a it's a two way conversation, not a one way conversation. That's it.

In terms of the way, like, that and those opportunities, I know you don't put too much pressure on yourself. Where does that come from? The ability to put all this work in, do the work, have expectations for yourself, but not get caught under the weight of them. It's a tough question. I don't know if it's just inherent, if it's natural, if it's something you've consciously tried to develop.

I think I would I would like to say that I was trying to do that and I was able to do that. I think it just what's more realistic to say is that it just happened, honestly. It happened for me in, like, honestly, not very dramatic way at all. It was just in college. I didn't play as much as I wanted to.

I was in a situation where kind of, like, the goalie that performed kept playing, and then if they didn't perform in a game, the other goalie played until they didn't perform. So it was just like a really, honestly, hard environment because you didn't you were just scared to fail in in a way, which, like, I don't think that's the best approach.

That's a good lesson for coaches when they approach it that way, what it creates in their athletes mindset wise.

Yeah. And it so that year was really tough and, like, obviously, it's not the end of the world. Like, I still got to play half the season, but it just made my it made me think, like, okay. What do I need to do to not be scared of failing? And I think I was able to just like honestly, it was literally like a switch in my head.

I was like, okay, what am I doing? Like, my life isn't ending just because I don't play well or just because I don't play as much. Like, I'm still friends with my other goalie partners that are playing. Like, I don't want them to fail either, obviously. So, like, that's a little bit of a tough spot.

But it helped me to just realize, okay. There's more to life at hockey too. And, like, especially, like, all my friends, my family, like, everybody knows I'm not just a hockey player. For, like, a lot of people, I I probably am just a hockey player, which is totally fine. But I'm, like, aware of the fact that I'm not just a hockey player, and I think that's really important.

Like, essentially, hockey doesn't cover that much of our lives if you really think about it. Like, it's a tiny little portion of it for, like like, right now, it's all I'm doing. It feels like it, and I'm grateful for it. I'm happy for it. I wouldn't wanna change it at all.

But at some point, we have to move on too. And, like and I wanna be a person too outside of hockey.

Two parts there. I wanna ask what some of the interests are other interests, but you're you're so passionate about the position, and you've clearly studied it, self taught largely at a at a young age when you first start, you know, like YouTube. You know, someone told me even our some of our stuff might have been part of the learning experience. I I was curious if you saw coaching as something in your future, but it, like, or maybe it can coexist with the other interests. Not that we're looking at that yet.

I'm just like, you think the game really well, and you see the game really well, and you have a passion for it. So I was kinda curious if that's something you'd ever thought about.

No. I definitely have thought about it. And so I guess, in in a way, hockey will always be a part of my life. It's just not the it's not

The only thing.

The only thing. Yeah. Maybe that's kind of describes it better. And like, yes, I will definitely try to be a goalie coach. I wanna, like, help younger goalies.

And I've every time I have worked with, like, kids before, like, I I love it, and I think they like it too. I I don't know. I'm just trying to be fun for them. It's like, depending obviously on the age, sometimes you gotta be you stepping it up a little bit. But, no, I will definitely never not have hockey in my life at all.

Okay. So walk us through that because we touched on it last interview. You didn't start till 15 or sixteen. Play played out. Actually, I don't know if I asked.

It was a forward or a defenseman? I was a d. So at least you weren't helping the goalies back then. You start playing goal and are largely self taught. You mentioned YouTube before.

What were some of the and you mentioned Carey Price as one of the influences, but, you know, you mentioned the Panda, which I think debuted at InGoal Magazine one one year with video. So have you, like it's a good lesson for other people. We don't always need to rely on coaches and private lessons. We can self teach. Absolutely.

And I think what I did too, I

think I mentioned this last time too, is I didn't watch just pro goalies.

You did. Yeah. You mentioned it.

Yeah. I watched, like and that kinda goes again with what we were talking about earlier. Like, you can learn from everybody. And, like, I knew back then, like, okay. I'm not gonna be in the NHL.

Like, I'm I literally just started. So why don't I watch someone that I can relate more, relate to more? So I was watching, like I I literally just typed into Google, like, go hockey goalie, and I just watched a bunch of videos. And there's a a few videos that I probably watched, like, a ton, like, over and over again. And and it's just, like, little things that you pick out, like, oh, this glove positioning and, like, this is how he, like, I don't know, makes a blocker save, like, all these things.

And then you just kinda, like, try to implement it. Obviously, having a goalie coach would be ideal, but it's not the only thing you can do, I think. And even to this day, I still love watching other goalies, how they train, and there's a especially on Instagram, it's huge. Goalie coaches are posting things where they're explaining stuff too, and honestly, like, there's things that I disagree with too. But, like, even that helps me.

I'm like, okay. Like, this is how he sees it. But, no. Like, I see the clip in slow motion. I'm like, no.

This is how I would do it. So that's, like, a little bit of a, like, I think now that I know more about the position, like, I think now I'm able to do that and just instead of just doing, like, this is what he says. This is how I have to do it now.

But even yeah. But even there, you're it's you're developing an understanding maybe of why they do that it that way, but enough self belief to be like, man, it doesn't work for me.

Yeah. For sure. I mean and again, there's so many different approaches, but I think it's just important to, like, even put it out there. Like, I sometimes I, like, completely nerd out and I watch, like, a thousand videos on goalie gear, and I'm like, okay. What what did I just do?

Like but it's, like, so interesting. And then I think that's, like, when you know it's, okay. You're, like, you really are, like, very interested in this position in, like, any aspect and every aspect. You know?

You are a goalie through and through. Well, let let me ask about the gear. We did we did a quick video shoot that we'll have up on our social channels later. But in the Warrior gear, using the slide play, watching you go east west right now and and through the crease was was really fun. Power control, not off balance.

Walk me through what that gears meant and how you like to the slide plate and how you adjusted to it.

Well, the gear is awesome. I think the I switched from a softer pad to, like, the Warriors are pretty stiff, but they're so customizable. Like, you can adjust them, like, how they fit on you, like, so much. And, like, it's like talking about the slide board, it's it's crazy. Honestly, I don't have a word for it.

It's completely different to, like, anything I felt before. Like, I the ice can be completely torn up and you can still make the push that you usually would only be able to do on fresh ice. And so obviously, like, that helps you, like, maintain your strength throughout, like, a whole practice and then ideally throughout a game. It helps you get to places, like, so much easier and faster. Obviously, there's, like, some adjustments.

Like, what I've found I can't do as well, let's say, is, like, those, like, little knee shuffles. But, like, I honestly have haven't really implemented that too much in my game, so I I'm not I'm fine with not being able to do those. I think I like the benefits of the slide boards a lot than, like, whatever it would stop me from doing.

It's funny. We so we've started testing Warrior gear and and and working with them a little bit and doing some reviews, and I've had it out with some pros. And I expected most of the feedback to be around the slide plate and the sliding, but we actually had one pro who said it was the best glove he'd ever tried. And that caught me off guard, not because I didn't like, I love the glove, but how light it is and all those things, But that reaction to it, like, feels like sometimes people at the highest level try it for the first time, and they're like, why aren't more of us wearing this?

Yeah. Absolutely. And I I actually agree with the glove. It's completely different to what I've had before, and I had to get used to it a bit. And I was talking to Warrior people, and, like, they were saying, like, it'll take you about a week to to adjust it, and I think that's pretty accurate, but I didn't wanna give up on it either.

Like, I think there's some people too that, like, they tried once and it doesn't work, and then they give up, which, like, sometimes that's fair, and, like, sometimes there's things that you will never get used to.

I mean, we all have our personal preferences, and some of them are really ingrained.

Yeah. But then but yeah. And I and I think the glove, like, after giving it a chance, like, it's been awesome, I think. And even with those, like, there's two different options. I'm pretty sure I I think we talked about it earlier, but we couldn't remember what they were called.

It there's just an option for everybody, I think. So I think that's pretty awesome. And it helps when you can take

the balms out and wash them.

Oh my god. Yeah. I I get I used to get so many complaints about how bad my gloves smelled, and I think I've eliminated the prop.

Worth it for that alone. So what is the rest of the summer? You said camps, like, start right away here. What about, like, physically training? Did you take a break?

Like, did take a

break in the summer just to let your body not be a goalie for a little bit?

Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I think it's really important to take a break. Physically or mentally or both? All of the above.

I took, I think, at least a month off after the season. We were done towards the May. So I started, like, at the June, and then I start with, like, some light bike work and stuff like that. And then I think the first time I went on the ice was July, I think, which there's a lot of the girls in the league that haven't started skating before August, honestly. Like, our our off season is so long, but then obviously our season is really long too.

So you don't wanna, like, overdo it, and you don't wanna, like, go into the season being tired of, like, skating and stuff. And, like, especially if if in the summer, all you do is, like, skill stuff, like, there's only realistically, there's only so much you can do.

I was gonna say, did a great job out there of sort of finding and there's a lesson there. We we touched on it a little bit, but how to make the most out of these sessions? What are what are some like, what would your advice be to a young goalie who could quite easily get fed up with players getting open look after open look after open look? Well, how do you approach that?

Well, I think it's really important to not let that affect your entire practice. I think if there's a drill that you find tough, like, for whatever reason, if something that you're trying to do doesn't work out or if the drill is just not very goalie friendly, like, that happens. And then I think once that drill is over, it's a completely new drill. Like and then just restart your practice. Just flash it.

Exactly. Do you do you some people have said, like, pick one thing in a drill to work on. Like, hey. This isn't realistic, but I can focus on my tracking or holding my edges. Like, do you ever do that?

Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, if let's say the thing like, a player's coming in, like, two steps in front of you, and then they're, like, ripping a shot at you. Like, just focus on not gliding back into your net, for example, or just focus on not dropping your gloves when you think you can still react to it instead of, like, blocking it. You can do a reaction butterfly.

Like like, I do agree with, like, the little things that you can focus on. I think that will be important.

K. This has been awesome. Thank you so much. I really appreciate the time. Part two, which means we just got more part threes.

Lots more to come. So congratulations on all the success. Look forward to watching this season. Can't wait to have you back in Vancouver with the new teams here in PWHL Vancouver and Seattle.

Awesome. Thank you so much.

Outro

That was cool. I enjoyed that, buddy.

She's great, Yeah. We have a we got a great we talked about gear too. Obviously, I've been trying the Warrior and, well, before the eyes prevented me from playing, but we've had the Warrior out with a bunch of including pros and and guys sampling it, we're continuing to work on a review. So I asked her I did a little video session too that we'll try and get up at ingoalmag.com and on our social channels this week, Sort of the thoughts she had on the slide plate. We've got video to go with it.

The glove, some of the unique things she does with that. It was it it was fun. She's like you said, it comes through in the interview, just a real passion for the position and a great mindset towards it. So I can't wait to share the videos and and maybe a few drills as well because this was it was a it was a summer skate, pro skate that I attended. So you know how that goes.

Just a whole bunch of wide open drills and open looks all over the place. But, again, as she talked about in the interview, and maybe we'll share some videos from it, how you approach that. Right? How do you get the most out of it? How do you not give in to the best shooters in the world walking down Broadway over and over again?

Those those drills were just like, boom. No. There's another one coming straight down the middle. Boom. Oh, they scored three straight times.

Boom.

Well, that's how my games go actually. But,

Like, how do I how do I keep my confidence up? Boom. Another one off the post and in.

Please please stop the ride. I wanna get off.

Yeah. Exactly. Tilt and whirl. I'm not feeling good in the teacups.

Oh, oh, as a as a as a multiple concussion sufferer who's into the double digits and those things, the last time I was in the teacups was is probably fifteen, sixteen years ago with my kids. It was like a like a water slide park, but then they also had rides down South Of Seattle. And somehow I ended up in the teacup and let them spin it, and it was it was a good solid three days before I could sit down without wanting to throw up. So yeah. No.

Thanks.

My wife had problems with the teacups about the same time I I go as you were just talking about. And I was like, come on. And so I went on. I'm like, nope. Can't do anymore.

No. No. There's something about it. Thanks for this today. That was fun.

Really looking forward to getting my hands on that new Bauer Pulse stick, but also the the options and the availability to try things over at the hockey shop with some of their pro returns, some real opportunities there for goaltenders.

There always is. Lots more new stuff coming, including, if you're looking folks, the new as literally, as we were packing up for our day of filming, the Brians G Netix 2 arrived in the store. We're like, but we just finished filming. So it just means another excuse for us to go back next week and do more filming because guess what? It's November, but it's Christmas again.

We're new gear.

And November is when the schedule does crank up in the National Hockey League, so I think we're gonna hear more and more about teams having to lean on three or number four within the organization. Be good, Woody. Be safe, have fun, and enjoy goaltending. We'll talk to everybody next week. Remember, give your thoughts, suggestions, feedback.

Everything that comes with this podcast, send it over to InGoal Radio, the podcast presented by the hockey shop. Source for Sports Langley, thehockeyshop.com. We'll talk to you soon.