In the Parent Segment, presented by Stop It Goaltending U the App, we talk about how the way we all talk about goals and goaltending is hurting development. Let’s make a change.

It’s time to change the dialogue on goals and goaltending.

A few weeks ago, I got a bit heated about all the online commentary surrounding Jordan Binnington—people labeling goals as weak and calling for him to be replaced.

Look, when you give up two goals, it’s a good game no matter how you slice it. But we always find a way to turn it into a national debate, saying there’s no such thing as a good five-hole goal—as if nothing else in the game matters.

I said before that this kind of talk harms goalie development, and I stand by that. Today, I want to expand on why—and how it applies to you as a goalie parent, as well as to goalies and coaches who are listening.

We are in a unique position where every mistake is dissected. I’d be preaching to the choir if I went too deep into that, of course. We all know a winger can make 10 mistakes and still get his shifts. A goalie makes a couple, and suddenly, he’s down 2–0, with everyone in the building convinced he should have stopped both.

First, let’s go back to my point about Binnington. If you hop online and start calling out goals while demanding a replacement, you’re feeding into a culture of negativity. As a fan, sure, that’s your right, and I get that the debate can be fun. But as we’ve said before, this is exactly why Kevin created ProReads—to counter the negativity and let goalies explain what they saw and what they did well.

So how does this hurt development?

For starters, because negativity is easy. People love to join in. It gets echoed, more people pile on, and before long, this behavior becomes the norm.

And sure, I know the argument: “They get paid millions; they should deal with it.” I don’t agree with that, but even if you do, here’s the real issue—it trickles down.

The way we evaluate pro goalies seeps into every level of hockey. Junior hockey, minor hockey—right down to the youngest kids. Parents, coaches, and, even worse, other players start doing the same thing.

And who would want their kid to be a goalie in that environment?

You can tell me all day that this kind of criticism builds character and makes kids stronger on and off the ice. And sure, maybe that’s true to an extent—but the ones who get too much of it? They quit. The ones who see it happening and think it’s too much? They don’t even start.

A lot of goalie coaches struggle with this too. They spend all their energy telling goalies what they did wrong.

“Well, you would have stopped that one if you had your feet set… if you had a better stance… if you held your glove this way…”

Every goal comes with another explanation. It’s all negative.

Now, I’m not saying this is every coach—but it’s out there.

I was watching Matty’s game last night, and Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary was interviewed. He said something I loved:

“Sure, you can point out mistakes, but we’ve got to catch these kids doing the right things and build on that.”

That’s it right there.

So let’s change the culture and be better examples.

Instead of hopping online to list mistakes, talk about what goalies are doing well. And I don’t just mean the crazy saves we all love. Want to show me you’re a goalie expert? Tell me how well a guy skates, how he stays in position, how he reads a play.

“Should’ve had that one five-hole?” Come on. Give me a break. How is that helping?

Parents—your takeaway is twofold:

1. Don’t feed into this at the rink. Whether it’s pointing out flaws in your kid’s goalie partner, the kid at the other end, or even your own child, announcing mistakes isn’t helping.

2. Don’t dissect the game with your kid—except to highlight what they did well. Your first conversation after a game shouldn’t be about how they could have stopped goal X. Catch them doing something right, and they’ll build off it. Not sure what to say because you don’t know the position well enough? Keep reading InGoal—or give me a shout, and I’ll help. 😉

Coaches—same thing.

In practice, focus on what they do well and build on that. Got a goalie struggling with depth? When he gets it right, jump all over it. High-fives. Positive reinforcement. Ignore the rest for now—see what happens.

Goalies

You too! After a game or practice, ask yourself what you did well. Think about all the goalies we’ve had on the podcast who talk about journaling—like Connor LaCouvee last week. They spend more energy focusing on the positives. Give it a try.

When you can take a loss, give up more goals than you’d like, and still walk away saying, “You know, of course, I wish we had won, but I feel good about how I played today,” then you’re on the right track.

And for all of us—let’s create a better environment for goalies. Be the example. Yup I kno If we do that, more kids might be open to playing the position. And more importantly, our own kids might enjoy their time at the rink a whole lot more.

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