The Columbus Blue Jackets were coming off a full team day off when they hit the ice in Vancouver for an off-day practice that started with Jet Greaves, Elvis Merzlikins and Niklas Backstrom running their own goalie session in one end.

While some of the drills they did that morning were about feeling the ice and getting their feet under them after a day off, the reality is that’s what most minor hockey goalies are dealing with at most practices. So, there is value in these simple drills at every level, and in understanding how the best pay attention to those details.

It started not with shots, but with movement, including a lot of change of direction.

“We always start with a skating pattern. Sometimes it’s stuff off the post. Sometimes it’s stuff like this,” Greaves said. “We did a lot of stuff up top, laterally, different patterns, working through the crease. It’s such an important part of the game, being able to move through the crease and be comfortable on your feet, so that’s how we start every day.”

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