ELITE GOALIES: UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL
Your journey in the crease is unique. No two goalies face the same challenges or possess the same natural gifts. That's why at Elite Goalies, we don't believe in one-size-fits-all training.
We see you. We see the hours you've already put in. We see the potential that's waiting to be unleashed.
We customize every aspect of your development plan. Your stance. Your movements. Your mental approach. This personalized attention is what transforms good goalies into great ones.
Whether you're just starting out or pushing for the next level, we meet you exactly where you are. We build upon your natural strengths and transform your areas of growth into advantages.
The path to becoming elite is clear. It's built on fundamentals mastered with precision, attention to the smallest details, and a winning mindset that refuses to quit.
For 19 years, we've guided goalies from the first time they put on the pads to stepping onto the big stage. The work isn't easy, but that's exactly why it works.
Your journey. Your crease. Your moment to shine.
Elite Goalies. Unlock Your Potential.
Elite Goalies
You know what separates the great goalies from the good ones?
It’s not just talent. It’s not just hard work either (though both help). It’s being a student of the game.
I had the privilege of interviewing Connor Hellebuyck for my book “The Power Within.” From the moment we started talking, his goalie IQ was off the charts. The way he thought about the game, broke down situations, and understood the finer details – it was like talking to a professor of goaltending, not just a player.
And recently, I came across an interview with Connor’s father that perfectly illustrated how this mindset started early:
“He’d study it on his own, he’d figure it out on his own. We’re in the hockey shop and he’s over looking at player sticks. I go, ‘What are you doing there? Why don’t you go look at the goalie sticks?’ He points at me, says, ‘Dad, look at this stick. Look at this blade. It’s twisted. Where do you think that puck’s going if they shoot?’ He was about ten years old at this point. I go, ‘Well, unless they screw up, the shot is going up.’ He goes, ‘Exactly. I want to know every one of these blades. I want to remember every one of these blades. So when I see that blade, I know exactly where the puck’s going.'”
That’s a 10-year-old kid already thinking three steps ahead of his competition.
Fast forward to today? Hellebuyck is one of the NHL’s elite goalies. Coincidence? No way.
The Safety Trap
Most young goalies fall into what I call the “safety trap.” They take the safe path:
They go to the standard camps
They do the standard drills
They think the standard thoughts
You know what the “safe path” gets you? Standard results.
That gravitational pull toward average is a dream killer. Average gets you nowhere in a sport where 60 guys on the planet have NHL jobs.
The dangerous lie we tell ourselves is that we’ll dive deeper “later.” We’ll study film “later.” We’ll break down our game “later.”
Be the Guy in the Hockey Shop
There are two types of goalies in this world:
Those who just want the newest, shiniest gear
Those who, like young Hellebuyck, are studying blade curves to predict shot trajectories
Guess which type makes it?
In my years coaching the Dallas Stars, I saw this distinction constantly. The guys who made it weren’t just athletically gifted – they were obsessed with the details everyone else ignored.
They didn’t just practice – they practiced with purpose.
They didn’t just play – they analyzed.
They didn’t just watch – they studied.
Video: Your Secret Weapon
Here’s where I’m going to get specific: if you’re serious about elevating your game, video analysis isn’t optional – it’s essential.
The pros do it religiously. Every save, every goal against, every movement broken down frame by frame.
But here’s what’s crazy: most young goalies completely ignore this tool. They’ll spend $2,000 on new pads but won’t spend 20 minutes breaking down their positioning on video.
That’s like buying a Ferrari but never learning how to drive. The tool doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to use it.
The Integration Game
The winners in goaltending are playing a different game. They’re not choosing between “athletic skill OR technical knowledge” – they’re integrating everything:
Instead of “practice OR video study” → they do video study OF their practice
Instead of “physical training OR mental preparation” → they build mental routines into physical training
Instead of “coaching OR self-analysis” → they use coaching to enhance their self-analysis
Integration multiplies your development. We all have 24 hours in a day, but when you use 1 hour to improve in 3 different areas – you’ve multiplied your time.
What’s Your Next Step?
Ask yourself today: Are you truly a student of the game? Or are you just going through the motions?
The “someday” and “later” mindset has ended more goaltending dreams than you can count.
If you’re called to be great between the pipes, the only right time to commit to mastery is right now.
My challenge to you: pick one aspect of your game this week and study it obsessively. Break down video. Track patterns. Find your blind spots.
And if you’re serious about taking your game to the next level, join Pasco Valana in Vancouver this summer. Let this be the most transformative time you have ever had.
The best time to become a true student of the game was ten yrs ago or if you talk speak to the best players in the game, it’s right now!
Join us this summer and let’s take your best year ever!