Short Answer
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE BETTER SHOOTERS PUNISH SMALL POSITIONING ERRORS.
At younger ages, athleticism can sometimes rescue a goalie who is slightly out of position.
However, U16–U18 shooters release the puck faster and identify openings more quickly.
For example, a goalie who is only a little too deep may give a skilled shooter more visible net. In addition, being too aggressive can create problems when the puck moves laterally.
Therefore, Goalie Positioning and Depth are not about standing in one perfect spot.
THE GOALIE HAS TO FIND THE RIGHT POSITION FOR THE PLAY THAT IS ACTUALLY DEVELOPING.
That means angle, depth, squareness, skating, tracking and decision-making must work together.
Why Goalie Positioning and Depth Matter
Our hockey-development people include a former owner of the Kenesky Goalie School, along with decades of minor-hockey coaching and player-development experience.
In addition, our hockey-management background includes Junior hockey ownership and management. Consequently, we have watched positioning mistakes become more expensive as goalies move toward higher levels.
Hockey Canada identifies angle, squareness and depth as core positioning skills within its goaltending pathway.
Meanwhile, USA Hockey also includes positioning among the fundamental areas goalie coaches should develop.
Therefore:
POSITIONING IS NOT AN ADVANCED EXTRA. IT IS PART OF THE FOUNDATION.
What Does Good Goalie Positioning Mean?
Good positioning begins with understanding where the puck is.
However, the goalie must also account for the shooting threat, passing options and available time.
For example, a straight shot from distance may allow one depth choice. In contrast, an odd-man rush may require more patience because a lateral pass remains dangerous.
Therefore, good positioning involves:
angle
squareness
depth
balance
puck tracking
awareness of passing threats
ability to arrive set
Most importantly:
POSITIONING SHOULD REDUCE HOW MUCH NET THE SHOOTER CAN REALISTICALLY USE.
What Is Goalie Depth?
Depth describes how far the goalie positions away from the goal line.
For example, moving farther toward the shooter can reduce the visible net. However, greater depth also means the goalie has farther to travel if the puck moves sideways.
Therefore, more aggressive depth is not automatically better.
Likewise, playing deep is not automatically safer.
THE CORRECT DEPTH DEPENDS ON THE PLAY.
Can a Goalie Be Too Aggressive?
ABSOLUTELY.
Aggressive positioning can make the goalie appear large to the shooter.
However, too much depth can create vulnerability to passes and dekes.
For example, a goalie who challenges far outside the crease may cover the initial shot extremely well. Meanwhile, a quick pass across the slot can force a long recovery.
Therefore:
DEPTH MUST ACCOUNT FOR WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT, NOT ONLY THE CURRENT SHOT.
That is where hockey IQ enters the position.
Can a Goalie Play Too Deep?
YES.
A deep goalie has less distance to travel laterally.
However, the shooter may also see considerably more net.
For example, a skilled U18 player can identify openings over the shoulders or beside the body that younger shooters might miss.
Therefore, a goalie cannot simply retreat to the goal line because lateral movement feels easier there.
Instead, the player needs enough depth to challenge the shot while still respecting other threats.
Why Does Angle Matter?
Angle determines whether the goalie is centred properly relative to the puck and the net.
Consequently, even a small angle mistake can expose additional space.
For example, a goalie may believe the body is centred because the player is looking directly at the shooter. However, the puck itself may be positioned several feet away from the shooter’s body.
Therefore:
THE GOALIE SHOULD POSITION TO THE PUCK, NOT SIMPLY TO THE PLAYER HOLDING IT.
That distinction becomes increasingly important as shooters learn to change release points.
Why Is Squareness Important?
Squareness helps the goalie present the largest useful body surface toward the puck.
In addition, being square can simplify save selection.
However, squareness should not become rigid.
For example, the goalie may need to rotate and adjust continuously as the puck moves.
Therefore, strong positioning is dynamic.
THE GOALIE IS CONSTANTLY REPOSITIONING AS THE PLAY CHANGES.
How Does Puck Tracking Affect Positioning?
We have already established the importance of Goalie Puck Tracking.
Importantly, positioning depends on accurate visual information.
For example, losing the puck through traffic can leave the goalie square to an outdated location. As a result, the body may be technically balanced but positioned for the wrong threat.
Therefore:
SEE THE PUCK FIRST. POSITION THE BODY SECOND.
Tracking and positioning should be developed together.
How Does Skating Affect Depth?
A goalie may understand where to be.
However, the player still needs the skating ability to get there efficiently.
For example, an unnecessary extra push can carry the goalie beyond the ideal depth. Likewise, poor edge control may create drifting after the movement should have ended.
Therefore, Goalie Skating directly influences positioning.
GOOD POSITIONING REQUIRES GOOD MOVEMENT.
Without controlled skating, the goalie spends too much time correcting position instead of preparing for the shot.
Should Every Goalie Use the Same Depth?
NO.
Goalies have different bodies and athletic profiles.
For example, a smaller goalie may sometimes need additional depth to reduce visible net. Meanwhile, a larger goalie may be able to play slightly more conservatively while still occupying significant space.
However, size is not the only factor.
Consider:
speed
lateral ability
reaction time
puck tracking
athleticism
technical efficiency
the type of scoring threat
Therefore, the goalie coach should develop positioning that fits the individual player rather than forcing every goalie into an identical template.
Does Size Change the Positioning Conversation?
YES.
We have already established that size becomes increasingly relevant at U16–U18.
However, larger goalies still need excellent positioning.
For example, size cannot compensate for repeatedly losing angle or arriving late. Likewise, smaller goalies cannot rely only on athletic recovery.
Therefore:
SIZE CHANGES THE TOOLS. POSITIONING DETERMINES HOW WELL THOSE TOOLS ARE USED.
What Happens on Odd-Man Rushes?
Odd-man situations make depth decisions considerably harder.
For example, a goalie facing a two-on-one has to respect both the shooter and the passing option.
Therefore, challenging too aggressively may leave too much distance to travel if the pass occurs. On the other hand, retreating too quickly may give the puck carrier an easy shooting opportunity.
Consequently, patience becomes part of positioning.
THE GOALIE IS NOT ONLY PLAYING THE PUCK CARRIER.
THE GOALIE IS READING THE ENTIRE THREAT.
What About Breakaways?
A breakaway is another depth-management problem.
For example, the goalie may initially challenge to reduce available net. Then, as the player approaches, depth has to be managed without surrendering control.
However, retreating too quickly can give the shooter time and space.
Therefore, successful breakaway play combines:
patience
controlled backward movement
puck tracking
edge control
reading the shooter’s options
Again, there is no single stationary position that solves the problem.
Can Great Athleticism Hide Poor Positioning?
FOR A WHILE.
An athletic goalie may recover from being in the wrong place.
However, increasingly skilled shooters reduce that recovery time.
For example, a spectacular lateral save may disguise the fact that the goalie initially overcommitted. Nevertheless, Junior-level shooters may finish before the athletic recovery arrives.
Therefore:
ATHLETICISM SHOULD SUPPORT POSITIONING, NOT REPLACE IT.
The higher the level, the more valuable efficient positioning becomes.
Does Positioning Affect Rebound Control?
YES.
A balanced goalie in proper position has a better opportunity to control the first save.
For example, arriving square and set can help the puck strike the equipment more predictably. In addition, balanced positioning improves the player’s ability to track and recover afterward.
Therefore, Goalie Rebound Control starts partly before the shot arrives.
BETTER POSITIONING CAN MAKE THE NEXT PART OF THE PLAY EASIER.
Does Goalie Positioning Matter to Junior Scouts?
VERY MUCH.
Higher-level evaluators are trying to understand why a goalie makes saves.
For example, they may notice whether the player consistently arrives square and balanced. Furthermore, they can assess whether depth decisions hold up against passing threats and stronger shooters.
Hockey Canada’s goaltending pathway specifically includes positioning through angle, squareness and depth, while USA Hockey coaching resources likewise identify positioning as a core development area.
Therefore, positioning contributes directly to how a goalie’s game projects upward.
Can a Goalie Look Better Because of Good Positioning?
YES, AND THAT IS THE POINT.
A well-positioned goalie may make difficult shots look routine.
Because the player arrives early and occupies the correct space, fewer dramatic movements are necessary.
For example, one goalie might make a spectacular glove save after arriving late. Meanwhile, another player may simply catch the same shot in the chest because the positioning was better.
Therefore:
DON’T CONFUSE SPECTACULAR WITH SUPERIOR.
Sometimes the quiet save reveals the better technical sequence.
Should Positioning Be Practised Without Shots?
YES.
Removing the puck temporarily can help isolate movement and depth.
For example, a goalie coach may work through several puck locations while checking angle and squareness. Afterward, shots can be added so the player connects positioning with actual save decisions.
Therefore, development can progress from:
position
to:
movement
then:
tracking
followed by:
shot execution
finally:
game-like reads
As a result, the goalie learns why the position changes rather than merely memorizing marks in the crease.
What Should a Goalie Coach Watch?
A qualified goalie coach should evaluate more than whether the goalie is standing near the top of the crease.
Instead, positioning should be assessed within the situation.
Look for:
correct angle
appropriate depth
squareness
balance
arrival before the shot
controlled movement
patience on lateral threats
adjustment through traffic
consistency under pressure
fit with the goalie’s physical profile
Therefore, the coach should be able to explain why a positioning change is being recommended.
What Should Parents Look For?
Parents do not need to estimate crease depth from Row 6.
Instead, watch broader patterns.
Consider whether the goalie:
looks set before shots
frequently gets beaten around the edges
overcommits on passes
drifts after movements
scrambles more than expected
appears increasingly controlled against faster competition
receives specific positioning instruction
In addition, ask the goalie coach what the current depth strategy is designed to accomplish.
That conversation is considerably more useful than telling the goalie to “come out farther” during the drive home.
Goalie Positioning and Depth: Our Hockey Answer
POSITIONING IS ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF HIGHER-LEVEL GOALTENDING.
However, there is no single correct depth for every goalie or every play.
Instead, strong Goalie Positioning and Depth requires the player to combine:
angle
squareness
puck tracking
skating
balance
physical profile
passing threats
shot location
hockey IQ
Therefore:
THE BEST POSITION IS THE ONE THAT SOLVES THE CURRENT PLAY WHILE PREPARING FOR WHAT MAY HAPPEN NEXT.
At U16–U18, that becomes increasingly important because skilled shooters need very little additional net to score.
We Report What the Research Finds
Goaltending philosophies can differ.
However, established development pathways consistently identify positioning as a foundational goalie skill.
Hockey Canada specifically lists angles, squareness and depth within its goaltending pathway. Likewise, USA Hockey coaching resources include positioning among the essential areas of goalie development.
Therefore, Search the Hockey Answer™ found strong support for our conclusion that positioning should be developed together with skating, tracking and game reading rather than taught as one fixed crease location.
EXPERIENCE IDENTIFIES THE QUESTION.
RESEARCH TESTS THE ANSWER.
WE REPORT WHAT WE FIND.
Have Another Hockey Question?
Perhaps your goalie is extremely athletic but frequently seems out of position. Alternatively, the player may be struggling to determine how aggressively to challenge stronger shooters.
Contact The Hockey Resource™ with your hockey question.
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