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… Read More »GOALIES: How Important Are Positioning and Depth at U16–U18?
Short Answer VERY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THE GOALIE HAS TO RESET BEFORE THE NEXT SHOT ARRIVES. A rebound can create a second scoring chance in less… Read More »GOALIES: How Important Is the Mental Side of Rebound Recovery?
Short Answer EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. THE FIRST SAVE IS ONLY PART OF THE JOB. A goalie can make the initial save and still leave the team… Read More »GOALIES: How Important Is Rebound Control at U16–U18?
Short Answer CRITICAL. IF THE GOALIE LOSES THE PUCK, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS AFTERWARD BECOMES HARDER. Goalie Puck Tracking – Goalies are often judged by movement,… Read More »GOALIES: How Important Is Puck Tracking at U16–U18?
Short Answer EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. GREAT GOALTENDING STARTS WITH GETTING TO THE RIGHT PLACE BEFORE THE PUCK ARRIVES. Parents naturally notice saves, but Goalie Skating is… Read More »GOALIES: How Important Is Skating for a U16–U18 Goalie?
Short Answer VERY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THE GOALIE IS BECOMING PART OF THE TEAM’S PUCK-MOVEMENT SYSTEM. At younger ages, families may think of puck handling as… Read More »GOALIES: How Important Is Puck Handling at U16–U18?
Short Answer THERE IS NO UNIVERSAL NUMBER, BUT “BACKUP” SHOULD NOT MEAN “BARELY PLAYS.” At U16–U18, a AAA team may legitimately have a starting goalie… Read More »GOALIES: How Many Starts Should a AAA Backup Goalie Expect?
Short Answer WHEN THE EVIDENCE CHANGES, THE GOAL SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CHANGE TOO. Goalie Elite Pathway where every young goalie deserves the opportunity to… Read More »GOALIES: When Should Parents Accept That the Elite Goalie Pathway May Be Ending?
Short Answer YES. FOR MANY GOALIES, COLLEGE HOCKEY CAN BECOME AN EXCELLENT PRIMARY GOAL. Goalie College Hockey Pathway. But not every talented goalie will reach… Read More »GOALIES: If the NHL Is Not Realistic, Should College Hockey Become the Goal?
Short Answer NO. AAA PRACTICE CAN BE EXCELLENT DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT CANNOT FULLY REPLACE PLAYING GAMES. This distinction becomes particularly important at U16–U18. Goalie Game… Read More »GOALIES: Can AAA Practice Replace Playing Games at AA?