Are goalies becoming robots?
While watching the NHL and many other levels of hockey we have noticed an increasing problem in the world of goaltending, which needs to be discussed. In the face of the new mobility, compactness and sound recoveries, that are being made, too many goalies have become the same goalie. Young goalies right up to the pros are starting to all play exactly the same pro-fly style.
Granted, we will teach a lot of the pro-fly techniques such as precise positioning, compactness and positional adjustments while down. Proper technique does make the game a lot easier, with less likelihood of needing desperation save, but there is becoming a lot fewer goalies who can make a really good desperation save when a moment does not allow for proper technique. For an example, how many times in the last few hockey seasons have you been watching hockey and found that there are goalies who automatically give up if they have slid too far?
Why has Dominik Hasek led the NHL in SP% seven times including six times in a row? Hasek knows that he has good scramble techniques when his excellent fundamentals just aren’t enough. Now, we are not saying that goalies need to become Hasek or Grant Fuhr all of a sudden, but up and coming goalie coaches always need to remember that goalies develop their own style. All of the modern elements can work well with existing strengths and help make a modern goaltender even better. Goaltending is precise work but the game is not always precise so we need to make sure something gets in the way of the opposition.
Ian Clarke of the GOALTENDER DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE talks about reaction/desperation saves as being an instinctive response. The goaltender’s first instinct should always be to do whatever is necessary to make a save and NEVER GIVE UP ON A PLAY. During practice a game of rebound is good for the instincts.
The reason goalies work on reflexes, agility, and flexibility is to make the big save when needed. There are times when the easy save may not be possible so goaltenders need to practice their instinctive responses, without losing the efficiency they have learned.
