Where did the last 10 years go? As I head into my second decade of “The Goalie Guru,” it's only natural to think about how the position has changed since I started tapping out this column in late 2010. The evolution has been nothing short of revolutionary, building on the incredible, athletic styles of Glenn Hall, Tony Esposito and Patrick Roy.
Today, the equipment and the technical aspects of the position have caught up with the sheer instinct and audacity of these Hall of Famers, who played against type, bucking the conventional wisdom of the day (I would have loved to been a fly on the wall of the St. Louis locker room in the late 1960s, when Hall and the erudite and supremely confident Jacques Plante were undoubtedly discussing the best methods to stop the puck).
The position continues to evolve, as the oversized gear of Garth Snow and other Bib the Michelin Man imposters has been deflated (a move I wholeheartedly endorsed), pulling the position away from strictly “blocking,” or filling space, and ushering in a new era of athleticism. But some things don't change — the great goalies always have been defined by a certain few characteristics. I've covered all of them over the past 10 years, but these major points deserve to be revisited.
So let's start with what I think is the single most important trait — the goalie mindset. It's easy to define — a relentless desire to stop every puck — but often difficult to spot among youngsters. Which leads to the question I inevitably hear from parents: “How do I know my kid will like playing goalie?”
It's a fair question, especially given the costs associated with outfitting a young goalie. My standard reply is simple: “Oh, don't worry. They'll let you know.”
It's a concise answer, but one with a broad implications. I'm not trying to be clever or sarcastic. I believe that kids, especially really young kids, are the best judges of whether they like the position. The ones who don’t will be the first to tell mom and dad that they'd rather not play between the pipes, once they find out how hard it is.
Today's top-notch goaltenders, whether high school, juniors, college or pro, make the position seem so effortless that kids who watch them think it's going to be a snap for them as well. What they can't comprehend, at least initially, is the hundreds if not thousands of hours of training required to make those movements appear "effortless."
That's when coaches, and often parents, get a hint of what a young goalie's true motivations are. We learn why they've elected to play the position, and if they have the requisite courage (not to be underestimated), determination and desire to put in the effort to improve. In short, there are really two types of motivation. The first speaks to why they want to play the position in the first place. The second is how badly they want to play well.
I can't blame kids for wanting to play goalie nowadays. There's no question that it's become a glamour position. Here in Boston, if you turn on NESN, you're bound to see highlights of Bruins' Tuukka Rask or any number of the great goaltenders playing today in the NHL. Goalies are superstars, the center of attention. That will catch any kid's eye.
Suffice to say, that wasn't always the case. Fifty years ago, I was one of a handful of kids with the kinked DNA strand who actually wanted to play goalie. The fashionable positions were the forwards, the goal scorers. Overall, it was the stars who skated out who sparked the dreams of my school-age buddies.
Goalies, on the other hand, were stereotyped as some sad-sack grommet who was short on talent (or someone's kid brother who would play any position just to be included). The idea was to take the worst skater and stick him in the nets. After all, they didn't have to move very far. Even if they got pummeled, they'd stick around because they didn't really have any choice.
Today, gear improvements have made the position much safer, which makes it more attractive. Plus, the gear looks really neat, and that adds an allure to playing goal. But there's also an undeniable athleticism that modern goaltenders bring to the game that makes the position look like so much fun.
As a coach, I realize that the skills on display in pro- and college-level games are the result of years and years of hard work, but kids don't know that. They just see these fabulous acrobats, coiled like jungle cats in front of their cages, making life miserable for the world's best shooters.
If only it were so simple. I would never discourage anyone from trying, but the Xbox generation doesn't always grasp the effort required to play a position as physically demanding as hockey goaltender. Once they find out for themselves, their first reaction is often to dump the “tools of ignorance” and pick up their skinny sticks (or worse, their Xbox remotes). So it's important to make sure novice goalies are given accurate expectations, designed to give them the best chance to succeed.
There are several caveats to consider before you put your youngster (or any youngster) in the nets. Most importantly, remember that children under the age of 10 are still getting their skating legs under them. The added obstacle of trying to move around with cumbersome goalie gear is a rude wake-up call. Chances are, they'll flail, desperately trying to find a balance point on their edges without the natural advantage that momentum provides.
During an early season clinic for youth hockey goalies, I had one little shaver who couldn't have been more than 7. He couldn't stay upright. Every time he moved, the poor kid fell. He simply wasn't willing, or couldn’t, bend his knees, and he kept losing his balance. Once he fell — either on his backside, or on all fours — he could not get back up.
After about 10 minutes of flopping around, he burst into tears. I helped him off the ice, delivering him to his dad, but it was clear that his goaltending days were numbered. He found out the hard way that goaltending was far more difficult than it looks on TV.
One very effective method to prevent these awkward on-ice moments is to have the young netminder bring the gear home, and try it on without skates. Most equipment for Mite and Squirt goalies is relatively light but still feels stiff and bulky. Play street hockey, fire tennis balls at him, laugh. Give him (or her) a chance to get used to moving with all that added bulk, without the added tribulations of slipping around on the ice. Be patient.
The realization of how tough it is to play goal is akin to "sticker shock" for many youngsters; too many quit without really giving the position an honest effort. The good news is that the learning curve is fairly sharp, provided they stick with it. Make it fun, and don't worry about the results of the first few skates. The only goal you want to focus on initially is that they want to get back in the nets.
If they do, then mom and dad have a decision to make. Those are the kids who will let their folks know that they are raising a goalie, like it or not. And the parents won't have any doubts.
