NHL Starting Goalies

Goaltending

It takes a certain type of player to become one of the nhl starting goalies. Physically a goaltender must have good reflexes, good hands and above all good eyesight. He also must have a certain amount of courage, because the puck is awfully hard in can come at you at pretty fast speeds.

I’ve heard it said that I some players can fire puck at over 100 miles an hour and after stopping some of the shots I’m sure some goalies can believe it. Don’t let that discourage any young boys want to become one of the nhl starting goalies and I don’t think any position in hockey can prove more rewarding. You are the last man between the opposition and the net.

No successful team in hockey can get along without a good goalie, so once you decide you want to play goal, stick to it. At first you may find it discouraging, but as you master a few tricks of the trade, I’m sure you will learn to enjoy it as many NHL goaltenders have.

Confidence

One of the most important things any goalie has to have his confidence in himself. You have to think you are the best. Always think that you are just as good as the best goalies ever to play even if you aren’t. If you have that attitude it will help you when you have a bad game. The matter how good a goal you are, sooner or later you’re going to have a bad game. But you can’t let that get the best of you.

If you do, you’re finished. When I was a young boy started the play goal, I used to think I was as good as Terry Sawchuk, then the Detroit goalie, in my opinion one of the best nhl starting goalies of all time. Maybe I wasn’t as good as Sawchuk, but as long as I thought so, and help me over those rough spots a goaltender is bound to run into.

Goalie Mask

Before we start discussing some of the finer points of goal tending, I have one more bit of advice for any young boy who wants to play in the nets. In my opinion every young goalie should buy and wear a mask. I know I did wear one, but if I were starting over again I certainly would. If I had worn one from the start, I’d still have my own teeth. The masks are being steadily improving and today they enable the goalie to see the puck perfectly. And also give you more courage when you have to dive into a pile of players after the puck.

Goalie Skates

If you want to be one of the top nhl starting goalies you need to learn to skate as well as any other position. I don’t suppose many goalies think about it, but one of the most important things a goalie must do well is to skate. He has to be not only a strong skater going forward but he must be able to skate backwards at top speed. When you practice skating you should do with your goal pads and equipment on. That’s the way you’re going to have to skate in the games you might as well get used to it. Young goalies seldom use their skates to stop a shot. I feel that’s a mistake. When the pocket shot along the ice, I suggest you use your skates to stop it. Just stick out your foot, stop the shot and then deflected to the corner. This may take a little practice but I think you will find it worth your while.

Hockey Drills and Conditioning

Since playing goal can be strenuous and tiring, I suggest you get yourself in top physical condition. You should get at least eight hours sleep a night and eat a well-balanced diet. I also suggest you do exercise, particularly during the off-season, to keep yourself in shape. I have found particularly valuable exercises such as running and skipping to develop your legs and wind. They also help speed up your reflexes.

Watch the puck

As one of the best nhl starting goalies you need to keep your eye on the puck at all times. That’s one of the simplest but also one of the most important rules and goal tending. It’s also ruled that young goalies often break, the results of goals being scored against them. One or two men break, you watch the man with the puck. Such a defense and worry about the other fellow. It to mentor in front of the net, you worry about the fellow with the puck.

You let your defenseman, in a nice way of course, get back and look after the other fellow. But you should stay in or near your net. I don’t think the goalie has any business wandering around the ring trying to clear the puck. That’s what they pay defenseman for, so let them earn their money.

Stay on your feet

Stay on your feet. That is another rule that many young goalies break. I know I had a tendency to go down too often when I was younger. When someone shoots at you, you have a far better chance of getting the rebound if you’re standing up the niche you are sprawled on the ice. Sometimes you may find it necessary to go down well. But if you do, you must fall like an Indian rubber ball, always ready to bounce back up onto your feet.

Goalie Gloves

Learn to use your hands. One of the surest ways to stop the puck and to make sure you truly are one of the top nhl starting goalies is to catch it. This method ensures there will be no rebound and also avoids the chance that a puck rebounds off your leg into the net. But once you catch it, don’t hold the puck for a face off. Toss it into the corner so that your players can get it out of your end of the ice.

There is one method I use to help me catch pucks which I think you may find useful. After the teams practices is over, I get a player with a good shot, the fire 30 or 40 pucks of my hand side and I catch them. Then I throw my stick away and try stopping the puck with only my hands and pads. This makes you more proficient at catching pucks and also gives you confidence in your ability to do it.

Goalie Stick.

The stick is still important to goaltender. The first thing a young goalie should check is that he has the right stick for his own bills and style of play. Adopt the normal position use in the nets in place your stick on the ice. If it doesn’t lie flat, you are using the wrong stick, and parks that will be sliding on the ice will go right under your stick into the net. I think a goalie can do a lot to worry a forward if he sweeps or pokes his stick out in front of the net as the man comes in on him.

Sometimes forgets to close and you can put the puck away. Some goalies don’t believe this checking is effective but I have found to be very useful. You should also practice passing the puck with your stick so you can give the puck to your teammates to carry out of your end of the rink.

Angles.

A goalie can make his job easier if you can give the opposing forward as little area as possible to shoot at. It is a cardinal sin in the NHL to allow a goal on your short side. Make certain your leg on that side of the net is against the post so no shot can get in. This still leaves the forward quite a target to shoot at. I try to cut this down by moving out to meet the forward as he comes in towards the net.

When you skate out, remember to keep your legs close together as possible, so he can put the puck between them. I find by moving out on breakaways I can cut down the angle so he is a smaller target which the aim. All goalies don’t agree with this. Glenn Hall, for instance, moves out and then skates back towards his net as the man moves in. One other point on a breakaway: make the forward make his first move.

If he can get you to move he has beaten you on the play. It takes a lot of nerve but you have to learn to stand there until he moves, and then of course your quick reactions come to your rescue and you can stop the shot. Or at least you hope to do so.

Summing up.

I think there a few other things the young goalie can do. For instance, I would suggest when he watches a game on television, or is lucky enough to be at one of the NHL rinks, that he concentrates on the goalie. Watch how he clears the puck, how we moves men from in front of the net and how we stays upright most of the time, also you can help yourself by working with your defenseman. You also should study your opposition. Certain players like to shoot at certain spots. So you try to take that chance away from him.

And one final word.

Don’t try to copy another goalie style. It might not be right for you. Just adopt a stance in the nest that you will find comfortable and stick to it. If you do this and follow some of the tips I’ve given you, I think you find playing goal a lot of fun. And who knows, one of you may someday take my job in the net of the Toronto Maple Leafs or become one of the best nhl starting goalies. At my age, a fellow can’t hope to go on forever.

Watch your favorite Goalies right on your PC