Steve Davies Goalie Training

Category: Advice

  • Glove Position Debate

    In recent years, there has been a growing tendency for goalies at all levels to hold their glove hand high and in “a fingers up” position as opposed to the more traditional waist high 3 o’clock position. The rationale for holding the glove in the former position is that it takes the top shelf away and most easily intersects with the trajectory of the puck. This is all very nice in theory but in practice it simply doesn’t work very well. Even those goalies who start with their gloves in this position (Henrik Lundqvist) rotate downwards to the 3 o’clock position before making most glove saves.

    So, why do I make the assertion that the fingers up / glove high position doesn’t work very well? I think the best way to explain myself is to look at the basic rationale for holding the glove in this way. First, does the high position actually take away the top of the net? The answer to this is simply NO. To understand exactly what the glove is covering it is necessary to put your face on the ice directly behind the puck and assume the vantage point of the puck at ice level. After doing this you will discover that the high glove position isn’t covering ANY net at all… in fact, it is covering glass. To make matters worse, the goalies are covering glass while giving up EVERYTHING from the crossbar down. Goalies that hold their gloves at the more traditional 3 o’clock position are ACTUALLY covering the top shelf while making it easier to catch pucks 18 inches off the ice.

    The second issue is intersecting with the trajectory of the puck. The high glove, held in a fingers up position, requires the goalie to move the glove against the trajectory of the puck. This turns the glove into a blocker as opposed to a catcher. Another complicating issue is that the glove often rotates down in a counter clockwise motion which results in dropped pucks. The lower more traditional position allows the goalie to move up with the trajectory which is actually a quicker move because it requires muscular contraction and allows for more glove control.

    I don’t really think that I will have changed many minds here. Those who believe in the high glove will come up with all kinds of fallacies to support their position. I once heard a goalie coach say that coming down on the puck was quicker because of gravity. REALLY? Watch any great glove save in the NHL and there is ALWAYS an upward arch to the save which means the glove had to start in a low position. I have seen precious few glove saves made from the high position unless the puck simply hit the glove… which means that the puck was probably going over the net in the first place and the goaltender’s glove was “locked” in a blocking position instead of moving with the puck.

    As in all cases, the best teacher is experience. If you find that your glove hand is a static blocker instead of a dynamic and active catcher of pucks, you might take a look at where your glove actually starts the catching motion. Take a few moments a go on NHL.com and watch the NHL goalies making glove saves, hit the freeze button at the point when the puck is released and you will see that the glove hand actually starts its motion from a low rather than high position.

  • Confessions of A Goalie Dad

    Confessions of A Goalie Dad

    During the registration calls we take for our goalie schools I often have the chance to talk with parents about their son or daughter’s experience as a goalie. Almost every parent I talk to is absolutely tuned in on how their child is playing but perhaps more importantly, how their child is handling the stress and excitement of being the last line of defence. When the conversation goes in that direction, my next question is… “And how are you handling the stress of watching your kid be the last line of defence?” As a former “goalie parent”, I am very interested in hearing how they do it because I simply wasn’t very good at watching my son play.

    My son Bryn started playing goal when he was about four years old. We started in the basement of our home in Newmarket, where we played for hours. I would announce the game and Bryn would pretend he was Andy Moog or Patrick Roy making save after save. Inevitably, we would conclude with a post-game interview when I would ask him what his biggest save was. Those were wonderful days when we simply played for the fun of it. There were no losers… only winners. I was the biggest winner because I got to spend time with my son doing something that we both loved.

    By the time Bryn turned six or seven, he started playing in one of the local Newmarket leagues. At first, he played “out” and Barb and I would get him dressed in most of his equipment at home. Once at the rink, he’d put on his skates and helmet and then play his game. Barb and I would watch and cheer and enjoy every minute of the game. In those days, none of the teams had a regular goalie; everyone had to take their turn at playing goal and eventually it was Bryn’s turn to put on the pads. He instantly fell in love with the position and couldn’t wait for his next chance to be in net. The following year, he tried out
    for the Newmarket AA Novice team and he was selected to be one of the goalies. He was quite good at it and eventually went on to play many years of AAA hockey. Along the way, he was on a couple of OMHA Championship teams with Richmond Hill and York Simcoe. From there, he played several years of Jr. “A” hockey and then it was off to the NCAA where he wrapped up his hockey career.

    For me, something happened when Bryn made the transition from being an “out” player to being a full time goalie… the last line of defence. It started subtly, but the further he went in hockey the more difficult it was for me to watch him play. The pre-game butterflies that I experienced as a player always vanished with the first save; but when my son was in net, they never dissipated. In fact, they usually became more intense as the game went on. I often found myself making saves for him… I’d kick out my legs on low shots and start murmuring instructions like…’Challenge!! Get up!!! Step out!!! …. Stick!!! …
    By the time he was in Midget hockey, my murmurs became reflexive shouts, and not only to my son but to other players in the defensive zone. It was as though I was actually playing the game without the feeling of being in control of the situation that comes when you are actually in the game.

    By the time Bryn was playing Jr. “A” hockey I found it almost impossible to watch him play. I remember one occasion when Barb and I drove to Ottawa to watch him play the season opener for the Cornwall Colts of the CJHL. After the pregame warm-up, I got out of my seat and announced that I simply couldn’t handle it… I went out and sat in the parking lot until people started filing out of the rink. Sheepishly, I asked Barb how it all went. She announced that Cornwall had lost the game 1 – 0 and that Bryn stood on his head and was named star of the game.

    Bryn finished his Jr. “A” career with the Wexford Raiders of the OPJHL. By this point in his hockey, Barb drove him to most of his games while I busied myself with school work or other coaching duties awaiting the results of his games. During the playoffs against the North York Rangers, John Bowler, a very wise man and G.M. of the Raiders saw me sitting pensively in the stands prior to the game. We chatted briefly and he finally asked me why I was so nervous. I replied that Bryn was in net tonight… how could I not be nervous. He looked at me straight in the eyes and gave me sage advice… “Steve… your son’s hockey will be over before you know it. Don’t miss a second of it. In the end, winning or losing won’t mean a thing… being there for him, win or lose is all that matters.” After that, I swallowed my butterflies and watched every second of the series. I still jumped and murmured and sometimes shouted reflexively. Bryn played well but in the end Wexford lost out to the rugged Rangers.

    I will never forget the advice John Bowler gave me on that early spring evening at the old Scarborough Gardens. Our children’s time in hockey is short and having won or lost will be inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. As parents, we sometimes get caught up in the intensity of the moment and lose sight of more important issues. For me, I missed precious time watching my son play the game we both love. I often wish that I could turn back the clock and make up for lost time. The best I can do now is to learn from my mistake and never waste another second of precious time with my children and grandchildren. You see, hockey does teach some valuable lessons… even to old goalies like me.

  • Getting Cut Isn’t the End

    On April 15th and 16th we conducted our Goalie Tryout Sessions for the York Simcoe Express. The goalies participated in a variety of drills that hopefully gave each of them a better opportunity to show their skills to the coaches in attendance. Before adopting this procedure, prospective goaltenders were given limited action in scrimmage sessions where they often came in “cold” and had little opportunity to show what they could do. Following the sessions completed last Tuesday, the coaches will now bring a more manageable number of goalies to the team scrimmages. The process seems to work well and I hope it was a good experience for everyone involved.

    At the end of the last session, I called all of the goalies into a huddle to tell them that even though they played well and may be good enough to play Triple A, the decision may not go in their favour. Should this happen, there will naturally be an initial sense of disappointment but they must not let this linger into discouragement. There are very few goalies that haven’t had a coach shake their hand, look them in the eye and say, “thanks for coming out”.

    I can think of one goalie in particular who heard those words several times while trying to break into Triple “A” hockey. However, he continued to play for the love of the game and he never stopped believing in himself. Finally, at around the age of fourteen or fifteen, he finally made one of the YSE teams and proved he belonged in Triple “A” hockey. When it came time for the OHL draft, his talents were again overlooked as goalies with less ability heard their names called.

    Undaunted, our young goalie attended many Jr. “A” tryouts in the OPJHL. The teams he most wanted to play for in this general vicinity gave him the old “thanks for coming out” line he had heard so many times before. It was not until he skated with the Ajax Jr. “A” team that his talents were recognized and he signed his first Jr. “A” card. The Axemen, as they were called, were one of the weakest teams in the entire province but it gave this young goalie the opportunity he needed to show what he could do. While in Ajax, he faced an average of 45 shots a game and gave up lots of goals. But every shot and every goal was a learning opportunity and it wasn’t long before he won the attention of some NHL scouts. In the NHL draft, our young goalie was the last player to be selected. But, that didn’t matter… his talents were finally being recognized.

    Just before the start of the next season, the University of Wisconsin found themselves in a dilemma. The goalie they had recruited was declared ineligible by the NCAA. They resolved the problem by putting in a call to the Ottawa Senators to ask them about the goalie that was the last pick in the previous draft. The Senators reported that they thought this young man was a diamond in the rough and that he was an excellent candidate for a full scholarship. So, it was off to Wisconsin to play for one of the best teams in the NCAA. It took two seasons before he earned the starting job and led the Badgers to an NCAA Championship… the young prospect was also a finalist in the voting for the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in the NCAA. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, he went on to star for the Ottawa Senators and last year, as a member of the St. Louis Blues he was selected to play in the NHL All Star Game.

    By now, most of you know that the goalie in this little story is none other than Brian Elliott. Brian is an outstanding example of dedication and perseverance. He never gave up on himself and when a door closed in his face he looked for another opportunity to play. So, when someone tells you, “thanks for coming out”, just remember that Brian Elliott had those words spoken to him on numerous occasions. He continued to play because he loved the game and made the most of every opportunity presented to him. So, although being cut is often difficult, remember that no one knows the future. Use every opportunity to hone your craft and be the best goalie you can be every time you step on the ice.

  • Some Advice to Goalies Leaving Home to Play Jr. Hockey

    Some Advice to Goalies Leaving Home to Play Jr. Hockey

    Some of you young goaltenders will begin chasing your dreams in earnest as you leave home for the first time to play Jr. Hockey. Several years ago, my son ventured to Pembroke, Ontario to play for the Lumberkings. His hockey dream ended last year at the age of 24 when, after several years of college hockey, he decided to hang up his pads and pursue other dreams. What follows are adapted excerpts of a letter that I tucked into his luggage when he left. I pass this along to you in the hope that it might be of some help.

    May all your dreams come true!

    1. Keep your eyes and your ears open and your mouth shut. Say very little about yourself and never say anything unkind about others. In time, you will earn the right to speak. First, lead by example and then with words.

    2. There will be great days ahead and some difficult ones too. Life in hockey is a roller coaster. Just remember that every experience, whether good or bad, is something to learn from. You will learn much about others but most of all, you will learn about yourself. During difficult times, always remember that they will pass and there are always better days ahead.

    3. Trust your training and your instincts. You are well prepared for the challenges ahead. You are an excellent goalie. In time, you will show your stuff.

    4. Always deflect praise and always praise your team-mates. No matter how well you play, your team-mates have contributed to your success by putting themselves on the line for you. There is no greater calling in hockey than to play and sacrifice for your friends. Always remember that.

    5. While at your billets home remember to mind your manners. Always say please and thank you and remember to clean up after yourself. In time, you will be like a member of their family and every family has rules. Respect their rules and you’ll get along just fine.

    6. It’s natural to get homesick, all hockey players have gone through it. In time, it passes. You will make lots of new friends and they’ll keep you busy.

    7. Always remember that your parents are as close as the phone. Call home often and remember that they need to hear from you more than you more than you need to hear from them.

    8. Finally, enjoy every minute of your time in hockey. Chase your dream as far as your talents and good fortune can take you. Your Mom and Dad will cheer for you all the way. And when the chase comes to an end, they will be more proud of you for who you are than for what you have accomplished in hockey.