Back to basics ...

I'm not sure exactly what Lorne Chabot is doing here, but the man won the Stanley Cup and Vezina Trophy, and is enshrined in the Hall of Fame, so who am I to judge?

Happy Black Friday, gang,

Hope you're all recovering from your Thanksgiving holiday feasts. With everyone's waistbands stretched just a little tighter today, I thought it was the perfect time to post my November column of The Goalie Guru from the New England Hockey Journal. Let me know what you think ...

BACK TO BASICS ...

Goaltending is pretty simple: Get to the right spot, at the right time, in the right position, and you'll make the save more often than not. However, getting to that spot, in the correct stance, can be surprisingly difficult. That's goes double for youngsters new to the position, or new to goalie skates and all that bulky equipment.

Don't think so? Try this little experiment (like I did). Have your youth hockey coaches get together for a goalie-coaching clinic with an experienced goaltending coach. Have the goalie coach demonstrate a very simple goalie-specific skating sequence, including shuffles and drop-steps (we won't even get into stuff like butterfly slides or pushes). Then make the coaches to do the drills.

Nine times out of 10 (if not more), regular hockey players will struggle with these maneuvers. Even guys who are been really good players. I've seen it firsthand, over and over. Why? Because goalie-specific skating is so much different than anything a position player ever has to perform. That point rarely hits home unless you make the coaches do it themselves, so they can see for themselves. And I've got to admit, it's hilarious to watch (most wind up looking like the legendary Lorne Chabot, shown in the accompanying photo -- no disrespect to Mr. Chabot, of course).

Now, the idea isn't to embarrass anyone. Good coaches know that. But it's much like the great lesson my brother Sean taught me a few years back, when I told him my daughters were starting to play lacrosse. "The first thing you have to do is get yourself a girl's lacrosse stick," said Sean, who has coached a number of girls select teams in New Hampshire. "That way, you get to see for yourself how much harder it is, and how frustrating it can be."

Sean was spot on. The idea of having every youth hockey coach at least go through the motions of a goalie-skating drill will help nurture an understanding, to clearly demonstrate that goalies have a much different role, and a much different skill set that comes into play on the ice. Plus, if you have a coach who can get pretty good at it, you'll have someone on staff who can help develop better goalies, and probably save your program a bunch of coin (on full-time goalie instruction) in the process. Goalie coaches will always be an asset, due to the intricacies of the position, but having a volunteer coach who can at least make sure the goalies are doing their warm-up skates properly is a big plus.

So, now that many leagues are already past the parity round and into full swing, I'd like to offer a quick primer, featuring several essential particulars that EVERY hockey coach ought to know about goaltenders. If you're going to have high expectations of your young netminder, then you ought o expect the same of yourself. Let's start with the basics:

Stance. You want your young goalies to look balanced, with a nice bend in their knees, chest up, gloves in front, and stick on the ice, about 10-12 inches away from their toes. Imagine a spotlight in the middle of the goalie's chest. If that spotlight is shining straight down into the ice, there's a good chance he's bending too much at the waist, with straight legs, and is off balance, with nose over toes. That spotlight should be shining out at the puck. Get them to bend their knees! Also, beware of the catch glove that's either scratching the back to the goalie's knee (too low), or ear (too high). You want to see the gloves a few inches in front of the body, so the goalie can comfortably see them in his peripheral vision.

Angles. This is another simple, yet critical, concept. Unless the puck is behind the goal line or at a really sharp angle (say, by the corner), you want to be able to draw a straight line through the puck, the goalie's chest, and the center of the net (not the back of the net, but that plane between the two posts). If they set up on the shooter, the shooter is going to have a ton of net to hit. Remind your goalie that it's the puck that he has to stop, not the shooter.

Skating. This involves movement, stopping, and setting up for the shot. (shuffle, drop-step, butterfly slide, butterfly push). The eyes naturally follow the puck. A good goalie follows his eyes with his hands, and then the rest of his body. Try to make sure your goalie can move while staying compact, if his stance, without opening up too many holes. For example, when a goalie shuffles across the crease, his skates should remain parallel, both pointing at the puck. Too many youngsters open up, like a T-glide, and that's just too slow when the puck is in tight. It also opens holes in his stance. Stopping on a dime is just has important, because if a goalie isn't "set" for the shot, they typically wind up on all fours, or on their backside.

Recovery (correctly). Perhaps the most under-appreciated, but most vital, skill a goalie has to master. Experienced goalies recover so quickly they make it seem effortless. Young goalies can look like they're either nailed to the ice, or flopping around like a beached whale (how often have you head a coach yell "Get up!"). Give your goalies adequate time to recover properly after each shot (unless it's a battle drill, where desperation saves are required). Have them concentrate on good technique; the speed will come as they mature. The rule of thumb? Goaltending is rear-wheel drive. Make sure your goalies recover using the backside leg, so they can drive toward the puck.

Following the rebound. This is another critical component of good goaltending. Most goalies can catch pucks because it's become second nature. Following the rebound has to be done just as quickly. This can only be done through repetition. If you don't allow your goalies time to recover toward the rebound, or don't require them to do it, then it won't become habit, and it won't happen in a game.

Last, some random early-season equipment suggestions for first-time goaltenders:

Leg pad straps. Some kids have their pads strapped on like corsets. That's often the result of a well-intentioned parent who simply doesn't know how to put the pads on. Do yourself a favor. Get involved, and have the sales rep at your local hockey shop show you the correct way to strap on pads. Then teach your kids to do it themselves. If the pads are a newer model, they have to be loose enough to rotate when the child drops into the butterfly. The idea is to land on the knee stacks on the inside of the pads, not the face of the pad. That's why those stacks are called "landing gear."

Knee pads. Get some. These will protect your goalie's lower thigh, below their pants.

Boot straps. If the straps that go underneath the skate are too long, cut them back. Excess strap can only result in one thing, and that's tripping up your goalie (for old goalies like me, that's a torn ACL just waiting to happen).

Catch glove. Break it in. Do this while sitting in front of the tube, watching the Bruins, opening and closing, opening and closing. There's no easy way to do this, but if you don't, you won't catch pucks.

Paddle length. Goalie sticks come in different sizes because goalies come in different sizes. Get a stick that allows you goalie to hold it with his pointer finger on the top part of the paddle while in a comfortable stance, blade on the ice. Paddles that are too short or too long will throw your goalie out of balance.

FINIS

Hey! You hoser ...

I admit it ... growing up, hockey wasn't my first love. Nope. When sports first piqued my interest -- and I couldn't have been more than 6 or 7 at the time -- I fell for baseball. In a big way. I couldn't get enough of the game, playing every chance I got. And when it rained, or it was late at night, or there weren't any other kids around (a rarity in my northern New Jersey town), I would bury myself in books about the game. Which led my mom to bark one of her most memorable lines (for me, anyway), when I was struggling with math in grade school: "I don't understand how you can remember Carl Yastremski's batting average for the past 10 years, but you can't figure out a simple math problem."

It helped that my Grandpere -- my maternal grandfather, and a native of Quebec -- was a big baseball fan too. He was the primary reason that my brothers and I, growing up in Yankees country, became diehard Red Sox fans. For that alone, I'm forever grateful.

But Grandpere was no mere spectator. He loved playing, and some of my fondest memories of my childhood are going out back, when my grandparents were visiting from New Hampshire, and playing catch with Granpere until I felt like my arm would fall off. And he was no young man at that time. Today, in my 50s, I have a much greater appreciation for how tough some of those patch and catch sessions must have been on him (especially when he played catcher, as I was perfecting my Juan Marichal high leg kick delivery).

A little bit later, maybe 4th grade or so, Grandpere introduced my siblings and I to another grand sport: hockey. About the same time, we started playing soccer too, spurred on by Grandpere's oldest son, my Uncle Art (who was quite a baseball player in his day). Slowly, baseball's special place in my heart got crowded out, as I became enamored with these new sports.

Still, I've always maintained a fondness for the Grand Old Game. Not necessarily the professional version (I was one of the fans who never forgave baseball for the 1994 players' strike that resulted in the World Series being cancelled. I always thought the game was greater than petty squabbling, even if those squabbles involved millions of dollars). Today's Major League game -- even my beloved Sox -- holds little  for me, with overpaid players bouncing from one team to the next, often mailing it in after hitting their big pay day (Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia being one of the shining exceptions). Even the regular-season games last forever, and the World Series games start so late, I'm typically sound asleep by the fourth inning.

But I still love the sport. And that's one of the reasons this hilarious video -- "Clark the Canadian Goalie" -- never gets old for me. In one short, sweet video clip, it captures so much about what I still love, about both sports. "Bo, Dieon, Clark ... He really could be one of the great two-way players!" Too funny ... Check it out.

FINIS

One puck ...

Cap Raeder (left) during his WHA glory days.

'Morning, gang,

With the hockey season in full swing (it is, after all, early October, for crying out loud), I wanted to address to role of goalies in your typical youth hockey practice. The old saw is that the goaltender "is the most important position on the ice." But you'd never know it watching just about any practice session from high school (and some colleges) down to Atoms. During these sessions, goalies are more likely to resemble cannon fodder, taking shot after shot after shot until they're ready to drop.

So this past summer, I asked long-time coach Cap Raeder, who I first watched play between the pipes at the University of New Hampshire in the mid-1970s (the accompanying photo is from Raeder's professional playing days with the New England Whalers of the short-lived World Hockey Association), what he thought of the barrage of shots that a practice goalie has to fend off. The spin-off of that conversation was this Goalie Guru column for the New England Hockey Journal. The column mentions two goalie-specific shooting drills, but there are dozens that both goalies and position players can benefit from. For details, drop me a line.

ONE PUCK

The key to good goalie drills is keeping things realistic

Robert "Cap" Raeder has been around the block. The former University of New Hampshire All-American goaltender (1972-75) from Needham, MA, followed his Wildcat playing days with a five-year professional career, which included a stint with the original New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association. He's been an assistant coach and head coach at the collegiate level (notably Clarkson, 1985-89) and an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, and Tampa Bay Lightning.

So, it's safe to say, Raeder has just about seen it all on an ice sheet. And when it comes to practice plans for goaltenders, he can boil it down to a simple, over-riding philosophy: One puck.

"That's all you need," said Raeder. "And that's how many they play the game with."

Obviously, Raeder is speaking figuratively, but his point is clear, and important. Hockey coaches need to let go of their outdated love affair with having dozens of pucks in play during any one drill (if the drill includes goaltenders). This is especially true during shooting drills, which many youth hockey coaches like to use as part of their warm-up regimen. Somewhere along the line, the idea of goalies seeing a gazillion shots got ingrained in the game's coaching psyche. If 15 shots are good, 50 must be better, right?

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Think of it in terms of simple math. If you have 20 kids lined up on the boards, racing off on a breakaway or a give-and-go shooting drill, the goalie is going to see 20 shots for each kid. If every kid takes five shots (not many, if you ask them), the goalie sees 100 pucks. And that's before the practice is 15 minutes deep.

Here's another favorite – the time-honored 3-shot drill, when three kids supposedly loop around three different cones (at varying distances from the goal) to take three quick shots. That looks great on paper, but it falls apart pretty quickly on the ice. Faster kids catch slower kids and shoot simultaneously, often without even looking up. The result is a goalie who, at best, doesn't know which shot to focus on, and, at worst, risks getting injured by the shot he's not watching.

Again, these drills simply don't reflect hockey the way the game is played. They do have some predictable results, few of which are positive.

Rapid-fire shooting drills are a sure-fire way to produce a shell-shocked netminder. And even if your goalie doesn't develop the yips, he or she is almost certain to develop bad habits. Here's why: Shooting drills like this are exhausting, which translates to young goalies standing like statues in the middle of their crease. They stop moving. They stop telescoping to challenge the shooter, and stop recoiling properly to play the deke. They don't drop on low shots, because dropping into the butterfly means having to get back up again (I challenge almost any youth hockey coach to do that 100 times in less than 10 minutes). And they completely stop thinking about rebounds, because all they're worried about is the next shot (and the next one).

So, in a game, these same goalies aren't as quick to look for a rebound, or follow it, because it hasn't become habitual. They're more likely to stay deep in the net, because that's what they've become accustomed to. They're as likely to recover on the wrong leg as the correct one because, in practice, they consistently rely on their stronger leg. And if they become puck shy from all the rubber they see in practice, that problem becomes magnified in a game, when the pressure is on.

Now, I understand the benefit for the kids taking a ton of shots. That repetition builds critical muscle memory. But they don't need a living, breathing target. Get a shooter tutor. They're cheap, and easy to install. Even better, they don't lie. Instead of a puck slipping through an exhausted Squirt goalie (who then has to watch the ensuing celebration), kids will find that weak shots get stopped. The same way they get snuffed out in a game, when they're facing a goalie who hasn't been run into the ground.

The key is having coaches develop an eye, and some empathy, really, for when a goalie gets tired. You can't just ask them – most youngsters would rather get grounded for a month than admit they're tired. But watch their body language. The legs are usually the first to go, and it's usually pretty obvious. Tired kids simply stop skating.

Even better, think outside the box when it comes to shooting drills. As Raeder says, emphasize drills that focus on one puck at a time, giving the goalies time to follow rebounds, and recover correctly. Here are two favorites that I borrowed from Brian Daccord while working at his Stop It Goaltending camps this past summer.

Two-net drill (any place on the ice along the boards). Set two nets roughly 12 feet apart, facing each other, with a goalie in each. A single player starts between the goalies. Coach (or another player) tosses puck in, and the "player in the middle" can shoot on either goalie. Rebounds are fair game, but bank shots off the boards aren't allowed. If the puck goes in, gets covered up, or goes out of play, coach yells "new puck!" First goalie to give up two goals loses (with a time max of 20-30 seconds). Then players rotate.

High-low drill (using the full offensive zone, or one third of a full sheet). The goalie is in the net, which is set up in the crease. The coach has the pucks at one face-off dot, and the players line up behind the opposite face-off dot. There are two orange cones on the edge of that second face-off circle, about 4 feet to either side of the inside hash marks. The goalie starts by facing the players at one corner of the crease, and initiates the drill by drop-stepping across the crease toward the coach. The coach sends a pass between the cones to the opposite face-off dot, with goalie following the puck. The player receiving the pass must either drive below the lower cone (an in-tight play), or high above the higher cone and across the high slot for a shot. At game speed. The goalie reacts accordingly, protecting the short side on the low drive, and stepping to the top of the crease on the high move. Rebounds are live, and goalies should be encouraged to follow all rebounds, even those that go out of play (Tip: If the player drives high on his backhand, encourage a backhand shot).

These are just for starters. I can't see any reason why coaches wouldn't want to embrace these types of drills, because they're remarkably beneficial to position players as well. They are battle drills, requiring quick hands, quick feet, and quick decision-making. Every one gets a great workout, while developing essential skills. And since the coaches control feeding the pucks, they control the tempo of the drill. Which is a win-win for everyone, including the goaltenders.

FINIS

Welcome home ... !!!

Hi gang,

By and large, Boston sports fans enjoy the reputation of being among the most passionate and most knowledgeable sports fans on the planet. It's a well-deserved reputation for most diehard Hub fans (not those bandwagon-jumping, Johnny-come-lately pink hats that show up every time one of our teams goes deep into the playoffs!). That hard-core fan status was never more evident than one day this past August, during my coaching sessions with Stop It Goaltending at Merrimack College.

Again this summer, I had the chance to work with Cory Schneider, the Marblehead native and former Phillips Andover/Boston College goaltender who now plies his trade for the Vancouver Canucks. Schneider has worked closely over the yeas with Brian Daccord, who owns Stop it Goaltending. This spring, he got some quality minutes during the Stanley Cup playoffs, and acquitted himself well, especially in the finals against the hometown Boston Bruins. No surprise there.

Schneider was and is a tremendous young goaltender, a guy who has continually honed his game throughout his amateur and now professional career. He's patient, which you need to be when playing behind a $6-million goalie like Roberto Luongo. He's also a genuinely good guy -- dedicated, articulate, humble, hard-working, and good-natured. That last trait came in handy one day this summer, during one of our camp's normal end-of-practice "game time" sessions.

Schneider was working out with our older college goalies, sharpening his game after a brief respite that followed a long, long season (making it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals meant Schneider's season lasted well into June). During these afternoon sessions, our Stop It counselors (who are campers themselves, typically older high school or college-age guys) would bring a number of the younger campers to watch the "big boys" play. I love this concept, because it gives these youngsters -- even the most cocky of the bunch -- a chance to see how much better they could be, if they keep at it.

On this particular afternoon, the counselor shepherding the kids was a young guy buy the name of David Cunningham, who played at Belmont Hill and was angling toward a possible Division 1 scholarship. Cunningham is an Arlington kid, competitive as all get out, but with a mischievous sense of humor. As we wrapped up our drills on the ice, Cunningham positioned his fuzzy-cheeked charges in a corner of the Merrimack College stands by one net. Which happened to be the net that Schneider occupied.

Our "game time" is a chance for our shooters -- mostly D-1 guys and young pros -- to stretch their legs a bit after each session. It usually features four nets and four goalies in the offensive zone, and three or four shooters firing at any net, needing to score four goals in 40 seconds to win each "game." If the goalies allow fewer than four goals, they win. Depending on how much time we have left, we usually try to squeeze in a 7-game series.

So for the first game on this particular day, we asked four goalies to jump in the nets. Schneider, showing one of the reasons why he's so good, jumps right up and takes a net by the corner. Next to all the young kids. And how do they show their love for the local guy? By chanting. But not the chant you might expect. The kids in the stands, maybe a couple dozen of them, start serenading Schneider with the classic Boston Garden mantra, "Let's go, Bruins! Let's go, Bruins!"

I started laughing so hard, I just about fell over. In fact, everyone began  howling. When I looked at Schneider, I could see Cory was rolling his eyes, getting a good laugh as well. Schneider might be the local guy, but these kids weren't going to let him forget where their true allegiances were.

To cap it off, the goalies won the "game," shutting down the shooters. As he left his goal, Schneider tapped the glass, letting the kids know that the Bruins might have won the war last spring, but he just won this little skirmish. And they could expect to hear more from him in the years ahead. It was a perfect hockey moment, equal parts competitive and jovial. Just a wonderful snapshot from a great summer on the ice.

Life Behind Bars

Hi gang,

Here's a sneak peek at my September column for The Goalie Guru in the New England Hockey Journal, on the importance of a good mask for goaltenders, and how much they've improved since I first took up the position four decades ago. If you get a chance, let me know what you think.

LIFE BEHIND BARS

I love watching those old grainy, black & white games from yesteryear that the NHL Network pulls out of the archives every now and then. My 12-year-old hockey-playing daughter Brynne is amazed that these guys played without helmets. But when she sees that goalies once played without masks, her reaction is almost disbelief. Me too.

Hockey without helmets was commonplace in my youth, but I never once got between the pipes – not on the streets and certainly not on the ice – without some sort of facial protection. And I'm glad I did. Like most goalies, I have my own tales of on-ice accidents and frightening near-misses.

Shortly after my clan relocated to Manchester, N.H., in my first practice with my new high school team in November of 1974, I learned firsthand just how important a good goalie mask was. Some of the team wise guys obviously decided they were going to find out if the new kid from New Jersey had the stones to play net. We had a big winger named Ivan Bellemare who had a hard, heavy shot. During warm-ups – warm-ups! – Ivan unloaded a rocket from just above the left face-off dot, hitting me squarely between the eyes. I had an old Cooper helmet/cage combo in those days; Ivan's shot separated the cage from the helmet and sent me reeling. The back of my head smacked into the crossbar, transporting me into la-la land.

When I finally came around, I looked at my cage, and the straight bar running from my forehead to my nose was bent perfectly at a 45-degree angle. In fact, when I show people the cage (yes, I kept it, the only high school memento I still have!), most think it was designed that way. Until I show them where all the welds are cracked. That mask, I'm convinced, literally saved my life.

I promptly switched to a Jacques Plante-style fiberglass mask, which looked cool but had it's own shortcomings. The mask was designed to prevent "serious" injury, which it did commendably, but garden-variety shots to my face would still sting like crazy (that's ol' Jacques in the photo above, donning his first rudimentary mask after getting his nose sliced open in a game against the Rangers). Today, though, there's no excuse for goalies to feel like they're not adequately protected from the neck up. The new cage/helmet masks combine the best design elements, making sure the contact points are both raised from the face, and adequately cushioned.

"Masks have benefited from higher certification standards and better materials," says Bauer Hockey's Henry Breslin. "Goalies will always suffer a few bumps and bruises on their body, due to the nature of the position, but now their heads are better protected.

"The position has evolved where most goalies go down to make a save, which makes the head more vulnerable, but the masks have become better at all levels and have helped minimize head injuries."

Breslin is right on the money. The butterfly technique, especially among younger, smaller goaltenders, leaves the head more exposed (high school and college shooters, in the tradition of Bobby Hull, will even buzz a few pucks past the goalie's ear just to see if they can "soften" him up). Yet I still see many youngsters with inferior, or ill-fitting, masks. And I'm not the only one to notice this trend.

"Another huge mistake I see all the time is a parent investing literally thousands of dollars in fancy, custom-colored gear with the big brand names on them, all the most expensive gear from their child's feet to their shoulders, and then look around the shop and say 'What's the cheapest mask you have?'" says Matt Garland of ProMasque and the Goalie Barn in Wilmington. "I courteously remind them that they've started at the wrong end. A properly fitted mask made with the best available materials is the absolute first place to invest their money.

"A bruise on their knee simply does not compare to what damage can be caused with an inferior mask," says Garland.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that buying a good mask is enough. That's akin to the government throwing money at social problems, instead of finding viable, long-term solutions. Goalies, and their parents, need to make sure the mask fits correctly. "It's important to adjust the straps when you try a mask on – that's why they're there," says Breslin. "There shouldn't be a significant gap between the shell and back plate when the mask is on. Finding a mask that is comfortable and fits your head is critical."

Garland agrees wholeheartedly. "A loose fitting mask is an accident waiting to happen," he says. "The mask must fit properly and make contact all around the head and face. Gaps can cause serious 'stingers' or even concussions."

Garland is also a stickler of masks that are designed properly. Like Breslin, he believes masks should properly placed safety straps to keep the mask on the goalie's head, and defective "ridges" to disperse the impact of a shot. "Goalies [and their parents] should be leery of masks that have 'flat spots' in the center of the forehead," says Garland. "This allows for no deflection of the puck, and the goalie will take the full brunt of the shot's G-forces in the head."

In the same vein, you need to make sure the mask can handle the types of shots your young netminder will face. "As the young goaltenders grow and begin to play at a higher level, goalie mask materials must also match their level of play," says Garland. "Many customers are unaware that many masks are made of plastic, or a plastic-composite 'sandwich.' These are very flexible masks that should not be worn much past elite Pee Wee play. The best mask for an elite goaltender is a handmade, hand laminated, fiberglass and bulletproof Kevlar mask."

Likewise, be aware that not all goalie masks at your local shop have cages that are approved for all levels of play. The popular pro-model "cat-eye" cage and the square cage sported by Tim Thomas last year aren't allowed in most amateur leagues, from college on down through Mites. If you're not a beer-league player, look for CSA, CE, and HECC certification.

"An uncomfortable mask will consistently take away from a goalie's ability to focus and hurt performance," says Rob Lauri of GoalieMonkey.com. "Good vision is also a must when choosing a mask, as well as the different cage styles that are available on most masks today."

Last, once you make sure the mask fits, you then have to be diligent that it's worn properly. All the time. This responsibility normally falls to the parents, but needs to be shared by coaches as well. At the Stop It Goaltending camps I worked this summer, we were constantly reminding kids to keep their masks down over their face.

"Many young goaltenders like to emulate their favorite pros, and pop the mask up on their head to get a drink, then just nod their head lightly and the mask falls down onto their face again," says Garland. "That's cool to watch, but very dangerous in reality. If a goalie can easily pop his mask up and down on his head, his opponents can knock it off just as easily in a collision. One need look no further than the accident involving Joe Exter from Merrimack College a few years back. The results can be horrific."

On March 8, 2003, Exter was playing in the Hockey East playoffs against Boston College when he went racing for a loose puck with Eagles' forward Patrick Eaves. The two collided, Eaves' knee striking Exter in the head, knocking his helmet off. Exter's unprotected head slammed into the ice, fracturing his skull. He was diagnosed with a serious concussion, put into an induced coma, and endured a series of operations.

Exter's story has a happy ending. He recovered, played professionally for a brief time, and recently left his position as coordinator of the Warren Strelow National Goaltending Mentor Program to become an assistant coach at Ohio State. I've talked with Exter, and know for a fact how fortunate he feels to have escaped a more devastating outcome. Parents need to take make sure their young goalies don't have to rely on Lady Luck.

FINIS

Measuring a man's heart

Hi gang,

Here's my August column for The Goalie Guru in the New England Hockey Journal. After the amazing championship run by Tim Thomas and the Boston Bruins this past spring, I took some time to reflect on this remarkable competitor.

THERE'S NO WAY TO MEASURE HEART

No one, it seems, has a lukewarm opinion about Bruin's goaltender Tim Thomas. For some reason, the NHL's reigning Vezina Trophy winner as the league's best goaltender elicits strong opinions, and not all of them are kind.

People either love or hate the acrobatic netminder from Flint, Michigan. I can understand why folks enjoy watching the 37-year-old perform his game-time acts of legerdemain. The ones I can't figure out are those who ridicule Thomas, calling him undisciplined, unpredictable, or mocking his dietary habits with taunts of "Tubby." Who are these people?

It's easy to dismiss the bandwagon-jumping, pink hat fans who derided Thomas when, a year removed from his first Vezina campaign in 2008-09, muddled through a middling 2009-10 campaign. Thomas and the Bruins prevailed in the Winter Classic at Fenway Park that year, but by season's end, young Tuukka Rask, Thomas's fabulous Finnish understudy, had become the darling of the know-it-all set.

But even during his remarkable bounce-back 2010-11 season, Thomas had serious detractors among hockey's cognoscenti, people who supposedly are intimately familiar not only with the game, but also the singular position of goaltending. Many goalies, and goalie coaches, sniffed at the media for heaping praise on Thomas, arguing that most ink-stained wretches don't really know the game, or that Thomas benefits from a strong defense that specializes in keeping opponent shots to the outside. They delight in the occasional howler that Thomas gives up, conveniently forgetting that almost every goalie does the same.

Even among my coaching colleagues, Thomas is the guy that drives almost everyone nuts. The reasons why were eerily similar to those that kept Thomas from breaking through the NHL barrier in the first place. He's not a cookie-cutter stylist like the New York Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist. In fact, Thomas's style was a distinct absence of style. To say that Thomas is unconventional is pure overstatement. While we typically teach a calm, compact approach, Thomas is all frenetic energy, with flailing arms and legs and stick.

But there is a method to Thomas's goalmouth madness. He plays the game organically, with an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time, a sure sign that he can read the play. His lateral quickness is extraordinary, perhaps better than anyone playing the game right now. In a game predicated on getting the goalie to move, in order to open up net, Thomas's knack to get centered on the puck at the precise moment the shot arrives is exceptional.

But that hasn't stopped his detractors. Thomas can't skate, they said. He's a hot head. He's too erratic. Through all the criticism, Thomas never once stopped believing in himself, and that proved contagious, to his teammates, and to many fans.

I've always rooted for Thomas. Maybe that's because I've always been a fan of the underdog, and Thomas's tortuous road to NHL stardom certainly qualifies him for the role. More than anything, I love the guy's heart. Did I have him pegged as an NHL All-Star when he was toiling away for the Providence Bruins? Not a chance. But I can honestly say, with a straight face and my hand on a stack of Bibles, that I liked him. A lot.

The guy simply won everywhere he's played. Why are people so quick to overlook that fact? He won at the University of Vermont, he won as a minor leaguer, he won in Finland, and he won in the best league on the planet. He did it with a frenetic, scrambling style that stymied shooters as often as it stressed coaches and GMs. And he did it with his heart on his sleeve, a heart that drove him to reach levels that his physical gifts couldn't reach alone.

As a kid growing up in New Jersey, I always found myself cheering for goalies who overcame long odds, and did it with a pugnacious nature. New York Ranger Hall of Famer Eddie Giacomin was told to give up the sport as a youngster after he suffered serious burns in a kitchen accident (in the days of the Original Six, with only a half-dozen goalie spots in the entire NHL). Battlin' Billy Smith, one of the original New York Islanders who also ended up in the Hall, endured brutal expansion seasons but hung tough to become the backbone of the four-time Stanley Cup champs.

Plus, what a lot of naysayers fail to appreciate about Thomas is that, despite the chaos that surrounds his net, the puck rarely winds up in it. Does Thomas give up some bad goals? No question. In fact, he's given up some brutal tallies as recently as the Montreal series this past spring. When he did, Thomas's critics were quick to pounce. And, just like he's done all his life, Thomas shut them up, not with barbed retorts or snarky Twitter postings, but with his play between the pipes.

Not surprisingly, the majority of the hockey press was effusive in its praise of Thomas. NHL goalies Marty Turco and Kevin Weekes raved about his playoff performance. The following nugget, by my friend James Murphy of ESPNBoston, captures Thomas, and his 2010-11 season succinctly and fittingly.

"What Thomas was able to accomplish this past season after having off-season hip surgery and being peddled around the trade rumor circuit is simply amazing" wrote Murphy in his season recap, in which he gave Thomas an A+ grade. "Always one to thrive off adversity, Thomas persevered again and this time his perseverance rubbed off on his teammates, who took on the identity of one of the most resilient teams in recent memory. Thomas was 35-11-9 with and led the NHL in GAA (2.00), save percentage (.938) and had nine shutouts in the regular season.

"But Thomas was far from done, as he just got better when the playoffs arrived and was clutch for the Bruins, even as some in the media and a certain opposing goalie questioned his style. He was 16-9 with a 1.98 GAA, .940 save percentage and led the NHL in playoff shutouts with four. Just as he did in the regular season on so many occasions, Thomas put the team on his back and took them all the way to the Cup."

Watching Thomas hoist the Cup, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, was indeed one of the most satisfying things I've witnessed in my 45 years of hockey. His second Vezina Trophy, which he received a week later in Las Vegas, was sweet frosting on the cake. Oh, and did I mention his two ESPY's for Best NHL Player and Best Championship Performance?

Murphy chose the word "perseverance," but I prefer "desire." Thomas, through sheer heart and determination, willed himself into an NHL caliber goaltender, and a Stanley Cup champion. He did it with a steely resolve that overcame incredible odds, constant rejection and career-threatening hip surgery (which, I have to add, he never once used as an excuse!).

That's how he plays the game. The key to Thomas's performance lies in his passion. He is a relentless competitor who simply doesn't quit. Ever. Many aspiring goaltenders think they have that trait, but it's rare. And it's almost impossible to teach.

This past month, while coaching with Stop It Goaltending at Merrimack College, I watched a young Casey DeSmith, who is heading to the University of New Hampshire, make a near-impossible save during our "game time." These end-of-practice contests pit shooters against goalies, usually 4-on-4, with no defense. Shooters can fire away at any net. Left stranded by a cross-ice pass, with a shooter looking at a wide-open net, DeSmith dug in and flew across the net, blocking the shot.

"That was a heck of a save," I told DeSmith. "It was lucky," he replied, smiling. "No, it wasn't," I said, "You might have been lucky to get a piece of it, but there was nothing lucky at all about the effort. Nine goalies out of 10 wouldn't have done that. Tim Thomas would be proud."

DeSmith just laughed. He probably had no idea that, in my book, there's no greater compliment.

FINIS

Getting the right gear, at the right price

Hi gang,

The following is my July installment of The Goalie Guru column for the New England Hockey Journal, which coincided with a Goalie Gear Review feature that I wrote. Needless to say, goalie gear has changed dramatically since the days our friend in the accompanying photo, who guarded the nets for Japan in the 1948 Winter Olympics (I think!). Just remember, even the best gear in the world is going to cause problems for you (or your young netminder) if it doesn't fit!

IF THE PADS (AND SKATES AND GLOVES) FIT

You may be familiar with the old real estate maxim: Location, location, location. The equivalent in the goalie equipment formula is this: Fit, fit, fit.

I've often compared goalie equipment to blue jeans. You've got to find the manufacturer who designs jeans that fit your particular body type. When I was a kid, Levis were all the rage. But they were cut narrow through the butt and thighs, two areas where I – as a soccer player and a hockey goaltender – had some extra heft. Of course, I insisted on wearing Levis to be cool, no matter how uncomfortable they were, until one afternoon when my mom managed to drill some sense into my thick Irish skull.

We were shopping together, and she suggested I try on a pair of Wranglers (probably because they cost half as much as Levis). I refused. So Mom called my bluff. It was the Wranglers, or I paid the difference. So I tried them on, and "Voila!" They fit like a charm.

Like so many things Mom taught me over the years, this was more than a lesson in blue-jean finances. It was about me not being afraid to be my own person. That's helped me almost every facet of my life. That includes not only deciding to play goalie, but also in finding the right gear. I don't go with what's popular; I choose what's right for me.

"The most important aspect to consider (when buying goalie equipment) is without a doubt the sizing," says Rob Laurie of GoalieMonkey. "Properly fitted gear is a must for maximum performance. A goalie should use as many resources as they can to assure proper fit, which can include trying on other goalie's gear, looking at local shops, consulting with a knowledgeable customer service rep, referring to sizing charts, and reading web forums with posts from other goalies who have experience with that gear."

Rob is absolutely correct on this score. The more information you have, the better, especially considering the investment. The following is a compendium of advice on proper fit from several of the leading gear manufacturers, including Laurie, Henry Breslin of Bauer, Sonya Dibiase of Reebok, and Eric Marvin of Warrior. Though some suggestions appear repetitive, I left them, if only for emphasis.

What are the most important factors when shopping for goalie equipment? Are those factors different for young players, teenagers, and adults?
Henry Breslin: The most important factor for younger goalies should be fit and comfort. During key development years it is critical to buy gear that fits properly so that goalies can focus on technique, positioning and movement. If you are a teenager or adult playing regularly, it's worth the investment to purchase higher end equipment because it will help your game. If you're playing recreationally, there's tremendous selection and value for your dollar that wasn't available 10 years ago.
Rob Laurie: Price is always a concern when shopping for goaltending gear at any level, but I think value overrides that in the long run. Properly fitted gear chosen at the right performance level is a must. Also, a goalie should choose gear that is designed for his playing style, whether that is more of a blocking/butterfly style (Henrik Lundqvist) or more of a hybrid standup style (Ilya Bryzgalov).
Sonya Dibiase: Goalies should be looking for a product that is comfortable and fits well. To ensure the best fit, it's important to try the goal equipment on in the store. Before strapping on a pair of pads, goalies should be wearing their skates and pants. Always put on a chest protector when trying on gloves and pants.
Eric Marvin: Young players need proper sizing. Buying properly fitted gear will allow the goalie to have an easier time learning the fundamentals and that will ultimately benefit their game. Do your homework and understand the differences between the equipment, and how it will function for your individual habits.

What is the biggest mistake goalies/parents make when buying equipment?
HB: Buying gear that is too big or too stiff. With the speed of the game increasing, it is vital that goalies can comfortably move and not have their gear slowing them down because it isn't the right size. Large and stiff equipment will cause problems, particularly for younger goalies who are still developing.
RL: We see two things. Generally, it is trying to buy gear that the goalie can "grow into," which if taken to the extreme will only hurt the youth goaltenders ability to move properly. Also, buying gear with too much emphasis on price and not getting the proper performance level can be an issue.
SD: The biggest mistake is buying equipment that doesn't fit properly. EM: Buying the proper size seems to be a common problem, but also knowing how to wear the equipment once they purchase it to suit their playing habits.

What is the best way to determine proper fit in leg pads? Does the style of play influence the size of the pad as well as the style?
HB: To guarantee proper fit for a pad, try it on with skates and pants. There are slight differences between companies regarding sizing, and even the different styles of pads within Bauer fit a bit differently. The only way to know you're in the right size is to have the pad on your leg with skates and pants so you can confirm everything fits properly and works well together.
RL: Make sure the knee is properly lined up with the pad's knee cradle. An ankle-to-knee measurement and consulting with a properly trained sales rep is second only to actually trying the pads on and lining up the knee. From there, the plus sizing should be matched to the goaltender's height and playing style. Typically, stand-up goalies go with the smaller thigh rise and butterfly goalies opt for taller pads.
SD: The goalies knee must be in the center of the knee cradle with their skates on. Goalies that have a wide butterfly (knees far apart) need longer thigh rises, which is available in +1 or +2 sizing.
EM: If you're looking to buy a set of leg pads, take your skates, pants and knee pads and try the pads on at the store. This will give you a true fit, because each piece of equipment effects the way the pad sits on your leg and where your knee falls into the knee cradle. See how well you move in the pad. Then decide if you can to add length in the thigh to accommodate your style without hindering your movement.

Four final thoughts. First, don't cut corners on protection. There is nothing that will dull a goalie's enthusiasm for the position faster than getting hurt. Second, if your 13 or older, learn how to put the pads on correctly to maximize their performance. If you're a parent, encourage your child to do the same. Three, when you go to the store, schedule plenty of time. A few hours spent trying on different models will pay dividends later.

Last, get pads and gloves that are predominantly white, with neutral highlights (like black). Why? From a technical standpoint, white pads make it harder for shooters to see the net. But white also goes with every color of uniform. And, believe me, that's important.

"Goaltenders today more than ever want their gear to look good and match their teams colors," says Laurie. "A retailer's customer service should be able to direct a goaltender to gear that fits all of these specific factors and find equipment that not only performs well but looks good while doing it."

After all, I may have switched from Levis to Wranglers, but they were still blue jeans. I wasn't about to wear those plaid, polyester dress slacks that Mom bought for me!

FINIS