

I’ve got a brand-new set of 21st-century pads that I used once it felt like I had two sheets of plywood strapped to my legs. So if you find something that fits well and is not terribly worn out, keep it. Since I don’t like the masks of today, I still use a helmet and cage but with a football chinstrap (I can explain the benefits of this to the extreme but that would require a whole other article).ĭo a search for Tony Esposito to see the way he modified his gear: Extra materials were added to his pads, gloves and face mask. My pads are from the 1980s (DR Maximum Professional) they are held together with tape on the bottom and at the knees. Some of you may remember the era of leather pads and felt arm and chest protectors. ToeHook – The Revolutionary Hook for Hockey Goalie Pads 3. It will make it easier for you to keep that blade on the ice. Here’s a good tip for goalies: When choosing a stick, think about a shorter paddle. When you are doing a butterfly, a paddle that big forces your stick hand and arm into a kind of ‘chicken wing’ position, and the blade either pops off-or leaves only the heel-on the ice. (Try finding a senior stick with that short a paddle paddles are generally 26 to 28 inches long.) Most sticks sold today are copies of the pro model, and today’s pros are getting bigger every season. I am six feet tall I use a stick that was patterned for a man who was generously listed at five-foot-ten. It works, but it means you have to make a stick adjustment. I remember the awe-inspiring Terry Sawchuck once said that the key to his success was keeping his knees bent deeply. And if you are playing any particular style, keeping the blade of your stick completely flat on the ice will keep a lot of pucks out of the net! No coach will ever tell you to wave your stick around. How many show the goalie in a crouch with his stick in the air, or only the heel of the stick on the ice? I’ll tell you how many: NONE.
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Pick up a book or video on how to play in net. If there’s anything that drives me nuts, it’s seeing goalies with their stick in the air.
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If you’ve ever watched a professional hockey game, you will see goals that go in (usually through the 5-hole) because the goalies did not have their stick-or had only the hosel-on the ice. But if you want to start somewhere, start with Plante. Much of what Plante wrote in his book is reiterated in Tony Esposito’s book, “We Can Teach You to Play,” where you can find a great deal of emphasis on his revolutionary butterfly style. Elements of positioning never go out of style, and Plante’s written and photographic descriptions are timeless. Frankly, only a fool would say, “yeah, that guy is from a bygone era, so what could he tell me?” Some elements of goaltending are not only universal but perpetual. I picked up a copy years ago it should be every hockey goalkeeper’s bible. It’s one of the most important tips for goalies. The book “On Goaltending,” written by Jacques Plante, one of hockey’s greatest goalies, is probably the best tool any coach or player who has to deal with the position could ever have.

If you’re a goaltender, or even know someone who is, these 5 tips for goalies will help you step up your game. The styles and equipment may have changed since then, but there are some things I have taken away from my 40 years of watching the game. I started playing hockey, specifically as a goalie, in the 1970s. This previously published article has been updated.
