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I'm Pulling the Goalie!
By Todd Lightfoot, BTP Goalie Coach - COPYRIGHT © 2007 All Rights Reserved
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From a bench coach perspective, especially in youth travel hockey through the midget minor and midget major levels … making the decision to pull the goalie is a dreaded move. Many coaches pull the trigger only after giving much thought to the post game consequences. This act alone usually causes more headaches in the lobby than any other decision made by the coach. So let’s walk through this and see if we can shed some light on the why’s and how comes that are so easily and frequently fired in the coaches direction!
First of all, in a game where the only thing that showed up was the jerseys, and the goal light bulb had to be replaced between periods, I’m going to replace/pull my goaltender. I base my entire decision on the fact that I do not want my goaltender reaching a point of frustration or embarrassment that he or she may not recover from. Losing a game is bad enough in the mind of a young goalie, getting blown out and having to listen to their peers ridicule them for weeks or forever isn’t worth it.
When a goalie lets in the third soft goal in the first period… I’m going to pull the goalie. Please take into consideration, as I do, a soft goal is one that my goalie would under almost all other circumstances stop. Three softies in a row indicate a bad day, and a bad day can turn into a route which now falls into the first area of consideration, frustration and embarrassment!
When a goalie has a visible temper tantrum on the ice, I’m going to pull the goalie. There is no room for the outward display, and the tantrum is an indicator that there has been a loss of focus… and this can affect the rest of the bench.
The last area that I’d like to address is for the parent(s.) The coach who follows the above guide lines is looking out for the welfare of the goalie… the coach is not blaming, pointing the finger, or whatever it is that most parents seem to think in the lobby after the game. Believe it or not, the coach can save the goalie parents a lot of un-needed grief by pulling their kid… it’s kind of funny and sad at the same time, how parents can blame each other for their child’s performance.
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Getting "Pulled!"
By Jeremy Kaleniecki, BTP Asst. Camp Director & Goalie Coach - COPYRIGHT © 2007 All Rights Reserved.
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As a goalie, it is inevitable that you will get the call to get off the ice. The older you get and the higher the level of play, the easier that decision can be made by a coach. The easier that a coach can make a decision, the more likely you will get pulled.
It is not a question of if, but a question of when and why. If you get pulled when will it be and why. More important than these questions of when and why, is the question of …how will you respond to it. How will you react to the given circumstance? This will be one of the most important issues you will be faced with during your career. If you handle it incorrectly, it will be noticed and affect the way a coach not only looks at you this year but for years to come.
First, before I go into some different scenarios that are often seen, I would like to just tell you how to deal with getting pulled. When you get the call to get off the ice you have to keep you temper. Whatever the reason you got yanked you need to be calm and collected. Many of the times a goaltender gets pulled it isn’t even his or her fault. It may be team issues so don’t let this bother you. Often times, I will come across goalies throwing their stick, or equipment or yelling at the coach or team. This is no way to handle it. It only works against you. It is like trying to plead a case to the referee. Once the decision has been made you cannot do anything about it. Secondly, you have to look at yourself before looking on to others. As many times as it may have been the team, you are the last line of defense, the puck still had to get through you as well. Regardless of the team what could you have done to prevent the goals or the situation? Lastly, don’t let this stick with you. It is all part of the game. You will get pulled, if you let it sit with you then you will not be prepared for the next game and it is going to happen again and again. Brush it off and look forward to the next practice to see what you can improve upon instead of looking back and pointing a finger.
Now here are two commonly seen scenarios of games in which a goalie will get pulled. Most of the game situations will fall some where under these two or a combination of both.
First, there is an issue with the goalie. Hockey is in my opinion the most demanding sport in the world. When you get to the Jr. level you will play 60 games minimum. You are on the ice 6-7 days a week for almost 9 months of the year and you have to play all 60 minutes. No one that is human can go this long with out having a bad game. Mental fatigue, body fatigue and more will eventually stack up and you will not be able to focus. If you let in a few goals early that normally you should have stopped then you should expect the call. It is part of the game. This is where you as a goalie need look inside your self to see how you could have better prepared yourself or how you could have better practiced to improve upon stopping the puck. Here there may be a lot of frustration but the only one you can take it out on is yourself.
The second scenario is an issue with the team. As hard as it may be for a goalie to keep on track for the whole season, imagine a coach trying to keep 25 other players on track. Each player has their own agenda, schedule, stressors, etc. It is much more likely for a team as a whole to have a bad game as opposed to a goalie. The game starts and your team gets shelled. You let up goals that were in no part your fault and you get pulled. This is the scenario in which goaltenders will find themselves most upset and out spoken about. Keep your cool.
Recently if you have been keeping up with the 2007 Playoffs, you will have seen a perfect example of a team having a bad game. This team was the Mighty Ducks. The Detroit Redwings came out and dominated the ducks scoring many goals early. Giguere was between a rock and a hard place. He had been playing well but the team wasn’t holding up their end of the bargain. Giguere got pulled. He did what any good seasoned goalie should do. He took it in stride, even giving advice to his back up before getting off onto the bench. He kept his cool, didn’t yell, or through anything, he just took it in stride and the team did the rest. They went on to rebound and win the series.
Do as Giguere did, keep your cool and follow the guidelines that were just set forth and you will be able to get through any situation a coach or team may put you through.
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 Should Johnny Play Up a Level?
By Chris Galton, BTP Camp Director, President & Goalie Coach - COPYRIGHT © 2007 All Rights Reserved
I’ve been approached many times by parents and asked … should my goalie play up a level? The answer to this question is long. The first consideration is if your hockey association allows for players to, “play up.” Many associations have very strict guidelines regarding this, and in many cases do not allow, “playing up.” The next areas to look at are the basics. 1. Are the skills there or is this really the wish of the parent. 2. Does the goalie have the drive to and the ability to handle the shots along with the increased speed of play. 3. Cost.
Let’s look at number one, because this is the hardest. We would like to put him up to help build on his skills with the more advance shooters. This is good, but we also want to make sure the goalie isn’t going to be intimidated by advanced play. This can be a great way to improve one’s skills. The other area is to find as much ice time as you can, even if it’s playing pond hockey. Once he is playing with the advanced kids his confidence is going to build which a goalie needs. So if he has the skills sure put him up.
Number two. The adjustment to the games speed and shots will come once he is in the net for a few periods. Goalies can adjust to most play and becomes acclimated to the play you will see a change in his positioning and skating ability with in the crease. The ability to read and anticipate plays will develop and strengthen his timing will also get better. Save and rebound control will also develop too.
Cost! That’s easy, either you can or cannot. Many associations will work with you on payments for your player.
In the overall picture of things yes you should play up anytime you have a chance to better yourself do it. If it doesn’t work out at least you tried and you will have benefited from it.
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Past Articles
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January 2007
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