There has been a debate for years in hockey about the relative effectiveness of larger goaltenders. Many believe the bigger you are, the better you can defend your net, especially because of the butterfly style many goalies choose to play. However, many also believe that smaller goalies are just as effective at stopping pucks – and in some cases more effective.
There has been a recent trend of teenage hockey goaltenders wanting to be bigger. When you look at hockey, the more videos and highlights you watch, the more goalies seem to grow in size. Today, it’s not uncommon to see 6-foot-2 to 6-foot-4, 165 pound + teenagers playing ice hockey. However, if we start looking at the best goalies in the history of the hockey, often they don’t have what today‘s amateur/junior and professional players do: mass and stature.
Juuse Saros
Looking at NHL goaltending today, it has never been in a better place: smaller, more mobile, and poised goalies are thriving. Case in point: Juuse Saros from the Nashville Predators. Saros recently racked up a franchise-record 64 saves in a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. He also represented his team at the NHL All-Star weekend. At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, he is considered small by today’s standards.
"Smaller goalies can move quicker, see the play develop better, and deal with shots with greater ease due to their superior agility . . . SEE MORE OF THE COACHES SITE Join The Coaches Site to access the latest drills, tactics & leadership lessons from hockey's top coaches. Already a member? Login
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Walter Aguilar
Walter Aguilar – is a Certified Professional Coach and COR.E Performance Dynamics Specialist. Using the mind/energy connection to performance, he teaches a unique approach to peak performance. He specializes in teaching mindfulness for hockey using the COR.E Performance Dynamics energy leadership system. This is based on the 7 levels of energy that thoughts create. These affect awareness, confidence, engagement, creativity and intuition. His equation of Performance = Potential – Interference, provides a framework for success in hockey and life.
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