We have just started week three of European training camp. I am now playing for Rungsted in Denmark's top division, the Metal Ligaen. There are ten teams in the league, all located in the beautiful Scandinavian country. Our team's rink is located just 26 km (about 16 miles) from the capital city of Copenhagen.
Above: View of Copenhagen from the top of the Rundetårn. You can barely make out the Øresund Bridge to Sweden in the far left background.
Here I am sitting beside my game jersey, wearing a very comfortable Great Saves Goaltending sweatshirt. This is a "transformation" picture of sorts...making the change again from goalie coach to goaltender! It's just a shame that we will wear Rangers' colors (Go Devils)!
As much as I enjoy coming home for the off-season to work with all you young goaltenders, it's nice to get back to Europe for the hockey season and start training with teammates in the march toward the Danish Cup. The other North American players and I are patiently awaiting our immigration and work permits so that we can legally compete in games, but the good news is that my new goalie equipment has arrived!
Welcome the new Reebok Premier XLT's. I switched from Bauer this season because our team has a sponsorship deal with Reebok/CCM. I hope they have a few more saves in them!
After wearing the pads a few times, I have to say that I love the new model so far. I now get a bigger "kick" to my rebounds and can better control where I place pucks off the pad. The size I use is 34" + 2". Because the pad size restrictions in Denmark aren't as strict as the NHL's, I considered choosing leg pads that were an inch or two larger.
A big reason for my consideration was watching former teammate Dustin Tokarski have success in recent NHL playoff action with the Montreal Canadiens. He couldn't eliminate the Rangers, but he had some huge saves and gave his team a chance to win every game. I remembered that he always preferred to wear bigger gear before the NHL introduced its current restrictions. Tokarski wore XL pants with 35" + 3" leg pads when we both played for the Tampa Bay Lightning's "farm" team. Since we are roughly the same height (I'm listed as 5'11" -- on a good day), it got me thinking that I could change to larger equipment.
Here's an oldie...Tampa Bay Lightning prospect camp, July 2010.
Tokarski's (40) blue gear is a bit more attractive than my (37) Princeton orange.
Ultimately, I chose to keep the same pad size that I used last season. The main reason is that I would lose some mobility if I made the change to "go bigger". I like to be mobile, and the style that I play forces me to have to make some acrobatic saves from time to time. Sadly, if it happens too much, it probably means I'm being too aggressive and am getting caught out of position. But needless to say, no goalie is perfect and it does happen... so I chose the freedom that the "smaller" pads afford me. This way I can rely more on my skating agility and reflexes, rather than just my size.
Goaltenders should use their talents to their advantage... Play to your strengths! If you're a smaller, mobile goaltender and are a good skater, then you can be more aggressive. If you're a bigger, blocking style goaltender, you can take that extra step back in your crease and play a more positional game. It's not always black and white though. By playing in many different leagues (and different countries), I've learned that it's not always possible that I get away with a particular save selection that I can somewhere else. Goalies have to make adjustments as the tempo of the play changes.
Playing in Europe the past two seasons on the bigger ice surface, I've found that I have to stay on my feet a little bit longer, rather than just automatically butterflying and assuming there's going to be a shot. There's more skating and deliberation to the game here across the Atlantic. The minor pro leagues in North America were on smaller ice surfaces and players relied more on their shot than their skating/deking. On the big ice surfaces, there is a bit more time for players to make moves, so goalies must stay patient!
Rungsted's Saxo Bank Arena. Most European rinks like this one are 200' x 100'. North American style rinks are only 85' wide.
As a wise man once told me, goaltenders need technique before they can develop style. To this end, we goaltenders need to constantly work on the foundation: SKATING. If you are not a good skater these days, it is very tough to move around that blue paint and make saves. So for you young goalies, build your leg muscles and work on your skating every time you hit the ice. Lateral movement, backwards, forwards, power legs, recovering to your feet...all these skills are what you can work on during practice when you're not seeing shots. Use the ice time that you have wisely... and build your legs!
Until next time...
Med venlig hilsen "Kind regards",
Zane
