Author: GC Tyler

Should The Minnesota Wild Trade Filip Gustavsson?

A pressing question for Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin this off season will undoubtedly be the status of goalie Filip Gustavsson. Gustavsson turned out to be a diamond in the rough when the team traded Cam Talbot 1 for 1 to the Ottawa Senators for the 26 year old Swede during the summer of 2022. […]

Analyzing The Most Effective Sports Coaching Software for Video Analysis

Less than a decade ago, coaching athletes using software was almost un-thinkable, something reserved only for the worlds elite sports leagues. In the hockey training domain, there are a number of highly effective sports coaching platforms mainly built for video analysis that make studying video easy and scalable. In my own goalie training endeavors, I’ve […]

Best Goalie Chest Protectors

A goalies chest protector is one of the most important pieces of equipment on the ice. Today, we’re diving into the best goalie chest protectors for 2024.  I want to quickly mention that myself and the team here at GoalieCoaches as we do in every one of our goalie equipment review articles is this, we’re […]

What Will The Utah NHL Team Be Named?

It’s official. The NHL board of governors voted to move the Arizona Coyotes to Utah immediately, with the team set to begin play in Salt Lake City at the start of the 2024-2025 season. The Utah-somethings will not be the only show in town, either. The Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL (two steps below the […]

Sparx Skate Sharpener Review: Worth It in 2024?

Sparx Skate Sharpener Review (from purchase to use, in a skeptics perspective) Note: this article follows a timeline of when we decided to purchase a sharpener to current day. It’s been nearly four years since we first purchased the Sparx Skate Sharpener, and it’s been worth every penny. This is a completely unbiased Sparx Skate […]

Goalie Helmet Sizing Guide

Investing in a new, top of the line goalie helmet is not for the faint of heart. Whether you’re buying a pro level goalie helmet or a youth goalie helmet, the cost associated with this purchase can make your stomach turn! I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve heard over the years how […]

Complete History of NHL Goalie Coaches

Being we are, well, you know, Goalie Coaches, it seems only fitting that we would have a complete history on every goalie coach that has ever worked in the NHL. This article contains the up to date information of every current goalie coach in the NHL. For the sake of reader interest and relevance, this […]

How To Fix And Repair Hockey Goalie Gloves

The goalie glove is arguably the most important piece of equipment a goalie wears. In our glove save guide, we wrote extensively about the importance of being able to keep pucks inside the glove once they enter. Outside of better puck tracking ability, there is a real case, particularly for younger goalies, with how well […]

The Royal Road: What Is It And How Can Goalies Improve Their Chances

The Royal Road is a line from the middle of one net on a hockey rink, to the middle of the other net. It was a term coined by former NHL goalie and professional Goalie Coach Steve Valiquette. Steve studied NHL goals scored during one season and found that 76% of goals were scored on […]

How To Make Stick Saves As A Goalie

The goalies stick is one of the most important pieces of equipment they use. Outside of (arguably) the blocker, there is only one other piece of equipment that is specifically designed to take shots that would otherwise be rebounds and send them into the netting behind the goalie. As a result, play is stopped and […]

How To Get A Better Glove Hand As A Goalie

Photo shows Carter Hart NHL Goalie Preparing to make a glove save

In our guide on “how to become a better goalie“, we talk about catching pucks as one of the few things a goalie can and should have complete control over. While it’s not the single most important, learning how to develop your glove hand is without question one of the most important things a goalie […]

How To Be A Better Goalie

Dedicating yourself to becoming a better hockey goalie is a lifelong task that does not happen overnight. It’s a long endeavor that takes hundreds of hours, especially if you want to play in the NHL. In reality, your odds of becoming an NHL goalie are extremely low, let’s just face it – there are only […]

RVH for Goalies: What Is It And How To Use It

The Reverse VH, or RVH, stands for Reverse Vertical Horizontal. Also commonly referred to as simply, “the reverse”, the RVH is a technique used by goalies to play when near the posts of the net. The RVH has exploded in popularity over the past number years in the NHL. The RVH is one of those […]

Minot State Beavers 2022-2023 ACHA Division 1 National Champions

The Minot State Beavers have won the 2022-2023 ACHA Division 1 National Championship. The Beavers, ranked Number 1 in the Nation, defeated Adrian College by a score of 1-0. Minot State Goalie Jake Anthony delivered his 6th shutout of the season and Beavers Senior Captain Davis Sheldon was named tournament MVP. Hey Beaver fans, how […]

The Mental Side of Goaltending: Building Confidence Between The Pipes

Outside of a Quarterback leading his team down the field in a two minute drill, trailing by a touchdown, there is no position in the world as high stress as being a goalie. For world class net-minders, mastering the ability to control your mind and focus the brain with an elite mindset is critical to […]

The Difference Between Angle And Square For Goalies

Photo shows proper angles for a goalie with three different puck placements inside the defensive zone

Ever hear your favorite TV broadcaster talking about how a goalie has “great angles and is so square to the puck”? Ever wonder to yourself, well, are those not the same things? For goalies, there is a big difference in having a proper angle and being square to the puck. Angles are where the goalie […]

What Scouts Look For In Hockey Goalies

So, you’re a goalie and you’re looking to improve your odds of getting to the next level. Call it getting scouted, being recruited, whatever you’d like to call it. Are there certain things that set certain goalies apart from their peers? This article, and list, could be endless. With that in mind, we’ll split it […]

Goalie Skates vs Hockey Skates: What’s The Difference?

Image shows the difference in goalie skates vs hockey skates

There are two main differences in goalie skates as compared to traditional hockey skates. The first difference is in the increased protection offered by goalie skates. The most notable difference in goalie skates vs player skates is that the blade of a goalie skate is longer and thicker than a standard hockey skate. Why Do […]

The Best Youth Goalie Skates for 2024

An image outlining the top 3 youth goalie skate options for kid goalies

While youth goalies can get away with wearing standard hockey skates for their first year or so, at some point, it’s a good idea to invest in a pair of goalie skates. If you’ve got a kid goalie you’re searching for skates for, you’re in luck. Goalie skates for kids are some of the cheaper […]

What Is The Most Important Position In Hockey?

Why being a goalie is the most important position in hockey

Without question, the goaltender is the most important position on a hockey team. Goalies can single-handily win any hockey game by recording what is known as a “Shutout”. A shutout occurs when a goalie does not give up a single goal in a hockey game. A majority of the time, NHL teams that win the […]

What is GSAA for Goalies? Understanding GSAA in hockey

GSAA is a hockey goaltending statistic that stands for “Goals Saved Above Average”. GSAA is a relatively new statistic, but a valuable one used to measure a goalies play as compared to the rest of the goalies in their league. GSAA is hockey’s version of baseball’s “WAR” statistic. In the past decade, statistics have taken […]

How To Train A Hockey Goalie

The complete guide on how to train a hockey goalie

In the world of hockey goalie training, there are many things you can do to prepare for success on the ice. For many goalies, knowing where to start when it comes to their training is half the battle. Since we started Goalie Coaches, we’ve been asked just about every goalie training question you can imagine. […]

How Much Does It Cost To Be A Hockey Goalie

The true cost of being a hockey goalie

In the sport of hockey, the greatest cost of any position is that of the goalie. The cost to outfit a goalie with brand new, top-of-the-line pro-level goalie equipment is around $6,570. Don’t let the sticker price scare you away, on the low end, a goalie outfitted in entry-level gear can buy brand new equipment […]

Hockey Goalie Preparation

One of the biggest differentiators of success between the pipes for goalies is simply how to prepare. There are a few key elements to hockey goalie preparation. On ice training, off-ice training, eating the right food, proper warm-up, and hand-eye coordination. Finding success as a goaltender can be very challenging even for the top athletes […]

How Do Hockey Goalies Improve Hand Eye Coordination

There are many things a goalie can do to improve their hand-eye coordination skills. From off ice hand-eye coordination drills, to setting a pre-game hand-eye coordination routine, overall hand-eye coordination improvement is one of the simplest ways to improve your skillset as a goalie. It goes without saying that if you want to become better […]

Bauer Mach Goalie Gear Review & Everything We Know

The latest iteration of the Bauer Supreme goalie pads lineup is here. The Bauer Mach goalie pads are the newest lineup of goalie pads from Bauer. The Bauer Mach pads follow the Bauer Ultrasonic goalie pads. We’ve been waiting to get our hands on a set of the Bauer Mach pads for some time and […]

Thatcher Demko Goalie Pads and Gear

Thatcher Demko’s Goalie Gear Modifications Stick Modifications Demko tapes a large knob on the handle of his goalie stick, using hockey tape over the top of the medical tape to create a “finger trigger” which offers better puck control when stick handling. Photo by @doncarlson4524 Glove Modifications Demko uses an upgraded skate lace pocket in […]

Kaapo Kahkonen Goalie Pads and Gear

Kaapo Kahkonen’s Goalie Gear Modifications Kahkonen doesn’t have a ton of visible gear modifications, but like every goalie, he does have a custom paddle grip and knob taped on his goalie stick. Kaapo Kahkonen Goalie Stick Taping Kahkonen goes with the minimal handle taping approach for the paddle grip of his stick. Photo by @doncarlson4524 […]

How To Tape A Goalie Stick

Taping a goalie stick involves slightly different technique then that used when taping a hockey stick. Goalie sticks use a lot more tape, and they’re most commonly taped in three different places: the blade, the paddle grip, and the knob. Advantages of taping a knob on a goalie stick  There are a few advantages to […]

Braden Holtby Goalie Pads and Gear

Braden Holtby Goalie Gear Modifications Like every other professional goalie, Holtby makes a variety of gear modifications to his gear. Stick Modifications Braden Holtby tapes a giant knob on the top of his stick. The knob is created with multiple tape colors, black on the bottom and a half ripped strip of white tape for […]