The Ride to The Rink: What Goalies Wish Their Teammates Understood

This episode is powered by NHL Sense Arena. Hello, hockey skaters and goalies around the world. It's Lee and Mike with you on an episode of The Ride to the Rink. Kids, I want to let you know this. We just did a big episode this week. Uh, the question was for hockey parents, what's something you wish everybody knew about your goaltender and the net that you could tell all the parents? All right. And kids, we got over 200 comments from parents about what it's like to be a goalie parent, what they wish the other parents knew. Now, listen, whether you're a goalie or not, I want you to listen to this episode with Mike and I because I think it's important that you all know goalies that A, your parents see you. The parents see you out there. Okay. And B, if you're a skater, some of these kind of tips that we're getting here that you need to know to be a better teammate for your goaltender or a better team in general. So the first one is, and I'll focus on the goaltenders goalies, your parents showed you so much love for the mental powers that you have, for the ability to be in the net all the time, for the pressures that you have to feel and the process that you have to take in order to stay in that net, even when some of your teammates may not be fully helping or saying things they shouldn't say, or even when you're hearing it in the crowd. And Mike, I think that one of the overwhelming thoughts on the big episode was just the goalie is not doing this alone. There's five skaters in front of you, and a lot has to happen before a goal is scored. I'm gonna say it again, kids. Several hundred comments on this. So they see you, right, Mike?

Whether your parents are the biggest cheerleader or the quietest mouse in the corner watching you play, the the overwhelming theme of the comments was that they care so much and have so much empathy. And even people that are aren't goaltending parents have the really there's so many more people out there that have empathy for what a goalie does and and and has to deal with in the day-to-day playing of a goaltender than not. Like, so yes, you're gonna have the the peanut gallery, and you're gonna have people like you're gonna have players on your, you know, in your locker room that say something, but overwhelmingly, this the the the hockey community supports their goaltenders. Yeah, no doubt about it. And I think goaltenders need to know that.

I think goalies need to know that because I I do know sometimes you feel like you're on an island. Just remember what we're saying here is a lot of people care about you, uh including your own parents, and you need to know that. Now, adversely, turning to the skaters listening to this episode, you need to know that too, right? That their goaltenders are under a lot of pressure, they're out there the whole game by themselves. Uh, you know, little things we talked about in the show is like when a goal goes in, even if it's a bad goal, that puck had to get from one end of the ice to the other and get through all five players to get that shot on net. So it's a shared responsibility. I think the thing we want to break on this episode, the stigma we want to break, is it's not the five skaters and the goalie. It's really six skaters on the ice working together, right? And that's how you have to look at it, gang. The players on the ice must support that goaltender. We talked about on some of my youth teams how we really charge the team up to take that responsibility of hey, let's protect our goaltender, let's limit the shots, let's get that rebound away from the net. Let's not screen the goalie, my own goalie in front of the net. When the goalie says move, I've got to move. They're in charge, they're the general on the ice. So for the skaters listening, this goaltending is a shared responsibility. Mike, one of the cool things we said on the show is to remind everybody that save percentage and goals against average, that's a shared stat. That is not just a goalie stat. Kids, you like to know about your points, goals, and assists. I'd also be paying attention to goals against average and save percentage. All right, because that's a direct reflection of your play as well. And the goaltenders will tell you that too. If I get a thousand shots a game, what are you guys doing? Right. So, Mike, I'm gonna throw it to you there. Just it's a shared responsibility to keep that puck out of the net.

Right. And be careful of the word protecting your goalie. It doesn't mean take a stick and break it over somebody's uh you know left arm. But but there are there are times in here where you have to, you know, physically protect your goalie uh to a to a certain extent. But protecting the goalie meaning I'm communicating with them, I'm giving them space, I'm not shooting the puck in the back of their head during warmups, all those kind of neat things you know happen you know every day. And and and be be aware that your goaltenders and the people that are that are that are choosing to be in the net uh have a certain role and responsibilities, just like your roles and responsibilities. Right. And if everybody does their part and then ultimately works together to connecting those dots, then you know, then that's how you have successful seasons and successful teams.

Yeah, and I think that brings us to our last point for for and I'm gonna say this to the skaters, goaltenders are just gonna be nodding in their car. Uh, kids, I I really need you to hear us on this. Two things here, okay. Number one is make sure you are looking up when you're shooting and that goalie's back is not turned to you. Goalies have very, very little padding on the back, okay. Legs all the way up to their head. Do not shoot the puck. It is your responsibility to be aware if that back is turned to you, do not shoot the puck at the goalie if their back is turned. I will say, goaltenders, you got to think twice. I would not just turn around in the net for no reason during a warm-up drill, but kids, that's your responsibility. The second thing, most important thing, kids, listen to me, please. The warm-up, the pre-game warmup, is for the goaltenders mostly. It is not for you to work on your breakaway moves and Deke and Mishi the goalie to show them what you can do in the warm-up. They need shots at their gloves, at their blockers, at their leg pads to feel like they're ready for the game. Mike made an amazing point on the big episode that an accurate shot to the blocker is an accurate shot. That's what you're trying to warm up with, is your accuracy. Also, kids, you should know this. When you're ripping your goalie apart in the warm-up as an opposing coach, I'm watching you do that and I'm looking for all their weak spots. And you might be showing me all of your goalies' weak spots by how you're playing. Okay. Last thing, too, is if you come in first shot of warm-ups and do a deke and a breakaway move, they could really hurt themselves trying to stretch to make that save. Okay. The warm up is primarily for your goalie to get warmed up. Obviously, you need to be warmed up too and work on your hands, get some pucks to the net. It is not the time to show off the Instagram move or the social media move that you saw online that Connor McDavid did last night. Warm your goalie up. Don't hit him in the head, hit him in the pads, get him ready for the game. Mike, any thoughts on that?

Yeah, I just love again, it's a symphony out there. When you get to see goaltenders, just kind of move, take a shot, move, take a shot, move, take a shot. Now, now everybody's in sync. The shooters know I'm just hitting the net, and the goalies know I'm just letting the puck hit me. I don't need to dive across the crease and make a kick save or you know, stack the pads. Just get pucks, feel them, let them feel like get that equipment going. Shooters, you're just feeling loose and feeling the ability to get like feeling what that's that that that puck feels like to come off your stick. Again, these are just this is what the the warm-up definition is.

Yeah.

Um, this is it's not a skills competition. Um, so just just go out there, be con cognizant of the fact that everyone is using this as, you know, because again, youth hockey warm up is what, three minutes at the most. So, you know, use it to the best of your ability. Be warmed up before you get on the ice, and then take that take that final couple of minutes just to feel what the puck feels like.

Yeah, it's been a while since I've seen more than a three-minute warm-up, but back in the days when we used to be be uh uh uh you know pampered with five-minute warm-ups, Mike. You know, that was those were the days uh that I'm I and when I played, I got 20-minute warm-ups, and it really did take me 20 minutes to warm up. But yeah, kids, uh just remember what we're saying here. Your goaltender uh is such a huge part of your team. Make sure they're incorporated, make sure they feel like they're part of the team, make sure you're taking care of your goaltenders uh because it's the six of you on the ice uh and the whole team that really makes uh a fun season happen. But look, that's gonna do it for this edition of The Ride to the Rink. I think we've said what we've got to say. If you guys want to hear what the parents had to say, go listen to our big episode kids. You're old enough, you can enjoy it. Uh but for Mike Vinelli, I'm Leah Lias. We'll see you on the next edition of The Ride to the Rink. And kids, remember, wherever you're at on your hockey journey, we believe in you. You should too. Work hard, have fun, go learn something. We'll see you next time.