Goaltending is about stopping the puck. That’s all that matters, right?
Check out Pavel Francouz of the Colorado Avalanche:
Notice how Pavel Francouz of the Colorado Avalanche stopped the puck, but he failed to properly control the rebound? This created a strong scoring opportunity from an initially simple play.
Goaltending is more than stopping the puck. It’s making a proper save and controlling the rebound. If your goalie can’t catch and/or cover the puck immediately off the shot, they need to be capable of controlling the rebound.
The general coaching philosophy is that shots should be redirected to the corners; if they cannot be redirected to the corners, they should be directed far and fast from the center of the ice.
This is where “rebound control,” as we call it, is essential. Fun fact, an estimated 75% of NHL goals are scored off of rebounds.
How do we achieve rebound control? Understanding where a shot is going and your goalie using their equipment to redirect the puck. They can use their leg pads, stick, or blocker. Check out Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers in the video below.
Where did the majority of the pucks end up during this practice? If they initially popped out front, where did he direct the pucks to immediately? Same place. Also, notice what happened when the shot popped out in front, and he could not control it?
We must also be aware that the volume of shots, that is, tons of shots, is not always the best answer. As a (goalie) coach, make sure your goalie can play each shot and the potential rebound to build good habits. Making a save without proper attention and movement to follow the rebound creates bad habits that can be difficult to break.
If you’re curious how equipment has an impact on rebound control, check out New To Hockey’s article on soft vs stiff pads and keep rebound control in mind.
Rebound control is a skill every goalie, at every age and level, needs to continually work on and be aware of. If your goalie gets lazy, that’s when goals will start piling up. Even NHL goalie Pavel Francouz isn’t perfect.
Feel free to leave any comments with questions or what you’d like to see next!
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