THE PERIODIC TABLE: AN INTRODUCTION
The Goalie Guild’s Periodic Table of Goaltending Elements is an infographic that defines the mental and technical elements of a goaltender during a game, seen only through the eyes of founder Justin Goldman. Even though we all see goalies differently, they still display thousands of elements that make up the position over the course of a game. This feature is simply how one individual pro goalie scout views 108 of the most important traits a goaltender needs to be successful. Please keep that in mind as you enjoy our interactive infographic!
As you can see, the Guild Periodic Table is made in the image and likeness of the traditional scientific model. And just like a scientist studies the “micro” and applies it to the ”macro” in different ways, The Goalie Guild does the exact same thing with goaltenders. Therefore this infographic is a visual representation of how Goldman views and dissects the goaltending position as it is being played.
THE PERIODIC TABLE: HOW IT WORKS
The Guild Periodic Table is comprised of two main fields: the mental elements on the left side, and the technical elements on the right right side. Elements are stacked from top to bottom and sorted in both rows and columns. For each column, as the table reads top-to-bottom in columns, the properties of the element become more complex, intricate and in some cases, unstable.
The table is also comprised of six color-coded element groups. The blue ESSENTIALS are a group of elements that a goaltender must have to be successful. The green SKILL-SETS are a group of elements that comprise the goaltender’s overall technical skills. The red RADIANTS are emotionally-engaged elements that can energize, enhance, or weaken everything around it. The silver ELUSIVES are rare elements that contribute to the strength of a goalie’s skill-set and essential elements. The purple MYSTICALS are six elements that cannot be controlled, but as any goalie will tell you, do exist as a type of anti-matter. The six gold ENIGMAS are non-replicable unique collections of elements that have proven to be successful in the past.
| FIELD | MARK | TERM | DEFINITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | Mt | Mental Toughness | The most fundamental and essential mental element of successful goaltending. |
| Blue | F | Fundamentals | The foundation and origin of the most essential technical elements of successful goaltneding. |
| Blue | A | Attitude | An extremely essential mental element that allows a goaltender to think, act or carry certain mindsets and emotions towards their current setting within a game. A specific state of mind that reflects and influences many other mental and visible elements of goaltending. |
| Blue | Ch | Character | An extremely essential mental element that defines who a goalie is morally and ethically as an athlete and a human being. It is comprised of many different distinguishable emotional and mental traits a goalie can display when exposed to different types of stimuli within a game. |
| Blue | B | Balance | An extremely essential technical element that allows the goaltender's body to move, execute and perform with varying levels of efficiency. |
| Blue | Sk | Skating | An extremely essential technical element that provides a goaltender with the necessary foundation to rely on their skating skills to make saves. It includes everything from mobility to edgework to plyometic sense. |
| Blue | Sp | Speed | An extremely essential technical element that is measured in different levels, at different rates, and varies from moment to moment. |
| Blue | Si | Body Size | An extremely essential technical element that relies solely on the size (height, weight and frame) of the goaltender and how that size is used to their advantage during a game. |
| Blue | S | Strength | An extremely essential technical element that radiates kinetic energy throughout the body. |
| Blue | V | Vision | An extremely essential technical element that allows a goaltender's body (and mind) to make cognitive and informed movements and decisions crucial to stopping the puck. |
| Blue | C | Confidence | An extremely essential mental element that provides a goaltender with a conscious feeling of power, reliability, belief and certainty that they will execute their game and make saves in a proper and successful way. |
| Blue | We | Work Ethic | An extremely essential mental element that provides a goaltender with a set of values and beliefs that working hard is a moral good and enhances character. |
| Blue | At | Athleticism | An extremely essential technical element that allows a goalie to play in an intense manner by relying on their raw-skills, which inlcude speed, flexibility and agility, to get in correct position or to make saves. |
| Blue | M | Movement | An extremely essential technical element that allows a goaltender to move effectively in and around the crease area. |
| Blue | R | Reflexes | An extremely essential technical element that allows a goaltender to rely on natural reactions to respond to game situations, different stimuli and shots with the appropriate speed. It also includes any goaltending-specific movements that are executed in an automatic, inborn or unconscious manner. |
| Blue | Cv | Net Coverage | An extremely essential technical element that reveals a goalie's ability to cover all parts of the net that a shooter sees as being open. This also includes the goalie's ability to eliminate space on both aerial and bad-angle shots. |
| Blue | Sm | Stamina | An essential technical element that provides a goaltender with the ability to withstand grueling, difficult or intense levels of gameplay (and shot totals for extended periods of time. It is a goalie's ability to stay strong for a long period of time. |
| Blue | Sa | Situational Awareness | An extremely essential technical element that allows a goaltender to visually absorb and process, in an alert manner, everything that is taking place within a game or "in-game" situation. It includes a goalie's ability to process the many patterns that arise with specific plays, shooting techniques and puck trajectories. |
| Blue | Fo | Focus | An essential mental element that allows a goaltender to improve or enhance their overall thought processes, their situational awareness and their decision-making within a game. (8-15-11) |
| Blue | Rh | Rhythm | An extremely essential mental element that allows a goaltender to work his way into a performance in which they read and react to plays, shots and situations with perfect timing. A goalie's rhythm is an amorphous thing - it changes in different degrees depending on the flow of the play or the game. |
| Blue | Ti | Timing | An extremely essential mental element that provides a goaltender with the ability to select the precise and exact moment for making decisions and then executing their technique. |
| Green | G | Glove | An extremely essential skill-set element that provides a goaltender with the skills needed to use their glove in the appropriate manner to make effective saves. |
| Green | Bl | Blocker | An extremely important skill-set element that allows the goaltender to make saves with his blocker hand. |
| Green | St | Stick | An essential technical element that allows a goaltender to make a myriad of calculated saves and momentum-shifting passes. |
| Green | Lp | Leg Pads | An essential technical element that allows a goaltender to make efficient and controlled saves with the leg pads, including toe, five-hole, reflex and kick saves. This is also a goalie's ability to eliminate space and seal holes with their pads. |
| Green | Bf | Butterfly | An extremely essential skill-set element that allows a goaltender to use the butterfly save technique in an effective, efficient and sound manner to stop pucks. |
| Green | A* | Angles | An extremely essential skill-set element that lays the foundation for the goaltender to do whatever is necessary to lessen the available amount of space a shooter has to hit their target. |
| Green | P | Positioning | An extremely essential skill-set element similar to Angle play, but is centered in allowing a goaltender's body to be at the right spot at the right time, depending on the specific play and situation during any moment in a game. |
| Green | Rc | Rebound Control | An extremely essential skill-set that allows the goaltender to efficiently and effective control their rebounds. |
| Green | Re | Recovery | An extremely essential skill-set element that provides a goalie with the skills needed to recover back to their feet after dropping to their knees to make a save. A recovery is a process that must be done in sequential order to be successful. A recovery puts a goaltender back into appropriate position after executing a certain movement. |
| Green | Ef | Efficiency | An essential skill-set element that provides a goaltender with the ability to execute different elements of their game without any wasted energy, movement or time. A effective combination of balance and athleticism should create an efficient-moving goaltender. |
| Green | Ft | Footwork | An important skill-set that allows a goaltender to move from spot to spot by managing their feet with precision, balance and most importantly, with speed. This is one of the most important elements for a goalie to have when playing at a higher level than what they are used to. |
| Green | Ag | Agility | An important skill-set element that enhances a goaltender's overall limb dexterity and nimbleness due to their unique and specific mixture of overall reaction speed. (8-15-11) |
| Green | Np | Net Presence | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to appear bigger in the net than he may seem. It includes the ability to create a mental and physical element of intimidation in the opponents by consistently appearing square to the puck and set for the shot. |
| Green | D | Durability | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to extend a high level of energy and power during moments or phases of extensive action and pressure. A goalie's durability within a game is a skill that hinges on work ethic, stamina and perseverence. The ability to grind it out and stay controlled, confident and composed is a sign of a goalie's true durability during a game. |
| Green | Tr | Tracking | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to locate the puck and visually assess where it is going, where it might go next, and at what speed or angle the puck will eventually arrive on net. A goaltender can track plays, which is essentially reading a play, or they can track pucks, which is esentially eye attachment. |
| Red | Cm | Communication | A radiating element that allows a goaltender to relay messages back and forth with his defensemen and teammates on the ice. A goalie that can communicate effectively is crucial to helping teammates locate pucks, opposing players, while also instilling confidence and composure into their game. Certain types of communication can influence momentum and can intimidate others as well. |
| Red | Co | Consistency | A radiating mental element that allows a goaltender to repeat a well-executed series of events over the course of an entire period and ultimately the game. |
| Red | It | Intensity | A radiating element that reveals a goaltender's ability to play with an alert and competitive edge. A goalie that has intensity has a visible willingness to do whatever it takes to stop the puck and to win the game. |
| Green | Ca | Catching | A skill-set that allows a goaltender to catch pucks witout bobbling, juggling or having them deflect out of the pocket and into dangerous rebound areas. |
| Green | Wr | Wrist Roll | A skill-set element that allows a goaltender to make efficient saves with the blocker. Instead of punching out at pucks with the blocker, the wrist should roll over when the puck arrives in order to direct it towards the boards and away from the middle of the slot or high-traffic areas. |
| Green | Pk | Poke-Check | A skill-set element that allows a goaltender to incorporate a surprise element to their game by sliding their stick up their blocker hand in order to poke a puck off a shooter's stick or out of harm's way. The poke check is a dangerous move because it causes a lot of excess movement and opens up holes. But when used correctly, it is a terrific move to make and can lead to quick transitions to offense. |
| Green | Se | Sealing Ice | A skill-set element that helps a goaltender seal their pads to the ice. By doing things like wearing pads loose or dropping into the butterfly with a powerful push down, the speed and strength at which the pads come down and seal themselves to the ice without any holes is a crucial skill to have with the leg pads. |
| Green | Hb | Half Butterfly | This skill-set element allows a goaltender to keep themselves upright and square to pucks at certain angles by only dropping one knee to the ice and keeping the other leg upright. Martin Brodeur and Jon Bernier represent two different styles of the half-butterfly save. The half-butterfly is not so much a style as a save selection. It should be used in certain situations depending on the play. |
| Green | De | Deflections | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to stay square and read deflected, re-directed or tipped shots. Understanding how to read shots that are tipped in different situations includes the ability to use fast-twitch reflexes to make split-second adjustments in your angles and positioning. |
| Green | Su | Squaring Up | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to have precise angles when squaring up to the puck. The more a goaltender can align their hips, shoulders, chest and arms up to the puck's expected path, the more skilled they are at squaring up. |
| Green | Rp | Rebound Placement | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to place pucks in certain areas of the ice by having an intricate feel for the way a puck deflects off the pad, stick or gloves and rebounds away from the body. A goalie can manipulate their rebound placement by angling their pads, giving with shots to absorb them, or batting them away by blocking them. |
| Green | Hr | Hip Rotation | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to effectively recover back to his skates by using the core muscles to pivot their body on an angle. The hip rotation creates a swivel-like effect, thus allowing the goalie to recover and then square up to the puck in a more fluid, economical and positionally-sound manner. |
| Green | Ec | Economy | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to limit their total amount of movement over the course of a game by only moving when they have to. The more economical a goalie is with their movements, the more energy they save and the more durable they can be. |
| Green | Kn | Knee Shuffles | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to move around and cover space by shuffling their knees along the ice while still sealing their leg pads to the ice. This allws a goalie to stay upright while still moving laterally, but not opening up holes. The wall you build in the butterfly stands tall. |
| Green | Sc | Scramble | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to move swiftly and alertly during a high-paced scoring situation. The ability to scramble comes from having terrific senses, footwork and durability. You have to be able to keep your body in constant but controlled motion and make numerous adjustments during a quick burst of time. |
| Green | Cd | Condense | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to seal the five, six and seven-holes by quickly condensing their arms and legs into their core, thus squeezing off potential space. Many goaltenders have a good ability to get big and wide when a shot is released and snap in tightly to condense their body. |
| Green | Bt | Battle | An important skill-set element that allows a goaltender to sustain positioning, angles, rebound control and other elements of technique despite being both physically and mentally exhausted. |
| Green | Pv | Peripheral Vision | A crucial skill-set element that allows a goaltender to process information from out of the corners of their eyes. This skill is enhanced by having your head on a swivel and actively leaning or stretching to look around bodies and screens. |
| Red | Cl | Clarity | A radiating mental element that allows the goaltender to play with a high level of focus and without any distraction or mental noise. Although it is tough to decipher, clarity is revealed through quiet movements and alert body language. Clarity is essentially the ability to process plays and execute without any mental hesitation. |
| Red | Uf | Unfazed | A radiating mental element that allows a goaltender to execute his game without being phased by traffic, opposing talent, pressure or any other mental element that can work against a goalie's ability to stop the puck. Unfazed goalies are confident, poised and alert at all times and therefore improves the overall morale and confidence of their team. |
| Red | Id | Intimidating | A radiating mental element in which a goaltender is actively increasing his overall presence in the game by striking awe, fear or pressure into the opponent. A goalie that intimidates does so in an active manner through verbal or visual communication, through the ability to make big saves consistently and by being aggressive in the crease. |
| Green | Aa | Aerial Angles | An intricate skill-set element that improves a goaltender's ability to not only catch, but track, cover and square up to pucks and shots that are quickly being elevated with accuracy. (8-15-11) |
| Green | Pd | Paddle Down | A valuable skill-set that allows the goaltender to effectively use the paddle of their stick to eliminate space along the ice by bringing the blocker hand down hard and sealing the ice. The paddle-down save selection is very effective on certain wraparounds and on certain plays in tight where the puck can't be elevated. What makes a goaltender effective with this element is knowing exactly when to use it, and knowing they cannot cling blindly to it by over-use. |
| Green | Ph | Puck Handling | A valuable skill-set element that allows the goaltender to effectively move the puck. This element is rooted in not only a goalie's ability to stickhandle, but to skate as well. An effective puck-handling goalie can exit his crease with speed, approach the puck with balance and make effective, solid and informed decisions on when, where and how to move the puck. |
| Green | To | Toe / Kick | A valuable skill set that allows a goaltender to make quick and sharp toe or kick saves with their leg pads. Kick saves are a sign of terrific reflexes and can change the momentum of a game due to the fact a sure goal was kicked away at the very last second, or due to an effective stretch to eliminate space. Toe and kick saves reveal the flair, reflexes and speed elements as well. |
| Green | Vh | Vertical-Horizontal | A volatile skill-set element that allows the goaltender to cover their posts with one leg vertical against the post and the other horizontal along the ice. Otherwise known as "VHS" on The Goalie Guild, this skill-set is extremely overused throughout North America and has become a serious pitfall in youth and junior goalies. Please be sure to know exactly when and where you should execute the VHS effectively. |
| Green | Cg | Challenge | An important skill-set element that allows the goaltender to effectively cover angles in an active and aggressive manner by eliminating the shooter's space. A goalie's ability to challenge is determined by their ability to read plays, track pucks and use their positioning skills to place their body directly behind a puck's projected path, thus forcing the shooter to alter or adjust their aim. |
| Green | Tf | Traffic Play | A crucial skill-set element that allows a goaltender to successfully stop pucks through traffic, or while their vision is eliminated directly before, during or after a shot is taken. Playing through traffic takes tremendous vision, confidence and positioning. Playing through traffic also takes mental toughness in the sense that a goalie can't be distracted by bodies, sticks or legs getting in their line of sight. |
| Green | Ab | Absorption | A crucial skill-set element that allows a goaltender to soak up original shots and not allow rebounds. Being able to absorb shots is very beneficial to team defense and limits the amount of energy a goalie has to expel over the course of a game. The more shots a goalie absorbs, the more energy they save and the stronger they can play. |
| Green | Bp | Back-Side Push | A crucial skill-set element that allows a goaltender to use the inside edge of their drive leg to push back and diagonally across their crease in order to make a pad or toe save with the opposite leg. The back-side push is difficult to execute due to the strength and quickness it takes to perform effectively. |
| Silver | Mi | Minimalism | An elusive skill-set element that allows a goaltender to move as little as possible, but still stop the puck in an effective and efficient manner. Minimalism conserves energy, reflects poise and proves a goalie is very economical and experienced in terms of how they read plays and execute their technique. |
| Silver | Hs | Hop-Step | An elusive skill-set element that allows a goaltender to cover long distances in the crease by shuffling their skates using a short burst of energy that creates a hopping movement. It is rarely used in games at the NHL level, but will start to be seen on a slightly more consistent basis starting in the 2011-12 NHL season. The hop-step technique is being taught at numerous high-level pro and youth goalie camps in North America and is difficult to execute with control and efficiency. |
| Silver | Ds | Desperation | An elusive skill-set element that allows a goaltender to put an extreme amount of effort into a series of plays or a stretch of time in which the odds of failure are higher than the odds of success. |
| Silver | Sq | Squeeze Holes | An elusive skill-set element that allows a goaltender to condense their body with power, speed and flexibility in order to eliminate a puck from slipping through the body. Unlike a goalie that condenses, squeezing holes is based in reactions and senses, while condensing is an automated and robotic response. |
| Silver | S2 | Stick-to-itiveness | An elusive skill-set element that allows a goaltender to stick with a play with an extremely high level of focus, durability and control. Unlike the Battle element, Stick-to-itiveness is performed with more enhanced skills, including vision, movement, rebound control and balance. |
| Silver | An | Anticipation | A elusive technical element that allows a goaltender to visualize and process how to manage or react to plays before they happen. Anticipation is tied to vision because tracking the puck effectively allows you to better process where it might go next. |
| Red | L | Leadership | A valuable radiating element that allows a goaltender to lead his team to victory. This element instills confidence in teammates through excellent play, veteran savvy and composure, strong communication skills and plenty of clarity. Being a leader stems from a goalie's ability to understand the ebb and flow of a hockey game, while recognizing how a game evolves from start to finish. Being a leader is done through strong character traits, a positive attitude and a willingness to work hard and help others. |
| Red | Ek | Even-Keeled | A valuable radiating element that allows a goaltender to consistently display the same poised demeanor despite the level of pressure, intensity or frustration they might be experiencing. An even-keeled goalie never gets too high when they are playing extremely well and they never get too low when they are struggling. They always stay confident, consistent and in control of their thoughts. |
| Red | Fi | Fierceness | A valuable radiating element that allows a goaltender to display an edgy and abrasive demeanor in the net. A fierce goaltender actively pushes players out of his crease, swipes at players' skates or shins with his stick, or does whatever it takes to create space in and around their crease area. |
| Red | Eg | Engaged | A valuable radiating element that allows a goaltender to play an active role in the atmosphere and different momentum swings of a game. An engaged goaltender visibly cares about what is not only happening in their crease area, but on all spots of the ice. Engaged goalies display high levels of focus, communication, intensity and confidence as well. Disengaged goalies will usually struggle with timing, rhythm and confidence. |
| Red | Cr | Creativity | A valuable radiating element that allows a goaltender to actively create a set of circumstances that leads to deceptive success. Creativity stems from intelligent decision-making while doing things like moving the puck, aiding in a transition or using acrobatics to stop the puck. Creativity is rarely seen during the course of a game, but when it is on display, it is a true sign of solid goaltending. |
| Red | Ta | Transition | A valuable radiating element that allows a goaltender to act as a third defenseman in order to move the puck up the ice and help the team transition from defense to offense in a swift and effective manner. |
| Silver | 2p | Two-Pad Stack | An elusive and rarely-used technical element that allows a goaltender to slide across their crease with both pads stacked on top of each other. This is done in order to eliminate aerial angles on a redirection or one-timer right in front of the crease by sliding, stretching out the legs and using the lower arm and side to seal the ice. It is rarely used, but when used effectively, is a beautiful display of advanced goaltending skills with the leg pads, as well as reflexes and agility. |
| Silver | Bs | Butterfly Slide | A valuable and elusive technical skill that allows a goaltender to use the inside edges of their skates to push and slide laterally across their crease while having the other pad flush to the ice. This ability to stay mobile and balanced while on your knees, but while still eliminating the lower portion of the net is probably the most popular technical element of the dominant butterfly or pro-hybrid style. |
| Silver | Ts | Telescoping | A valuable and elusive technical element that allows a goaltender to quickly push from their posts to an aggressive angle in order to challenge shooters and shots, then back to their posts again. Like an accordian, goaltenders must be able to quickly shoot out and retreat to their posts with balance and precision. |
| Silver | Ba | Baiting | A valuable and elusive technical element that allows a goaltender to expose space on purpose in order to try and coax or fake the shooter to aim for that open space. By intentionally leaving the space open, the goaltender attempts to trick the shooter mentally by knowing the space is open, then reacting with strong Anticipation and Reflexes in order to take that space away. A perfect living example of this is Henrik Lundqvist on breakways. He will bait shooters to aim for the blocker side by making random jerking movements or by holding it low on his body. Many goaltenders will bait shooters to aim for the glove side high area, only to flash the leather and take it right away. |
| Silver | Pm | Puck Management | A valuable and elusive technical element that allows a goaltender to control the pace of a game by knowing exactly when and where to play pucks, as well as knowing exactly when to cover pucks for faceoffs. This element is mainly situational, as the goaltender must accurately read plays and make excellent decisions on how to move or handle the puck. Having the cognitive skills to understand the pace, flow and momentum swings of a game plays a major role in a goalie's ability to have good puck management. |
| Silver | Pu | Pop-Up Recovery | A valuable and elusive technical recovery element that allows a goaltender to push directly from a full butterfly back to their skates by bringing up both knees at the exact same time. This takes an extremely strong core, very good balance and tremendous flexibility in order to execute correctly during a game. |
| Silver | Pt | Patience | A valuable and elusive technical element that allows a goaltender to stay in position long enough to have perfect positioning. A patient goaltender does not react to head fakes, dekes or fake passes early and is set and ready for shots to be taken. A patient goaltender will also reveal mental toughness elements such as poise, focus and rhythm. |
| Silver | Ex | Explosive | A valuable and elusive technical element that allows a goaltender to move by executing sudden powerful bursts of energy in different situations and manners. Explosive goalies are rarely seen, but those that have this element in their game are extremely quick on their toes and have the ability to engage powerful leg, core and hip muscles to get from point to point quicker than expected. An explosive goalie can go from totally stationary to moving with extreme speed almost instantly. |
| Silver | Ac | Acrobatics | A valuable and elusive technical element that allows a goaltender to abandon their technique and positioning to make saves that are reliant upon their flexibility, desperation and agility. An acrobatic goalie cares not about being controlled or square, but rather relies on their natural instincts to stop the puck in a scrambling manner. |
| Silver | Sh | Shoulder Shrug | A valuable and elusive technical element that allows the goaltender to quickly raise or shrug their shoulders in order to deflect or stop a puck that is quickly being elevated. Saves that are made by shrugging the shoulders at the last second are an amazing display of reading aerial angles, tracking pucks, relying on reflexes and reactions and playing with focus. Saves made by shrugging the shoulders are some of the nicest to make within a game. |
| Silver | 2nd | Second Efforts | A valuable and elusive technical element that allows a goaltender to stop rebounds, third chances or a flurry of chances by executing their technique with the same precision and power as their first effort. Unlike the Battle or Stick-to-itiveness elements, the Second Chance element is displayed when a goalie moves and executes with the same exact level of power and finesse as their first effort. |
| Silver | Ks | Kinesthetic Sense | Coined by NHL goalie coach Mike Valley, this term refers to a goaltender's ability to know precisely what they are doing and where they are going when moving and reacting. The best example is Tim Thomas' ability to scramble and react in a very calculated and effective manner. An omniscience in regards to how the mind tracks and reads plays, then how cleanly the body reacts to the puck. |
| Red | Fl | Flair / Flash | A valuable radiating element that allows a goaltender to display a skill or reaction save in a momentarily, suddenly dazzling, or highly impressive manner. A goalie with flash and flair are somewhat ostentatious or showy beyond the norm. |
| Red | Ct | Clutch | A valuable radiating element that allows a goaltender to make timely saves in a crucial situation or when the pressure is extremely high. A clutch goaltender makes saves when his teammates really need it, or when the momentum is completely controlled by the opposition. |
| Red | Cp | Composed | A valuable radiating element that allows a goaltender to stay mentally calm and in control of one's thoughts regardless of the internal or external forces acting against the goalie. Despite pressure, intensity or urgency, a goalie with composure does not display a change in mental or emotional disposition. |
| Purple | Mo | Momentum | A rare and mystical element that allows a goaltender to continue gaining confidence due to the positive flow of energy surrounding their performance or the performance of their teammates. Momentum is an amorphic force gained and lost through the development of certain situations that improve or erode team play. |
| Purple | Lk | Luck | A rare and mystical element that brings good fortune to a goaltender currently facing a difficult situation or any type of adversity. Luck is a set of circumstances or events that operate and act for better or for worse in relation to the goaltender. It is also a situation in which a goalie comes upon a desirable situation by chance. |
| Purple | Mu | Music | A rare and mystical element that allows the melodies of music to motivate, energize and mentally prepare a goaltender for a game. Goalies can also listen to music during intermissions in order to help them focus or generate certain types of personal motivations. Music is also known to help improve rhythm and timing. During a game, music played during TV timeouts or breaks in action can also influence a goaltender. |
| Gold | Hx | Hextall | An enigmatic and exquisite element that embraces and captures the essence of Ron Hextall. This would include different levels of fierceness, puck-moving skills and bold, aggressive positioning. |
| Gold | Ha | Hasek | An enigmatic and exquisite element that embraces and captures the essence of Dominik Hasek. This includes raw levels of kinesthetic senses, acrobatics, a high work ethic and flexibility. |
| Gold | Tt | Thomas | An enigmatic and exquisite element that embraces and attempts to capture the essence of Tim Thomas. This includes raw levels of kinesthetic senses, acrobatics, composure, calmness and aggressiveness. |
| Red | Iz | In the Zone | A valuable radiating element in which the goaltender experiences extremely high levels of timing, rhythm, confident and clarity. When a goalie is in the zone, they are playing at an exceptionally high level an in a highly-visible and impressive manner. A goalie that displays this element greatly influences a game's momentum and their team's confidence. |
| Red | Bb | Bounce-Back | A valuable radiating element that allows a goaltender to instantly or quickly recover from allowing a goal or making a mistake by performing future tasks with vigor and clarity. Hockey is a game of numerous momentum-swings, so being able to shake off a mistake or a bad goal by displaying a strong bounce-back ability allows them to regain any lost confidence and stay poised. |
| Red | Rx | Relaxed | A valuable radiating element that allows a goaltender to perform without any tension, rigidness or nervousness. A relaxed goalie is still focused and engaged, but physically appears loose and composed. A relaxed goaltender shows no signs of anxiety, either. |
| Purple | Gp | Goal Posts | A rare and mystical element in which a goaltender is bailed out by their goal posts. What makes the posts so mystical is the fact that, if a puck beats a goalie but rings off the post, it is not counted as a shot on goal. The goal posts are also considered a mystical element due to the fact that a goalie's mindset is exposed to defeat, but instantly salvaged by a force that the goalie cannot control. |
| Purple | Hi | History | A rare and mystical element that opens the door for a goaltender to embrace their roots or aspects of their past in order to shift their potential or momentum in a positive direction. A goaltender that can draw on past events has a high level of clarity and mental toughness and can alter their mindset in order to play with more confidence. History is a fairly ambiguous term in the sense that it can influence a goalie in many different ways, all of which are difficult to see, but can be sensed by others and felt by the individual. |
| Purple | Dt | Destiny | A rare and mystical element in which a goaltender experiences a sequence of events where things are generally believed to have happened in a predetermined way. Unlike fate, which is used to describe an adverse outcome, destiny is a set of experiences that result in a positive outcome. Some goalies are simply destined to win, while others are destined to lose. The chemistry surrounding this element is amorphic and invisible to the naked eye, but is still a powerful force that goalies can feel. It is not tangible, but still exists in the mental dimension of time and space. It is the feeling that a goalie was meant to be in a certain spot at a certain time, or meant to perform a certain way at a certain time. |
| Gold | Ry | Roy | An enigmatic and exquisite element that embraces and captures the essence of Patrick Roy. This is the most rare goaltending element in the history of the tangible and parallel universe. |
| Gold | Oz | Osgood | An enigmatic and exquisite element that embraces and captures the essence of Chris Osgood. This includes hidden levels of mental toughness and the ability to camouflage their true positive elements by visibly appearing weaker or less potent than they truly are. |
| Gold | Br | Brodeur | An enigmatic and exquisite element that embraces and captures the essence of Martin Brodeur. Like the other enigmatic elements, Brodeur's unique composition has never been and will never be duplicated again. |
THE GLOSSARY
With each day that passes, the goaltending position evolves. Included in that steady evolution is the terminology that goalie coaches and scouts use to explain it. Since 2009, The Goalie Guild has continued to slowly create a library of our own unique and creative terms used to describe the goaltending position.
Therefore we have created an expanding and sortable Glossary of Terms commonly referred to within The Goalie Guild. These terms include a variety of diffferent elements, dynamics and techniques related to the goaltending position. It also includes some of the most popular terms created by our Guild to help explain different methodologies, philosophies and trains of thought within our scouting service.
The Goalie Guild feels it is important for everyone to recognize that many terms are open to a certain interpretation. If you feel like we have defined a term in an incorrect or unclear manner, please don’t hesitate to contact us at any time.
So in case you read one of our scouting reports or tweets and wonder exactly what we mean by a certain phrase or term, you’ll find everything from Absorb to Visual Attachment included in The Glossary.
| TERM | DEFINITION | GROUP |
|---|---|---|
| Absorb | The abililty to control and "soak up" any pucks or shots above and below the waist with the stomach, chest, arms and hands, without allowing a rebound. Absorption Rate is the percentage of those shots that are made in a successful manner. | action |
| Active | Most often used to describe a style of goaltending that is based on dynamic activity. It is most often referred to in terms of a goaltender's level of athleticism. Active goalies move their hands, stick and feet more than the average goalie, and they rely on their reactions and athleticism more than usual. Active goalies often have a Balance Point closer to the toes, as opposed to closer to the heels. | style |
| Aerial Angle | The angle and direction of an elevated puck's or shot's trajectory from the moment of release to the moment in which it reaches just under the crossbar, or hits the goaltender and/or their pads. | game |
| Against the Grain | A sequence in which the goaltender is caught moving one way, but the shot is fired in the opposite direction. Shots against the grain are very dangerous because the goaltender must react the other way while they are already moving. | game |
| Attentive | A term most often used to describe a method of goalteding that is based on a certain state of mind. An attentive goaltender is extremely focused and always prepared. An attentive goalie is alert, ready, aware goaltender. Please read Casual vs. Attentive Goaltending to get a better idea of what this term means in regards to scouting. | mind |
| Back Door | The area behind a goalie that is created once they have decided to challenge and commit to a shooter in front of them. Back-door goals are commonplace when a defenseman either loses their positioning between an opponent and the goal, or a goalie over-commits to one side and leaves too much space on the far sidde. | game |
| Baiting | A complex move used to force a player to aim and shoot for a certain open spot. This spot remains exposed and uncovered on purpose, so as to entice the shooter to aim for the open space. But because this space remains open on purpose, the goaltender is already mentally prepared to quickly react and take that space away. Most baiting is done with the glove hand held low, on purpose, in order to force shooters to aim high glove. Another popular baiting technique is done using the blocker hand. A goalie will make a fake poke check in order to bait the shooter to aim stick side high. Baiting also takes place when a goalie purposefully keeps their five-hole open, just to close it quickly when the shooter ultimately aims there. | action |
| Balance Point | A visual guide to decipher what type of upright balance a goalie has while on their skates or in the “ready” stance. The Balance Point is partially determined by finding where the upper body is aligned in a comfortable manner with the lower body in both a vertical and horizontal direction. Some goalies have a balance point closer to their toes, while others have balance points near their heels. This point can change depending on the play or situation they are facing. | form |
| Battling | When a goaltender is struggling to effectively control certain elements of their game. They might be battling the puck in regards to tracking and controlling it off their body, stick or hands. A goalie could be battling their own emotions, battling a momentum swing or battling pressure. | action |
| Blocking Style | A ”blocking” stye goalie is one that relies on their positioning and getting their body behind the puck to block it away with little to no movements. The blocking style was popularized primarily by Francois Allaire and was mastered by J-S Giguere in the early 2000′s. The blocking style is very noticeable and can be used by any goalie for a variety of saves at any given time. Many goalies will make blocking saves, but not play a strictly blocking style. | style |
| Bounce-Back | A goaltender's ability to shake off a bad goal or a bad game and continue to play in a focused, attentive manner. Being able to bounce back means a goalie is able to forget about the past and focus on the present, which is a sign of good mental toughness. | action |
| Calm Butterfly | A butterfly style that relies on moving with a minimalistic and economical mindset. Simplified movements allow the goalie to conserve energy over the course of the game. This allows the goaltender to exert more energy on getting into position and then being ready to move into pucks. This style is taught by Eli Wilson and other NHL-level goalie coaches. | style |
| Casual | A goaltender’s state of mind, one in which they appear to make saves in a non-attentive manner. Please read Casual vs. Attentive Goaltending to get a better idea of what it means in regards to scouting. | mind |
| Coachability | A goaltender’s quest for knowledge, improvement and having a strong practice work ethic. It includes their dedication to doing the more noticable things a coach will like in a goalie, such as leading by example, reacting positively to the coach’s message, always showing enthusiasm and wanting to learn more and being a good teammate. If a goalie is coachable, it means he desires to improve or play at a high level. | form |
| Cognitive Dissonance | In terms of a goaltender, this is described as the unsettling feeling you get when you want to look and play like an elite goalie, but at the same time dwelling or thinking about your weaknesses. This leads to negative thoughts and the hope that you don’t get scored on because of those weaknesses. In essence, you over-think and lose confidence in your own abilities. Please read Eliminating Cognitive Dissonance in order to learn more about this term. | mind |
| Compact | A goalie that appears to have a very condensed upper body when in their stance. Their arms and elbows are very tight to their sides, they have a low crouch in order to bring their whole body together and they have no visible holes. A goalie can move from being more or less compact at any given moment, depending on how their body is set. | form |
| Complacent | A goaltender who suffers from too much self-satisfaction and is unaware of danger, approaching plays or their own deficiencies. A complacent goaltender is often caught out of position, or standing still when they should be moving. Complacency is often revealed in a form of laziness or inattentiveness. It is also a sign of a goalie lacking self-awareness. | style |
| Composure | A goalie's ability to stay calm under pressure and control their emotions. Composure is the skill and ability to supress anger, limit adrenaline rushes and stay as even-keeled as possible. | scout |
| Confident | The bold manner in which a goalie moves, makes saves and reacts. Confident goalies move with power, precision and enthusiasm. Confident goalies reveal they have a feeling that their skills and their play is reliable and honed. Having this feeling means the goalie has the belief they are capable of making the save regardless of the play. Confidence is the result of a goalie with a positive mindset. | mind |
| Creative | A goalie's ability to make something out of nothing. This often refers to a goalie's ability to make plays moving the puck. | action |
| Crouch | The level at which a goalie bends their knees in order to get into a ready position, or simply how their body goes from upright to prepared before a shot comes. | action |
| Demeanor | A goalie’s outward behavior and visible attitude both on and off the ice. It reflects a goalie’s visible reaction to things like goals against, big saves and how they appear in pressure-filled situations. Please read Deconstructing Demeanor to learn more about the importance of a goalie’s demeanor and what it means in regards to scouting. | form |
| Depth | From front to back, this term refers to where a goalie is placed in the crease. Depth is a crucial term in understanding a goalie's positioning and angle play. In today's NHL, bigger goalies are starting to play deeper in the net, while smaller goalies are forced to play higher in the net. | scout |
| Desperation | A goalie’s ability to abandon technique and do whatever it takes to stop the puck. If a goalie is playing in a desperate manner, they are usually exerting more energy and working hardere than usual to make saves. A goalie should have a good ability to make a desperate save, but they do not want to spend too much time playing in a desperate manner. | action |
| Distracted | A goaltender that is pulled away from the task at hand due to traffic, screens, or a number of other external and internal forces. | form |
| Dynamic | There are two definitions for this term. 1) This refers to a goaltender that is considered to have active hands and feet and move in close to continual movement. It refers to a goalie that is animated, reactionary and energetic goalie. They rarely move the same way twice. They are the opposit of a static or robotic goalie. 2) This refers to a force or underlying theme that exists in the world of goaltending analysis. An example of a goaltending dynamic would be "Early Saves" or Power-Play save percentage or playing with one-goal leads. | all |
| Efficient | This refers to a goalie that makes saves without any unnecessary, unwanted or excess movement. | style |
| Elite | Anything that is considered one of the finest traits in the world or the best of a class. A group of goaltenders that have more skill than others. | scout |
| Engaged | This refers to a goalie that is greatly interested, fully involved and strongly committed to the play, the game, the shot or the sequence. | action |
| Five Hole | The space between a goalie's legs. | game |
| Flashy | This refers to a goalie that displays momentarily dazzling, or extremely impressive skills. Many glove saves are considered flashy. | action |
| Flybrid | This is a style of goaltending that mixes the hybrid style with a butterfly, so it might be similar to the Pro-fly style, which is also considered nothing more than a marketing term. The Flybrid style relies more on the butterly movements than a hybrid. | style |
| Focused | This refers to when a goaltender is not distracted by any external or internal forces and is completely square and aligned with the puck's path. Focus usually refers to a goalie's vision, but it can also describe a performance. | form |
| Footwork | The goalie's ability to move from one point to the next as efficiently as possible. In simplified terms, it is the management of the goalie's feet. Footwork, including the rate, speed and efficiency, is one of the most important technical skills a goaltender can have. The faster, the better. | scout |
| Four Hole | Stick side low. The space from the stick to post, then the bottom of the blocker hand to the ice. | game |
| Graduate | The moment when a goaltender takes the step from one league to a higher one. A goalie can graduate from the OHL to the ECHL, from the ECHL to the AHL and from the AHL to the NHL. It also refers to when a prospect earns their 25th career NHL start and is no longer considered a Prospect. | scout |
| Hop-Step | An advanced goaltending technique in which the goaltender pushes on his skates across the crease with a small visible step and then a strong push into a set and ready stance. The Hop-Step is executed by bringing one skate off the ice and pushing with the drive leg. Click here to view a video explaining the Hop-Step technique. | action |
| Hunched Over | This refers to when a goaltender's upper body is thrust or bent over into an inefficient, crooked, unbalanced manner. Hunched over shoulders are a sign of a Raw-Skilled goalie and a sign that the goaltender is not as tall as they could be. A hunched over appearance makes a goalie smaller in the net, which is a huge disadvantage. | form |
| Intuition | A goalie's ability to make minor, quick, last-second adjustments or movements in order to cover space or stop the puck when they cannot see it. It is the power to attain direct knowledge of the puck's placement or path without having visual evidence of it's location. An example of a goalie's intuition is when they bring their heels together in order to stop a puck from slipping through their legs. Anticipation is another great example of a goalie's intuition, as they are reading plays and determining what will happen next before it actually happens. | scout |
| Kinesthetic Sense | Coined by NHL goalie coach Mike Valley, this term refers to a goaltender's ability to know precisely what they are doing and where they are going when moving and reacting. The best example is Tim Thomas' ability to scramble and react in a very calculated and effective manner. An omniscience in regards to how the mind tracks and reads plays, then how cleanly the body reacts to the puck. | form |
| Knee Shuffle | When a goaltender is on both knees, they can shuffle in either direction by pulling one knee and leg one way, then following it up with the other knee and leg. Knee shuffles are effective when executed in a fast and efficient manner. It is best executed with a straight back and sealed gloves so that a goalie can build a wall and still move laterally on their knees. | action |
| Lazy Stick | This refers to a goalie who gets caught without using their stick in an active manner to make a save or cover space along the ice. | form |
| Mannerisms | This refers to all of the subtle, minor, superstitious and routine-based actions that make a goaltender unique or different from others. Mannerisms are seen in style, positioning, body language, attitude and demeanor. | scout |
| Mental Toughness | This refers to 90% of goaltending and is the most important element of a goalie's game. The importance of mental toughness is an absolute must in regards to scouting. Mental toughness is the invisible force that drives a goaltender to execute in different ways. | mind |
| One Hole | Glove-side high. The space between a goalie's arm and crossbar, then from the post to the side of their mask. | game |
| Opportunity | The ability to earn a favorable situation in which there is a good chance for advancement or progress. This is one of the most important elements for a prospect, as they must take advantage of opportunity in order to reach their potential and upside. It comes in many shapes and forms, but includes injury and performance recalls, new contracts, ATO and PTO's, relief efforts, rewarded starts for previous performances, trades, and much more. | scout |
| Paddle Down | A move in which the goaltender drops his blocker hand to the the ice in order to get the paddle of their stick flush to the ice. This is a play commonly used to defend against wraparounds. When this movement is made, the goalie exposes the top corners of the net because it forces the blocker-side shoulder to drop. | action |
| PadsTracker | Established in 2009, PadsTracker is a registered trademark by The Goalie Guild. We track the pads (gloves, leg pads, stick and mask) worn by NHL goalies on a daily basis during the regular season and playoffs. Click here to view the current PadsTracker chart, which includes exact replica templates of each NHL goalie's pads. | guild |
| Poke Check | A risky move in which the goalie quickly slides his blocker hand up the shaft of the stick in order to try and poke the puck away from the opponent. The "Swinging" poke check is what a goalie tries to knock a puck loose from a player who is attempting a wraparound. The goalie not only pokes, but swings it while the player spins towards the goal. | action |
| Pop-Up | An advanced recovery technique in which the goalie goes from being down on their knees to being up on their skates. Instead of putting weight on one knee and using it to pull the body up, a goalie uses their core muscles to bring both knees off the ice and their skates underneath them in one fluid motion. Read about some of the best Pop-Up goalies in this School of Block article. | form |
| Potential | A goaltender's highest level of development and skill. The rate and level at which a goalie can develop or reach their projected actual talent. This value is determined by their current skills and what those skills could be at the height of their goaltending level or ability. | scout |
| Prospect | Any goaltender that has started 25 NHL games or less. A goaltender with the upside or potential to play at the professional level. | scout |
| Robotic | This refers to a goaltender that is very static and always moves in the same manner, regardless of when or where they execute the move. You will often hear about blocking goalies being too robotic, as they do not rely on their ability to read and react, instead relying on technically sound form on a consistent basis. Another reason why blocking goalies are considered robotic is because they don't move their arms or hands due to the blocking style. | form |
| School of Block | From September 2007 to June 2011, this was the home of Justin's weekly fantasy goalie advice article on DobberHockey. Click here for a list of every article. As of June 2011, this is the home for all goalie technqiue and philosophy articles. | guild |
| Scrambling | This refers to a goaltender that is moving in an urgent, panic-stricken manner. It often refers to a time when a goalie is spent on their hands and knees, their stomach, or back. A scrambling goalie is struggling to obtain sight of, or track the puck. They are exerting more than a normal amount of energy to accomplish what is usually done with ease. To be a great scrambling goalie is to have a strong level of Desperation. | action |
| Seven Hole | Glove side. The space between the glove hand/arm and the waist. | game |
| Shadowing | Although this dynamic of goaltending has been around for ages, this is a term created by Goldman to explain in detail it's meaning on the goalie's development. By reading The Science of Shadowing, you will learn about the dynamic of how a backup goalie will often mimic different aspects of their counterpart’s game. Sometimes this is done intentionally, but other times it is done as second nature. On a wider level, goalies absorb certain aspects of style, technique and mannerisms just by watching and spending time with other goalies. | scout |
| Situational Awareness | The ability for a goaltender to understand the situation he is currently experiencing. A goalie with this trait is effective at reading all elements that make up a play. It is tied to mental toughness and a goalie's intuition. It also refers to a goalie that has a high rate of concentration and alert senses. | scout |
| Six Hole | Blocker side. The space between the blocker hand and the waist. | game |
| The Great Deceiver | Our nickname for Michal Neuvirth. Originally written as a School of Block article in June of 2008, this nickname was then reinforced with an article we wrote on NHL.com during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs. | name |
| Three Hole | Blocker side high. The space from the blocker arm to the crossbar, and from the post to the blocker hand or the shaft of the stick. | game |
| Turco Transition | This explains a concept that comes from Marty Turco's ability to pass and handle the puck. Much like a lacrosse goalie, having the skills to skate in front and behind the goal line with ease makes them a solid option for numerous outlet passes. Be sure to read The Turco Transition to see a diagram of his influence on the defensive-zone breakout and the goaltending position overall. | scout |
| Two Hole | Glove side low. The space between a goaltender's arm and glove to the ice, then the post to the pad. | game |
| Upside | A very popular term used to explain and describe a goalie's promise and potential. A goalie reaches their upside when their current role matches their expectations. | scout |
| V-H-S | Possibly the most common term used in The Goalie Guild, the VHS stands for Vertical-Horizontal Stance. You can learn all about the issues that arise from the VHS by reading Defining the VHS Term. | form |
| Visual Attachment | A goalie's ability to keep their eyes on the puck. This is a crucial technique for success, as being able to see the puck allows a goalie to read plays and make the correct save selection. It is killed by screens, a lack of focus, deflections, or when the puck is directly behind them. It is the mission of a goalie to always have strong Visual Attachment to the puck. | action |