Goalie Guidance from A Pro
By Scott Lowe & Bill Zaniboni
There are a lot of really good goalies in the DMV. Many times there are way more qualified goalies than what the AAA and even the AA teams can accommodate. We also see it with Team DMV and our DMV Prospects showcase teams. If we hold a tryout or a prospect skate, there might be 8-10 goalies between the ages of 15 and 18 who could play on a lot of AAA teams.So how do we pick the ones for our teams?
Well, we have the luxury of taking teams to several events, so we try to spread the wealth and give as many kids an opportunity as possible. That’s the most even-handed way for us to handle the situation, but is it fair to the very best goalies who may be good enough to play on every tone of our teams?
Probably not, just like only taking the same two or three goalies to each showcase probably wouldn’t be fair to all the others.
We also have a great network of junior and AAA coaches who often need players for showcase teams, so recommending local goalies to them can help us provide more opportunities, too.
But I can tell you that the process of picking two kids for our St. Louis showcase team and two goalies for the younger Hockey Night in Boston teams – when those are the only teams we offer below the 16U level – out of so many interested and deserving tenders can be agonizing.
It is 100 percent the hardest decision to make for Team DMV, and sometimes it comes down to giving the seniors and opportunity since the juniors will get a chance to play the following year. Again, we just try to provide as many opportunities as possible and to be fair.
Thankfully, it is rare that we have to actually choose the best goalie or goalies for one game or one tournament. Unfortunately, coaches selecting netminders for junior teams, prep school programs and AAA or AA teams literally have to figure out who the best goalies are out of the numerous players who often are interested in playing for them.
How do they do it?
I have no clue, to be honest, other than seeing which kid stops the puck the most in tryout games or shooting drills. Clearly there are many other things that should be considered when evaluating goalies, so in hopes of learning myself and helping out all of the talented and hardworking goalies in our area – and in other locations that this website reaches – I decided to go to an expert.
Bill Zaniboni, better known as Coach Z from this point on, is the head coach for the Seahawks Hockey Club EHL program. He also was an NCAA Division I goalie, who played at Northern Michigan University followed by six years competing in various professional leagues. Coach Z also played in the USHL and NAHL, so he knows what It takes to play at every rung of the development ladder.
I have no clue, to be honest, other than seeing which kid stops the puck the most in tryout games or shooting drills. Clearly there are many other things that should be considered when evaluating goalies, so in hopes of learning myself and helping out all of the talented and hardworking goalies in our area – and in other locations that this website reaches – I decided to go to an expert.
Bill Zaniboni, better known as Coach Z from this point on, is the head coach for the Seahawks Hockey Club EHL program. He also was an NCAA Division I goalie, who played at Northern Michigan University followed by six years competing in various professional leagues. Coach Z also played in the USHL and NAHL, so he knows what It takes to play at every rung of the development ladder.
As a junior hockey coach, he has earned coach-of-the-year honors several times in various leagues, including in the EHL for the 2018-19 season. In just a few seasons he has molded the Seahawks into a regular playoff team and championship contender in the toughest division of the EHL. Coach Z sends numerous players on to play NCAA Division III hockey every year.
Since he’s the expert, I’m going to write the rest of this story in his exact words:
Recruiting Players Right Now in General for the EHL – and Goalies Specifically
Things are definitely different right now when it comes to recruiting all players, and the goalie position is no different. Video and references are the biggest thing I’m looking at. No coach wants to watch a highlight tape, I think, especially for goalies. Coaches need to see the play develops in front of the goalie, which you can still see on film. They want to see how well they track pucks into and off their bodies and if they can eliminate second and third chances. One of the biggest things that is not seen on video is just the calmness, control and communication you want out of the guys logging the minutes in net.
What Stands Out First and Where Do We Go From There?
First and foremost, does the goalie stop the puck, and can he manage the game to benefit his team by controlling the clock and tempo? I think from there, with my background as a goalie, I look at his footwork and his ability to control shots to help eliminate second chances. One of the biggest things I look for in this age of technical goalies is the player’s compete level for pucks and space.
What Sets a Goalie Apart from One Level to the Next?
When it comes to separating for goalies, it’s pretty much the same as with skaters. The player who can see things develop and perform at a high pace more consistently pulls away from the pack. This happens at every level you move up to as the game continues to get harder. Advancement has a lot of factors.
Philosophy of Recruiting Goalies in Terms of Allocating Time
I personally prefer to have a two-goalie system. For a team to be competitive, every position needs to be a competition. The thing a lot of players don't understand is that they put themselves into the spot they have earned. If I bring a third goalie in, his role is to be a great teammate, to get on the ice early and to be off the ice last, helping guys work on extra skills. This makes the players better, but also makes the goalie better; the extra work should put him in a position to be very successful the following year.
The Importance of Body Language and Communication
Body language flows from all the previous topics and is something most coaches look at very closely. If you have good body language, you are usually very engaged in what you are doing. It shows that you care about the success of the group, which forces you to communicate in a positive way to help the team be successful. If you are communicating on and off the ice, you are building a bond of trust that will contribute significantly to the success of your team throughout the year.
What Do You Look for From a Goalie When Watching Video?
Video is such an essential tool when it comes to recruiting every year, but this year it has been much more of a focus than usual. Goalies should send clips that show the puck crossing the blue line and coming into the zone. This allows me to see the goalie’s movement at all times, how he follows pucks and reads situations as the puck is approaching him, how he plays the puck and the save that results from his approach to the situation.
What Do Goalies Generally Need to Do to Prepare for the First Year of Juniors?
Confidence is a really big thing, and there is a difference in saying that you are confident and actually playing with confidence. Goalies play with confidence by being prepared – working on their techniques, breaking down their own video, making sure they are critical but still ending things on a positive note, etc. They need to find solutions that will help them understand situations, see them developing and build the confidence to make the save when a situation presents itself in the future. It’s also important to find a team and coach that really wants you, as having the trust of the coach and teammates plays a large in a goalie’s confidence.
What Can Goalies Do Right Now to Get Better Given the Restrictions
In general, goalies need to be lean. Plyometrics and quick-thinking drills are great to be doing during this time. At home,, goalies can do yoga to work on balance and develop core strength. Flexibility, core strength and leg strength are all things that good goalies possess.
Coach Bill Zaniboni:
Coach.Zaniboni@gmail.com