One of my favorite "parlor tricks" as a goalie coach is to meet with a group of coaches from a particular program, on the ice. I’ll demonstrate a handful of goalie-specific skating techniques, including shuffles and drop steps (also known as a T-push or T-glide). Then I ask the coaches to do the same. Invariably, the coaches struggle, because these movements are far different than a traditional player.
Interestingly enough, oftentimes the better the coach was as a player, the more difficult these movements are, because the traditional edge-work is so ingrained in their muscle memory. And, typically, everyone gets a good laugh.
While the exercise is designed to demonstrate just how different goalie-specific skating is, and emphasizes that goalies need to work on those skills instead of simply joining in the team skate, it serves another purpose as well. No, I’m not trying to embarrass the coaching staff (though it does get their attention, in a fun way). I’m driving home the point that the goaltender is a much different animal than the rest of the team.
Even the goalie’s traditional skate is different compared to his or her teammates, featuring thicker blades and protective cowlings. How those skates are sharpened will play a significant role in how successful they perform. Because one of the basic tenets of the position – "getting to the right place at the right time" – is as true today as it was a century ago. Good edges allow goalies to get to that spot.
Still, things are different today. Much like goaltending techniques have changed radically in the past three decades, so have the particulars of sharpening goalie skates. Longtime goalie coaches like Mike Geragosian(Wakefield, Mass.)and Joe Bertagna (Arlington, Mass.), who played in the 1970s, probably had their skates sharpened much like I did. Which is to say rarely, if ever. Even when I did get them sharpened, I would run them against a piece of wood to dull them just enough to be comfortable.
The thinking back then was that a sharp edge was more likely to catch, and trip you up, as you moved around the crease. Since we stood taller, or more upright, we didn’t need those edges to maintain our balance.
"The depth of the sharp goal blade has changed dramatically over the years," said Todd Lampert of Todd’s Sporting Goods in Beverly, Mass., and goalie coach for the Northeastern and Boston Pride women’s hockey teams. "Decades ago, goalies would get a cross cut. In the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, 1½-inch was the norm.
"Then, with the butterfly style coming in, it started to change to a deeper cut, as deep as 3/4-inch," he said. "Now the norm is 1/2-inch, with 5/8-inch and 7/16-inch also being requested. It comes down to what each goalie feels the most comfortable and confident with."
For butterfly goaltenders today, the sharper their edges, the better. Which makes perfect sense when you think about their wide stance, or the butterfly push, where goalies move side to side while staying on their knees.
About 20 years ago, Canadian John Mcleod revolutionized goalie skates with his Overdrive Blade (overdriveblade.com). This thin, flat piece of metal attached to goalie skates underneath the big toe, parallel to the ice. When goalies flex their ankles, angling their big toe toward the ice, the Overdrive Blade would provide a second edge, helping goalies maintain a wider stance. They also allowed goalies to push from their knees without engaging the skate blade.
The NHL, however, banned the Overdrive in 2001, deeming it an unfair performance advantage. Though Mcleod maintains the blade is an "injury prevention" device, the NHL hasn’t budged (the league has also banned "Step Steel" blades). Many organizations, like the Ontario Hockey League, which follow the NHL rulebook, have followed suit. (Though the Overdrive Blade isn’t universally banned, anyone playing in a sanctioned league should check with league officials before installing the device.)
Instead, most goalies I see these days rely on a good sharpening of the skate’s original blade to improve their edgework.
"Realistically, the sharpening depends on your style of play," said Nick Niedert, goalie manager for Wesco Sports Center in Brookfield, Conn. "With so many goalies that come in the store, we see a lot of different requests. Mostly it is sharpening hollows, but some are doing custom radius.
"Goalies are either going flat front-to-back to have more steel on the ice, or are getting a round 10-foot radius basically like a player skate, rather than the standard 13 feet, because they’re finding their edges better," he said.
Other things to take into consideration are the widths of the steel blade itself, which in some instances has created a "Back to the Future" approach to sharpening.
"Now goalie skates are coming in at 3 millimeters rather than the standard 4 millimeters steel," said Niedert. "With the new VH (and Bauer) cowlingless skates, goalies are getting skates not as sharp, since the skate is a true fitting skate. Basically, this is all a personal preference situation, the same as any piece of goalie equipment."
Niedert’s last comment is echoed by goalie experts throughout the Northeast. Bertagna, at his camps, always encourages young netminders to find shops that are very familiar with goalie skates. Paul Stanton of Sports Etc. in Arlington, Mass., readily agreed.
"Consistency and precision are key," said Stanton. "Making sure the edges are even sounds elementary, but it is critical."
Lampert, the man who has sharpened Bertagna’s skates for years, said, "If a sharpener doesn’t ask the goalie what setting they want the diamond, that’s the red flag."
Most goalies who come into Lampert’s shop don’t know what setting they want, he said. So he’ll ask questions, like: "Do you stand up or drop? Do you push off the toe or heel?" Based on the answers, Lampert will select an appropriate hollow.
"Most players have a favorite sharpener," said Lampert. "I’ve noticed that goaltenders are no different than forwards or defensemen. What’s important is that the sharpener does an excellent job, or the player will not trust that person again."
