From The Crease: Developing an active glove

By Dave DeSander –

A few months ago, Future Pro Director Jeremy Kalinecki wrote on the topic and definition of ‘glove discipline’ versus ‘glove involvement.’ By definition, the use of a ‘discipline glove’ is holding it in position, out and open facing the puck, filling space in front of the goaltender’s body, and in a catching position. ‘Glove involvement’ is the use of an active glove, being able to catch pucks in front and around his or her body, pads, etc. While these two definitions are easily explained, the development and use of an active glove is an elite skill that must be mastered and incorporated to advance your game to the next level.

If you look at many of today’s European NHL goalies (Miikka Kiprusoff, Pekka Rinne, and Sergei Bobrovsky) they have the physical ability to prevent rebounds with the use of an active catching glove. The purpose and usefulness behind catching these pucks versus using another type of save selection is the benefit of puck possession. Looking at a common game situation, a player shooting a puck from a distance outside the face-off circles, or long-range shots on poor angles, any height, from 0-12 inches off the ice, can be looking to cause a rebound. Many of today’s North American-style goalies will use either stick involvement or their pads to control the puck, putting it into the corners. Goalies such as Rinne or Kiprusoff have the physical ability to prevent this type of rebound by dropping their glove to the ice (or just slightly off it) and possess the puck for a whistle – a very advanced skill that takes an excessive amount of practice to perfect. Picture an MLB infielder – a third baseman – that can routinely catch and field high velocity, one-hop grounders from less than 40 feet from them and you can understand the tracking and catching ability required to make this look routine.

Many European goalies use their active gloves to prevent rebounds. Using their superior tracking and catching skills, they lower their glove to the ice, and prevent a common shot from becoming a dangerous, weak-side or kill-zone rebound.

To develop this elite skill, in your next practice have an accurate shooter fire pucks low (2-12 inches off the ice) glove side, from 20-40 feet away. Sitting in your butterfly first, track every puck into the pocket of your glove, trying to gain or maintain possession of the puck. Once this skill is mastered, try starting from your stance doing the same drill. You will find as your tracking and glove skills improve, so will your rebound prevention.