Description
Book Synopsis
Awareness, anticipation, physical conditioning . . . these are just some of the qualities a goaltender needs to bring onto the ice at game time. Excellence requires practice, consistency, and understandingof the position, the situation, and your talents.
No one knows this better than Eli Wilson does. Widely recognized as the leading authority on goaltending, he has worked alongside 30 NHL goaltenders, including Carey Price, Ray Emery, Tuukka Rask, and Brian Elliott.
In Hockey Goaltending, Eli Wilson and Brian van Vliet have created the definitive guide to stopping more pucks, winning more games, and lowering your goals against average. Inside, you will find coverage on every facet of the position:
Selection of the right equipment for fit and functionality
Stance and presence in the net, including footwork, stick placement, and body positioning
Puck stopping, from save selection to execution
Postsave recovery strategies, including controlling and directing rebounds
Tactics for breakaways, odd-man rushes, and wraparounds
Focus and visualization methods to improve the mental game
On- and off-ice drills and training programs for year-round conditioning to increase strength, stamina, speed, and agility
Suggestions for building productive relationships between head coaches, goaltending coaches, and goaltenders
From skills to strategies, equipment to exercises, Hockey Goaltending covers the position like no other. Packed with drills, step-by-step instructions, photos, diagrams, and coaching tips, this book touches on every aspect of the game so you can compete at the highest level.
Trade Review“Eli Wilson’s approach and mindset helped me break into the best league in the world with confidence. Both are on display for you in Hockey Goaltending.”
—Brian Elliott, NHL Goaltender, 2006-present, NHL All Star, 2012, 2015
“Eli is sharing a lifetime’s worth of learned secrets in Hockey Goaltending. I am happy to know that the next Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, or Carey Price will have taken part of their game from my good friend Eli.”
—Ray Emery, NHL Goaltender, 2005-2016
“I have worked with Eli pretty much since I started playing goal as a kid. The things that have always stood out to me are his intensity on the ice and his genuine passion for the position. I continue to enjoy working with him and talking with him about goaltending to this day.”
—Devan Dubnyk, Goaltender for the Minnesota Wild
“Eli Wilson is always exploring and instituting new ways and ideas to help goaltenders become more proficient and consistent in their position. Our goaltending world is an ever-changing environment where technical modifications occur almost yearly, and the dialogue he and I have shared over the past decade has been invaluable to me as a coach.”
—Bob Essensa, Goaltending Coach for the Boston Bruins
Table of ContentsChapter 1. Selecting and Fitting Gear
Chapter 2. Stance and Movement
Chapter 3. Save Execution
Chapter 4. Postsave Recovery
Chapter 5. Puck Handling
Chapter 6. Tactics
Chapter 7. Off-Ice Training
Chapter 8. The Mental Game
Chapter 9. The Complete Goaltender
