Type and frequency of movement patterns of NHL goalies

[Jani]

I came into across an interesting study that, among the other perspectives, also compared goaltender movement patterns before (season 2003-04) and after (2005-06) the rule changes affecting also the size of goaltenders’ equipment, and thought to share some highlights of the study:

Bell G, Snydmiller G, Game A. An Investigation of the Type and Frequency of Movement Patterns of National Hockey League Goaltenders. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2008, 3, 80-87.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entre ... m=19193955


The result of this study suggests that some of the ways in which goaltenders play and move during a game might have been influenced by the new rule changes. Although it was beyond the scope of this study to list all the rule changes in detail, it can be noted that several of these changes were implemented to have a near-zero tolerance for actions designed to impede the offensive progress of a player and remove the 2-line pass rule to generate more offensive action and scoring. In addition, new size limits were imposed on the goaltenders’ equipment (e.g. leg pads, blocking glove, upper body pads, pants, jersey) to reduce the area they cover in front of the net, and a restriction was imposed to the area on the ice into which the goaltender can move out of the goal area to handle the puck when shot into the offensive zone by an opposing player.

The observations of goaltender actions before and after the rule changes revealed that there was a significant increase in the number of times goaltenders left the goal area to play the puck, moved side to side, telescoped, and used the full butterfly position during games in the 2005–06 season and a significant decrease in use of the half butterfly after the league rule changes. The finding of a greater number of times goaltenders played the puck shot into the offensive zone after the implemented rule change limiting the area in which goaltenders could do this seems to be somewhat contrary to the intent of the rule change to restrict goaltender movement out of the goal area. These observation suggests that goaltenders make a decision to play the puck earlier and move out of the goal area to do this before the puck reaches the zone in which they are not allowed to play the puck. In addition, the observed significant increase in certain movements might attest to an increase in activity in the offensive end during games and provide support for the rule changes that were intended to promote this offensive activity.

How much effect the reduction in size of goaltender equipment had on the observed differences is difficult to determine because we cannot directly compare the same goaltender movements with different-sized equipment. Nonetheless, these observed increases in general activity of goaltenders after the rule changes might imply that the physical-fitness requirements of this position are higher than in previous years, and an improvement in overall conditioning of goaltenders might be warranted. This contention is more plausible, especially considering the recent findings showing that ice hockey goaltenders scored significantly lower on number of push-ups, push and pull upper body strength, repetitions to failure for bench press, medicine-ball toss, and anaerobic power (except for flexibility) than forwards and defensemen. Evidently, further research will be necessary to investigate this contention.

Having read this paper led me to thinking that it has finally been studied what many of us have practically observed for some years ago: the rule changes favor a butterfly-style of play, but also sets greater physical fitness requirements for a goalie to more successfully play in the net.

[Cubanpuckstopper]

Interesting stuff.

In one of the Finnish Language forums, there was a discussion of injuries related to the Butterfly save.

I would like to know how much of the lateral movement (39.7), was done from an upright stance veersus moving laterally with a down push.

[Jani]

Interesting stuff.

In one of the Finnish Language forums, there was a discussion of injuries related to the Butterfly save.

I would like to know how much of the lateral movement (39.7), was done from an upright stance veersus moving laterally with a down push.

In the study lateral movement was defined as "when a goaltender moves laterally to either side of the goal-crease area with either a shuffle move (both skates forward) or a “T” push and glide (lead skate perpendicular to the drive skate)." Unfortunately the authors did not calculate that type of lateral movement pattern you just described.

Generally, the categories of movement patterns and actions performed by goaltenders were decided on after observation of several NHL games by 2 experts and the expertise included a mean of 17 years experience in time–motion-analysis research methods, video analysis of sport movement, coaching, and physiological testing and training of ice hockey players from an amateur to professional level. Two independent observers used a spreadsheet checklist to record the movements and actions of both goaltenders, and the mean of each was recorded for each period and each game.