Scouting for the goaltender position in hockey can be incredibly difficult. Only a handful of goalies make it to the top level of the sport meaning scouts have their work cut out for them. This article is going to break down the key things scouts look for in a hockey goalie.
Composure
One factor that is weighed heavily by most goalie scouts is composure. It is no secret that the mental side of being a goaltender is an important component of being a successful goalie.
When watching games scouts are going to be sure to keep a close eye on how the goalie reacts to poor games. Body language is a big factor that scouts will look at. If a goalie lets in a goal or two and begins to slouch over in the net this is not a good sign.
Goalies need to have a short memory when it comes to the negative parts of their position. Scouts will also pay closer attention to games a goaltender plays following a bad loss.
Is the goalie able to forget and play at his top form or is he still dealing with the previous loss? These sorts of tests of composure are something any goalie can work on and improve.
If a scout sees a goalie handle the adversity of the position well then that is a great sign.
Size
Size is another huge factor that plays into the goaltending position. Unfortunately, this is not something that a goalie can change.
A goalies size on paper versus their size in the net can often be very different. This makes it important for goalie scouts to see exactly how big or small these goalies really are.
Goaltending is one of the hardest positions to scout as these players will often not find their top level of play until they are in their mid-twenties. For this reason, the size of a goaltender is one of the few factors that you can count on.
If a goalie does not have great technique he can learn to improve that over the years, this isn’t the case with height.
Athletic Ability
When scouting hockey goalies athletic ability is going to be another major factor they look at. Yes, scouts want to see goalies in the proper positioning and technique but their athletic ability can trump those traits.
If a goalie can find consistently find a way to stop the puck due to his athletic traits this is a good sign for the prospect.
When it comes to proper positioning and technique there are plenty of goalies around the world that can do these effectively. But when trying to reach the top levels of the sport those who are athletically gifted are going to shine through.
For this reason, scouts will keep an eye on the quality of the goaltender as an all-around athlete.
Good Statistics
As much as scouts are going to want a goalie to pass the eye test they need to be sure they can get the job done on the ice. One of the best way to get scouts attention is by putting up great statistics in a quality hockey league.
Now of course this is easier said than done but it is important to remember that your statistics will play a role.
Scouts will place the majority of their grade based on what they see on the ice but having good statistics to back up the scout’s opinion is always going to help your case as a goalie. Goals against average, shutouts, and save percentage are a few stats that goalie scouts are likely to pay attention to.