Goaltending, and the art of playing the position has traditionally been a point of national pride in Canada. So much so that the Canadian Hockey League, encompassing the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, have put new rules in place regarding the focused development of more Canadian netminders.
It’s a hero’s role waiting to be filled. Unfortunately, there are fewer young men lining up to fill the hero’s role.
The saying used to be, a goalie is only as good as the team in front of him. However, at many junior levels it’s often the play of the netminder that dictates a team’s success rate.
Last year the Ontario Minor Hockey Association removed a goaltender relief rule permitting goalies to move unpenalized from their local district to a district needing a goaltender. A clear indication of how the development of young goaltenders in Canada are being the developed is found in that Minor Hockey rule change.
The critical break off point for goalies begins with the bantam age group, not only in Canada, but in the United States as well, where players wanting to play the position are increasingly becoming an endangered species.
This season the Newmarket Minor Hockey Association had no less than five teams, including one each at the bantam and midget levels, that operated with just one goalie.
NMHA actually introduced a reduced rate policy last season in order to address the shortage, and is ramping up the effort for the coming season.
Many parents and players are now citing the cost of equipment, and training are partly to blame for the lack of interest in the position. Hockey, ice time travel and competitive costs are high enough, factor in $2000 to $4000 for goaltender equipment on an annual basis and families simply cant afford to play the position.
While the costs of equipment and expense of playing are not going to come down, some minor hockey associations are taking it upon themselves to purchase new goaltender equipment and raffle the equipment off each year. The hope is that by decreasing the cost, they will create more interest.
The CHL has banned the drafting of European goaltenders in the hope of raising interest and creating opportunity for more Canadian netminders. While a nice gesture, it does not address the root of the problem. If you have no young netminders developing in youth hockey, you will not have enough to develop in the CHL either.
The CHL, and Hockey Canada would be well served to create a program in concert with goaltending equipment manufacturers that would provide a discount, or financially subsidize the purchase of goaltending equipment to the point where it will be equal to or less expansive than the cost to play as a forward or defenseman.
While quantity does not equate to quality, it does afford one the opportunity to have more players interested and training to fill the positions.
Joe Hughes
