Goalie Skates

Contrary to popular opinion, a goaltender has to skate and skate well. In fact, it may be argued that the goalie must be the best technical skaters on the entire team. To excel in lateral skating and quick pivoting, a goalie must skate well and wear proper goalie skates. This applies to all goalie hockey skates, whether the sport is ice or inline hockey.

Inline goalie skates differ from regular inline skates in a couple of ways. The construction of goalie’s skates is plastic. Goalie skates have five wheels instead of four. Moreover, the set of the skate is different, closer to the ground.

The same is true for ice hockey goalie skates. The blades of goalie ice skates are closer to the ground than a regular player’s skates. They also tend to be more square than round. This affects the goalie skate radius. This gives them the advantage of greater lateral mobility and stability. These are characteristics more practical and desirable to a goalie than quick turns and speed.

Goalie skating techniques vary from goalie to goalie. Essentially, there are two different types of goalies, the stand up and the butterfly In the past, goalies always stood up. Glenn Hall and Phil Esposito were two exceptions. In the early 1970s, Russian, Vladislav Tretiak, played in the butterfly style. His skill as a player inspired many Montreal Canadien goaltenders to adopt this form. Patrick Roy is one example. His coach, Allaire has greatly influenced the continuance of the butterfly style in the NHL.

A goalie does require a dissimilar series of skating moves than either a forward or defenseman. The shuffle is one standard move of every goalie. It keeps them square to the puck at all times. Another common skating move is the back-step or T-glide. Both require skill and practice to ensure they become part of a goalie’s arsenal.

As for brands, there is a variety of goalie skates on the market. CCM manufactures CCM goalie skates under the Vector series for juniors and seniors, while Nike-Bauer goalie skates include the Vapor XXX known for its performance. Bauer boasts Bauer goalie skates like the Bauer Supreme 6700. These feature foam ankle pads, and anatomical ankle and a foot bed designed for controlling moisture. Graf goalie skates include the Graf Goalie 750.

If you are buying goalie skates, be sure to buy the correct type for you. Young goalies require less protection than intermediate or seniors. Used skates are possible but goalie skate repairs may be more costly than the skate is worth. New skates are fine but for beginners do not go for the top of the line. Wait until you and they are sure that hockey is their sport. What is crucial, however, is to buy the correct size. Wrong fitting skates can cause foot damage and impair the quality of play.