Episode 192 with Craig Anderson plus Anchor Pegs
It’s in Gold radio the podcast brought to you by the Hockey Shop Source for Sports the hockey shop.com Craig Anderson he’s been around a long time into his early 40s so long that he was a player during the loss season and also uh went through another work stoppage or
These numbers would be even more exaggerated than they already are and he is one of our favorite guests because he gets right into the meat and potatoes the NOA of go tending and just talks like a regular human being throughout the whole thing uh so I can understand
It and Woody can understand it and Hutch can understand it we’re at three different levels of this whole thing uh and we have also got the Sens Arena feature interview with Craig that uh will deal with his future and uh and dial down that road a little bit as we
Bring in the co-founder of inle radio the podcast and inle magazine Kevin Woodley how are you Woody I’m good I’m good uh I am running around as you are it’s we’re back into the season like I said I love being in the ranks we we we
We touched on that last week back in the rooms talking to the guys about their gear about their game about what’s going on around them but it does get a little busy so this is going to be a quick and tight uh edition of The inold Radio
Podcast cuz we both have to get to the ring for another game day Darren it’s uh it’s been fun but it’s been busy not complaining but uh not a lot of extra hours in the day and it kind of reminds me of Life at the hockey shop right now
Um the hockey shop.com will continue to operate throughout but the folks that run the Hockey Shop store are busy right now getting ready for a move last day at the Sur location will be November 14th first day at the new location will be November 19th and again for those of you
That listen from afar and Shop only through the hockey shop.com they will have their inventory accessible they will be able to ship quickly they will be taking orders online throughout well they transition to the new store but I’m excited Darren to show off the new store
Because once they’re in there we will be too our first gear segment coming out of uh that move will be a quick look as they get everything set up at the exciting news 35,000 square ft of of well I guess it’s not all Goen and
Greatness I Tred to get them to give us the whole store but they’re going to me a good chunk for the goalie section I’m looking forward to sharing it with our listeners what do you think the biggest uh thing that people will notice when they go into the new location without
Giving it all away well I can’t give it all away cuz honestly they’ve kept it secret from me I don’t get to go until they open um honestly I think to me the biggest difference is not having our own floor like as much as it’s going to be
Bigger and better having your own floor down in the basement the lower level having that being dedicated to goal tending was kind of cool so you might have to rub shoulders with players um but hey we have to get changed with them in the locker room too it won’t be that
Bad uh but I’m excited I know they have some really cool um technology coming not all of it’s going to be ready out of the gate uh in terms of sizing seeing yourself in the equipment after you put it on um some really cool features that are
Coming so really excited to bring that to you not just as they open but as they get settled what they call a soft launch on November 19th Darren as they get everything in and they’re open but then as they start to build out and get all the all the little bells and whistles
Lined up I can’t wait for the grand opening that will follow after that is there’s just lots of exciting things season’s on I’m excited about hockey I’m excited about the hockey shop and the hockey shop.com and if you live anywhere near here and let’s be honest we’ve seen visitors from Seattle Calgary like
People drive a long way people fly austral Australia fly in for tournaments just to go to the Hockey Shop see Cam and get fitted for the latest or just the best for their game go tending equipment that’s where we go that’s where you should go make sure you check
Them out the hockey shop.com or if you happen to be in town after November 19th at the new store in Langley gear segments coming up brought to you by the Hockey Shop uh Source for Sports the hockey shop.com talking anchor pegs and we also have Craig Anderson in the green
Room right now and we’re going to speed over to him in just a little bit these feature interview brought to by sense Arena but some stuff going on passing October into November and a very special date uh for us at in go so a couple of
Things a really busy month we come off October big thanks to to October saves uh also a massive thanks John Baston and I I hope I said that right uh of Baston gending for stepping up contacted us on the final final couple of days of the October saves campaign and said hey I’m
A longtime subscriber so I can’t really buy a new subscription and contribute to October saves but what I would like to do is buy 10 oneyear subscriptions for the top 10 USA fundraisers make sure they got a one-year subscription to Engle magazine and that way half the money as all of
Our new subscriptions did in the month of October goes to October save so what a great offer what a great contribution wanted to make sure he stepped up and helped in the fundraising cause and all the great things that October saves does and we stepped up and matched it with 10
Subscriptions to the top 10 Canadian fundraisers so top top 10 in Canada top 10 in USA you all get subscriptions to the inle magazine premium product that’s how we wrap up October uh an exciting month and by the sounds of it a great fundraising month for October saves we
Are happy to play a small role in that and eager to be more involved as the years move forward so in addition to the kry price Jersey the Connor huk sign stick uh and all this all the Engle schwag uh we’ve got the subscriptions going out as well and then the calendar
Turns to November Darren and I’m barely able to get over my tummy ache from all the Halloween cand I8 and what do you know it’s time for international goalie day it was started by our own Paul Campbell the idea floated I think 5 years ago first day that jacqu plant
Wore a mask in a game let’s celebrate it um we’ve done celebrations every year at inol mag.com usually with feature articles we did two things this year and if you haven’t checked it out already make sure you do it maybe pushed down the Page by articles that have gone up
Since but go find our sort of free sampler 15 articles 15 of our favorites from Engle magazine over the past couple of years unlocked free to anyone if you want to get a taste if you’ve listen to the podcast for years and you haven’t really you know bought in or or well I
Guess literally bought in or checked out enough of the ingol mag.com and Ingle premium product Now’s the Time to check out some of our favorite articles for free like Mike Smith Puck handling tips Maria Mountain office Adam francilia with some counter rotation off ice drills carry price Pro reads carry price
Tips on on position and Butterfly movement like we’ve unlocked Mike Smith pod we’ve unlocked like some good stories if you’re not a subscriber doesn’t matter go find it online click through those stories you can read them all for free now give you a taste of what inle premium is all about and then
Second part for November 1st we like to have a feature rather than having one I’d been talking to a bunch of goalies about Carrie Price’s Legacy obviously he he spoke the week before about not being sure if he’d ever play again wanting to and everybody does want him to come back
But maybe not um so I spoke to a bunch of guys about his legacy uh little quotes here and there appeared in an nhl.com piece but Engle gives me the ability to build out those stories so we have like 10 minutes of Carter har talking about his impact
In the story Eric comry and going up this morning one from Casey Des Smith maybe an American golender but impacted by carry just as much as all the Canadian goalies were so that series continues at ingol mag.com and that’s sort of our that’s our celebration of international goalie day series for the
Year so on your phone you’re listening to the podcast and you got some Wi-Fi go over to ingol mag.com and uh and multitask listen and learn and explore ingol mag.com right now as we slide over and again uh Craig Anderson is ready to come on but first we’ve got our gear
Segment brought to you by the Hockey Shop the hockey shop.com source for sports and today we’re talking about anchoring not your body necessarily but the net which allows you so many uh advantages uh to playing the game but it’s a pain in the butt when those post
Slide off isn’t it yeah it’s brutal and we’ve heard a lot about it actually a lot of stories sort of in the media about how brutal it is for goalies that are trying to learn the the game properly at the youth levels and they don’t have proper pegs well guess what
Folks as usual with everything that comes to Goen Cam and the crew at the hockey shop and the hockey shop.com have a solution to keep your net where it’s supposed to to be and keep you playing and get those referees out of your year let’s check in now as he
Explains welcome back to the Hockey Shop Source for Sports we’re down here in goalie Utopia surrounded by all kinds of great goalie gear so why you might ask is there no equipment in this picture we hit it it’s small but important especially have you had problems with your net
Coming off have you ever slide over into the post and kicked your net off with your shin of your boot are you sticking tired of the referees saying it’s your fault because the league you play in whether it’s minor hockey or Adult Hockey beer league all levels even
Junior League say it’s not about the pegs that you can’t actually play goal the way you’re suppos to play goal you’ve kicked off the post brutal seen it right J fortunately thanks to our friends at anchor pegs I’ve actually I’ve actually sold sets to entire leagues at the junior level to try and
Fix this problem the little nubby beer league no good these Beauties will fix you up Cam’s got a set here he’s got it turned around you see the sharp edge comes in and out they arrive with the blunt Edge down but you turn them around screw in the sharp edge adjustable so
You can adjust the height we have blue versions that are plastic that I’ve used you’ve got the guardian pegs that you can buy that wrap the post these are specifically game pegs for gameplay the beauty little heavier so a little more sturdy in the ice yes kind of like a traditional Peg
That goes into the net the other thing is this part here on the top is a little skinnier than the blue plastic the diameter of the post is a little bit easier to be able to slide in because a lot of the actual Nets around town I’ve
Had the crap kicked out of them so the Bottom’s all beat I’ve had it at beer league I yes I am that guy folks I take my own pegs to beer league because I’m sick of the refs telling me penalty for knocking the net off when all I’m trying
To do is my lame attempt at a rvh um the thing with the blue pegs is sometimes that post gets so beat up on the bottom you can’t even put it in this solves this so I don’t know if you can do this in a minor hockey you’ll have to talk to
Your minor the people at your league um but beer Leaguers I know the referees love me when I bring this if you’re sick and tired of having your net knocked off just trying to do your job and taking penalties for it these are a beautiful solution they’ll last you damn near
Forever my set in the plastic version’s like 5 or 6 years old this thing’s all sturdi in metal anchor pegs what are they call the VP f2v what which model is this one V2 FP I mean I should have given him the sweater today I mean he’s
Doing all the sales let me tell you I’ve actually sold let me tell you let me tell you that’s a Salesman mine I’ve sold versions of this to National Hockey League teams humble brag look at this guy just because we all hate it it happens in the NHL too folks believe me
They get the some morning skates and they don’t put the marsh pegs clearly Kevin is very passionate about a set of pegs for your net you need your net to stay on it’s a problem this this is your solution and cam has it in stock at the
Hockey Shop sourcer sports or online at the hockey shop.com make sure you check it out if you got questions I’m actually going to let him speak if you have questions where can they get you oh perfect 64589 8299 or 1800 5677 7790 he’s got the facts I’ve got the passion if you
Want to hear rants about goalie pegs hit me up if you want to actually buy something that’ll make your life easier hit cam up at here at the hockey shop stores for sports or the hockey shop.com can we get a word counter on how many I
Got in I think it was like five or six best you’ve ever sounded my friend check us out anchor pegs they will make your life so much better get them now at the Hockey Shop they’re awesome roll reversal with you guys this week on
On the gear segment you and Camp I did a lot of talking and I it wasn’t planned that way but as you can tell I’m kind of passionate about the pegs um it’s funny I played a I had a skate the other day um just a just a local group of guys new
Skat starting out um some guys from one of my other skates and the goalie at the other end actually ended up being a junior B goalie locally and he saw that I brought my pegs I’m like don’t worry we don’t have to play on beer league
Pegs he’s like oh that like he was like yes and he said that they had them in his League I’m like yeah I know I sold I sold your league 35 sets like five years ago so um the upside here is they also last folks they’re still using them in
That league and I sold them to that League uh five years ago because they were having the same problem like this isn’t this is an epidemic at times like Junior leagues where kids Futures are being decided they’re not going into the post properly because they’re paying on playing on those crappy little nubby
Beerle pegs and then the referee comes over and said you knocked it off on purpose like it’s you know frankly it’s absurd there is a solution uh we’ve used anchor pegs for a long time I think it’s brilliant of Cam to stock it in store the pegs that we just described there um
And make sure you check out the video so you can see them in person as always our gear segments are sort of uh what do we call them simoc cast on YouTube and and Instagram TV so you’ll be able to check them out there um a different version we
Have sort of the tall blue plastic ones these ones are metal they’re heavier um and they’re a little skinnier so two things happen one because they’re not as tall that post is for sure going to come off if somebody goes sliding into it right so it’s not like you’re anchoring
It to the point where you’re risking injury for players running into the post but two we see the Nets get so beat up at the bottom that some of the like full thickness plastic blue pegs I go to play I can’t even get them in the net it’s so
It’s so beat up and so this solves that problem as well so they’re the game ready pegs from anchor pegs at the hockey shop.com make sure you check it out I have a feeling after this gear segment they’re going to sell out quickly so Cam’s already reordered new
Inventory you know why they get beat up at the bottom I don’t people probably drag them across the no because players put them in and they don’t know how to put pegs in a net and they put the peg in the ice and then they drop
The net on top and that affects the opening of the post uh where where the peg slides in see I was that’s that’s that’s why those things get bent because players are so lazy that they put the post in first and then drop the net on top see that’s the beauty about bringing
My own pegs and everybody can Shir me all they want for taking my own pegs to beer league um but I also put them in I always check with the other goon like hey do you want these here’s how you put them in cuz I got to make sure I get
Them back we actually our league actually bought them again um after seeing me bring them the referees love me they love me every time I’m there because they don’t have to chirp at the goalies all the time about the net coming off right like it makes it so
Much easier and better for everyone I think all leagues should buy them that the the caveat being you got to make sure you tell your referees to take them out at the end of each game cuz that’s what happened in our league they actually did buy them on mass and they
Went missing pretty quick yeah uh do you bring two sets I bring two sets when you play so when you switch ends if if a pickup skate and you’re changing it after games to five you you’ve got them at both ends I’ve got them at both ends
I’m not going to pull them out and drag them across the ice like I’ve got them at both ends and no I just thought you might play one game without them yeah no no one one period without them no you could do that but and sometimes I have
To cuz the Nets too beat up but yeah no I I bring two sets and you know maybe that makes me a little extreme and people who know my the warm-up stick stories know that yes I am a little extreme but yeah I’ve even got a set of
The anchor P or the guardian ones that have the post protector on them um oh really yeah I like that one yeah yeah except on my Monday night skate they started chirping me by saying that I was getting an my post was thicker so they were saying that I was pucks that they
Think we’re going in we’re just catching a piece of that I’m like give me a break you guys so I had to that’s when I bought a second set of the uh of the actual standard game ready pegs and and started using those instead these guys
Are brutal as if they don’t light me up enough I love your passion just just like the guy that goes to the gym before everybody else and brings the rest along that’s what you do with us you bring us along with a passion for goal tending
Pal drag into the fight there we go I’m dragging everyone into this fight and it is clearly a fight I’m passionate about like again I’m just a beer Leaguer who really cares but man when I watch these kids playing high level where there’s evaluators in the stands and they can’t
You know they they spend all summer working on their game and how to properly integrate into a post and as soon as they do it the Nets off and the referee yelling at them it’s absurd get it fixed get yourself some anchor Peg get them from the hockey
Shop.com and and I bet you goalie schools love it too because they don’t have to have four goenda doing their their movements did you see that’s another Advantage did you see that from maybe we need to sell some to Finland because I I I thought it was funny when Columbus arrived over there
For the global series um there was a video and one of the goalies if I’m not mistaken it might have been Danel terasa who hey by the way kids a stud um on the back of the net while they did goalie drills and and somebody from the team
Actually put it out there like oh he’s get a he’s getting a closeup view of the footwork of the goalie in the net and I’m like no he’s just keeping the net on every goalie in the world knows exactly what’s going on here they don’t have
Those pegs in properly and so listen it happens at the NHL level I can tell you I won’t name names but during the bubble in 2020 the Edmonton practice rink did not have proper pegs drilled into the ice and I know a goalie who sustained a s somewhat significant had to come out
Of his series injury trying to push off a post that wasn’t anchored and the post gave way and he pulled a groin wow so practice facilities get these things if you don’t have the already uh plastic pegs that drill into the ice and one more sort of testimonial
For me like if you if like this does exist up to the NHL you see when NHL teams do these small area games I have facilitated the sale or helped or sold directly to I want to say up to at least double digit it’s got to be like 10 or
11 teams that I’ve sold anchor pegs to um so that they a make sure they don’t run into that problem on the road uh the plastic versions are really light and travel easy uh and B when they play the small area games again you’re not risking your goalie getting hurt because
The Net’s not in properly at least it’s not it’s not quite to a marsh Peg NHL standard but it gives you some Chance some bite of pushing off that post and and not having it go the other way yeah and those small area games are are huge
But uh yeah the marsh Pags aren’t working over there you’re not putting the reinstalling the the steel and the the because there is a a foundation for those pegs to go in already installed in the ice it’s not like they just drill and augur out some of the ice hey we got
Craig Anderson uh coming up for our feature interview brought to you by sensoren sensoren VR you know Craig Anderson is as old school as they come and we’re going to get into that into the interview and boy have I talked to Eric comery and that relationship has been fascinating like Eric has wisely
Just glommed onto Craig Anderson as a guy who’s more technical and is learning as much as he can from Craig like what a great back and forth that relationship is I don’t know that I would consider Craig Anderson a guy who’s likely to go into Data analysis but he might surprise
Us you can go into Data analysis using the 3D replay tool on sense arena for more insight and receive personalized recommendations according to your stats you’re not just stopping pucks we we’ve talked to you know speaking of Eric Comer he talks about this sometimes he’ll get sort of in the virtual net in
Sense Arena and not even worry about stop pucks he’ll just sort of let them go by sort of in his butterfly at a certain position and then use the replay tool the 3D 3D replay to watch from the puck perspective and see how little he would have had to move or how close
Those pucks are to him you know the ones that go by him as well as the ones he stops like it’s a great tool for understanding your positioning better and because of the stats that they track there you can can use that to sort of find where you’re missing and try and
Dial it in further so data analysis 3D replay just two of the tools that are included in every sens Arena subscription um right up to the NHL guys are using this if you haven’t already make sure you check it out at sens arena.com and of course use the in goal
Magazine I think it’s inle 50 to to receive an additional $50 off your purchase um there’s no better way not everyone gets to get on the ice like NH guys every day they want to for those of us that need to fill in the gaps between ice times and practice there’s no better
Tool than sense Arena how about that kind of Technology would have been like Eye in the Sky thinking wow a futuristic Flintstones to the Jetson type uh jump when Craig Anderson started in the National Hockey League and it’s it’s here for him a guy that’s been around
Going on into his third decade yeah and uh I mean just well we’ll get into it like let’s let let’s hear it from him why is he still playing cuz I had I I mentioned this to him I had lunch with him when I was in Florida for a week to
Sort of watch Roberto Luongo and be on the ice with Roberto and Robbie Talis uh Craig lives right around uh the The Practice Facility there in in Sunrise Florida and was out for sort of the the drop in skate the the Pro Skate that
Goes on there and it is like it’s a Pro Skate a Pro Skate so vkin comes up from Miami like it’s it’s a hell of a skate and just ran into him there he’s like let’s go grab lunch and and he told me then and this is back when he was still
With Ottawa that he thought it would be his last season well here we are all these years later he’s still playing let’s hear from him why really excited welcome back to the inle radio Podcast Second Time guest Craig Anderson and I got to be honest with you
Andy I wasn’t sure we were going to get you back on the show I remember about four or five years ago being in Florida going for lunch and you saying something along the lines of that being your last year and here we are like I said four or five years later I
Top the NHL and say percentage still kicking so I got to ask what keeps you going is it just a love for the position uh yeah I mean the Love of the Game I think you know one more year has kind of been the The Motto every summer um for
For whatever reason kind of a joke now with everybody there um just it’s like hey Andy one more year right and we just kind of chuckle about it but yeah I mean there were some personal goals obviously to meet and I got to those last year and
Um you know I think you know the the group that is there in Buffalo with with the staff um and the players and just the vibe that’s that’s going on right now uh it was just too hard to not come back when you know they expressed interest that that they wanted me to
Come back so there just it was like a perfect storm that just kind of came together and and that’s kind of where we’re at it’s funny you mentioned the personal Milestone sent you a note after 300 I don’t know that people realize how big of a Mark that is for a
Goenda lot to you I remember last year at the start of the Season we had Yus laav hakon and I know how important that is to him like it’s a major driving thing how how big was it to you to get to that it was big it been out there for
A while and obviously uh I missed a good portion of 17 I got hurt I think a couple years before that when Hammond went on his like 25 win run yeah um so there was a bunch of you know things that happened in my life that that
Didn’t allow me to get there so when the opportunity arrives to to have an opportunity to get get there forced myself to jump at it um you know and I think that’s that’s thing there’s only whatever 30 some odd goalies have ever done it so it’s it’s pretty rare and you
Know pretty proud accomplishment for myself but also that you know the family’s proud of that as well it is it’s a pretty short list like you said what uh you you talked about the Sabres and how good they are as one of the driving forces here um the game has
Changed in front of you significantly we hear a lot about I mean every year I feel like the talk is about offense being up we’ve seen you know the game be become so East West so dynamic what how do you see it like how do you see the
Game evolving in front of you and the adjustments that you’ve had to make as a goenda excess movement um you know whatever that might be East West plays playing the park whatever whatever you you know you want to break down as you watch the games more than I do but um in
As I’ve gotten older more experience you you you read you read the play a little bit better you recognize Tendencies and habits there’s so much video on guys now that you know you know what team’s Tendencies are you know what they’re trying to do and you know you just
Adjust your game accordingly and and that’s the biggest thing uh you know I’m not you know I’m not like I was when I was 25 and you’re all over the map chasing the game and you you as you get older you you gain the experience of
Letting the game come to you and does that mean like is that as simple is you know a little less backwards flow like you said taking a little less ice that’s been a trend I think we’ve seen around the league there’s not as many guys that
Are you are coming out on for example a rush play outside of the crease and retreating with it as you said letting it come to you it feels like a lot of guys are just sort of staying home and waiting and then that East West movement
Is a lot shorter than it would be if say that lateral pass were to go through and you’re a couple feet outside the blue yeah I mean goalies are are getting better at uh you know reading the play goalies are you know a little bit bigger
Than they used to be um you know you see still them a smaller goalies still have to play outside that paint um but again it’s it’s reading the play I mean there’s times when you need to play deep there’s times when you need to to come
Out and attack regardless of of the size that you are and um you know again that’s just I think the goalies have just gotten better and evolved um you know you’ve got obviously you’re Elite but you know your middle of the- pack goalies are all much better
Than the middle of the pack goalies that used to be here so that’s just the the evolution of the game of of goalies learning and getting better you you mentioned video and uh so like I gotta ask like are you a big video guide do
You do a lot of preparation in terms of watching other teams and preparing for other teams uh whether it’s Tendencies on the power play or how like how does video play a role in your game at this point we’ve got a really good goalie coach that does all the video for us and
He’ll bring you know some guys really like to watch video he’ll just bring I you know hey this team likes to throw pux to the net they like to do East West this line in particular does this I mean so it’s more of a verbal thing from the
The goalie coach who watches endless amounts of video um you know I don’t need to sit there and watch video I just it’s it’s this is the general consensus of what you know X Y and Z players are trying to do um you know maybe they know
The coaching staff and kind of their style of play it’s so yeah I mean I don’t look into it it’s and then as far as watching video it’s more or less watching as many 1985 saves as you can make on video video and make saves and
We laugh about them for the most part well shout out to Mike Bales for having that video ready for you one of the best um you make a joke about the 1985 saves but we saw we saw I don’t know if it’s quite 85 but like we saw one here in
Vancouver the other night and we had a laugh about it um sort of straight up Nabokov old school pads together sharp angle through JT Miller for a fit uh on a dead angle shot when you talk about watching video I mean these guys do right like forwards are breaking down
Video of goenda are doing it for them what do you think that conversation is like when they when they pull out a clip and Craig Anderson is stacking the pads or or or just standing straight up on dead angles and is that a bit of a lost
Art in terms of how you know sometimes you don’t always need to be in a reverse or a VH you can you can still stand up and take a few of those yeah I think just having a variety of of save selections is is probably the best way
To to goenda would say these days I mean there you said there’s so much video there’s so many Tendencies of guys hey when the in the corner This Guy’s in Reverse VH here’s there’s holes here here and here and um you know I’m sure there’s some breakdowns on on my game
Where where they can exploit and the best thing about it is I don’t even know what I’m going to do next so it’s t for someone that’s pres scouting you to say hey I know he’s going to do X Y and Z because honestly it’s it’s read and
React and make the best choice possible for that time uh to make the save so um I can do reverse I can do uh regular VH I can do standup I don’t I don’t even know I’ve heard this term panda out there and I have no clue what it is I’ve
Tried looking it up and I can’t seem to figure it out so um if someone can can steer me in the right direction on that one that’d be great so then I can incorporate that into my game I I’ll send you a link because it’s a good
Story I think you get a kick out of why it’s named the panda so they uh it’s basically just a flattened out overlap and when they went to make a name for it they realized it looked like a panda rubbing its ass against a piece of bamboo the way the
Goalie has his butt on the post and that’s how they named it so um we’ll have to send you a link on that one it’s funny though you you would you say it like unpredictability in an era where goal tending has become somewhat similar from one goalie to the next as much as
There are strengths and styles you like no two are unique there is sort of a a fingerprint element to each go tender in terms of strengths and weaknesses a lot of guys do look the same like do you think like that unpredictability can be a big Advantage for you at this point in
Terms of giving guys different looks maybe on the same play yeah like I said it’s kind of a read and react so um like guess it you know I know Marty bder back in the day used to give the whole side of the net forc the guy
To shoot glove side and make himself look beautiful on the glove save so um you know that whole bait and switch thing was was an art they he he fine-tuned and was able to do it to an expertise so um can that still apply like or is that a lost start like is
That can that even work in today’s game with the skill and speed of guys or can you still bait a little bit Yeah I think if you get beat with it you look silly and that’s just not a good look either so you have to play honest as best you
Can um there’s certain situations where you you know I’ve seen it time and time again where a guy tries to shoot High glove and fans out and goes five full and every goalie will try to read the play or the situation so I mean it’s not
Like the Art’s gone it’s just you know no goalie wants to be off his angle knowing you know if you get beat um you know that you don’t want that to be a tendency where the guy get known as a cheater uh you know in goalie terms so
To speak well and you’ve got a half a million goalie social media experts that are willing to show you video of how far you are off the angle if it doesn’t work probably doesn’t help yeah that’s that’s yeah I mean that’s the other thing everyone’s got an opinion now everyone
You know has has their way of doing it um you know what works for me is not going to work for you know 16-year-old Johnny and that’s that’s just the nature of it um I’ve gone through numerous goalie coaches and numerous drills and numerous different movements and you try
Each one and and if it doesn’t work it doesn’t work you move on to the next and that’s that’s the nice thing about being at our levels um you have the opportunity to to try everything but at the end of the day the only thing that
Matters is if you stop F well said um Eric comr another new playing partner for you this year a guy who probably you know is more on the technical side of things what’s it like you know to have a a new partner like that and I mean Eric
Is is a kid I I’ve known for a while and I’m a big fan of in terms of just he wants to soak everything up um what’s that relationship been like and what’s it been like to sort of have have you know be there with a guy who does things
Very differently the the Eric’s been great his work evic is exponentially better than mine ever was um which is unbelievable he’s he’s first guy on the ice last guy off always doing extra whether he’s starting that night or not he’s always out there working so that’s
Um you know a credit his personality and his work ethic um you know he’s got nothing but nice things to say about every single player he’s ever met I mean we’ve kind of picked and and prodded at at different goalies and players and and he’s like I said I’ve been trying to get
Him to say one bad thing about anybody it’s he can’t do it like the guy’s just got got such a a nice Aura and a nice personality and he finds the good in everybody and we’ve had some great conversations and uh his path has been very um unique you know very similar to
My unique path as far as you know waivers different teams trying to find a place and get the opportunity and you know he’s in a perfect spot right now to to have the opportunity to to show what he has he’s at that age where he’s kind
Of figured out the mental side of the game a little bit as well so he’s kind of gone through all the the bumps and bruises of a of a goalie uh in their young career and now he’s ready to kind of take that ball and run with it so I’m
Excited to be around him and he brings a good good aura good energy that that you know when he’s out on the ice 30 minutes early it’s not a good look when I show up right on time so now I got to go out early and keep working on my game so
It’s it’s it’s been a good a good uh good kind of teammate and a good you know um bonding type thing that we’ve had as far as uh you know anything that that can go um our way has kind of gone our way so far and he’s been a big part
Of that and I’m looking forward to continue to work with him and you know getting out on the ice early with him too uh it’s it’s funny you mentioned mental game I think that from a very early age now when I look at goalie coaching and and youth sports and I know
And I know you’ve got kids playing Youth Sports maybe not hockey but you know like football and baseball I think are big ones for for for your boys the amount of sort of technical instruction that happen happens at a young age like it just feels like it’s off the charts
Um and I’m not even saying it’s a bad thing like um but I I do wonder about that mental side like does it just take experience you talked about the mental side with Eric does it just take experience and timing and figuring it out or there things we should maybe be
Doing different to help kids or young goalies sort of you know get there a little sooner maybe um with I guess in in it’s managing your emotions right that’s that’s the biggest thing in and you know to this day you know you’re still there’s going to be times in games where
You can’t manage it and the older you get the more experience you get in life you manage your you manage your emotions as a parent you manage your emotions the longer you’re a parent the better you manage your emotions with your kids so um you know I think that’s the biggest
Message every every student of the game is gonna be different right like one of my sons is picks up a baseball bat can just hit the ball naturally the other one really needs to be broken down and here’s X Y and Z here’s why you do it
And here’s how you do it and then he’ll do it he’ll do it great I’m very similar to XYZ here’s how we do it here’s why we do it and then move on so every student every player is going to have their own kind of uh path as far as learning you
Know physical game mental game um some people may need to experience some people may to be told how to experience it so you know so it’s just on a case-by casee basis and you can give them guidelines but you know you got to figure out what works best for each
Player and that’s where our goalie coach comes in and that’s that’s his job to kind of figure that out and do what’s best for each individual I’m curious if you know at at this point in your career if you had a chance if you could hop in
A time machine and go talk to you know first year Pro Craig Anderson um about that side of things like what would be the advice how would you make it resonate in terms of finding that ability to manage the emotions you know my first year Pro was
A rough one I took the time that entire summer to sit down with a a sports psychologist and really realize that that was I had a lot of holes in my game one was my strength the other was my mental side but um it takes it takes a
Lot of I guess for me it it took a huge negative season or a huge kind of a season where you you feel like you don’t belong to kind of go hey what am I doing wrong and you know I’ve had those a couple times in my career and you know
How quickly can bounce back so I’ve always been told it’s not what happens to you but it’s how you respond so my response uh you know has been been great um to be able to allow myself to do this for a long time and um you know some
Other people may not get the response that that gets them you know an extended career some people have that um you know that that experience and have a negative response and then they get tagged as a a negative player or a negative whatever and they’re not able to bounce back and
Get that second opportunity I was very fortunate to have multiple opportunities um you know but again it was the mindset of make the most out of the opportunity you have you get set back take three steps back to go five steps forward I’m curious do you still watch a lot of
Hockey I mean you’ve played it played so much do you watch do you watch games when you’re not playing do you watch other teams like do you watch other goalies is there anyone you love to watch still or are you more focused on your own game at this point yeah okay no
I mean if I’m not it’s it’s usually trying to follow the kids stuff got technology now to watch their stuff so my time is split up mostly on that and I don’t know I just I don’t find watching sports that entertaining um I’d rather be doing than watching
Right that’s I guess that’s why I’m still playing it that makes sense and I said especially with with all the youth sports you got to watch still I do the other one I wanted to ask you was you know just being able to still play play I read that you know swimming was
Something you did a lot of this summer if there’s advice that you can share not just like forget all these young I saw Carrie Price today talking you know like to advice for young golender on how to stay healthy long um what about the rest
Of us like that are trying to play beer league in our late 40s like how do you keep healthy enough to play the position like do you are you a cross training guy like I said the swimming what’s been your focus that’s allowed you physically
To keep going at this at this stage um yeah this most a lot of swimming is not a big I don’t like the B I don’t like the run running’s hard on the joints um swimming seemed like it was the best total body workout where you were kind
Of getting a workout but you didn’t really feel like you were getting a workout because it wasn’t you know as strenuous as you know doing deadlifts and squats and all that stuff so um you know I really enjoyed it’s something that I enjoyed to do so it wasn’t like a
You know sometimes when you get dragged to the gym you’re tired you don’t feel like doing it like just jumping in getting to the pool was something that was enjoyable to me and and it kind of killed two birds with one stone um the main thing has been as far as
From the goal is playing is find a find a routine that that that opens up your hips and keeps your hips loose because as soon as your hips start to go you lose your butterfly and then your back starts to go and everything starts to compensate so we’ve kind of found a nice
Routine here we’ve got great staff in Buffalo here um had great staff pretty much everywhere I’ve gone but um you kind of late in my career I spent a lot of time on the table now and I understand why Eddie belf was on the table all the time in Florida when I
Play with him and you just you you have to take the time to make sure you’re 100% mobile more mobile than strong I guess at this age um right in your game where you need to be able get into those positions you know whatever the the game
Or save may call for and uh and not get hurt so that’s that’s been the main thing is just trying to find the flexibility and the range of motion and and stay in limber and it’s been a lot of a lot of warm-up time it’s been you
Know about an hour each day between tables and and gym trying to get warmed up to the ice so uh you know as far as the old days of getting to the rank and throwing the gear on it just doesn’t work that way anymore yeah I know that
Sounds a lot like what Roberto lwanga was going through towards the end of his career just an you know an extended get the hips get the body moving process and and if you don’t take care of it uh your body won’t take care of you so is it is
It like last one is there like is it a blend of like yoga and stretching and like all kinds of different disciplines in there just to something that keeps those hips mobile and i’ I’ve had a lot of guys talk about that too like as much
As it’s a the whole body has to be taken care of for a goalie it really is all about those hips yeah it it’s a lot of soft tissue with the trainers and then activation after that so once you get them all nice and limber then it’s making sure that uh they’re activated
And moving so um a lot of hip I guess they call them cars where you’re going through all the range of motion uh trying to fire the low back and all kind of muscles and the core to hold everything in place so well if your hips
Are kind of staying in line and keeping that ball in socket where it’s supposed to be is kind of what we’re kind of working on and and it seems to be working so far through the first uh you know six weeks of of the Season well here’s to it working for another six
Years uh cuz I’m starting to have trouble imagining a National Hockey League without Craig Anderson to bug at least once a year when you come through town and talk hockey uh I always enjoy it Andy thank you so much for spending the time I know our audience will take a
Lot out of this um just listening to you talk about the game and reading the game and how you take care of yourself it’ll help it’ll help a lot of other goalies out there today so thank you so much for the time yeah no problem just shoot me a
Text this summer and just say one more year on it and I’ll laugh 100% you know it’s coming now all the best Craig thanks again all right thank you have a good night my favorite part of that is because I heard a a goalie coach say one
Time about uh uh lower levels and a goalie was complaining like I can’t believe I let that one and he’s like they don’t know where they’re going so how would you know where they’re going to shoot this is the opposite Craig saying uh I don’t know what I’m going to
Do so they can’t dial in on my predictability so it’s it’s great for safe selection and what an interesting angle of it yeah you know what um there I think there’s a value and unpredictability there’s a value in shown different looks now obviously you have to have your anchors and and there
Are certain things you want to do in certain moments to give you the best chance but we saw it here in the with the JT Miller one I talked about like I talked to JT now I can’t remember if it was before or after I talked to Andy
Again for this interview but I remember going in and talking to JT afterwards about that little exchange like he didn’t and he’s just like he was he was and and people be like oh like Craig just like it here’s the thing it’s not just about making the save in that
Situation cuz JT wasn’t trying to score from that angle but by just going old school and the boff both p s together against the post and kick literally kicking it out with one of the one of the legs he kicked the rebound out past JT
Miller on the same side when I talked to JT Miller he was assuming Craig was going to go into reverse he was trying to throw it off the pads and have it go into the middle so it’s not just the save but it was the garbage second
Opportunity Rebound in the middle of the ice that JT was trying to create that Craig prevented by showing a different look so Robin laners talked about it with me and Vegas I know he’s out right now but in past years about you know unpredictability we see John Gibson go
Sort of you know one knee down have butterfly saves every once in a while like I don’t know that you can rely too heavily on that but when you read the game as well as Craig does and have the ability to throw different looks 100% there’s value there I saw Gibson make a
Tow up P save last week not tow up glove save windmill that uh that we do see a little more often but a tow up pad saved knocking it up that was unusual and I I appreciated it very much I saw Gibson get beat from the top of the circles on
A wrist shot off the rush trying to go tow up and the shooter read it went right between the legs so this is the line listen I love those saves too and this I’m a big John Gibson guy but this is where that you have to find that line
Roberto leango who I think we should should you know couple weeks from the Hall of Fame here remember when we had him on um for I think it was for one of the segments on inl mag.com where we did it with hockey Canon and then we we were
Allowed to share the whole hour interview with him he talked about one of his sort of non-negotiables is he hates to half butterfly like give me a butterfly create that seal and take away that space so not everybody’s on board with the different looks uh and there
Are times where it might burn you but for me I I I love seeing it and I love when you talk to guys about why they did it and find out there’s a reason I love talking to the shooters afterwards cuz they’re like what the just happened and
People can get all of this what the and what happened over at inol mag.com lots of stuff happening uh with this beautiful celebration that we have in November yeah and we’ll keep that up online November 1st International goalie day shout out to Paul Campbell our own Paul Campbell for launching it you know
That may have passed but the free article will remain up that free article celebrating you’ll see it it has a picture of plant and a bunch of stories around it like teases for stories click that link head in if you haven’t already if you’re not an Engle premium
Subscriber this is your chance to check out um what we’re all about like tips and drills carry Bryce Pro reads Carter har um Roberto leango how to use Windows on plays behind the net like we’ve got we sort of touched a lot of different bases off ice with Maria mountain and
Adam francilia all there all free all unlocked for anyone to read give you a taste of what we’re all about at inold premium make sure you check it out at in mag.com and this is the best part about uh working with people like Kevin Woodley and David huderson they’re at
The rank too Woody you got to get to the rink so scaddle scattle all right there’s uh Kevin Woodley thanks to uh cam over at the hockey shop as well as Craig Anderson from the Buffalo Sabers for joining us hope you enjoyed it we can’t wait to talk to you next week on
Ingle radio the Podcast
Episode 192 of the InGoal Radio Podcast, presented by The Hockey Shop Source for Sports (https://www.thehockeyshop.com/collections/goalie-hockey-equipment) , features Craig Anderson of the Buffalo Sabres plus a look at Anchor Pegs and why Woody never leaves home without them.
In the feature interview, presented by Sense Arena (https://www.sensearena.com/for-goalies) , Anderson, currently the oldest player in the NHL talks about his personal evolution as the game has changed around him, the value in being unpredictable with shooters, working with Eric Comrie and much more.
All that, plus our weekly plus a trip to The Hockey Shop Source for Sports for a look at Anchor Pegs – a great solution for those terrible pegs found in most rinks that prevent goalies from playing the way the game is now taught. And yes, our own Kevin Woodley packs two sets to every game and explains why you might want to consider it yourself.
