Episode 223 with Scott Ratzlaff and CCM’s EFlex 6 Chest Protector
On the shoulders of Vegas Wi-Fi it’s inle radio the podcast with the creators of inle magazine David Hutcherson and Kevin Woodley I’m Darren Mard down in Las Vegas we’ve got you covered all over the gending world Woody and Hutson heading into the uh really the interior
Of gold tending uh this week we’ll hear all about that as well as some happenings in around the go tending World our feature interview is coming up as well as our gear segment talking about the eflex chesty uh coming up in just a little bit but uh gentlemen uh
You guys must be excited about where you’re headed in a couple of days would he never a bad time to go to the Okanagan uh up in the interior of British Columbia it’s kind of there’s like for those that aren’t familiar it’s like a little desert area famous for its
Vineyards and its Wineries and uh also a place where you know I mean I always used to say you can’t hit a nine iron without running into an NH I mean that might be an exaggeration might you know I’m not hitting as far as I used to so maybe might need a a
Fivewood but they are everywhere up there we’ve spent time up there with kri price Mike Smith has retired there has been there for a couple years like there’s just goalies and NHL players everywhere the pro skates are phenomenal and the week we get to go up and take
Part in with net 360 uh Alpha hockey agency run by Ray pcow and Adam francilia on the training side come together to uh put together a week of just really high-end goal tending a goal sing training and we get to be on the ice so we can bring you some drills and
Some ideas and some interviews and that’s where we’re headed tomorrow Hut what do you focused on this year you know what it’s always just a surprise Darren because we hit the ice and the way it works is they have groups of two goenda with two coaches uh at a net and
Then they rotate who works with who uh throughout the week and we’re never quite sure in the first couple of days what they’re going to be doing so for us it’s just really exciting exting times to to bounce from ice sheet to ice sheet net to net just to see who’s teaching
And what they’re teaching towards the end of the week we have a bit of a better idea because some of the curriculum sort of recycles as they work with different goendale of the Canadian Nation team is going to be up there uh at net 360 so really looking forward to to seeing her
Work we’ve uh been able to spend a little bit of time off ice and and see her in the gym but haven’t seen her on the ice up close yet so I’m pretty excited about that part for sure Woody it’s always fun to play uh and hang out
With a person from Brand Manitoba isn’t it love everybody from Manitoba great part of the world yeah present company included hey um I got to mention I’ve been working with Shan Burke Brendon Burke and Scott row uh this week at Valley gending they have the uh weeklong
Camp in in Vegas it’s I love being back on the ice doing a goalie School uh with the guys with Valley gending and seeing all the new gear up close that’s been one of the the the great things about along with the new teaching techniques
And and so forth but uh some of the the slide plates that are on the warrior gear uh that uh uh was uh kind of stands out uh to you true gear uh the kids have uh along with a ton ton of CCM and Bower setups thanks for the invite d y
Appreciate it you guys were invited you guys are too busy that’s the issue I rolled out the red carpet with my house for you guys and you guys were like we’re too busy yeah we just just just teasing are you’re right it has it’s been a crazy summer and it’s about to
Get crazier from net 360 we’ve got some other things lined up with NHL goendale at the end of the month so it’s nuts but we are are glad to hear that you’re down there on the ice representing I hope representing in in go paraphernalia at sha bur’s camp and
That must be I wish we were there we really wanted to be there we’re going to have to make that happen uh in one of these subsequent Summers because you know we had Brandon on the uh podcast and we’ve obviously talked to sha a couple times over the years and I’m
Guessing there’s just a ton of teaching and learning and uh pretty cool experiences going on down there right now and Sean’s been holding court on a couple of different occasions uh just regaling us with stories from his time with the Olympic teams and then to to the National Hockey League and his
General managership uh along with gending Coach but uh ran uh world championship and Olympic teams uh on the subject of uh go tending in your neck of the woods uh Lauren basat getting his day with the Stanley Cup and then Aiden Hill and Logan Thompson uh have back-to-back days uh with the Vegas
Golden nights they’re in Calgary and they’re going to sort of share their two days together as they played for the same Minor Hockey Association so uh big couple of days for western Canada on the goal tending scene with the Stanley house yeah yeah I forgot about the the
Fact that it’s all Western Canadians that are part of that celebration obviously Jonathan Quick will will be back on the east coast of the US but um I’m going to be there for the public portion of bruis covering it for nhl.com and have to send some photos along
That’ll probably be up on our social media probably by the time people listen to this actually because that’s tomorrow and nice to see I like how Logan uh um and Aiden have combined so and all three of them right like making sure it’s a pretty limited time for these guys that
They have with the cop and there’s things they want to do with their family and their friends and celebrate privately so to make sure they take a big chunk out of those days to have a public celebration to bring it back to the Arenas or the areas where they
Played minor hockey I think that’s pretty cool and I’m looking forward to uh being a part of that a small part of it covering it tomorrow I think my favorite though was uh Willie Mitchell’s day with the cup up on the northern part of Vancouver Island I actually got to
Fly over for that and cover that and it was uh it was pretty neat the way he worked in the community there and it’s always special I mean let’s be honest like the cups Just it does it brings out people it’s uh it’s a special Trophy and
It makes for a special day and I’m excited to sort of see it and be part of it on a small scale well Lauren brah will be happy that you’re going to attend it instead of me uh his day with the Stanley Cup because he always gets intimidated around me because I’ve got
The the abs of steel and he thinks he’s a pretty fit guy and he just he walks by me he sees U my my Ripples and he just feels bad but you Woody you’ve got more the dad box we got ripples we got ripples they’re just big
Ones they’re big got ripples the problem is that they do the wave when I walk so um yeah we’re uh yeah we have no fear we have no fear of intimidation with HB tomorrow at the cup day or and I’m kind of curious to see how he’s arriving
Because he’s got the cup tail the evening of Sunday and he’s a part of this Camp up in Colona net 360 has been a part of it every year and I believe is a part of it this year so he’s supposed to be on the ice at the rink at 8
O’clock Monday morning I have a funny feeling he may be a little late arriving after his his day and night with the cup on Sunday when you guys hear about all these Stanley Cup parties and and all the plans the guys have for the day I
Don’t know about you but for me it’s a little bit like when when the lottery gets up to a really big number and you start thinking to yourself well if I won that 70 million that 100 million here are the things I do with it when you
Hear about all these parades are you guys imagining what you would do if you won the cup yeah I kind of have it in my head what I would do it wouldn’t be uh overly extensive but a lot of just reflecting on your early days playing
The game like I would love to go back to my hometown of Brandon and my own Community Center and then go uh to that facility and uh then uh have it with with people that I grew up playing the game with h what’s yours I always struggle with it because I’ve I’ve been
Super fortunate to have lived in a whole pile of different places over the years and and for me I’m always just wondering how could you bring that cup to as many people as you’d like to and to share it with as many organizations as possible and uh I’ve never really solved that
Problem I I know there’s usually a helicopter involved in my mind but uh helicopter can’t really get from Vancouver Island to Colorado to Toronto to Montreal and all places in between so I don’t know we we need a little science fiction for my party to work out as I’d
Like it to how about you Woody well I mean let’s be honest any party involving me in the cup would be fiction anyway so I could do whatever I want um but I I was thinking like I’ve never here’s the truth maybe it’s because I didn’t start till later in
Life but I’ve never thought about it like and I’ve never been involved with an organization um Although seeing Darren get to lift the cup after Vegas won it you know made me rethink for a moment some of those goals because there has been conversations in the past with
Teams about about perhaps roles and I’ve never really been interested but it makes you think about it just for that moment and I I guess as a guy who didn’t start playing the position till his mid-30s like am I taking it to my Monday night skate that I’ve been a part of for
The last 10 years you know a bunch of guys who handful of them who played in the NHL guys who played high level you know Junior in college and you know some overseas some guys who didn’t you know play Beyond sort of their their minor
Hockey years like a real mix um I think that would probably be it like obviously a little family time um but I would probably just bring it to my my you know my beer league team we’d have to do a double dip I’d have to I’d have to play
Two in a day I’d have to go up with my beer league team sched on a day when we had a game and then the Monday night skate those would be the two that I’d want to share it with the most that those two I guess You’ find out which
Beer Leaguers think they actually have a chance to play in the NHL one day right cuz don’t they say in Beer League the guys who get way too serious think they’re still going to make the show even though they’re 45 so you’d find out at the party which of those guys really
Think they’re going to make it because they wouldn’t want to touch it could you imagine too uh having that uh that trophy sitting ringside and the potential of being able to win it well you’re not going to carry it but you win it like that would ramp up the intensity
Level uh quite a bit at the Monday game the intensity level’s already pretty high at that skate like guys get into it over offsides and perceived whistles a CH you know so 100% I think that would be that would be next level I’m there’d be some disagreements 100% on that night for
Sure the worst thing that can happen in any scrimmage is the first time there’s a protest over an offside play and as soon as that offside play is called there’s 15 of them in a row because then it becomes okay okay to call every single close play that was
Offside it’s okay until it happens it’s a good game and then first time somebody calls a playoff side ruins the skate it’s done whoever called it usually gets chirped pretty good after the game I would imagine that like it becomes a point of discussion in the locker room
I’m guessing if the Stanley Cup is uh ringside and on the line that that discussion would be even more intense it’d be fun though did they deserve it Marty B shout out to Marty who always had a street hockey game to go with his day with the Stanley Cup love that idea
Of everybody getting together and and doing that uh we’ve got some some news happening in and around the hockey world uh some arbitration awarding uh to Jeremy Swan and Ilia Samson samsonov whatever one you want to uh say and then a ltir announcement with Matt Murray let’s start with the arbitration of
Woody yeah I guess um just really interesting I I mean I didn’t know I thought these teams might want to lock their guys up a little longer term because the one thing about arbitration at least in this case because you can choose a two-year award um it’s a
One-year award for both of these guys and you’re basically just kicking the can down the road for a season right because if Jeremy and and and Ilia both have similarly great Seasons next year they’re looking at raises again and they’re both arbitration eligible again and actually in SE sona’s case I he may
Top of my head is he is he actually going right in does this kick him into UFA or has he got one more year I believe it does so in Sam case you get one year and then he’s straight on the free agent Market um so in that case if
You believed in him that much if you’re Toronto you might have wanted to invest a little bit um you know and then in Swan’s case he’s going to be right back in the same boat next year and then you know the other guy that uh avoided arbitration with a three-year deal and
It’s kind of comparable is is Philip Gus and so you know Minnesota’s was a team that looked at their guy and said hey we want to invest in him and make sure he’s here long term as opposed to like I said kicking it down kicking that can down
The road for a year so you know it’s such a volatile position Anything Can Happen um you know look at Swan and the team that he was on in Boston uh you know that partnership he had with lenus alar well it’s not the same team anymore
Right like no Patrice berser on a first ballot Hall of Famer David kiche like likely to follow if he hasn’t already I haven’t checked the news in the last 24 hours in terms of you know hanging them up yeah so um you know what does that do
In terms of your we know how good a goalie he is that won’t change but what your numbers look like based on the environment in front of you might change and that’s you know how you get arbitration Awards that’s how you you know sort of set the rate so you know in
Both cases you know interesting times for what their future holds I think it’s Swan’s case maybe a little surprise that a team didn’t offer sheum just because of where Boston was at against the cap how little they had to spend um you know for not much more than this and very
Little in the way in compensation you may have been able to lock up a really good young golender for three or four years and Boston may not have been able to match it uh it was certainly Prime for one of those predatory um contract offers from another team or obviously he would have
To accept it but yeah just I mean there’s so much volatility in the position in the marketplace the cap could go up obviously will go up by how much should be a significant amount next year it’s just it’s really tough to sort of figure out who the winners and losers
Are um I guess if the year doesn’t go well the goalies become the losers because there’s not another big ticket coming uh but I would think based on how good they are uh they both end up winners out of this because they just get to write another check or have
Somebody write another check for them next year with a rising cap yeah the cap going up is the big bonus for both goenda of opport opportunity you get an award and then you get the opportunity to to Really throw it up even more so with an increased salary cap how many
Times has a goal tender signed an offer sheet yeah I don’t think there’s been any that’s yet I I I don’t remember one that’s pretty short list of guys who I mean what you’ve got coeny uh did Kesler sign an off offer sheeto we got the Shea Weber one with
Philadelphia from Nashville I think Kesler did with Philly there was one involving Saint like it’s a pretty short list that we’ve got in terms of offer sheets around the league and you’re right I don’t think it’s ever involveed the goenda different players over the years and it not nobody stands out Brendon
Shannahan would have been the big big one of the big first ones but uh Dave Christian signed one by the way Christian hockey sticks are back saw one this week it’s been relaunched remember that uh those Christian Hawk Larry Robinson signed an offer sheet way back
When Gil FL uh like early early early before they kind of got into this uh mix up before I was born pretty much before you were born yes you could yeah you’re you’re able to say that actually amazingly you’re able to say that which is uh impressive uh we’ve got
Uh the ltir uh with Matt Murray no real surprise given the injury history but the is a surprise Hutch because he was able to back up during the playoffs um not going to doubt uh the situation but it it does clear the way for a spot there H and and obviously
What happened in the Stanley Cup playoffs with the Toronto Maple for uh an assumption of that role well it certainly looks like they the door is open for Joseph W to remain in Toronto as I think we all expected would happen this year I don’t know what you can say
About the Matt Maurice situation you heard me get a little bit flustered when Mike Smith was able to play in the playoffs and then suddenly was too injured to resume the next season so I don’t understand how all these things work behind closed doors and it’s not
For me to speculate but it does feel unfortunate that uh someone who has done a spectacular job of pro reads over at inol mag.com doesn’t look like he’s going to be playing this year because of LTI so shout out to Matt Murray um and thank him for the great work that he’s
Done for us at in go uh Woody got up a pro read this week that will publ well it publishes on Monday and uh the latest we’ve got the second in a series of Matt Murray walking us through screen drills or not drills but uh screen scenarios on
Ice and just the stuff that he sees and is able to share off the top of his head so quickly and so easily I think has been invaluable for the goenda I was up at the Eli Wilson galendo in Edmonton the week before guys and and the week before I went and then
The week I was there we showed the first Matt Murray Pro read to all the students up there because it matched so well with the curriculum that was going on on the ice at that time uh both in terms of the teaching tips that Matt was using and
The way the video was a great example to really show the guys how it works uh in practice and in game so yeah I don’t know what to say about the ltir situation Darren I just think it’s unfortunate he’s not playing but uh looking forward to more from from Kevin
And Matt yeah I mean you can add to that list I mean just so people know we’re not casting doubts about whether these guys are hurt or not I mean take a look at Carri price like Stanley Cup Final with the Montreal Canadians and then not playing the next year sha Weber
Same I mean we never know what guys are playing through to get to that stage or in Matt’s case to be to get to the point where he could be cleared to be the backup or potential be an option for the Leafs in the playoffs last year I mean for me
My only my only thought or sort of lingering thought when it comes to Matt having to go on ltir is you know I hope it’s not not long term I hope that as much as that’s exactly what LTI is I hope he gets a chance to play again
Because um I think he’s done a lot of good things in his game over the past two years when he has been healthy as much as as that hasn’t been as often as he or or the people that employ him would like um there’s a lot of changes
He’s made that I really like and that I think you we’ve seen signs of success when he’s healthy on the ice because of it you know dating back to the end with Ottawa there were some times in there some stretches where he really looked good and then when you get a chance to
Sit down on him and or sit down with him and and run that video do that video review with him for pro reads and there’s lots more coming I mean nine and a half minutes on his first screen breakdown video was incredible it was like a it was like a how to manage
Screens video you could just make a DVD and publish it like that um there’s so much more coming from him when you start to understand how well he reads the game and sees the game you start to realize how big a part of that success or his
Success that was um you want to see more of it right you want to get him you want him to have the opportunity to continue to play so my lingering my lasting thought is just I hope all the best for Matt in terms of being able to get back
On the ice whether it’s with the Leafs or elsewhere uh and resume his career because I always I enjoyed watching him play um I have a real appreciation for a guy who goes out of his way on his own without being prompted by others to seek change in his game when he recognized
How he played you know especially that low wide stance wasn’t necessarily working as the NHL evolved the way it did his first couple of years and two Stanley Cup wins by the way um but he recognize the need to change and I I enjoyed watching that process watching
Him go through it I thought he was coming out on the other side of that looking like a like a really top end had the ability to be a topend goalie again and I’d love to see him get the opportunity to show that even more so having come to this recent appreciation
For like I said how well he sees and reads and anticipates the game if you have not checked out the pro reads with Matt Murray then uh do yourself a favor and go down that is a rabbit hole that will consume you and make you a better goalie coach a better
Goal tender and a better goalie parent uh all three uh it just makes you understand the position and the situations uh so incredibly well the other part is did any of us think that Mark Andre flurry would still be playing when Matt Murray is potentially done uh when that transaction occurred that’s uh
Uh bizarre uh how it uh how the world goes uh in in our situation uh we’ve got a great sensoren feature interview coming up uh in just a little bit uh but this is a presentation of the Hockey Shop Source for Sports Langley the hockey shop.com our gear segment is the
Eflex chesty as things continue to to come together down with Cam and Company at the Hockey Shop Woody yep um tried it we have multiple units uh being tested by multiple goenda of fact I’ve been asked to bring a unit up to make sure we
Have one up at net 360 for more goalies to try um it’s been very well received there are some very unique components to this chest protector they really you know went at it with a different approach a different mindset some research from the University of Ottawa tied into this in terms of thermal
Regulation and keeping you cool as a golender and how that can improve your performance so for the details on exactly how they did it and how it feels when you put it on and when you playing it let’s talk to cam welcome back to the Hockey Shop
Source for sports with Cam mat wve and goolie Utopia and oh latest and greatest actually whoa whoa whoo whoo latest but we have an addition a surprise to show you let quotquot a version of this that is even more special well let’s talk about why this
Is good too okay we should eflex 6 chest protector we’ve had it at Engle I’ve got three different testers have been in it giving us lots of feedback it’s been positive so far um Dan Kevy uh the gold goalie product manager for CCM on with us to talk about
It now we’ve got the visuals to go with it cam your words you’ve worn it you’ve tried it you’ve played in it the features that stand out the most so let’s talk about really quick Flex 5 versus eflex 6 so similar overall chest body design hasn’t changed too much we
Have changed up the actual outer fabric that’s being used on the chest it’s a lighter weight fabric so just as durable it’s helping the chest breathe a little bit more which is a big highlight of what we’re getting into for the differences terms of for overall padding
Density wise and things like that not too much has changed in terms of the overall recipe of the chest because it was a great unit if you’re looking for lightweight Mobility that’s what you were going to find in the inflex 5 and you’re going to find the same in the
Inflex 6 now big difference though really has to come to that back plate itself so let’s turn the chest around here Tada so ccm’s Airtech Tech it spelled kind of funny as we do spell things funny in the goalie world for whatever reason we do um mostly because goalies can’t spell but I
Digress yeah yeah yeah see Air Tech uh this is actually going to like suspend the chest protector up on your back so you’re going to create a bit of an air gap actually for air to flow in between the back plate of the chest itself which
Is also you can see like quite a holy fabric those old like you’re probably too young for this remember those old like Hawaii 1980 shirts that kids used to wear sort of cut off with all the holes in them anyway I’m old anyways it’s that in FA lots of breathability inject and molded
Piece uh which is going to help to create that Gap you still get that nice hard back plate which we are still looking for a bit of that spine protection and things like that too as well but we’re creating more air flow to the chest chest is designed to keep you
Cooler over longer periods of time that’s helping you push the envelope and terms of your performance level at all times by keeping you an Optimum temperature as you’re playing okay so did you say we need protection on the back every now and then yeah you do this
Is like this is cuz cam ends up basically backwards facing the net while guys are winding up to shoot again I digress um the feedback we’ve had on it so far is that and the interesting part is a lot of our testers have been using it in the summer so it’s already hotter
Out and they’re seeing the benefits in terms of the breathability interestingly enough we talked about this on the podcast a couple weeks ago um but was out with a goalie coach who was out hiking and the people that were sort of expert hikers like really into hiking had backpacks that were specific
Spefically designed to create a gap between the backpack and their back so that it would have some sort of thermo breathability which is what they’ve accomplished with it in terms of the rest of the chest protector you know cam sort of walked you through the the
Similarities uh from eflex 5 some of the elements that I really liked uh the elbow pads I love how the fact that it’s almost like a player elbow pad embedded in a goalie arm you can really lock it in and keep it tight fitting so you’re
Not slipping out of the elbow cap um and I also liked the wrist strap as odd as a call out as that seems just a lot more material both in terms of the attachment and the velcro side like both sides of the velcro you really get a nice nice
Wrap on yeah it’s not stiff either too because it does extend a little bit far but that is all soft foam so that shouldn’t interfere with any of your glove attachment in terms of your wrist strap or anything and we’ve been testing new gloves so that’s sometimes that’s
The thing right you get a stiffer new glove in there and that can be a bit of a it wasn’t an issue for us adjustability we sort of see that maintained lots of adjustability and I think it’s actually more important with this hard plastic and the rounded
Shape of it you need more adjustment in terms of being able to sort of get it up and wrap the way you want sort of find that balance between neck protection and the fit because it is a little bit unique feeling the first time you put it
On in terms of the way it sits on your back and over your shoulder yes another quick small note what a bit of a change as well so Velcro on the side so no more Buckle as well um again it’s always a high point of contention when you have a
Buckle on the side of a chest because it is a place that can get uh broken from a shot so removable belly flop where do you finding I’m a I’m a non- tuck guy are you a tuck Guy where do you always I’ve always been a tuck
Guy and no problems tucking this in you like the way it tuck no problem tucking it in as well and Tucker non Tucker both like the way it fits remember that what we called out to in your CCM pants they have those plastic buckles that’s exactly what this little tab is for it’s
Not to hold it the belt centered it’s actually clip inside your chest when you tuck it in but you have something cool okay so so we’ve gone over the basics here we we talked about this before we just wanted to make sure we gave you the visuals on
This unit but cam has a special surprise an upgraded version what do we call it deflex X SDC version Source for Sports Source Distributors cada if we really want to get technical but Source for Sports yes only found exclusive yes exactly so what are the differences so
Walk me through it when you’re visually looking at the chest we’ve gone with that all black kind of color way which kind like walk the dark side so what makes his chest different is actually not so much its visuals as it is in internals so we’ve been able to still
Get the same thickness of overall foam however we’re actually using a different well CCM is actually using a different HD foam like throughout the entire chest what that’s creating is actually the same unit that they hand their CHL guys when they’re asking for an eflex 6 chest
So if you’re looking for a bit of a beef up wanting a bit more protection but not going to increase the weight too much or the overall General feel of the chest itself we have an option for you price difference as usual because it is an upgraded unit so you can find that
Out you can check us out at ww.the hocky shop.com or you can give us a call at 64589 8299 um if you have any questions or anything like that feel free to reach out any one of my staff including myself will be able to help you out uh one more
Thing we forgot to call out although I guess at this point it’s kind of become a staple of CCM units you get the adjustability in the arms with the velro straps removable adjustable all those things yes am I missing anything just one of your teeth actually no you got that back we’re
Good hey’re things are looking up here in in Go Radio CCM eflex 6 chess protector it’s in store now here at the hockey shop online at the hockey shop.com like Cam said if you’ve got any questions call him call his staff they’re all goalies they’re experts they
Know how to play the position they know how this is going to fit they know how it’s going to work with your pants whether you got new or old um they know how to get you sized right give them a call check it out CCM e the heat the body temperature that uh
Component of this new eflex chesty that’s that’s really intriguing uh as as we go down that path uh it’s a new element of the evolution of that piece of equipment yeah and I like the you know like I guess I brought the anecdote but I got it from somebody else but I
Sometimes we need we we hear information from other sports and other activities that resonate in ways we never thought and sort of that story um about how you know like you know true sort of I don’t say competitive might not be the right word but serious hikers have backpacks
That purposely create a gap between what’s on their back and their actual back so that heat can escape and how that so clearly ties into the way CCM has sort of built this back piece on on this it makes a lot of sense right it just sort of resonates at a different
Level when you hear it it’s one thing for us to have testers that feel it um it’s a whole another thing uh to sort of hear that like hey like that’s that’s an application that other activities that people do at a high level you know have sort of there’s there’s science there
There’s an understanding there and it’s it’s employed at those levels so always good to catch up with Cam at the hockey chop I was thinking actually you know like we should have where am I taking the cup and you’re going might be I’m I’m going
To the shop and you know who else should go with the cup to the shop and I’m going to have I doubt this is in the works but like yo lb like when I see it tomorrow morning at the cup day like I
Know he Sho there as a kid I know as a junior like he got equipment there from the original Hockey Shop so what better way than to you know on your way back to North End pop into the Hockey Shop which is just probably 15 blocks away from
Where he’s going to be celebrating the cup I think there’ be a lot of synergy there and it is amazing how many of those guys um that are from this area in the Lower Mainland that go on to play at a really high level obviously bruss at
The at the top level in the National Hockey League and now a Stanley Cup champion and his name engraved on the trophy forever have Roots at the hockey shop so there we go we tie tie everything into the show today uh with our friends over at the Hockey Shop uh
We’re Stanley Cup champions are equipped where Stanley Cup champions hang out in Cam’s Creek at the Hockey Shop Source for Sports Langley the hockey shop.com sens Arena brings you your feature interview every week on inle radio the podcast uh got a great conversation coming up with Scott
Ratzloff in just a little bit as uh the summer portion of our schedule is an opportunity to really grow your game through the virtual reality area it’s sort of feels right now as we’ve seen the calendar flip over to August like I’m a last minute Christmas Shopper and
I don’t mean out there to buy things for the game but what I mean is tryouts are just around the corner for a whole lot of golender camps are just around the corner for a whole lot of goenda of that season about to happen and I’m seeing people trying to maybe
Make up for lost time in some cases maybe trying to just sort of put the icing on the cake and others for those who’ve been working really well and hard over the summer I was in a ring the other day and I saw a young kid not a
Goenda rented the rink for her young kid to just get a little bit of extra work in before triy out specifically said that’s what it was about we were in the rink because we were trying to get a little bit of extra work done before Camp starts people are grabbing those
Last few lessons those last few opportunities to get a little bit of work in before triy outs is there a better way to do that than trying sens Arina because renting the ice will cost you 50 1002 200 $300 an hour getting in a lesson with a goalie
Coach getting in another Camp all great things to do if you’re able to or you could go and grab sense Arena and get one of their plans 29 bucks a month or 39 bucks a month and get access to some incredible training right up to the possibility of facing National Hockey
League Shooters so if you are trying to grab that last little bit of time before Camp starts why don’t you think about grabbing sensoren and giving it a go in fact if you have the Oculus headset already they’ve got a free trial you can use as well so you can check it out
Yourself get a little bit of practice in over the next week or so and then decide if it’s something to add into your regular training for the year if you want to grab sense Arena now head over to sens arena.com use the magic code IG
M50 and you’ll get a little bit of an extra bonus thanks to the work that we do with uh the folks at sense Arena nothing’s a guarantee but it’s hard to say that anybody’s going to be disappointed by the uh attention that you will offer yourself an exposure
You’ll offer yourself through sens Arena one of those camps that’s on the horizon is the Buffalo Sabers training camp Scott ratsa will be attending Woody you had a chance to sit down and chat with them yeah you know what I’m I’m I know I say this a lot but I’m extra excited to
Have our audience listen to this interview because like quite often we go into these not knowing what to expect and these kids are just so great sharing information and there’s so many little takeaways that anybody can apply no matter what level you’re competing at whether you’re just starting out as a
Goaler whether you’re a goalie parent helping out with coaching or whether you’re uh you know a fellow Pro um but in this case I kind of knew this was coming I had a chance to talk to Scott at the CHL top prospects game where I was there working for
Nhl.com and he just blew me away with that conversation the way he studies film the way he studies other goenda and the way he pays attention to those and he just you know was he basically was a continuation of that conversation except this time I get to
Share it with everyone and there are so many little takeaways in here um that again like I said whether you’re a young guy or an old guy uh just starting in goaling or doing it forever even as a coach um there are there are tidbits here that will help you do whatever you
Do in the position better um and I like I said he just such an open book and such a student of the game his passion shines through in the interview uh and it’s one of the reasons that I’m pretty confident this won’t be the last time we hear from Scott ratsa I’m looking
Forward to following his career because to me the kids that are that level of student that really you know embrace it the way he clearly does you know I I don’t think it’s a coincidence that you know you mentioned earlier Mark Andre flurry and how long he’s been in the
Game uh Roberto leango another guy who’s in the Hall of Fame where flurry soon will be um always open books willing to embrace new ideas and constantly evolve their game and and even at the at the tender age of 18 Scott ratsa Falls right into that category so great conversation
And can’t wait for everyone else to listen feature interview presented by sensor Sorina VR on inle radio the podcast really excited to Welcome to the Engle Radio podcast First Time guest and my hunch is it’s going to be the first of many for Scott ratl of the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey
League and now of the Buffalo Sabres after this recent NHL entry draft uh a young man that I had the pleasure of talking to for the first time at the CHL top prospects game uh in the spring and I got to say like I went back over that
Interview to prep for this one and I enjoyed it so much you my friend are a student of the position how much pride do you take in that yeah I take a lot of Pride and appreciate you saying that it’s just it’s about being a student and
Learner in the game because there’s now eight different ways you can play one scenario and each one has different outcomes so being a student of the game and watching all these videos and all these articles about different ways to play it like we talked about with milck
And the panda and overlaps and things like that it’s just different ways to be more effective in the position so okay well I want to get into a bunch of those and we’re going to have to be careful here because you’re so good at providing examples at least
Based on our last conversation that I feel we could be here for hours which I would love but you know you’ve still got to you know I don’t know like train and and do all these things as you’re preparing um for your career let’s let’s
Just dial it back a little bit and go to this summer because it’s been a whirlwind you know you’re you’re drafted by the Buffalo Sabers uh 10 spots ahead of you mentioned Thomas milck your teammate at the Seattle Thunderbirds what was that like you guys 10 10 spots
Apart from each other and I know for him it’s been a little more of a weit I know here at in goal we’ve been sort of trying to figure out why the heck he had to wait so long because he’s such a he’s such a hell of a goalie um but just walk
Us through the experience like what it’s like what was it like going to the draft and how cool was it to be drafted so close to him uh on the floor yeah I think it was just an unreal experience and getting the opportunity to go to Nashville and seeing a fifth of Broadway
And all the you know restaurants and all the music you could it was a three-story building and every single floor had a band playing so I just kind of that atmosphere was Unreal and even you know the atmosphere within the rink was unbelievable I got to watch the first
Round and they were upsets and things like that and everyone it was really cool to see kind of how it all played out and then like you talked about with milck there I ended up you know getting picked by Buffalo and heading down to the floor and doing a bunch of
Interviews and halfway through my interview one guy mentions that milck get drafted by the Winnipeg Jets couple picks after me and I was instantly just wanted to go on the phone phone him congratulate him and it’s been a journey for him and having that opportunity to be behind him and learn everything from
Him has just been a great opportunity he’s a great role model he’s a great person he’s you’d never be afraid to talk to the guy he’s very approachable and I think a lot of guys can learn from him so okay so I want to get into the
Combine and the draft and what that experience was like a little bit but you talked about Thomas and your relationship there and that was one of the things that jumped out at me uh from our past conversation was just how much you guys talk about the position and
Like you said different ways of doing it little nuances here and there um give me a couple examples like what were the what was that conversation like the day after a game you and him walk in and you’re comparing notes on on the night before yeah I think it was just no
Matter who was playing if it was him playing and I was on the bench or vice versa it was always a way to learn and see what we could analyze from the other team maybe the power play does uh pass a certain way or maybe they turn or Spin
And then working on that in practice like we had our coach Brad gu that come down once a week per month and we’d go out of the same end we would just watch and then once he would finish his rep we would kind of go over hey how do
This feel how do this feel kind of thing so bouncing off ideas off each other and seeing how we can play the same but also different in our own way is huge and it’s nice that we are kind of similar sizes he’s not a big 66 guy and I’m a
Six foot guy it’s nice to we have that same type body style type of how much we fill the net so it’s really nice to kind of compare okay so let’s just give our audience because not everybody’s going to be intimately familiar with your game
Describe it for me like what you see the strengths what your focus is and how it’s evolved over the past couple of years especially you know since getting to the dub and having that chance to be you know sharing a crease and and and learning from and learning with I guess
Would be a better way of saying it you know a guy like Thomas who’s who’s you know been at the world juniors and had success at at at the highest level for the age group yeah I think I’ll just start out with what you mentioned there the strengths of weaknesses I think
Using that height I’m maybe not the biggest guy of about 61 so I think my footwork and lateral agility is one thing that I’ve valued and worked on throughout the years is making those East West plays on my feet instead of sliding because if you end up sliding it
Opens up up top around your shoulders and maybe you’re not as ready for the next play so let’s say a three on two the guy makes an initial east to west pass covering the blue line I want to be able to get there on my feet in case he
Make in case he makes a another pass to the middle for a high tip and things like that I want to try and stay on my feet as as much as possible and use my agility and then like I mentioned like how you know similar we were me and
Thomas and him having that World Junior experience was also something I could take away and just his kind of composure and po during the playoffs too you know there may be ups and downs goals that you want to have back but just his ability to keep things neutral and
Always have control of the game that’s one thing I think is extremely important as a goenda that you have things under control and being a goalie that the team wants to play for so just elaborating on that let’s say you let in a bad goal like I mentioned about earlier if you’re
Not showing up your dmad or banging your stick against the post things like that showing that you know maybe have made a mistake here in there but it’s moving forward and staying neutral is a huge part of the game and it can help your team stay levelheaded and not get down
On themselves I love that you gave me an example right away uh and because I was going to follow up on that like how do you present that to your team is it are there other things body language wise do you have to be cognizant of it say a guy
Gets in your lane and your own guy blocks your sight line and that temptation to like you said take a look up like hey man I couldn’t see it because of you like you have to sort of be conscious consciously resist that stuff is there any other examples you
Can give us that a young goalie be listening right now and be like gez I never thought of that but maybe you know maybe they do lose confidence if I present that way after a goal yeah I think body language is huge not hanging your head or staring into the roof kind
Of things like that no Palms up is what we call it when you go like this like nothing you could do about it so I think one thing that I try to take away from anything is you are 100% responsible for everything that you do so let’s say you
Know your Dand potentially gets in the lane well it’s your responsibility to look around because that’s going to happen there’s going to be two guys there’s going to be four guys in the lane and if you say okay let’s say there’s a back door option on an initial
Pass well if you just solely commit to the shot and it goes back door yes the deband could have had it but there’s also that responsibility like hey maybe I should have a little bit of back flow if he does pass that I at least have an
Opportunity to try and make a save so I think just being uh cognizant being kind of aware that everything you do on the ice is your responsibility and everything every action you make is the same so Palms up I’ve never heard it express that way so give me a couple
Examples of other you know sort of body language that would quantify as Palms up yeah I think just like I mentioned before staring up at the ceiling or head down maybe I remember this one time I’ll even use an example of myself we were playing in Portland at the teddy be toss
Game and there was 13,000 people watching and we’re up three to2 with 17 seconds left in the game I misplay the puck I give it right to the guy he goes in and scores on an empty net and you know in instead of I made the mistake I
Hung my head I thought the world was coming to an end and I had my glove in my face and I was worried like oh what’s going to happen next I made this mistake but kind of what I use is a 5-second reset that’s what I use and so the game
Ends it’s 33 going into overtime and you know nerves are high right now the team is probably like well the goalie just threw away our chances so kind of what I do for 5 seconds is I acknowledge all those types of negative thoughts or mistakes that I’ve made like so for five
Seconds I think okay gave up a goal with 15 seconds left 13,000 people watching I’m going in over time and then kind of use it as an in inhale exhale when those five seconds is up I take a deep breath and it’s kind of like pushing those negative thoughts away so that’s one
Thing that I like to use to reset myself and one thing that can help you with your body language and staying neutral let’s say that’s after a goal and just taking that deep breath and moving forward because there’s always going to be a next Puck and that’s the most
Important one so I love it I love it I know there are going to be so many little threads that you’re going to give me here that I’m going to want to pull on and I’m going to have to go back to my notes to bring it back skating uh you
Talked about that that as an important foundation of your game um they guys I know you’re a video guy I know that your access to stat is not just used to watch your own video the next day you like to watch goalies all over the place is
There a guy that jumps out at you that you’re studying or watching or you know sort of not say modeling yourself after but looking for things so that you can get better at that so you can be the best on his skates yeah I think there’s each
Different goalie has their pros and cons and sort of how they play certain situations but I one guy that I like to watch is Dustin wolf and even Devon Levi and I’m fortunate enough to be picked by Buffalo in the same organization as Devon Levi so honestly I see it more as
Being able to learn from the guy it’s like yes it’s competition but I get the opportunity to watch one of the best moving golender up and coming in the National Hockey League so I think that’s a huge asset that I can use and learn from just talking to him and like I
Mentioned Dustin wolf he has a great mental game not only is his footwork and his strength and balance really well you can never see him showing up his teammates or showing any sort of emotion that the game is slipping away from him so and then I like to watch Mark G
Flurry he’s been my favorite goalie since I’ve grown up and just his more of his morale and how he looks at the game he’s the type of guy that you look and he always has a smile on his face and he takes the game for what it is it’s never
Too serious or the end of the world so I think just taking different pieces of other goalies and and seeing okay this works this doesn’t kind of thing and using it to your advantage well I think now that we’ve got you set up with an Engle magazine uh premium subscription
You’re going to have to search up Mark Andre flurry and fun because we’ve got a we’ve had a few of those conversations with him over the years about how important it is to his game that he’s always having fun and that balance between working and getting better but
Still enjoying because it it it is a game what does that look like for you the day after you told me you know you are on instat the day after a game and you like to look at your own game and that’s that’s part of your process what
Does that look like for you what are you looking for what are the keys and you know just walk me through what that’s like yeah I think it’s not it’s definitely a learning experience and you know maybe some goalies only watch the goals or think actually where did I read
This I just read it somewhere about how carry price was he was different than other goal and goali after a game they may think well I didn’t have my blocker high enough on this one goal or I was holding my glove in a wrong spot on this
Goal but carry price was always one to look at the positives in it and he said well I made a good glove save here I made a good pad save here reads things like that so trying to take a mix of both of those I watched the goals and
Think hey maybe I could have shoulder checked and seen this guy back door with that situation then seeing the shots too saying hey I read this guy well and I had my glove in the right spot taking up the top corner things like that so just
Trying to stay as open as possible I’m not waiting to see oh I messed up this play not good right so just trying to keep an open mind as much as possible and then I can also use certain plays like hey maybe I got scored on a low to
High up front then I can take that to practice the next day and ask the coaches in Seattle are great we always get out 10 minutes early and get a warmup in so I can go up to mags or carts and say hey I’d like to work on
This drill low to high shots cuz I got scored on it yesterday or five hoold or 6 Ines off the ice low blockers type of stuff so it’s really awesome to have that I guess privilege for those guys to help out any way they can so just
Learning and creating drills that I can help just like uh what’s the word just disallow those goals from happening again kind of thing okay so you take an active role then in your practice and and having said that part of that is your goalie coach isn’t there on a day
In day out basis at that level like like Brad’s not there every day for you guys so you take ownership of your game in that way and your your teammates I think there’s a good lesson here for kids because I think you know to a certain degree it’s okay like obviously the
Situation has to be right at different levels and different ages but it’s okay to ask for hey like I want to work on this can we set up or can we Tred this drill so I can work on this your teammates might even find Value in that to as
Shooters yeah and if I can help them in any way as much as possible too it helps them say hey watch the goal’s glove hand if it’s angled a certain way and say up like this well you have more opportunity to shoot low glove or maybe his he
Brings his stick too far up when it gets close so you can shoot low blocker kind of thing so any way that we can do a drill if you’re have the right mindset and doing things the proper way it’s a learning experience for everybody and like you mentioned there taking
Responsibility like I talked about before that goalie coach is not going to be there every day to make sure your feet are set Square close together kind of thing so trying to stay self-conscious about those certain things that he taught you through those week through that week that he was here
And kind of applying it in your own way I I’m I’ve had other goalie coaches say this to me at the at the highest level like we need our goalies to become their own best goalie coach and it’s sounds like that’s a philosophy you’ve embraced where does it come from how long have
You how long have you had that mindset I think just growing up learning it from my parents too uh I can my dad is he works for the municipality and around Burma and he just kind of always values the passion and doing something with
Pride and I can say that about my mom as well as a teacher and whatever it is whether it’s hockey whether it’s golf school things like that if you’re going to do it if that’s your choice you got to do it with pride and with passion so
Like you talked about there where that like learning that mindset it’s evolving as you grow up you know you get more ice time you get more opportunity to do things so every time you step on the that ice whether there’s puck or not whether it’s a skating practice or tons of shots
Learning to use the ice you have and I’d say just making the most of it I love love it I love it you know you talked a little bit I heard you in there talking about you know keeping your feet under you or your stance like part of that
Answer was about you know one of the checks you had are you doing this are you stopping on each play are you set and square do are your feet and we talked about this a little bit as you’ve gone up levels and recognized the need to beat plays on your skates as a
Foundation your stance has changed a little bit over the past couple years maybe explain that to our listeners I I feel a little bit like I’m cheating here because we had this past conversation so I keep referencing it so we’ll just like how has it evolved um in terms of
Optimizing your footwork and how your stances evolved to do so yeah I think a big part of the game is awareness and reads and as well patience so if you get caught too wide-legged or too spread out and you lock your edges in that pass you’re going to get beat nine times out
Of 10 unless you make a 10 Bell save that we all love but I think just me at the start I was a very WID stance go ther and I would always get caught kind of on my heels and behind plays and things like that and like you said as a
Leagues go up the game gets faster passes get harder shots get harder as well so I’ve learned to kind of narrow that stance and being able to push off a little bit everywhere if I can hold my edges just a second longer I have that
Ability to get that East West pass on my feet and you watch use for example speed skaters their initial start is it’s kind of a te it’s hard to explain but their back foot’s like this and their front foot is like this and they’re very close together because
That’s where you get your power from because you can’t push when your legs are really spread out so learning to just over the years like you said to kind of narrow The Stance and also adjusting my gloves accordingly to make sure I can cover low and high spots so
Okay so adjust your gloves accordingly share if you can if we’re not giving away too much share how you’ve had to you know cuz like you said a lot of people especially taller goalies too um as they start to narrow their body comes higher off the ice and there can be this
Fear of I can’t get to the ice or my hands like I’m you know we’ve seen the videos right guys to upright and you’re not actually covering the net anymore you’re above the net from a puck perspective yeah exactly so how you know how did you work through that process in
Terms of being comfortable with an arrow stance and where your hands are positioned yeah I think there’s just a lot of ways to look at it one thing is like that video like I watch inad all the time that’s one thing that I can be
Looking for in my stance if he shoots it just above my pad i i g to get my gloves in front of it and just taking it like I love to watch video of me of other goys and just seeing where there’s open holes or where I’m covering well and also
Being able to if they get in tight use my elbows which is one thing I’ve been trying to work on this year with my goalie coaches when they get in tight I can’t be be that reactionary go calls it Gunslinger which is kind of like reactionary with the
Hands but I can’t do that because the shots are just too hard now they can’t react so when they get into that tight I use kind of the top of the circles as my reference anything from out there that’s killed that’s catch to the corner with
My gloves and anything kind of in the dots and Below that’s where kind of they call it three-dimensional gold ending where you try and get it with your glove and let’s say you don’t quite get it then you can kind of bring that elbow in behind to get pieces of it so like
Sometimes like when they get in tight my hands kind of stay low so I can get those low ones but then if they get it up I can get my elbows so just learning about when I can use my reactionary athleticism when I have to kind of take
Up as much space as possible is that a a constant Evolution as the level around you improves as well both in terms of knowing where you are in the net and and what part of your body is going to help fill that space and how much time you
Have I mean jumping up to the dub I’m guessing that you know there was less time and more skill and probably even more so at say a development camp with the Sabers yeah I think like you said it’s a evolving game and the higher leagues you
Go the more you got to be conscious about it because those Shooters now they can pick that corner nine times out of 10 so making sure that you gain an up depth to where your elbows can reach that spot you’re not giving away too much net by putting your elbow out so
Just managing your depth learning patience and then kind of adjusting your gloves okay so we kind of kind of skipping ahead here a little bit but saber Sabers Camp what was it like Sheamus codic Mike Bales two guys that we’ve had the pleasure of of getting to
Know in the past two guys were big fans of um Sheamus was some he’s got some old school in him too like there’s some skating drills that he saved it shared at inol mag.com that we were really appreciative of that had you know like going back to the Warren sto days a lot
Of skating and a lot of unique sort of skating drills but as a guy who’s worked on footwork you could probably appreciate them what was the experience like yeah I think just the overall experience with Sheamus was awesome and his mentality towards the the game and
You know he was always he acted just as much as a student as I did when we would talk about things we would do a drill and I would say hey like I tried this and you would say okay well why did you do that kind of thing and then we’ kind
Of bounce ideas off each other so it wasn’t just him teaching me this is the way you got to do it this is the most effective it was hey I’m going to set he would set I’m setting the shooter up here play it how you would in a game and
Then I would go through my drill I’d go through the motions then you to okay y that works you’re covering the short side maybe be conscious of a back door kind of option there so just his openness and willingness to kind of adapt to the way you played net as a
Goalie instead of you got to do this here you got to do this here was one thing that I think is just it provides an opportunity for Bo to kind of show their style and like you said that flare or old school kind of way and sometimes
You like to throw in maybe like a VH or a pack and things like not saying recommend it but just that old school kind of whatever feels comfortable whatever works kind of mentality dude you just made me feel like ancient because you just referenced VH which I
Was around when it became popular for the first time and I was already old you reference that as old school but on that note because we’ve talked about you know Thomas adding you know an overlap and a panda style to some of his net play options obviously reverse everybody has you just mentioned
VH is it important do you see as these shooters start to pres Scout and figure what goalies are doing out is it important to have all is there there a benefit to you as a young goalie to having say an element of unpredictability in your game yeah I
Think think you talked about there you’re exactly right with the unpredictability and learning to play different options because there is so much video now is a shooter is coming down the wing on the dot Lane and if you’re automatically into a reverse VH he’s just sitting there waiting for that
Spot up inside your year to put it in so I think that unpredictability and having those different movements in your toolbox is huge and being able to play different scenarios different ways and maybe all he has is a shorts side shot option so that VH that High glove is
Going to cover it and then say hey maybe that back door is there I got to overlap or reverse VH depending on how enti he is to be able to get that back door play and because one thing I learned too if when they get Ino tight and I’m doing a
VH and they go across as soon as I try to put my back leg or the one leg that was on the post they try and slide it five so it all depends on how close they are what they’re looking for and what’s also back door so just like you said
Having those different movements in your toolbox and being able to use them in different scenarios is huge it’s the ultimate game of cat and mouse yeah really it is now how have you seen the game evolved from a shooter perspective um and I asked that because and man like
For you guys all the guys you play against probably have all gone to school with skills coaches like it wasn’t that long ago that we were ahead of the curve as goalies we had goalie coaches we worked all summer on our craft and all they did was bigger stronger faster but
Man you’re coming into a generation where there’s deception like you said there’s there’s this element of pre- scout not only looking for what a goalie is going to do but what move can I make to get him to do what I want how have you seen that evolve especially as you
Moved up like I said into the dub and now you know into a development Camp scenario where you know everybody’s the cream of the crop yeah I think in the summertime I do I skate with the pep guys so the pep drills they do it and they some goalies
May think well that’s no fun it’s just shots on shots but watching the them work through different you know I don’t know what they’re called like peps I guess under overs pull and drags things like that listening just to the skills code and how Shooters can change the
Angle now as always we look they use that tow drag so much that we have to watch their bottom hand it’s less about lining up to the puck but more about their bottom hand and playing their range as Shooters because if they come down they have their forehand and they
Have their range on their back end as well so them coming from different angles and opening up or pulling in there’s definitely different ways to deceive your shot so so you’re going to school on the shooters by going to their schools this is great because this this
Is what a handful there was a couple guys Zach periz was one his brother was a goalie and the devil’s organization at one point he used to go to goalie school to try and learn what the goalies are doing uh Marcus nasland who you know was an exceptional player with Vancouver
Canucks used to come to goalie camps he was a drill Buster I got to say but he would come to goalie camps to try and figure out what what goalies were doing you’re going the other way you’re trying to get ahead of the curve by seeing what
The skilled guys are doing yeah and it’s it could use the same way in Seattle so when we goo is there with the shooters and we’re doing a kind of a goalie workout he tells the guys how to score on us or how to manipulate this and that
So we can also be better he’s not just letting the shooters walk into a brick wall and then can’t do anything so like we do that with penalty shots I’ll just use an example with penalty shots you want to try and or shootout even you
Want to as a player you want to weave as much as possible to try and get goalies off their angle and maybe you go across and the goalie doesn’t quite follow you all the way and you can pick that short side so an example like that he doesn’t
Just tell the guys to you know do whatever move you can he tells you guys hey try and make them uncomfortable change speeds change angles and things like that and that just makes uses always better because it’s one thing that makes us or pushes us outside our
Comfort zone and helps us you know adapt to making sure we’re online with our Edge workk or making sure our Gap he can’t just shoot it or skate around us kind of thing so anything to help the players and then spiraling on to making the goali E better okay so I gotta ask
I’m going to ask for a specific here this is for the kids out there and if it’s too much you just tell me because much like when we do pro reads this might be hard too without video but much like when we do pro reads the rule is
Always if we’re giving away too much just tell us we won’t do it but that you talk about about the pep guys you talk about that sort of that pull or drag into the feet where they change that angle from holding it way outside and I mean like it’s a significant angle
Change from holding it out to shooting it off their feet how do we manage that as goalies that young guys listening right now uh NHL drafted Scott ratslof in the WHL having all kinds of success how have you learned to manage those types of shots from those skilled
Players yeah I think just kind of going off what I mentioned earlier following that bottom hand instead of the puck okay I think one guys can get Puck focused and line up with the puck and their range like I talked about is huge because if you’re too locked in on the
Forehand they pull that in that’s a big range like you talked about there and that’s a Big Ang they can yeah they can open up the whole they can open up a significant chunk of the net from Puck perspective in that pole yeah and also guys now are good too they’re strong
Enough to just kind of release it off so just trying to follow kind of their range being kind of the middle of that like I talked about the bottom hand that’s kind of the most descriptive thing I can give what are you looking for in the bottom hand if I can ask just
Lining up that’s where I usually line up with the shooters okay so let’s say he’s a lefty coming on the left wing he’s gonna come in and pull that’s going to be a big change and his bottom hand is usually where it lines up when he shoots
Because that’s just past kind of the front of es skate so that’s where I try to line myself up with instead of the puck so instead of being on the puck instead of being on the middle of him you’re you’re keying on that bottom hand yeah around how much of that like sort
Of looking for cues I mean again as you get down the rabbit hole that is in Go premium you’re going to find an article from Craig Anderson about how he used to tell the coaches in practice so they knew he wasn’t this bad but he would pick times in practice where he wouldn’t
Watch a puck at all he would just look at the hands the hips the shoulders he was looking for visual CU so he could teach himself to read a release are there any other guidelines or things that have helped you over the years learning to read these increasingly Dynamic
Releases yeah I think just one thing that you can use as like I would just more use this as an example in a shooter the easiest like save or type of shot to stop is one where the player shows no shot threat and that’s I’m using my
Hands kind of in the middle so let’s say their stick is in the middle and they’re just stick handling like this back and forth right that’s the easiest thing to stop because there is no elusiveness he can go like this and shoot but you’re already on it so kind of I guess I’m
Just talking more about a Shooter’s perspective but always kind of being that open to shoot is what makes it hard on goal tender So reading that release of can I buy time if he transfers to the middle can I buy time to let’s say put my feet closer together because you wna
Let’s say the guy’s kind of coming across a slot there on the Rural Road well it’s hard to kind of get those feet close together in case he shoots while you’re adjusting so that’s where you kind of get separate but how can I use let’s say he’s coming
In like that and he goes to here that’s kind of a cue to recollect yourself anytime you can recollect yourself during a breakaway or shootout or things like that is one where then you open up more options to slide Shuffle over so just these cues of when
They have their ability to shoot when their chest is facing forward or kind of angled with the shoulders things like that and when being able to recollect yourself I love it I love it I feel like we’re going to have to go through this interview and write about 10 different
Articles on the advice that Scott Ratz has shared with us today a couple more I just wanted to sort of go back um we usually start the interviews here sometimes to sort of get a feel for guys but you know I’m curious uh you’re in Irma Alber
Gr and and grew up in that area y grew up Ina where where did the passion start from how how did Scott ratl fall in love with gending oh geez well at first I didn’t like hockey uh I wanted to be the zambon driver so that we’ll start with
That but we have an outdoor ink right by the house and the parents just kind of threw me on there and walked away and it was my job to try and get off so just learned to eventually like it and we have a lot of goalies in our family my
Uncle my cousin my grandpa my dad’s side are all goalies and just the value of this the position I think I always wanted to be on the ice 247 I never wanted to change never wanted to be on the bench sitting it was in the action
All the time so I think that’s a big part of it being kind of that that crucial role of the goalie yeah guys think well it’s a vital role because if you make a mistake it’s on the scoreboard if forward makes the mistake they go through five different guys to
Redeem themselves kind of thing so just that crucial play and like I mentioned don’t want to get off the ice so do okay that mentality and we hear it from a lot of guys in terms of embracing the pressure that comes with that that comes with being that last line of defense the
One who if you do make a mistake it shows up on the scoreboard and the red light and you know the 13,000 fans at a teddy bear toss game right and yeah having to embrace that um do you think that’s is it innate to some extent
Or does it become inherent as you as you sort of work your way up in the position are there times you know you clearly are a student of the position and a big part of the position is is between the ears so much as between the pipes are there
Things have you worked with you know different sports psychologists or different people to sort of cultivate embracing all of those pressure points yeah and definitely pressure is sometimes a good thing I think I remember Mike Babcock saying something pressure means you got a chance that was kind of the quote that I
Think I remember him saying one time is how do you handle pressure and he said like I mentioned that means you got a chance that means you’re meant to be here you’re that’s kind of the thing you’re here for a reason and you’ve gotten this far so that’s one thing pressure is good
Because sometimes it makes you a step above you puts you in a different gear different Zone and it’s it’s all about managing because there just going to be pressure whether you like it or not I can’t I don’t know a single guy that could walk into a a playoff final game
Seven that would just be nonchalant then this is an everyday thing pressure is going to happen and it’s whether or not you think I have we’ve lost like no confidence oh what’s going to happen next what’s going to happen next and you’re shaking before you even can put
Your skates on so and then there’s the opposite to that you say okay we’ve gotten this far I’m here for a reason how can I use that pressure to get me in the zone get me I’m ready for this kind of thing so there’s there’s always going
To be pressure but it’s how you can handle it is what defers guys love it I love it okay uh what’s the rest of summer look like you had you had the you went from combine to draft to Dev Camp your back home um what’s the focus what
Does the rest of summer look like for you do you go back to Sab rookie Camp before back to Seattle is that something you’re looking forward to as well so kind of just like with the season right now is just getting stronger I think that’s one thing that everyone can
Improve on is building the core because balance is a huge part of about goal tending so that’s one thing I’m focusing on getting stronger legs making sure that I can get places faster with stronger legs and then like you talked about I go to Seattle and the 20th I
Believe and I’m doing a little kids camp week there helping out some goali so that’ll be that’s always fun it’s always nice to be a Coalie coach and shoot pucks at goalies because I love shooting pucks so it’s nice to shoot on some go do a little breakaways here and there
And have fun with them and then I think on the 12th I fly down to Buffalo to do a proos the prospects tournament which is in Buffalo and we play Montreal Pittsburgh and New Jersey during that tournament and that’s the 15th to 18th and then main Camp is the 2st so that
We’ll see how that all plays out and then it’s back to Seattle for the season and I’m excited we’re losing a couple guys but I think the core we got is just it’s young and they’re eager so it’s going to be a fun season for sure well I look forward to
Following it hopefully getting to see you in person when you come up to Vancouver to play the Giants look forward to continuing these conversations over the years cuz I like I we’ve had two now one on the record one just you and me and I have thoroughly enjoyed them both I know our
Audience is going to enjoy this one Scott thanks for thanks for the time thanks for being so open with the conversation there are a lot of young goalies and parents of goalies are going to listen to this and there’s going to be a bunch of takeaways that much like
You as a student of the game they’re going to go out and they’re going to try them may not use all of them but there’s going to be enough there’s going to be one or two things that everybody takes out of this that’s going to make them a
Better goal and for that we thank you sincerely yeah I really appreciate you having me out on here and like you said it’s it’s seeing what sticks and you can try things over and over and seeing what works with you and seeing what does it makes you your own person makes you have
Your own flare so so the only thing is I would recommend is just have some fun enjoy the game for what it is and just go out there work hard have fun love it you’re all set for that goalie camp with the little guys yeah that’s going to be
My quote go go out there have fun working hard good stuff thanks again Scott yeah awesome thank you what a journey and what an incredible season H he was drafted ahead of his partner who went to the Memorial Cup as a tandem Thomas millich and drafted by by the Winnipeg jet just an
Intriguing setup be between those two uh as Goendale going in different directions would he yeah and I mean 10 spots apart despite the fact that Thomas is two years older and has a world junior Championship to his name so what’s the difference it’s an inch right like it’s probably the inch it’s Thomas milck at 6 foot and Scott
Ratz at 6′ one I mean obviously there’s there’s other elements too um but I’ve you know and this isn’t this is just me saying I’m surprised that Thomas milck was still eligible to be drafted I’m surprised he didn’t get taken earlier um I think you can look at a lot of guys
Who were in the same boat I mean Dustin wolf is a two-time American Hockey League goalie in the of the year in his first two seasons at an AHL MVP and he was one of the last goalies picked in his draft year right so we continue to see goalies that maybe aren’t the
Biggest um have success get overlooked and I you know I would not be at all surprised to find out that a few years from now we’re having the same conversation maybe not to the back-to-back AHL like like what Dustin has done is special but having the same conversation about teams you
Know having overlooked Thomas milck and to a to a degree maybe not the same degree because he went in his first draft eligible year Scott ratl as well awesome stuff uh amazing a little bit uh of a peak behind the curtain uh with a Scott today and net 360 uh Camp
Is coming up this week you guys enjoy yourself safe travels uh and can’t wait for all the little bit of uh tidbits that you’re able to uncover uh with this high level one of the best highle impact go tender schools that you’re able to have access to make sure you go to ingol
Mag.com we’ll be trying to get them up as fast as we can sometimes we try slip in a few quick hits while we’re there as much as we’re grinding on a day-to-day basis it’s also a chance we get to see our friend James wendland who brought
Us five damn things on the hips and we’ve got plans to meet up with him in Colona and some of the athletes he’s working with to come up with a few more five damn things that’ll help you train better stay in better shape be better prepared to stay healthy and on the ice
And become a better golender so I can’t wait for all of that from a Colona this week plus time I get to spent time with Hutch like that’s the best yeah I was actually going to ask Hutch what’s your five damn things about Kevin Woodley
That you come up with right now off the top of your head I don’t know but I’ve said damn a whole lot I’ll tell you that we are going to uh break down the dam and get out of here as we say thanks to Scott rats slab thanks to cam over at
The Hockey Shop thanks to you for listening as we ride the cailes of David Hutcherson and Scott uh or and Kevin Woodley on inle radio the podcast D it Woodley
Episode 223 of the InGoal Radio Podcast, presented by The Hockey Shop Source for Sports (https://www.thehockeyshop.com/) , features Buffalo Sabres draft pick Scott Ratzlaff of the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds.
In the feature interview, presented by Sense Arena (https://www.sensearena.com/for-goalies) , Ratzlaff walks us through the life of a new NHL Draft pick, from the draft to development camp with the Sabres. But perhaps more importantly, he picks up where he left off from a casual conversation at the CHL Top Prospect Game in the spring, with some incredible insights into his game and how it’s developed in the face of increasingly skilled offensive attacks that will benefit goalies of all ages. From his stance, to how he sets up to manage attacks from forwards being tight to change the angle, to his mindset tips to manage high pressure situations with good Boyd language, this interview is loaded with great advice for everyone.
All that, plus an in-person trip to The Hockey Shop Source for Sports for a closer look at the new CCM EFlex 6 chest protector and how new thermal-regulation features can keep you cooler, and therefore less fatigued and playing better for longer this winter.
