CANADA LACKS TALENTED GOALTENDERS

I recently came across an article on www.elitegoalies.com and was extremely impressed with not just the content but the depth the articles went to help all goaltenders in their development for their career’s.

In reaching out I contacted Pasco Valana to inquire if he would have any objection to reposting the articles on Sportswave.ca and to no surprise he was extremely understanding and offered his thanks.

Enjoy the read and “thanks” to Pasaco:

Canada is not suffering from a lack of talent—it is suffering from a lack of structure, accountability, and leadership in goaltender development.

Canada isn’t falling behind in goaltending because of a lack of talent—it’s because the system isn’t built to develop it properly. To be fair, Hockey Canada has put in the work. 

They have brought together some of the top minds in the game from the highest converting programs in the country as well as some of the most successful former World Junior Goaltenders and those who have graduated to the National Hockey League as players and Coaches. 

They’ve identified key developmental priorities, created a structured Level 1-2-3 approach through a Nationally recognized Goaltending Development Program, and certified goaltending coaches across the country. 

But here’s the challenge: Change takes work, a lot of it, and it takes Provincial “buy-in” in order to make these National courses mandatory for all coaches whose desire is to work with our nation’s goaltenders.

(As someone who has been involved in the program for over 14 seasons and coaching for 31, I have watched the process from the beginning and I see the quality of people/coaches coming through the course.

Coaches from the farthest corners of the country to legends in the National Hockey League, National Team Coaches and Management. 

Their passion is evident, they want to be the best in the world at what they do for their country, their career and most importantly for their clients, not for their ego.

Goalie Coaches want to help their associations in their provinces, and some of us are very lucky to work with associations who “get it” as many don’t. I work with a solid and striving program with the Richmond Jets in BC.)

Without that enforcement, the system remains fragmented—favoring personal connections over a true merit-based approach. Meanwhile, countries like Sweden, 

Finland, the U.S., and Russia are evolving, innovating, and letting talent rise to the top. 

The problem isn’t that we can’t compete—it’s that we’re not willing to fully commit to the blueprint for success.”

Like anyone who has a lot of success for a long time, a horrifying diseases that plague that success sets in. It’s called Ego and Entitlement.

Lack of Accountability – No Goaltending Development Scoreboard

One of the most glaring failures in Canada’s system is that there is no official scoreboard for goaltending development.

None for the coaches or the goaltenders. The National Post article acknowledges that Canada still produces more goalies than any other country but downplays the fact that there is no system in place to measure the actual quality of goalie development. Every other elite development system has metrics for success.

In Sweden and Finland, goalie coaches are required to track and report progress, and those with proven results are given more responsibility. Canada’s system operates without transparency or accountability.

Questions to ask;

Who is tracking the success rate of our top development programs?Where is the independent evaluation of goalie coaches in Canada?

Why do other hockey nations hold their goalie development leaders to high standards while Canada continues to award contracts based on relationships instead of performance?

Definition of D.E.I in Hockey and it’s not what you think

Without a development scoreboard, you operate in the dark, recycling the same ineffective ideas and people while ignoring better-qualified coaches with proven track records. 

The DEI in Hockey is not based on race, colour, gender or sexual orientation, I have worked alongside many outstanding people who represent each of those areas and they are talented as hell with no shortages of opportunities.

The DEI in Hockey stands for: Didn’t Earn It.

What I am talking about are those who are placed into key positions not because of qualifications, their body of work or development record of talented athletes…it’s because of who they know. 

This is a massive disease in the game, started by adults who act like children found within some associations, some district teams and some academy programs. 

They are the same people that confuse recruitment with development. They are the same people that believe if they take the less talented player (whose parent and player is dying to be on the team but will not get a lot of ice time, won’t complain if he or she gets 1 shift a period…that’s easier) instead of developing a player from the 4th line to the 3rd, or 7th dman to the 6th. 

That takes work.Minor hockey is always looking for coaches and mentors with endless opportunities at grass roots levels to make an impact, we should not be awarding key positions to people who have not done the work, don’t have the resume or have the successful track record of developing athletes.

Endless Compensation

Whenever the talk of fixing problems is presented, there is always the talk of more funding. It’s a page out of politics and everyone knows what that means… more taxes which means the participants pay more. 

Would more funding be more beneficial? Of course but let’s think outside the box for a second.

If a solid young coach was offered the opportunity to be mentored by a National Hockey League Coach by Zoom 1 x per month and in person 1 x per month, the selected amateur coach would not complain that he or she was not being paid to receive that mentorship. They would crawl over broken glass for the opportunity.

There is value there, a “different level of currency,” is an opportunity to give back and mentor a coach “on the rise.” 

The same could be said about our Provincial organizations and the coaching opportunities that exist for the Tier 1 Rep Programs, District Teams, Major Bantam and Major Midget Teams, Provincial Teams and Junior Hockey Programs.

Currently, there is no mandate to hire qualified staff with appropriate certifications so why would anyone take courses to learn how to develop young minds, competitive spirit and professional game plans? There is zero incentive. The system is being starved of Oxygen.

Therefore coaches who specialize in goaltending are hired based on friendships and the scores prove it. As we speak, there is a Junior Hockey team in BC that finished 0-48.

The best Junior league in Canada has had scores like these over the past 2 months. The numbers don’t lie.

CHL Owners Invest Millions—So Why Aren’t They Getting the Goaltenders They Deserve?

The CHL is a world-class league, but the goaltenders arriving in its ranks aren’t ready. Here’s why Canada’s feeder system is failing to deliver, and what must change.

They key is that goaltenders who are in Minor Hockey are preparing themselves for the next step. If that next step does not include:

• a plan for early recognition of specific situations,
• how to manage those situations
• how to play/augment their system to compliment the strengths and weaknesses of the players in front of them, they will become ineffective.
• Scores as above will continue to happen and coaches will be the ones that “pay” for these performances unnecessarily. This impedes everyone’s development as they move toward the NHL goal.
• Real Example:

As a goaltending coach, I watch clients whose games are televised or playing through live streaming so that I can maintain a pulse on their performances in the event that they reach out.

I make it a point not to interfere with the WHL goalie coach as it is important to maintain that distance unless the goalie coach wants to have dialogue throughout the season to ensure all performance bases are covered. In this case, they elected not to engage which was fine. 

In this case I switched from a resource for the goalie coach to protecting the performance of the athlete I work with.

A client that plays in the Western Hockey League was struggling. The last 10 games he played was in the mid to low .850 save percentage. Unacceptable. 

The goaltendervwas not following his game plan at all. I captured the video of his performances and asked the question. “Is this the game plan that we assembled together? 

The quick answer for him was “No.” I reminded him what his game plan was, his layers of depth, his personal plans that best complement the coach’s system, and book the next game against a top team was a shutout. 

A player focus approach creates longevity and job security for coaches.

Part II coming soon!

1: “Why Finland, Sweden, and Russia Are Producing Top Goaltenders—And Canada Is Falling Behind”

2: “The Flaws in Canada’s Fragmented Goalie System—And Who Is Really to Blame”

3: “E N V I R O N M E N T Is EVERYTHING—And It’s Why Canada’s Goalies Are Set Up to Fail”

4: “What’s Good About Canadian Goaltending?”

Pasco Valana is a HP Level II Coach specializing in goaltending development and scoring.

Author of “Building Elite Level Goaltenders” and the latest book “Goalie IQ-Hockey Intelligence for Goaltenders.