Trends in Goaltending 2017

[TitanG]

4 hours ago, TheGoalNet said:

@TitanG - the size is a great point 

As a mask afficiando, do you like the painted cages? 

I think, like most things, it depends. I like the one in the photo of Nilsson, to me it ties together well with the paint job, but I find one like Subban's to be a bit distracting. If the colours are right, it works, but for me most of the time the unicolour cage is crisp and clean. It's another one of those DaveArt debates; add all the amazing detail, making it a mess at any realistic distance, or go with more broad strokes that make it pop on TV and in photos.

[RichMan]

Traditional gear specs will disappear altogether in the coming year or 2. No more leather straps, no more outside rolls, no more knee rolls, no more outer breaks, no more lace toe ties, no more 2 piece cuffs, no more cowlings...

Pure-fly goalies will be no more. The next revolution has begun.

[TheGoalNet]

@RichMan - I think it might take a bit longer?

As long as Price wants Knee rolls, CCM will make him knee rolls. As long as Price is in knee rolls, the kids will ask for them at stores. Silly things like that slows down the inevitable progression to where we are clearly going. 

I remember when RBK P1 came out, I thought anything with Knee rolls was dead... and here we are like 15 years later? 

[Chenner29]

On 12/23/2017 at 6:03 AM, RichMan said:

Traditional gear specs will disappear altogether in the coming year or 2. No more leather straps, no more outside rolls, no more knee rolls, no more outer breaks, no more lace toe ties, no more 2 piece cuffs, no more cowlings...

Pure-fly goalies will be no more. The next revolution has begun.

Any sweeping change like that is lightning fast in the hockey industry.  I think 5 years is an aggressive estimate for the changes you mention above.  It will take time for the guys who like leather straps, knee rolls, outer breaks, etc. to either change their preference or retire.

The problem with retail is that everything on the market is built to try to cater to everyone.  The manufacturers are trying to please everyone with 2-3 lines.

To borrow @TheGoalNet's example, there are still guys using the original P1 chest/arm unit - it's a 10+ year old design.

I think what we will see at the retail level moving forward is a consolidation of these lines, with SMU offerings being released into select retailers.
ie. a CCM Premier offpsring that will be offered without knee rolls for the mass market; stores with a certain amount of buying power will be able to bring in a line with knee rolls.

[ULTIMA]

On 12/23/2017 at 9:03 AM, RichMan said:

Traditional gear specs will disappear altogether in the coming year or 2. No more leather straps, no more outside rolls, no more knee rolls, no more outer breaks, no more lace toe ties, no more 2 piece cuffs, no more cowlings...

Pure-fly goalies will be no more. The next revolution has begun.

All that happening in a couple years? I'd have to balk on that one a little bit.

When you have guys like Jonathan Quick who is arguably Vaughn's flagship goalie and tell them you won't do a knee roll pad anymore, you run the risk of losing that goalie.

Budaj was a Bauer guy for years and they refused to make what he liked so off he went elsewhere.

[bunnyman666]

2 hours ago, ULTIMA said:

All that happening in a couple years? I'd have to balk on that one a little bit.

When you have guys like Jonathan Quick who is arguably Vaughn's flagship goalie and tell them you won't do a knee roll pad anymore, you run the risk of losing that goalie.

Budaj was a Bauer guy for years and they refused to make what he liked so off he went elsewhere.

Remember how long it took player gloves to take the shape they are now? Until the late ‘90s, you could get a visible cuff on a player glove, even though the cuffs were shrinking in the pro ranks for a lot longer. But a few pros had to have a cuff, including the Great One. The CCM HT-2 finally is gone after it being one of two or three default helmet designs for decades.  Look how long the Jofa designs stuck around, relatively unchanged?

Saying that the old specs will be gone “poof!” like that is premature! Heck- toe straps and toe caps were in the NHL up until a couple of years ago; a few of us including a young @bildeer rock that set up!

[IPv6Freely]

On 12/23/2017 at 6:03 AM, RichMan said:

Traditional gear specs will disappear altogether in the coming year or 2. No more leather straps, no more outside rolls, no more knee rolls, no more outer breaks, no more lace toe ties, no more 2 piece cuffs, no more cowlings...

Pure-fly goalies will be no more. The next revolution has begun.

At a retail level I 100% agree with you.

At the pro level, it will be much longer.

Of course, there will always be those goofs that don’t think change is a good thing and you’ll see using lace toe ties into the 2020s.

[Naz]

1 hour ago, IPv6Freely said:

At a retail level I 100% agree with you.

At the pro level, it will be much longer.

Of course, there will always be those goofs that don’t think change is a good thing and you’ll see using lace toe ties into the 2020s.

As long as they make skate laces, I will be one of those "goofs" using lace toe ties.  I use traditional pads (Vaughn Vision 3500s) and am completely happy playing the style I do, and I play it well.
Guys that make fun of that?  Well I couldn't give a rat's arse what goofs like that think.

[WillyGrips13]

And we were supposed to be a paperless society by now. How’s that going?

[IPv6Freely]

29 minutes ago, Naz said:

As long as they make skate laces, I will be one of those "goofs" using lace toe ties.  I use traditional pads (Vaughn Vision 3500s) and am completely happy playing the style I do, and I play it well.
Guys that make fun of that?  Well I couldn't give a rat's arse what goofs like that think.

Cool!

[TheGoalNet]

 My one other thought on this is that each new generation is more in bracing of change 

 It’s very possible that gear will begin to more rapidly be adopted in the pros as time progresses 

[creasecollector]

3 hours ago, Naz said:

As long as they make skate laces, I will be one of those "goofs" using lace toe ties.  I use traditional pads (Vaughn Vision 3500s) and am completely happy playing the style I do, and I play it well.
Guys that make fun of that?  Well I couldn't give a rat's arse what goofs like that think.

Same here with the skate lace toe ties. I've been happy with them and feel no need to switch.

[Punisher Goalie]

5 hours ago, Naz said:

As long as they make skate laces, I will be one of those "goofs" using lace toe ties.  I use traditional pads (Vaughn Vision 3500s) and am completely happy playing the style I do, and I play it well.
Guys that make fun of that?  Well I couldn't give a rat's arse what goofs like that think.

Does anyone actually make fun of you for using skate lace? If anything, I get the opposite lol. Other goalies see my elastic ties in the locker room and are like wtf is that. To be fair, not in a mean way, by the end of the conversation they usually want to know where they can order some...

Seems to me that skate lace ties will be around for a very long time. They are super cheap, very readily-available, and simple to install and tie. 

[SaveByRichter35]

5 hours ago, Naz said:

As long as they make skate laces, I will be one of those "goofs" using lace toe ties.  I use traditional pads (Vaughn Vision 3500s) and am completely happy playing the style I do, and I play it well.
Guys that make fun of that?  Well I couldn't give a rat's arse what goofs like that think.

1 hour ago, creasecollector said:

Same here with the skate lace toe ties. I've been happy with them and feel no need to switch.

I'm not making fun in any way when I say this, but, I really think you guys should try it out.  I am the same way for the most part.  I like what I like and I don't like to have to get used to something different.  With that said, when I first ditched my lase ties and tried elastic ties, wow.  It was amazing how much better my pads felt on both my legs and my skates.  Just some food for thought!

[Fullright]

Whether you use old stuff or the latest and greatest, neither means a damn thing unless you stop the puck. The idea behind the gear or the laces/ties or what have you is to help you stop the puck....unless the purpose is to look like so and so who was or is in the Show. 

[bunnyman666]

1 hour ago, Fullright said:

Whether you use old stuff or the latest and greatest, neither means a damn thing unless you stop the puck. The idea behind the gear or the laces/ties or what have you is to help you stop the puck....unless the purpose is to look like so and so who was or is in the Show. 

You had better believe it! Otherwise, you are a stylish poseur like myself! 

[IPv6Freely]

2 hours ago, SaveByRichter35 said:

I'm not making fun in any way when I say this, but, I really think you guys should try it out.  I am the same way for the most part.  I like what I like and I don't like to have to get used to something different.  With that said, when I first ditched my lase ties and tried elastic ties, wow.  It was amazing how much better my pads felt on both my legs and my skates.  Just some food for thought!

That's always the funny thing with those who still use lace ties. It's always the same thing "I use them and they're great!"

Well yeah, because you have so much slack in them they're literally doing nothing...

[AG37]

Great Topic / Summary! I think another bit that could be added could be about cowling-less skates or the now One-piece vs Two-piece skate debate. Its great to see all these new trends coming with the improvement of technology and materials. Skates are getting lighter, more comforable and gives goalies better stances/pushes, Pads are getting lighter and more customizable (from a graphic standpoint), and so on. What a great time to be a goalie!

[estogoalie]

10 hours ago, TheGoalNet said:

 My one other thought on this is that each new generation is more in bracing of change 

 It’s very possible that gear will begin to more rapidly be adopted in the pros as time progresses 

Good point. If you look at the history of goalie gear, it was deer-hair and leather for DECADES. In the 80's (?) things switched to synthetic and foam, which was clearly revolutionary. But the last 10 years or so there has been a big evolution of gear, every year bringing new changes in the pads, and I think today's goalies have got used to and/or expect new changes every year. I mean if you're still using toe ties and skate laces, kids will be like laughing at you, right? In 3-5 years (or less?), if you still have cowlings and using leather strapping, you'll also be looked at funny. Wood sticks? Hello grandpa.

[RichMan]

To reiterate (?spelling) on my comments earlier that seemed to have shook the goalie universe, lollll, as it stands, the lot of us goalies from the previous generation (80s-90s-early 2000s) are pretty much stuck or permanently set in what they are using because they most likely have tuned in on what they like in gear. The new school right now (late 2000s) have been intentionally or not introduced to the new tech and designs and for the most part, this is the gear that will carry them towards college or juniors or even the pros. You are less likely to see or hear a 17-18 year old adamant in wearing some traditional pads with full strapping and knee rolls and toe ties and closed leg channels. No. They will be looking at smart strapping and such, flat face for rebound control, elastic toe ties, no skate cowling, one-piece this and one-piece that. That is the generation that will want to jump on the whatever newest tech out there promoted to them and the companies know this already.

The lot of us who prefer our old ways will continue lurking custom gear or PIAS shops for the older tuff we need. Some of us are open to try new things and for the most part will convert easily, depending on physical limitations or capable adaptability.

The pros, well in today's game, they want what is best for the skill level they're at, so lighter gear, less of this and that, all so they can perform better. As THEY adopt the new stuff, the younger crowd will respond in following suite.

Maybe now, since 2015 onward, we are in the beginning of the express way in terms of gear evolution, just like computers and cell phones and TVs went through 

[creasecollector]

14 hours ago, SaveByRichter35 said:

I'm not making fun in any way when I say this, but, I really think you guys should try it out.  I am the same way for the most part.  I like what I like and I don't like to have to get used to something different.  With that said, when I first ditched my lase ties and tried elastic ties, wow.  It was amazing how much better my pads felt on both my legs and my skates.  Just some food for thought!

I know you're not making fun, no worries! Just explaining your own gear experiences and that's really great. 

As for elastic ties, I have considered some HALs or another type of those Pro laces for sure. When something new comes onto the scene you bet I'm looking into things haha. Just haven't felt the overwhelming need to switch from skate laces toe ties at the moment.

[estogoalie]

2 hours ago, RichMan said:

You are less likely to see or hear a 17-18 year old adamant in wearing some traditional pads with full strapping and knee rolls and toe ties and closed leg channels.

Well, my kid likes the old school straps-and-knee roll pads, ...but that's my fault

[IPv6Freely]

3 hours ago, RichMan said:

The pros, well in today's game, they want what is best for the skill level they're at, so lighter gear, less of this and that, all so they can perform better. As THEY adopt the new stuff, the younger crowd will respond in following suite.

I think it's actually the other way around. I think retail (and kids not yet old enough to turn pro) are going to be light years ahead of pros. Just look how long it took before you saw goalies in the NHL using elastic strapping. Brian's had the smart strap for a number of years before you actually saw it in the NHL. It was really the 1S where you first saw NHL adoption of it. 

If anything, I think the young guys are going to pick up the new technology and as they hit pro you'll see the stuff on TV more often. A "trickle-up" effect, if you will. 

[TheGoalNet]

@IPv6Freely - Couldn't agree more. I also think this next generation has that mindset too. So even when they turn pro, they will be more abt to tinker with new stuff than the current generation 

[WillyGrips13]

So what ever happened to going without toe-ties all together? Remember on GSBB I think it was Temple who was a no toe-tie advocate? He had a whole thread devoted to convincing all of us to not use them at all. And have nothing attaching our skate toe to the pad toe. I don’t see anyone saying that anymore.