Thinking of trying standup instead of the modern game

[bunnyman666]

I am almost a stand up goalie, anyway. Sometimes when scrambling, my pads get caught. Just for giggles and grins, I really want to try stand up style. Heck- it may make my butterfly-ish play better if/when I switch back. 

By no means am I hunting down 7 pounds dry/20 plus pounds wet deer hair/kapok and over-snosealed leather pads to play in (though I want some to collect), nor am I going to wear a moulded to the face/nose/eyes mask, but a combo may come into play as I think a helmet may work better than a mask. 

Dennis Dombrowski says any pad can be a “hybrid” pad, and I do believe him. But still, certain rules need to be observed:

1) the pad can’t rotate. Better tighten the boot strap(s)

2) the pad must be sucked down onto your legs. Obviously, the best way is for the strap to go THROUGH the pad, not stitched to the bindings. That kind of kills some modern offerings; though you *could* anchor straps to the lacing cords. That may significantly reduce the life of those cords.

3) your skates BETTER have cowlings, as you will be using more of your body to stop pucks

4) I am of the opinion that stand up is where super light gear shines BEST. Big, heavy and frankly UNGAINLY gloves, blockers and pads will make your job as a stand up goalie unnecessarily tough. 11” pads would actually be of great benefit. A frying pan trapper? Not so much...

I have MAD respect for those STILL using old spec, older material pads and gloves; that is not quite my intention here. I am thinking of a new approach to an older style. 

I have a big enough boneyard to carry out this experiment. As I had mentioned in my  Vintage Gear thread, I am turning my Vorteks into full-on stand up pads. With their deep leg channel and not being worth a darn in the butterfly (but being of modern materials), these are a good candidate for the experiment.  

Has anyone here switched from butterfly to stand up? What words of wisdom do you have? 

[kyledjean]

I switched originally from Standup to butterfly, to hybrid. My first goalie coach was an old timer back then (2000) and like that style, first camp was rick heinz, then jim park. Both were hybrid at the time (still taught skate saves and the such). My words of wisdom are really make sure you have very good stick control. Your stick is your biggest friend in stand up. Make sure you are super proficient at skate saves, but still using your stick as primary contact. Make sure your toe ties/straps are not off center. Cowlingless shouldn't be as big of a problem as you think, most pads now have a calf piece that will cover most of your skate. You will probably want your pads a little shorter than a butterfly pad. May want to get a slightly taller paddled stick. Just my couple quick thoughts in between work.

[bunnyman666]

@kyledjean- great points. Oddly enough, the stick is something that I wondered about. I shave my paddles a bit. I am thinking that a firmly hybrid if not closer to stand up may address my vertical challenged stature (5’8” without ears) as I get beat up high almost every time I go down. I do need to strengthen my stick control. 

Thanks for the food for thought @kyledjean. 

More thoughts are welcome.

[Naz]

Dooooooo it!

[bunnyman666]

I am wanting to work on this stuff before my next ice time, but traffic has been so terrible (I eat dinner, then go to bed the commute has been so long) that it will most likely be 4th of July whilst smoking a brisket that I will be modding my pads. Part of me is thinking of my TPS Icecaps becoming my super mobile pads with the Brock tubes to kill rebounds. But they are HEAVY, and definitely NOT my brother (a reverse reference to a silly, trippy dippy hippy druggie song for you whipper snappers). It may well be the Vortek. If I like this new way, then I have to figure out how to mod my current set ups. 

Stay tuned...

[Lucky Pucker]

1 hour ago, bunnyman666 said:

I am wanting to work on this stuff before my next ice time, but traffic has been so terrible (I eat dinner, then go to bed the commute has been so long) that it will most likely be 4th of July whilst smoking a brisket that I will be modding my pads. Part of me is thinking of my TPS Icecaps becoming my super mobile pads with the Brock tubes to kill rebounds. But they are HEAVY, and definitely NOT my brother (a reverse reference to a silly, trippy dippy hippy druggie song for you whipper snappers). It may well be the Vortek. If I like this new way, then I have to figure out how to mod my current set ups. 

Stay tuned...

Solid Hollies reference, Bunny Dude!

[jeff da goalie]

I'll be heading there when my knees and hips decide that butterfly is no good any more.  I'm 48, so probably a few more years.  

If you find yourself wanting to buy old style, but lightweight, Glenn Miller makes those pads.  He's on Facebook.  

[bunnyman666]

11 minutes ago, jeff da goalie said:

I'll be heading there when my knees and hips decide that butterfly is no good any more.  I'm 48, so probably a few more years.  

If you find yourself wanting to buy old style, but lightweight, Glenn Miller makes those pads.  He's on Facebook.  

Guess who made my Vorteks? Glenn! They were TERRIBLE butterfly pads. I found myself making kick saves with those, no joke! Glenn makes a fine pad, no doubt as far as craftsmanship goes.

I may mod what I own, as both sets of Pooper are reasonably light weight, soft-ish and could be made into pads suitable for stand up. Besides- my Pooper pads are only cool to me with ZERO resale! 

[bunnyman666]

42 minutes ago, Lucky Pucker said:

Solid Hollies reference, Bunny Dude!

But would the Hollies reference me? That is the question.

[Lucky Pucker]

2 minutes ago, bunnyman666 said:

But would the Hollies reference me? That is the question.

Maybe not the Hollies, but ELP had that song about you:

"He had white goal pads

And skaters tryin to score

All fixed with jenpro

And waitin to shut the door

ooooooh, what a Bunnyman he was

ooooooh, what a Bunnyman he was"

That's how that one went, right...?

[bunnyman666]

Just now, Lucky Pucker said:

Maybe not the Hollies, but ELP had that song about you:

"He had white goal pads

And skaters tryin to score

All fixed with jenpro

And waitin to shut the door

ooooooh, what a Bunnyman he was

ooooooh, what a Bunnyman he was"

That's how that one went, right...?

You done outdone-did yourself, sir!

[kyledjean]

On 6/27/2019 at 2:08 PM, bunnyman666 said:

@kyledjean- great points. Oddly enough, the stick is something that I wondered about. I shave my paddles a bit. I am thinking that a firmly hybrid if not closer to stand up may address my vertical challenged stature (5’8” without ears) as I get beat up high almost every time I go down. I do need to strengthen my stick control. 

Thanks for the food for thought @kyledjean. 

More thoughts are welcome.

I am maybe 5’8” on good days. For me I found I only get beat hi when I am not playing aggressive enough, usually happens when I am within a foot of the goal line. Make sure you are keeping you hands in front of your body and try not to suck them in when the shot happens. Stand up you may want a 26” paddle. Since you won’t be bending forward as much and you want to keep your sick on the ice. Especially with reaching for kick saves on the glove side, the extra length should help. If you find you have trouble keeping it down try going to a couple drop ins and tape a bottled water to the back of your stick. 

[bunnyman666]

31 minutes ago, kyledjean said:

I am maybe 5’8” on good days. For me I found I only get beat hi when I am not playing aggressive enough, usually happens when I am within a foot of the goal line. Make sure you are keeping you hands in front of your body and try not to suck them in when the shot happens. Stand up you may want a 26” paddle. Since you won’t be bending forward as much and you want to keep your sick on the ice. Especially with reaching for kick saves on the glove side, the extra length should help. If you find you have trouble keeping it down try going to a couple drop ins and tape a bottled water to the back of your stick. 

My ears don’t make saves LOL

I may use wood stick to keep it down. I do have taller paddles in wood. 

I am going to conjure up something from my boneyard...

[Scythe]

This sounds like a good idea. I started going to pick up games again and have one bad knee and no leg strength right now. Been out 3 times in the last 2 weeks. The skaters act confused when they don't see you drop to your knees on every shot. It seems like they don't understand the concept of stand up goalie. Weird. 

[CJ Boiss]

5 hours ago, Scythe said:

This sounds like a good idea. I started going to pick up games again and have one bad knee and no leg strength right now. Been out 3 times in the last 2 weeks. The skaters act confused when they don't see you drop to your knees on every shot. It seems like they don't understand the concept of stand up goalie. Weird. 

You have to change the way you shoot on a stand-up goalie. Most guys - if they never made Junior, or started playing as an adult - just shoot on muscle memory. They don't so much look at a hole and try to hit it as they do see the guys around them, gauge how much time and space they have, and then take the same kinds of shots they do during warm-up.

Modern goaltenders are really good at taking away the bottom of the net, so players practice shooting high, and stand-up goalies are great at taking away the top half of the net. So when most guys shoot on muscle memory, at a stand-up goalie, they're usually putting it right into their chests and gloves.

[jeff da goalie]

15 hours ago, CJ Boiss said:

You have to change the way you shoot on a stand-up goalie. Most guys - if they never made Junior, or started playing as an adult - just shoot on muscle memory. They don't so much look at a hole and try to hit it as they do see the guys around them, gauge how much time and space they have, and then take the same kinds of shots they do during warm-up.

Modern goaltenders are really good at taking away the bottom of the net, so players practice shooting high, and stand-up goalies are great at taking away the top half of the net. So when most guys shoot on muscle memory, at a stand-up goalie, they're usually putting it right into their chests and gloves.

that depends.  For higher level, sure.  But for low level beer league, they can't raise the puck too well.  

[dstew29]

There's actually a goalie I sub for that I think played D2 or D3 college back in the early 90s that has a very old school, stand-up type game. A lot of stick saves, skate saves, etc. He does mix in some quasi-butterfly as well but even then its not what we think of as butterfly today, it's more just dropping straight down to the ice (very little to no flare) to cover the five hole. Its definitely not the fluid, shiny new modern system, but I have to admit its pretty effective for him. Plus he has a ridiculous glove hand so that doesn't hurt.

Good luck with the switch. Maybe you can buy up a bunch of those wallets to make a sick set of Heaton Pro90Zs!!

[CJ Boiss]

22 minutes ago, jeff da goalie said:

that depends.  For higher level, sure.  But for low level beer league, they can't raise the puck too well.  

True. But those aren't typically the kind of low/ice-level shots one would need to worry about.

[bunnyman666]

It is funny that when good shooters figure out that I am stand up-ish, they get more low shots in on me. It is getting the reps in, frankly.

I may do elastic boot straps to break me in. The ability for rotation is still desirable, and I may just start with gently limiting rotation whilst transforming my game.

I am loving the discussion and hope it keeps going.

[bunnyman666]

2 hours ago, jeff da goalie said:

that depends.  For higher level, sure.  But for low level beer league, they can't raise the puck too well.  

Or they bean you in the head or throat!

[Colander]

3 hours ago, dstew29 said:

There's actually a goalie I sub for that I think played D2 or D3 college back in the early 90s that has a very old school, stand-up type game. A lot of stick saves, skate saves, etc....have to admit its pretty effective for him. Plus he has a ridiculous glove hand so that doesn't hurt.

Sounds like you are describing @Fullright  BTW check out his videos on this forum if you want to see old-school done right!

[bunnyman666]

The two pad stack is hard with a floppy, flumpy butterfly pad. Would anybody think that an elastic boot strap help with that whilst still allowing for some rotation?

[jeff da goalie]

4 hours ago, CJ Boiss said:

True. But those aren't typically the kind of low/ice-level shots one would need to worry about.

no, but those are the fluky, off-speed, wobblers that sneak in because you're expecting something good!

[bunnyman666]

3 minutes ago, jeff da goalie said:

no, but those are the fluky, off-speed, wobblers that sneak in because you're expecting something good!

There is one kid that goes to the stick and puck I’ve been doing. His stick and puck handling is almost as atrocious as his abysmally poor skating. We were all there, I know... He seems a bit odd, but harmless.

When he skates it in, 3/4 times I can poke cheque the puck away, but his shot is so weird that IF he gets one off, it’s going in. 9/10 times I will save good shots, but I have trouble with bad shots. There are those guys who hide their release, which is another story.

[CJ Boiss]

4 hours ago, bunnyman666 said:

The two pad stack is hard with a floppy, flumpy butterfly pad. Would anybody think that an elastic boot strap help with that whilst still allowing for some rotation?

Elastic bootstrap? Depends on how tight your toes-ties are, and how snugly the rest of the pad is strapped. Tight toes and snug straps would make any kind of bootstrap extraneous.

Loosen either of those up and you might see some benefit from an elastic boot strap.