Because the demands on the goalie are mostly mental, it means that for a goalie the biggest enemy is himself. Not a puck, not a opponent, not a quirk of size or style. The stress and anxiety he feels when he plays, the fear of failing, the fear of being embarrassed, the fear of being physically hurt, all symptoms of his position, in constant ebb and flow, but never disappearing. The successful goalie understands these neuroses, accept them, and put them under control. The unsuccessful goalie is distracted by them, his mind in knots. His body quickly follows.
There are two types of forwards. Scorers and bangers. Scorers score and bangers bang.
A goalies job is to stop pucks,.... Well yeah, thats part of it, but you know what else is?... Youre trying to deliver a message to your team that things are OK back here. This end of the ice is pretty well cared for. You take it now and go. Go! Feel the freedom in order to feel that dynamic, creative, offensive player and go out and score....That was my job. And it was to try to deliver a feeling.
In an athlete, it is not the legs that go first
The model for an NHL without fighting is right there in front of us. The [playoffs are] the time of year that fans love best; when the best hockey is played... [The] enforcers don't play. Even mini-enforcers... remain on the bench. Teams and coaches can't afford anything stupid and unpredictable... With no one to fight back for them, players go harder into the corners, more determinedly to the front of the net. If they want to fire up the crowd and their teammates, they have to do it themselves. And in the playoffs, they do.
Game in, game out, year in, year out, just a kid cruising the ice looking to cause trouble - a wicked wristshot for a goal, a crushing bodycheck, a fight - opponents' bodies littered on the ice, fans out of their seats, the place in an uproar, and Wendel, no expression on his face, looking around wondering what the commotion was about.
Oh captain, my captain, bon voyage.
It was the kind of light blow that is exchanged without notice or consequence hundreds of times in a game.
The most obvious and easiest answer if you've got a head injury is a better helmet. The problem is there's no evidence that it is the answer. I've watched a couple equipment manufacturers make presentations. They're very slick. They're very well done. And they usually start with the same disclaimer: there is no evidence that helmets reduce the frequency of concussions. You come away going "isn't this amazing?" It's so amazing you forget the opening line, that it doesn't do anything. It has no impact on concussions.
