![]() Hank instead puts that bottom strap through a loop on the back of the heel of his skate. He also does not use a traditional “anchor” strap that most goalies will lace from the bottom of their pad through the bottom of the cowling of the skate. This is responsible for the overlap in the pads you see when Hank is in his stance. His uses a large thigh rise (the portion of the pad that extends up beyond the knee, used to help close the butterfly), last time I checked it was +3 inches taller than stock. The internals (at least on his old One100 set, used earlier this year) are completely stripped down, with only a simple channel and knee cradle. Hank seems to prefer a very stiff pad, with very few internal breaks. There are very limited specs available on this gear as of now (it has not yet been released to the retail public), but it undoubtedly will vary greatly from the stock line. He debuted this set at the Winter Classic and has carried it over into the normal uniforms. His current set-up is the new Bauer TotalOne goalie line. Not withstanding his bedazzled mask, the white gloves or his hand wrappings, he still has plenty of odd habits. Hank is quite eccentric when it comes to his equipment habits. Nothing Hank does is particularly pretty, but it’s plenty effective. ![]() The paddle-down save is something that goaltenders of all levels overuse, but Hank makes intelligent use of the technique which helps him build that wall along the ice. Since about 70% of NHL goals enter the net via the bottom third of the goal, Hank has rightfully tailored his game to limit that type of exposure, and continues to be a wall in scrambles down low. He has begun to recognize circumstances where it would benefit him to challenge the shooter (especially above the face-off dots and the high slot), which has mitigated some of goals that have found their way into the upper third of the net in the past couple years. Hank has learned to maximize his “goal line” style and has made important adjustments. That is not to say external factors cannot account for a possible decrease in his statistical performance, but the underlying improvement in technique is very much here to stay. From an evaluation standpoint, his success is absolutely for real. There has been much digital ink spilled over whether the improvement in The King’s game is him legitimately taking it to another level, or whether he is due for a serious regression to the mean. It allows him to cover a huge amount of lateral distance, especially in conjunction with his depth. There are some goalies, especially in major junior, who use this technique for the sake of using it, but Hank is very utilitarian with the technique. It sounds complicated, but with enough reps, it becomes second nature. A proper butterfly slide is executed by shifting your weight to the push foot, planting that foot, lifting your other knee slightly off the ice and using the push foot to propel you in the desired direction. Because he plays so deep in the net, the majority of his lateral movement comes from small shuffle steps and butterfly slides. ![]() This creates a whole new angular paradigm for him to follow and we have seen the maturation of this style as his success has increased over the past few years. Hank, however, stands with his foot planted on the near post. Generally, on defensive zone face-offs, a goalie will stand just on the top of the crease, angled at the dot. Speaking of net depth, Hank practically invented the modern itineration of “goal-line goaltending”. He uses every bit of his 6’ 1” frame to make himself as big as possible, which is essential given how deep in the net he plays. Shooters have told members of the media that there isn’t a goalie in the league that they see less net behind than Hank. ![]() All of these idiosyncrasies give Hank one of the widest butterflies in the league and an unparalleled ability to guard the bottom third of the net. The amount of hip/knee strength the man possesses is something to behold. He has a fairly deep crouch and holds his gloves high. He has an incredibly wide stance, to the point where I find myself wondering how he keeps his balance when moving laterally. The minutia of his style is unlike anything I have ever seen before. ![]()
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