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TSN Hockey Analyst

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Long gone are the days where before the game, a goaltender could focus simply on taping a stick, getting his skates to feel right as far as sharpness or how tight or loose he wanted his pads. These certainly are factors that go into getting ready, but with today's age of video, breakdowns and readily accessible information, there is so much more preparation that goes into the mindset of getting ready for a team. When I first started at the pro level, the research was done by word of mouth, asking around from other players about tendencies. Coaches shared info sometimes with each other but ultimately you would watch highlights from TV, that was pretty much it.

Now there are so many layers to the Pre Scout.

What got me thinking about it was watching Peter Mrazek make a save on Mikko Koivu in a shootout on Wednesday night between Detroit and Minnesota. If you watch his glove position as Koivu skates towards the net, you could clearly tell that Mrazek knew his move in the shootout which is a very quick forehand-to-backhand move that finishes with a top shelf shot. His glove was waiting for it, and he made it look easy.

The first thing that came to my mind was that guaranteed, the goalie coach had prepared him that if the game went to the shootout, Koivu would shoot and there would be a high probability that he would use that move. In today's world, that is a reality, where everything is on video and can be called upon instantly, not only for shootouts, but for tendencies showing that a player will shoot or deke in certain instances.

I remember one time my goalie coach in Calgary, Dave Marcoux (now coaching in Carolina) had some clips for me before a game we played. He spoke of potential shots I would face from certain areas and who was good at executing in tight plays. He noted that if Danny Briere was on his forehand in tight, he always looked to go underneath the bar, no matter what the option. That stuck into my mind and I ended up making a glove save that night on him - it was completely a reaction play that had been planted by my goalie coach a few hours earlier.

We see this every night where a goalie anticipates but also plays the odds as to where players will defer to their strengths, whether it's Phil Kessel down the wall looking for that in stride above pad blocker shot, or that Tyler Seguin underneath the bar short side shot that beats a lot of goalies with the quick release. Every player has his tendencies, and the more familiar a goaltender gets with them, the more he's able to cheat or anticipate a potential destination for the shot.

The harder ones to figure out are not just the young players whom you don't have much of a read on or you haven't faced before, because like I said there is video on everyone in today's world. Instead, it's the players who have multiple tricks in their bag who are capable of adjusting on the fly as to what you give him as a goaltender. And believe me, just because you may know the tendency of a shooter, doesn't mean you will be able to stop him. A prime example is Steven Stamkos, who is known to be lethal from the one timer spot on the power play on the top of the circle area on his forehand. Goalies will literally know where it's going and almost cheat to the shot, but it's so quick, and placed so perfectly, he's still able to score. Same with Alex Ovechkin. His shot comes with so much velocity, that if you're not in the perfect position, there is no reaction to it.

Now the same can be said for the Pre Scout on you as a goalie. If you have a habit of dropping your right knee to turn your body to and defer to your glove ( I call it 'the lean'), then guys will fake, freeze you and pick your blocker (this is where Marty Brodeur can be beat in today's game). The same can be said for Jonas Hiller. If you have a clean shot on him, regardless of where it's from, he plays from his knees, so the play is to fire at his ears and try and beat him under the bar. That's what he prefers to give a shooter, and I'm sure his mindset is if a player can make that shot, more power to him.

The farthest back I can remember an actual Pre Scout on players that was posted in the dressing room before a game was in St. Louis in the mid-1990's, I'm not sure that it's just a coincidence that Roger Neilson was our assistant coach, as he is known to have changed the game with video analysis, and also with his pre-scouting of teams.

The report on each player that time talked about their strengths as far as if they were a good skater, had a big shot, good vision to pass, or would always pass in every situation (for example Adam Oates). Some details pointed to if they were tough, which hand they fought with. For anyone who potentially would have a scrap, it would say something like, "is a lefty" or "can fight with both", meaning if you fought Jarome Iginla, he was capable of fighting with both hands so if you tied up his right (predominantly a stronger hand) he could do it with both. Or the report might say something unique that had to be paid attention to as far as "likes to jump into rush, or will play high risk so be aware of that and try and expose that by having a high guy - maybe if you were talking about Brian Leetch.

These are just examples of old school scouting reports, but now it has transformed into higher tech, with more camera angles, and certainly with more analysis on all levels to help a player get a competitive edge - and I don't know a team that does not try to take advantage of it in today's game.

So while we all Pre Scout teams' systems regarding forecheck, neutral zone, back check, defensive zone coverage - everything from a team's perspective - keep in mind goaltenders and shooters already know their opponents strengths and weaknesses. The key for success - is who executes.