BlogGoaltending
Butterfly Technique: Common Flaws and Fixes
The butterfly is the foundation of modern goaltending, but sloppy mechanics create holes that shooters exploit every game. Here are the most common flaws and exactly how to fix them.
1
The Five-Hole Gap: If your knees don't touch when you drop, you're giving up the five-hole. Drill: drop into butterfly 50 times and check knee contact every rep. Squeeze your knees together as you drop, not after.
2
Hands Too Low: When dropping into butterfly, your hands should stay at or above the top of your pads. Most young goalies let their glove and blocker drop to their sides. Drill: hold tennis balls while doing butterfly slides and don't let them drop.
3
Slow Recovery: Getting down is only half the battle. Getting up quickly determines if you can make the second save. Drill: butterfly drop, push to feet, shuffle two steps, butterfly again. Do 10 reps per side, timing yourself.
4
Overcommitting on Slides: Sliding too far past the shooter leaves the net open behind you. Drill: place a pylon at the far post. Slide from post to pylon and stop exactly at the pylon. If you pass it, you're overcommitting.
5
Not Sealing the Ice: Gaps between your pads and the ice let pucks sneak through. Your pad rotation should create a flat wall against the ice surface. Film yourself from ice level to check for light showing under your pads.
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