Teen goalie designs pads to trick shooters

[WingNut 25 5]

Sneaky bastard! Great idea.

[seeinred 1,488]

Psychological experiments like these depends largely on a degree of unconscious - or at least distracted thought. It's easy to sit behind the computer screen, think it over, and declare it has zero effect. Quite a bit different when you're in a scramble on the ice where you're in the process of thinking on your feet and details like that are far from your mind. In those circumstances adrenaline and instinct are likely to create automatic associations like twine = net, or black = puck. This is why, like it says in the article, it works better in a scramble rather than with a further shot, where you're a little more open and you get that extra fraction of a second to interpret visual messages instead of merely acting upon them. To say that it's little more than a matter of being gullible is a little naive.

I see what you're saying, but it doesn't work like that. Especially the higher you go, those split second decisions aren't even decisions at all, they're pure reaction. I've played against goalies with white pads. I've played against goalies with other color pads. It's never made a difference.

[stormboy 47]

I see what you're saying, but it doesn't work like that. Especially the higher you go, those split second decisions aren't even decisions at all, they're pure reaction. I've played against goalies with white pads. I've played against goalies with other color pads. It's never made a difference.

i'm not a player, so i can't speak from experience, but the bolded bit of your post actually seems to agree with the theory of the pad design. the less time you have to think and the more you're relying on instinct, the more likely any visual confusion is likely to have an effect.

that being said, it still seems to me that 90-99 % of the time, the design of the pads wouldn't make any difference. but as someone mentioned earlier, it's more about confidence. if putting black tape on your stick or a twine design on your pads makes you feel like you have an edge, you're likely to play with just a bit more swagger. this would likely have an effect on your game, whether or not the actual pads/tape make any literal difference.

it's like players getting a new stick when they're on a cold streak. it probably doesn't make any actual difference...but even not being a hockey player, i know when something isn't going right in whatever i'm doing, i quickly begin to think that i need to change something. whether that something that i change actually makes a difference or not, i'm now ready to attack the problem with a fresh perspective and enthusiasm.

will these pads make me a world class goalie? no. might they help some other goaltender play with a bit more confidence? possibly. thus, if the kid (or rather, his parents) have the cash to pay for the pads, more power to them.

[T.Low 1,011]

I got lucky when I finally had a coach that was good at player assessment. He figured out right away that I never hit my target with my shot. He told me to start trying to hit the goalie with every shot and damned if I didn't start scoring!

Edit: Thats a true story. And one time I was right on the goalie's door step, 4 feet away from the crease, yet somehow I still managed to hit the Mountain Dew display over the glass.

Edited January 27, 2009 by T.Low

[seeinred 1,488]

i'm not a player, so i can't speak from experience, but the bolded bit of your post actually seems to agree with the theory of the pad design. the less time you have to think and the more you're relying on instinct, the more likely any visual confusion is likely to have an effect.

I don't mean reaction like looking around and making a split-second decision. I mean reaction like "the puck's on my stick, I'm at the top of the crease. I'm gonna shelf it and hope for the best." Especially in traffic and during battles in front, players often don't even get a chance to pick a spot.

Edited January 27, 2009 by SeeinRed

[theman19 47]

A great idea and the kid gets all the kudos in the world for making them

That said, the highest scoring RW in NHL history has gone on record several times saying that he never picked a spot once in his entire career, (on a one timer at least) he just aimed at a corner and fired.

Of course this is brett hull were talking about....

Edited January 27, 2009 by theman19

[stormboy 47]

I don't mean reaction like looking around and making a split-second decision. I mean reaction like "the puck's on my stick, I'm at the top of the crease. I'm gonna shelf it and hope for the best." Especially in traffic and during battles in front, players often don't even get a chance to pick a spot.

hmmm..right, i see what you're saying.

if "reaction" means always going for the top shelf in a scramble (like you stated) then probably the pads would have absolutely zero effect. if, in a scramble, you *are* able to take a *very* quick look out of the corner of your eye to see if you can sneak in a shot on the short side or something like that, then i think there's the *possibility* that a misleading pad might make someone think "net-tip" in a tiny fraction of second based out of a glimps of the corner of their eye.

maybe this never happens, and maybe in only happens every once in a while--again, i'm not a player, so i'll deffer to you here. obviously, if anyone had time to look and think they would not be confused by the pads. i guess i was just trying to imagine a situation where it was possible that it might have some effect. do you feel that there is a zero per cent chance that it would ever have any effect, ever?

[stormboy 47]

A great idea and the kid gets all the kudos in the world for making them

That said, the highest scoring RW in NHL history has gone on record several times saying that he never picked a spot once in his entire career, (on a one timer at least) he just aimed at a corner and fired.

Of course this is brett hull were talking about....

this is not meant sarcastically...i just don't understand how aiming at a corner is different than picking a spot. if a corner is a spot on the net, isn't shooting at a corner picking a spot? maybe i'm missing something...

[seeinred 1,488]

this is not meant sarcastically...i just don't understand how aiming at a corner is different than picking a spot. if a corner is a spot on the net, isn't shooting at a corner picking a spot? maybe i'm missing something...

There's a difference between shooting where the goalie isn't (looking up and acquiring a target) and shooting where the goalie usually isn't (the corners).

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

This kid is really smart for coming up with that.

[Nightfall 871]

I think the pads are pretty cool looking. As a goalie, I don't know if they would make that much of a difference, but its still cool looking.

[theman19 47]

There's a difference between shooting where the goalie isn't (looking up and acquiring a target) and shooting where the goalie usually isn't (the corners).

Yatzee,

if you look at most Brett Hull (and other noted NHL snipers) most of the time, they're looking at the D men, looking at the pass coming, seeing who's around them. they very rarley are looking at the goal admiring where they shot.

[bruisebrother15 29]

Cool idea.

If he really wanted to fool the shooters though he should have his parents buy him some of that camouflage the Predator uses.

[b.shanafan14 733]

uh oh, this gets the NHL and they'll be wanting to add another 18" on each side of the goal.

[up2here 41]

I doubt the NHL would ever approve this design,I mean imagine players putting decals of pucks on their sticks or uniforms.

[C-TownWing 0]

I love it when guys try to win with their brains, so good for this kid!

As far as whether it works or not...well, to me, if it tricks someone just once it's probably worth it, and it probably has. Agree with what seems like the consensus though--if you're in close enough for them to work, you're probably basing your shot placement more on where you think the goalie isn't than what you actually see.