My Dad Never Counted Shots
- Barry Smith
- Aug 28
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 29
My dad never counted shots. What he did do was drape me in Montreal Canadiens attire. I played out for the first couple of years, but cheering for Montreal didn’t stick, and neither did playing out.
I remember the day the goalie didn’t show up. I turned to my dad and said I wanted to play goal. From that day on, I was a goalie for the next 47 years (and counting). He never kept any stats, he never criticized my bad games, he never told me how to hold my glove. He bought me gear, he taught me how to sew up the holes in my goalie pads, he drove me around, he comforted mom (playing goal is hard on a mother). He watched my games and cheered me on. Here are two of the main things my dad taught me about playing goal:
We were watching the evening news on March 23rd, 1989. A quick disclaimer warned of graphic content before highlights of the Buffalo Sabres vs. St. Louis Blues game appeared. Steve Tuttle’s skate blade struck Clint Malarchuk’s neck. We watched as Malarchuk lifted his mask and grabbed his throat while the ice turned red. The next clip showed him in a hospital gown with his neck heavily bandaged.
Dad turned to me and said, “Go and get aboard the car.” We drove to Canadian Tire where he bought two new pieces of equipment: a black Cooper dangler and a bulky white sponge-and-plastic D&R throat guard. It was like a whiplash neck-brace. For a year I couldn’t see the puck at my feet. No matter how much I complained, he said, “You want to play goal, you wear the neck guards.” The Malarchuk accident spurred on innovation in the protective equipment industry and I switched to a slimmer, bandana-style guard, but the lesson stuck: I wear two throat guards to this day.
The second lesson came when When Ron Hextall burst into the NHL. I idolized him. I replaced the webbing in my glove with a skate lace, I wore my pads like him, I curved my stick with a blowtorch to shoot harder. I two-handed a kid in front of my net during a game. On the ride home, Dad gave me advice that was short and final: “You do that again and you won’t be playing hockey for a long time.” That was the end of the conversation. Like a baptism, I was saved (pun intended). I'm a non-violent goaltender to this date. Over the years playing shinny, beer leagues, charity events, I had a cup of coffee in the Newfoundland Senior Hockey league in the mid 90s, seven straight losses got me cut, I've been very lucky. I got to play with NHLers, actors, musicians, famous chefs, cartoonists, doctors, lawyers, three Newfoundland Premiers, legends of the game, great friends and my closest buddies since childhood, and most importantly, my own son.
I completely understand a parents need to emerge themselves in the experience. It's the most exciting position in sports. Goaltending has a legacy and a culture all to itself. I'm making a case for parents of young goaltenders to take a step back and consider the big picture. I came across a recent post where a parent asked an innocent question:
How are you guys tracking shots for your goalies?
There was a barrage of responses with apps and shot counters. I decided to write this article with some things to consider, based on my experience. Parents are tracking how many shots a young goalie faces as if that number alone reveals something about performance. The truth is that counting shots is a weak and misleading measure. It strips away context, adds pressure, and distracts from the bigger picture of what goaltending really teaches.
Why Shot Counts Mislead:
Shots do not equal performance. A goalie can face five breakaways or forty weak ones. The number alone says nothing about skill or growth.
No context. One breakaway is far more demanding than forty floater shots from the blue line. Raw totals ignore quality.
Team defense skews results. A strong defense suppresses scoring chances, while a weak one inflates totals. Neither scenario fairly measures the goalie.
No insight into development. Youth goalie growth lies in positioning, rebound control, resilience, and decision-making. None of that shows up in a shot tally.
Added pressure. Kids already shoulder the stress of being the last line of defense. Parents obsessing over numbers only piles on weight.
Takes away the joy. When the focus turns to statistics, energy shifts from fun and support to judgment.
The Bigger Picture
Goaltending is not just about stopping pucks. It teaches independence within a team, composure under pressure, and leadership that cannot be fabricated or recreated in any other environment. Sometimes the best thing for a child is to face adversity: getting cut, playing on a weak team, or struggling to earn ice time. Those moments build resilience and character far more than any stat sheet.
Leave Them Alone
Counting shots does not develop goalies, it distracts parents. The best thing adults can do is step back. Get a cup of coffee. Relax. Cheer. Encourage. Remind your child how much you love watching them play. Do not reduce their experience to something as frivolous as a tally mark on a scoresheet or a click on an app. Believe me when I say, time is fleeting. A minor hockey career is over in a blink of an eye.
Goaltending development is about the long game. Goaltending offers lessons that reach far beyond the rink. If we allow kids to embrace the ups and downs without interference, they will gain skills in resilience, leadership, and independence that no parent, coach, or statistic can manufacture. I hope this helps.
-Barry Smith
Here is link to a free eBook called The 59 Laws of Goaltending, it's a practical and philosophical look at the art of goaltending. There are some insights, quotes, and thought-provoking lessons. It's written for young goalies but valuable for players of all ages, as well as parents and coaches.
Click here to download.
