THUNDER BAY -- A quick look at the rosters of many National Hockey League teams shows the sport is becoming a global game.
That is especially apparent in between the pipes, a domain once held by predominantly by Canadians but now other hockey powers are eroding the dominance.
Colin Zulianello, the goalie coach for both the Lakehead Thunderwolves and Thunder Bay North Stars, is part of a contingent with Hockey Canada that will spend the next couple weeks in Sweden and Finland to learn about how those nations are cultivating goaltenders.
Those two nations have produced some of the world’s best at the position such as Finland’s Tuuka Rask and Pekka Rinne and Sweden’s Henrik Lundqvist, along with dozens of others who have NHL experience.
While groups have previously worked with those other countries, the narrow focus on the one position is new territory.
“This is the first time it’s been goaltender specific,” Zulianello said after the North Stars’ victory over the Dryden Ice Dogs on Saturday.
“It would be ignorant of us to not recognize the fact there are many more European-born goaltenders in the NHL than there ever have been before. They’re obviously doing something over there that’s very good.”
Zulianello, a former professional and NCAA goaltender, is travelling with a group that includes former NHLers Corey Hirsch and Fred Brathwaite as well as Ottawa Senators goalie coach Rick Walmsley.
The number of successful players at the position extends beyond the NHL but to North American development and collegiate leagues.
“There are a whole slew of other junior-aged European goaltenders that have flooded our junior leagues and are now receiving scholarships to the U.S.,” he said.
The 36-year-old was extensive experience working with local players in that age group, as he has spent the past several years working with Lakehead keepers such as Alex Dupuis, Jeff Bosch and Justin McDonald as well as the last campaign and the start of the current one working with North Stars keepers Eric Mann and Nathaniel Dupuis.
Zulianello expects the training will extend beyond just how the top tier athletes are trained on the ice, but will include off-ice conditioning, athleticism and development of beginner-level youth goalies.
It’s the knowledge of working with the youth goalies that has the most excitement for Zulianello, who runs a local goaltending academy.
“I think the benefit is seeing the progression of how they work with their eight and nine year olds up to when they’re in their 20s playing professional hockey to see how they get from point A to point B,” he said.
“I’m really interesting in seeing what some things are I could be doing differently with the youngest goaltenders to give them their best opportunity to reach their full potential.”
