The Butterfly: When to Use It and When It's Costing You Goals

By Eldon 'Pokey' Reddick | Hockey Horizons Mentor & Former NHL Goaltender

The butterfly is everywhere in modern goaltending. At every age level, from squirts to juniors, you see goalies dropping into the butterfly on nearly every shot. And I understand why — it's been the dominant style for thirty years, and when it's executed correctly, it's highly effective. But here's what nobody tells young goalies: the butterfly is a tool, not a philosophy. Using it at the wrong time, on the wrong shot, in the wrong situation is costing you goals you should be stopping.

When the butterfly works, it works because your pads are sealed to the ice, you're square to the shooter, and you're taking away the low part of the net while your upper body covers the high corners. It's geometrically sound. The problems start when goalies drop into the butterfly too early — before the shot is released, before they know where it's going, before they're in the right position to execute it. Early butterflies leave you scrambling, off-angle, and out of position for rebounds.

The other thing I see constantly in junior hockey is what I call the reflex butterfly — the goalie drops because something is happening and they've been trained to drop. That's not goaltending. That's pattern recognition without decision-making. Good goaltenders read the play before they commit to a movement. Bad goaltenders react after the fact and hope the puck hits them.

When to Stay Up

There are situations where staying upright gives you a better chance: shots from distance where you have time to track, plays where the puck carrier is taking the puck wide rather than shooting, two-on-ones where you need to stay mobile, and screen situations where you need to see over players. Develop the judgment to know which tool the situation calls for. That judgment is what separates reactive goalies from smart goalies.

At Hockey Horizons, we understand that goaltending is its own world — technically, mentally, and strategically. Pokey Reddick works directly with goaltenders and their families to navigate development, team selection, and the junior and college recruiting process. If you're serious about your goalie's future, reach out to us at hockeyhorizons.com.

For guidance on the complete development picture, visit us at hockeyhorizons.com.