Tomas Vokoun had an outstanding 2013 playoff performance coming off the pine in support of a flailing, Marc-Andre Fleury. There is no harder position in the NHL than playing goaltender and if your team loses, the goalie is the first player to be put under a microscope. Furthermore, you cannot completely blame Fleury for his inconsistency as the Penguins defense was flat out brutal at times. Throughout hockey circles, a concrete mental game is a must for all elite goaltenders and this is where Fleury has really struggled the last few years. Without question, Fleury is without a doubt one of the most agile, physically prepared goaltenders in the NHL. However, Dominic Hasek was one of the most awkward goaltenders of all time, but his mental preparation and toughness were nearly unbreakable.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have decided to move in a different direction with Gilles Meloche out as the Penguins goaltender coach. This is a significant first step considering Meloche has been in the Penguins system for 27 years, he has been the goaltender coach the past seven seasons. Someone in the Penguins organization needed to take ownership of their no show against the Bruins and for now, Meloche is the odd man out.
Meloche served as a Penguins scout, goaltending coach from 1989 to 2006 when the Penguins raised Lord Stanley in 1991 and 1992. In 2007, Meloche took over full control as the Penguins goaltending coach and raised Lord Stanley in 2009 with the Penguins.
Let us also not forget the abysmal offensive output in the Bruins series from star players such as Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, and Evgeni Malkin who combined for an eye-opening zero points. This was a major factor in the series sweep as the Penguins were 0-15 on the powerplay. One of the biggest factors in the series against the Bruins was that the Penguins never once held the lead, which is astounding for a team that led the regular season in goals per game at 3.38
Mental toughness refers to a goaltender’s ability to perform at a very high or close to a high level at all times including the high pressure scenarios of playoff games or late in a 2-1 edge of your seat, nail biter. Another aspect of mental toughness is the ability to stay focused when faced with trials and tribulations or to be able to bounce back from a rough outing. In order to become a mentally tough goaltender, the goaltender must work on all aspects of their mental game. Unfortunately for Meloche, Fleury’s lack of mental toughness has made him the odd man out, for now.
