Richard Bachman brought more than drills to the ice at TCS Live Minnesota in 2025. He brought the perspective of someone who has played the position at the highest levels and now teaches it daily as the goalie coach for the Iowa Wild, the Minnesota Wild’s AHL affiliate.

After a professional playing career that spanned nearly two decades and included time in the NHL, AHL, and across Europe, Bachman transitioned into coaching with a clear understanding of what matters most when the game speeds up. His work now centres on preparing goaltenders for the demands of professional hockey, where reaction time is minimal and decision making must be instant.

That lens shaped everything he shared during his session at TCS Live Minnesota.

Rather than overwhelming coaches with complexity, Bachman delivered three simple drills designed to be accessible for both goalie coaches and non goalie coaches alike. The common thread running through each exercise was a focus on one often overlooked detail.

Head Trajectory

For Bachman, performance begins with how the head moves through space and how that movement connects directly to the eyes. When the puck is coming up from the ice toward a goalie, decisions need to be made in fractions of a second. By aligning head tilt with eye trajectory, Bachman believes goalies can buy themselves more time, not by moving faster, but by seeing more clearly and earlier.

That single adjustment has a ripple effect across the position.

Leading with the eyes allows movement to become more efficient and intentional instead of reactive. It improves tracking and helps goalies read the release with greater clarity. It supports better rebound control because goalies are not forced to drop early or reach up at pucks that could be managed from a stronger, more balanced position. And it improves recovery, as proper head trajectory allows the shoulders to rotate naturally and stay connected to the save sequence.

None of this was theoretical.

Bachman put the goalies through three on ice exercises, beginning with a simple movement pattern between the posts. The drill itself was uncomplicated, almost deceptively so, but it served a clear purpose.

By cleaning up how the head and eyes initiated movement, everything else became more connected. The game slowed down just enough for goalies to stay composed as plays developed.

The takeaway for coaches was clear. Sometimes the fastest way to help goalies react better is not to add speed, intensity, or chaos, but to refine the details that guide how they see the game in the first place.

Coaches’ Challenge

This week, take a closer look at where your goalies are initiating movement from. Are their eyes and head leading the save, or is the body reacting first? Introduce one simple drill that emphasizes head trajectory and visual engagement before movement.

Noteworthy timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro to head trajectory
• 3:25 Movement patterns
• 7:50 8 point tracking
• 13:50 3 Part Rotation drill
• 18:30 Reaction progression