The Goalie Swag Revolution
With his first ever Ontario Hockey League shutout last Saturday, Belleville Bulls netminder Tyson Teichmann proved there is more to “goalie swag” than a well made blocker, sturdy pads, and creative mask design. The 18-year-old led his eighth-seeded squad to a 3-0 upset over top NHL prospect Gabriel Landeskog and the Kitchener Rangers – the second-place team in the Western Conference.
Honing the red, yellow, and black of his hometown team, Teichmann turned aside 34 shots in the victory to be named the game’s first star, but that wasn’t the most significant thing that he’s contributed in the first 69 games of his CHL career.
Teichmann’s on-ice performance last weekend was only paralleled with what the Bulls’ goaltending rotation has dubbed “goalie swag” – the art of looking good, staying stylish, and stopping pucks.
“Goalie swag came from my goalie partner Malcom Subban,” explained Teichmann. “We’ve continued to talk about it ever since he came up with it, and now I tweet about it.”
The world of social networking – wherein Teichmann’s Twitter account can be followed – has brought the fashion phonon to the forefront of the junior hockey world and left many asking What exactly is goalie swag, and how can I get some?
“It’s about having good gear, a good stance, and a good style of game,” said Teichmann. “It’s also having good back-up goalie swag – wearing a good hat on the bench for example.”
Teichmann’s claim to fame between the posts is his butterfly-style of play, displaying quickness and a cool-headed demeanor. As all goaltenders do, he takes most pride in his mask, which pays tribute to two Bulls’ alumni – Kevin Lalande and Michael Murphy.
Lalande was drafted by the Calgary Flames in 2005 and now plays in the KHL, while Murphy was drafted by the Carolina Hurricane in 2008 and is currently playing for the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Both remain memorable fan favorites in Belleville.
“I watched these guys growing up,” said Teichmann. “So I decided to dedicate a mask to two sick goalies and great guys.”
Teichmann also grew up hearing stories from his father Brad Teichmann – a former OHL goaltender who played with Belleville in the 1990-91 season. The 6’0″, 150-pound Tyson has followed in the family footsteps, and continues to establish a decorated hockey career for himself.
In 2010, Teichmann backstopped Team Canada to a 1-0 win over Team USA to capture the Under-18 World Hockey Championships in Slovakia. In securing the gold medal Teichmann finished with a perfect 4-0 record, a .922 save percentage and 2.00 GAA. Teichmann has also won a silver medal with Team Ontario at the Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
In the Central Scouting Bureau’s most recent Midterm Rankings, Teichmann was listed 28th among domestic goaltenders. He hopes to pursue his hockey career at the professional level in years to come.
“It’s just a number, I still expect a lot more out of myself,” said Teichmann. “It’s not where and when you get drafted, it’s what you do when you get drafted.”
Belleville is currently clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in East, and looks to maintain that position through their final six regular season match ups. For obvious reasons the rest of the Canadian Hockey League will have their eye on how the Bulls close out their OHL season, but don’t think while there won’t be some extra eyes on the Belleville crease.
That is, after all, what goalie swag is all about.
