USA Hockey Magazine

S teve Thompson wants to build a family environ- ment with USA Hockey goaltenders, one that could later lead to goalies hugging each other at the Olympics because they remember attending a goaltending camp together for a few years. That's an overarching goal for USA Hockey 's National Goaltending and Women's Defense Development Camp. "Trying just to build this family environment of, it doesn't matter how long your hair is or what gender you are, you're a part of the USA Hockey goalie family, and we're all training the same, working the same, getting access to the same resources," said Thompson, the manager of player devel- opment - goaltending for USA Hockey. A total of 25 goaltenders and 12 defenders attended the camp held May 18-21 at the NSC Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota. The camp featured 31 coaches from various lev- els providing on-ice training, skill development, video analysis and team-building activities for the participants. David Lassonde, USA Hockey's national goalten- ding coach, said the camp is "one of the crown jewels" of what the organization does to devel- op goaltenders. Many American goaltenders who play in the NHL attended this camp in the past. The camp invitees were primarily made up of the women's national team prospects in college or younger—roughly ages 16-22. On the men's side, a lot of World Junior prospects attend the camp. About half of the athletes were first timers this year, but some were back for as many as their fifth time. It's always fun to see athletes come in as "star-struck," then by year four or five, they're the ones feeling more comfortable and help- ing younger athletes, Thompson said. Alli Altmann, the goaltending coach for the U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey ONE ALL AS USA Hockey Goaltending Development Camp Strives To Create Budding Goaltending Community 32 // THE GOALIE ISSUE // JUNE 2026 by Heather Rule

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