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Does anyone have an Afanasenkov?

I'm going to say this as gently as possible. In no way am I trying to be mean or disrespectful, so please do not take it that way. I just want to be straight and honest, so hopefully it might help. My impression from your posts on here is of someone who thinks they are much better than they are and doesn't really want anyone else's help. I've stopped offering pointers or critques of your videos because of it. I thought you didn't want to hear them anymore. It may not be how you feel, the loss of context over the internet often causes misinterpretations. Maybe you do it subconsciously. Or maybe you're the kind of person who likes to figure things out on their own. Maybe a combination of these and other things. I can't be sure. You were recptive to the discussion of that puck you missed on the cover, so I know you still want to learn. You definitely have improved, so don;t think you haven't. Your skating and edges are better, as is your control and movements. You had a good understanding of angles to start with. However, when you start at the bottom, you only can go up (and that's a statement that applies to all of us who began playing goal, not that you sucked). You can make large improvements in a short period of time as you figure the big things out. But once that happens, you have to be willing to fix the smaller things to continue to improve. And that's where I think you've hit a snag. You got better quickly, so you felt that you should have kept getting better and haven't. Unfortunately, goalie is a position that relies on the small things. The struggles you are having now are because of the things you haven't improved since you started, mainly your edge control, butterfly, and movements/recoveries. I know you have limitations, and an injury. But I wonder how much is you using those as an excuse or a crutch. The things you need to improve are tough, and will mean a lot of adjustment. When you're improving well, you don't feel the need to worry about them. Now you might. You need to start with your butterfly. I know you have flexibility issues. But I don't believe your struggle is as much with that as you think. Your issue is with instincts and tendencies. Like Tim Tebow and his bad mechanics, when you're in the thick of things and acting instinctually, you revert to bad habits. The biggest problem is that you pull your heels together when you drop down. You drop forward on your knees, bring your feet behind you, and sit your butt back over your feet. This is problematic because it locks you in place on the ice. You can no longer move laterally or get back to your feet without big movements. To move, you essentially have to put yourself into the correct position first. Why not cut that step out?! This is also expending a tremendous amount of energy to do. You're working harder, and getting tired faster. Efficiency is the name of the game with goaltending. You want to make as little extra movement as possible. You really need to focus on pushing your hips forward when you drop, instead of sitting down. Push your hips forward and bring your knees together, not forward. This will bring your feet out and put you into a more mobile position. It may not be a very wide butterfly. Mine isn't either. Even if your feet are straight back and not out at all, that will put your hips and weight in a better position than having them touching behind you like they are now. If you feel tightness with this, loosen up all the straps on the pads. You need to learn to get into a position where your weight is forward over your knees and not back over your feet. That may take practice, strength and flexibility training, coaching, and most likely a combination of that. But once you start, those things will take care of themselves. And i promise you that you will see an improvement in your game. You've hit a wall. To get over it, you have to find the small handholds and work harder. We're here to help you if you're willing to listen.

Just something a little more unique. Wanted a retro setup and sent in my own leather.