Of all the ways Robb Stauber uses to measure the changes in women’s ice hockey since its 1998 Olympic debut, the most insightful might be the one he can’t quantify.

“We’ve gradually seen advancement in women’s hockey since the 1998 Olympics, but the pace of that improvement hastened significantly in recent years,” said the 10-year-pro goalie, 47, who spent five years in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings and Buffalo Sabres. “As it’s developed, I consistently hear from those in the hockey community about how far it’s come and how impressed they are with the current game. This camp became essential in the evolution of our goaltending and is a perfect example of what is needed if we look to continue that growth in the sport.”

Stauber, the goaltending coach for the U.S. women’s national team for the past five years, has other measures, too: speed of play, stick handling, accuracy and speed of shots. Another was this past weekend’s goalie camp for Team USA, the first for the women, where 18 of the country’s best — from ages 16 to 29 — gathered in Blaine, Minnesota, for a four-day series of classes, drills and evaluations.

The purpose of the camp was not only to assess the various attendees, their strengths and their weaknesses, Stauber said, but also to introduce them to Team USA and give them a sense of what the coaching staff is looking for and what it will take to make the Olympic or world championships roster.

Read more at TeamUSA.org

For more information on the U.S. Women's National Team Goaltending Development Camp, click here.