The Goalie Guild Feature – McKeen's Hockey

Gustafsson Prepares for the Jump

McKeen's Hockey — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 20:16:08 +0000

Minnesota Wild prospect Johan Gustafsson had a stellar season for Luleå in the Swedish Hockey League.

He posted a 1.70 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in 33 regular season games, and then a 2.03 GAA and .925 SV% in 15 playoff games. Although his team came up short in the finals to Skelleftea, Gustafsson was widely considered one of the league's best goalies.

Now he's preparing for the next challenge -- making the tricky transition from Sweden to North America.

After seeing him perform last week at a second straight development camp, I think Gustafsson is already pretty close to being an NHL-caliber goalie from the knees down.

He's so fluid and seamless when pushing laterally, his edge control is excellent, and he plays with such a deep crouch and wide stance that he's very tough to beat down low. He snaps the knees down to seal the ice quickly, and the amount of time it takes to do this is already reduced compared to most goalies his size because the knees sit low to the ice to begin with.

Gustafsson also has superb range with the leg pads (net coverage from toe to toe) due to his wide butterfly and flexibility. This gives him the luxury of playing deeper, so when he does have to pick up the outside knee to push laterally or back to a post, the distance he travels is reduced, which allows him to appear even "quieter" and more controlled in the crease.

But from the chest to the shoulder blades, it's a bit of a different story. To me, this is the main area of focus for Gustafsson moving forward because he's prone to exposing too much space in the upper corners. And against AHL-calibre shooters that can pick corners with decent accuracy, it's easy for me to say that some adjustments will need to be made as his first season in North America gets underway.

When it comes to discussing Gustafsson's transition to the smaller ice, I want to focus on two key areas: net coverage and space management.

First of all, in terms of space management, I think Gustafsson will need to work on moving and tracking more on his skates, while sliding into angles less. But balancing the volume of up-to-down movements compared to his down-to-up movements is an adjustment that will come once he gets into some AHL games. This is really about reading the play more than anything else, so it's an area that will improve or smooth out over time.

While "dropping early" and exposing space over the shoulders can be due to a variety of different factors, a part of this issue has to do with the width of Gustafsson's stance. At times I've noticed that his own momentum pulls him down and forces him to work harder to stay up as long as possible.

Another aspect that has to be considered here is his posture. Keeping the shoulders as high as possible is more of a challenge when the feet are set so far apart (wide stance). Also, the further the knees are to each other when a goalie drops into the butterfly, the lower his shoulders will sit in the down position.

Also, if his thighs aren't as parallel to his knees as they could be, he'll have a tendency to sink back in his stance, which can also reduce the height of his shoulders and make him look even smaller in net. Same thing happens if his back isn't as straight as possible. This means Gustafsson may need to tweak some things so that his body is more gathered and "collected" in the butterfly.

And the most obvious aspect of all this -- his depth. Even if he can take one step out from where he usually places himself, he'll fill that much more net and take away that much more space from the upper corners.

I'm really interested to see if he ends up changing such a key component of his game. You hear goalies doing this all the time; playing deeper to be more conservative or taking a step out to be a little more aggressive. Sometimes goalies go back and forth between the two "modes" a few times over the course of one or two seasons, while other goalies just stay the same throughout their entire careers.

The shot I snagged above is an excellent display of Gustavsson's technical skills on a low shot. He's deep, but the wide butterfly seals the ice from post to post extremely well. There's a tiny gap between the thigh rises, but he has perfect stick placement, and the blocker is tight to his core, eliminating the hole under the arm. The glove is also tight to the body, but still active. The pocket is open and catches the puck cleanly (see below in my additional notes regarding this).

Not only does he have great eye attachment, and the subtle lean of the upper body during shot impact further allowed him to make the catch without having to over-reach or extend the elbow away from the body.

Very quiet, very minimalistic, very clean; this was such an efficient save, and many of the saves he made on low shots throughout camp looked exactly like this.

Ultimately, the transition to the smaller ice is a different feeling-out process for every European goalie. It's a strategic game of give-and-take, because you tweak, refine, watch video, and continue to adjust as you play more games. Those tweaks could be focused more on his actual depth in the crease, or it could be focused more on his posture and stance.

So while I have no idea how much tweaking he'll need to make, how long it will take for him to feel comfortable, or exactly what tweaks he'll make -- I do know he'll have to make some.

Regardless, from what I have seen over the past two years, I do think Gustafsson is not only ready to make the jump, but I think he'll have his fair share of success in Iowa with Darcy Kuemper.

More Scouting Notes on Gustafsson

+ Gustafsson is a "skate-on-post" goalie, which I actually like for him because he can use the post as a spring to gain some depth when passes are made from the goal line to the crease area. It's tougher to do this with the pad inside the post. Being able to gain that depth while keeping the ice sealed and the body in position will be very important as he works towards playing bigger and eliminating space up high.

+ On slap shots from inside the blue line, Gustafsson stayed in the back half of the blue paint and directed pucks away with an active stick and good pad control, as opposed to bringing his hands in front of his body to corral or absorb shots. He did very little reaching, which is a good thing.

+ Speaking of reaching, the picture above shows a good example of how little he reached for a shot that, as you can see, went off the crossbar. The thumb is close to his shoulder, the knees are fairly close together, so he's pretty upright and looks fairly big in there. If you're a Wild fan, you hope to see more of this. Compared to what I usually see, he's also somewhat aggressive with his depth.

+ One of my favorite traits in Gustafsson's game is how the pocket of his glove never closes, yet he still catches pucks pretty well. It's a lot like what you see from Henrik Lundqvist. It's big, open, broad, and takes up a lot of space compared to other gloves out there. Again, this is a key trait to have considering how much I've been focusing on net coverage in the top corners.

+ A casual observer may consider Gustafsson a "drop and block" goalie. While this is not untrue, it's also not completely accurate. Gustafsson does build a very solid wall on shots up to 15-18" off the ice, but I think he's different in the sense that his hands are not rigid. Rather, he keeps the hands close to the body and maintains strong box control, and then extends out only when needed. He does not reach with the blocker, stick, or glove for many shots low and inside the posts unless he has to. Part of this is due to that wide stance and excellent pad reach, so he relies on the pads to take care of business.

+ Gustafsson also had a tendency to bring his knees very tight together when preparing to drop, but before he leaves his feet. Since he builds a very solid wall to seal the six and seven-holes, this pre-shot movement forced the hands to collapse closer towards the middle of his body. So in a sense, he makes himself smaller as he prepares to face a shot. He is the prototypical "inside-out" goalie with his hands, meaning he establishes net coverage from the core, then reacts out when necessary. He'll need to be careful with how the hands are set if he wants to "play bigger" and look bigger in net. And trust me, he will want this since more traffic is headed his way on the smaller ice.

+ You can view the full photo gallery of Gustafsson here. Notice the depth, how his knees are constantly inside the blue paint and the glove is always wide open. You can also read my report on him from last season's camp right here.

Bob Mason Discusses Gustafsson:

Here's a good video from the all-new Iowa Wild website with Mason, as he discusses Gustafsson and some of the adjustments he'll have to make. These type of videos are pure gold for a goalie scout, as they offer rare glimpses into the mind of his goalie coach. Those thoughts will surely work their way up to the coaching staff and management for Iowa and Minnesota, so it's key insight into how he'll be perceived heading into camp.

My Quick Chat With Gustafsson

After the first on-ice session on Tuesday, I had a chance to chat with Gustafsson on a couple of topics. I also got to check out his brand new Bauer Total One pads, which was fun for the gear-head in me.

On his great run with Lulea this past season:
"It was a great year for me to be able to play in 33 regular season games and every playoff game, so it was a good experience for me. I had a better year than my first year up in Lulea, so I think it was a step in the right direction and hopefully I will continue in that direction."

On some technical things he learned in Lulea:
"During this season I had an awesome goalie coach in Daniel Henriksson. He was teaching me a lot, mostly about play around the net and how to get post-to-post quickly and how to stay down on wraparounds. So I've had two really good years with him there. A lot of my success the past two seasons is because of him."

On expectations for his upcoming season:
"I don't know, really. I mean, like you said, last year I was here, and it has been great for me to come over the last three years now to see how they practice over here, and to get to know the people around here. It has been great for me and that has been the best experience for me to be here in the summer and just get to see how it works out."

On his current transition to the smaller ice:
"We'll see here. I'm going to come over here for camp and see what happens. The biggest experience for me on the smaller ice was winning the World Championships a few years ago. I was struggling a little bit at the beginning of the tournament but after a couple of games, I felt like it worked out good and hopefully it'll work for me again this season too."

On winning Gold at the World Championships:
"It was amazing. It was a huge win for us over in Sweden for the Swedish Hockey Federation. They had worked so hard to get that Gold Medal, something like 32 years since Sweden last won Gold, so it was a great experience for me. We had a really good team and it felt like all tournament long we had the best team, so I thought that we had a really good tournament and we were all happy with the result."

Free Agent Frenzy: The Goalie-Go-Round

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 06 Jul 2013 01:03:08 +0000

The Goaltending Market, just as it was with the other positions, was very active during Friday's Free Agent Frenzy. It kicked off with a few bigger names in Evgeni Nabokov and Ray Emery, then closed out with a number of teams solidifying the backup roles.

You can view the latest version of the NHL Depth Charts to stay updated with every team's movement in goal.

Below are some of my thoughts on all of the goalie movement that transpired on Friday. If you would like more insight or opinions on anything, please feel free to contact me at justin@thegoalieguild.com at any time.

NABOKOV STICKS WITH ISLES

The goalie-go-round started turning when the Islanders signed Evgeni Nabokov to a one-year deal reportedly worth $3.25 million. "Nabby" got hot at the right time for the Isles this past season, going 7-0-4 in April with a 1.76 goals-against average and .928 save percentage. He was a stickler against some decent teams, going 3-0 against Tampa Bay and Florida, 2-0 against Montreal, 2-0-1 against Washington, and 2-0-1 against Toronto.

Photo Copyright: Tom Turk - Piratical Photography

Just a few days after buying out Rick DiPietro, I was not surprised to see Nabokov re-sign. On one hand, I think it's a good fit because it breeds an even higher level of familiarity between the two sides. Paying him over $3 million is a hefty investment, but there is no long-term risk due to this being a one-year deal.

On the other hand, Nabokov turns 38 on July 25, so the risk regarding this deal begins and ends with his durability. If the Islanders feel he shouldn't or can't play more than 62-65 games, they will have to either instill their faith in Kevin Poulin as the team's backup, or spend more money to sign a veteran.

If the Isles don't sign anyone else, there is a chance that Anders Nilsson could win the job, but the odds are in Poulin's favor since he spent a chunk of this past season behind Nabokov. Nilsson also missed a fair amount of time with what was possibly a vitamin B-12 deficiency, but it still remains somewhat of a mystery.

Honestly, I think questions surrounding Nabokov's durability are overblown. You can't go into a season expecting an injury just because he's a year older, and beyond playing in 41 games this season, he arguably saved his best stretch for last. No, he wasn't very good against the Penguins in the playoffs (posted a 4.44 GAA in six games), but he still gave the Islanders a chance to win a few of those games.

Since 2000, for all active and non-active goalies between the ages of 30 and 45, Nabokov is currently third overall in wins with 214 (Brodeur has 345, Kiprusoff has 239). So despite the fact he's in his late-30's, I still think he's reliable. As the driving force behind the team making it back to the playoffs, even though things like rebound control and "timely saves" were questionable at times, he still earned this new deal.

EMERY RETURNS TO FLYERS

The theme of "familiarity" continued when it was announced that Ray Emery signed a one-year, $1.65 million deal with the Flyers. There's never a dull moment in Philly's crease, and you can be rest assured there will be plenty of media commentary and maybe a bit of drama surrounding the tandem with Emery and Steve Mason.

In terms of efficient production, Emery is coming off the best season of his NHL career. He was well-insulated behind a strong Blackhawks team, which certainly played a role in his ability to go 17-1-0 with a 1.96 GAA and .922 SV%. Take nothing away from Emery's accomplishments (Stanley Cup, Jennings Trophy) and his admirable return from Avascular Necrosis, but the major change in atmosphere and scenery will play a major role in his performance next season.

With that in mind, I consider this to be another risky tandem for the Flyers. But at least it's way more cost-efficient, and for way less term.

You will see plenty of feel-good stories coming out of the Philly media as the summer goes along. They'll talk about Emery's improved maturity, his work ethic, and his determination. But when the going gets tough and the Flyers are relying on him every night, I still have to question his durability in a system that hasn't been the kindest to their goaltenders.

Of course this is all contingent on how Mason performs in his early-season opportunities. Both will have chances to run with things, but I'm not seeing a clear-cut "winner" in this battle right now.

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The Flyers also announced the signing of Yann Danis. Danis is an undersized goalie that can fill in as an NHL backup in an injury situation, but I don't believe he has the skill to stick in the league for a full season.

He does make a perfect starter for Adirondack though. He was the AHL Goaltender of the Year in 2012 and was fifth overall in AHL wins this year with 26. He posted a 2.59 GAA and .911 SV% in the regular season, and then went 10-7 in the AHL playoffs with a 2.41 GAA and .923 SV%.

That signing sets up a really nice battle in training camp for his backup spot between Carsen Chubak and Cal Heeter. Chubak is signed to an AHL with Adirondack after a stellar year with Niagara. He was a Hobey Baker Finalist and led his team to the NCAA Tournament.

GREISS LANDS IN THE DESERT

The Coyotes went against the grain of their prototypical bigger, positionally-based goalie by signing Thomas Greiss. In my most recent viewings of Greiss, I continued to like what I saw. I think he has a very nice athletic blend to his butterfly style, but I always came away feeling like he could be a more stable, consistent performer.

While he clearly has the active hands and feet needed to thrive at the NHL level, I think he over-pursues shots and plays too often. In that regard, I think he will benefit from working with Coyotes goalie coach Sean Burke, who can instill more structure in his positional game. He'll learn how to trust his angles and depth more by possibly having him play on a tighter leash and spending a bit more time in the blue paint.

I love the fact Greiss is not afraid to square up to shots in the white paint and be aggressive, but he has decent size (listed at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds), so I think there is an opportunity for him to use it a bit more effectively.

Smooth laterally and very quick to drop, recover, and rotate, I also think Greiss has the mechanics and quickness to improve on his 1-4-0 record and .915 SV% from last season. It will certainly be bolstered playing within Phoenix's defensive system, but even that's not a guarantee since he won't have the luxury of playing often behind Mike Smith.

That being said, San Jose scored just 2.42 goals-per-game (24th overall) in the regular season, so I just don't anything came easy for Greiss. He also suffered a head/neck injury (may have been a concussion) and missed a fair amount of time, not playing at all from Feb. 11 to March 6.

With only 25 appearances behind Antti Niemi over the past two seasons, I feel like Greiss' game needs to be cleaned up. He's messy at times; over-animated and exhibiting unnecessary excessive movement. I think he tries too hard to make some routine saves, so he seems to expel a lot of energy, and then struggles to play at a composed and controlled manner as the game drags on. Although this sample size is extremely small, he has allowed 15 goals in the first period, 16 in the second period, and then 22 in the third period.

I have no way of knowing whether there's a correlation between that goal-per-period stat and my observations, but it was something I've noticed over the past few seasons.

At the end of the day, Greiss' role essentially stays the same -- he goes from backing up one workhorse to backing up another. The Coyotes' defensive-minded system is a benefit, but whether it translates to a more successful season remains to be seen because he simply may not play more than 10-12 games. I am excited to see what kind of tweaks and adjustments Burke makes to Greiss' game, however.

SHARKS SECURE ALEX STALOCK

The Sharks made a key move by signing St. Paul, MN native Alex Stalock. It appears like he has earned the backup role to Niemi, which is a role I had projected for him a few years ago.

Stalock has a high level of quickness and agility, he's very proficient at moving the puck, and he is very competitive in the crease. He plays with an aggressive edge, challenges shooters very well, and makes excellent compact, tight butterfly saves. He has active hands and a good stick and is not afraid to surprise shooters with a poke check or a full-split save attempt.

The biggest obstacle for him will be the size and consistency factor. He is listed at 6-foot-0 but that is being gracious, and with only three games of NHL experience, he won't shake the questions concerning his readiness. But his NHL debut was memorable. He was thrown into the fire after replacing Niemi on Feb. 1 of 2011. He entered the game down 3-0 to the Coyotes halfway through the second period and stopped all nine shots he faced for the 5-3 win.

But just two days later, Stalock suffered a nasty laceration injury behind his left knee due to an errant skate blade. That ended his season, and in that same game, he was replaced by none other than newly-signed Predators backup Hutton.

It took almost an entire year for Stalock to recover from that injury, so the playing time he missed was significant. Now that he turns 26 on July 28, the injury and rehab experience has made him no worse for wear, and maybe even a bit more prepared to handle what lies ahead.

Stalock established himself as a legit NHL prospect after he spent three years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He turned pro in 2009 as the school's all-time leader in SV% (.910) and GAA (2.48). In 2009, he was the driving force behind the Bulldogs winning the WCHA Final Five.

LABARBERA JOINS THE OILERS

The 33-year-old Jason Labarbera had his ups and downs with the Coyotes last season, going 4-6-2 record with a 2.64 GAA and .923 SV%. He's one of those "perfect backup" guys that earns kudos from guys like myself because he does all the little things in practice and on the bench in order to be labeled a great teammate. His size is a clear-cut asset, and despite the fact the numbers and performances may not be sparkling, his work with Burke during his tenure in Phoenix has enhanced his overall skill-set.

It also helps to play behind a guy like Smith and learn from him since the two are decently comparable in terms of style.

LaBarbera has bounced around a lot in his career, playing with the Kings, Rangers, and Canucks. He has 175 games of NHL experience and has a great friendship with Devan Dubnyk, as they have trained together for many years.

The risk involved in this situation is the fact that LaBarbera will have to win some hockey games in a very different type of system compared to Phoenix. If Dubnyk struggles, can Jason perform at a high level on a consistent basis. Is a .923 SV% possible outside of the insulated Coyotes defensive system?

Over the past four seasons, LaBarbera has tallied just 17, 17, 19, and then 15 appearances. That's only 68 games over the course of four seasons -- a lot of drills and practice work, and not a lot of playing. He has obviously learned how to handle that aspect of being a backup, but it doesn't make things any easier once the workload increases.

So that's the question in my mind -- will his role actually elevate behind Dubnyk, or will the Giraffe reach the next level in his slowly-developing career? Except for Bryzgalov, we don't have any legit NHL goalies coming out of Phoenix's system to use as a comparable for moving out of their warm and cozy defensive shell, so consider me apprehensive right now.

HUTTON GRADUATES TO THE NHL

Carter Hutton was one of the most unlikely candidates to earn a full-time NHL backup gig today. But even though Hutton didn't have the strongest season compared to 2011-12 (named as Rockford's team MVP), he did impress Nashville's scouts enough to earn this opportunity.

Another person he impressed was Predators goalie coach Mitch Korn. I had a brief chat with him shortly after the deal was announced to get his thoughts:

"He has battled for everything he's ever gotten," Korn told me. "He's played in an AHL team that has produced goalies. He handles the puck extremely well and he's the right age [27]. He reminds me so much of when we took Dan Ellis with one NHL game of experience. For all those reasons, we felt we'd go in that direction rather than recycle."

In my lone live viewing of Hutton, which came in November at the Xcel Energy Center against the Houston Aeros, I noted that his puck-handling was very good. At the same time, I also noted that I thought he could play bigger, as he was dropping early on a few shots and not showing great patience on his skates. It was a very average showing in my opinion, as he stopped just 18 of 21 shots total in the 3-2 loss. But hey, that's just one game, and one where he didn't see much action, while Matt Hackett stood on his head that night.

Ultimately, Hutton is being asked to fill a role where he might play 12 games total. As Korn told me, the door is open for Hutton to establish himself as an NHL backup, and they have some goalies to continue developing in Milwaukee.

That means you can expect Sweden's Magnus Hellberg and Czech Republic native Marek Mazanec to be the organization's AHL tandem.

DAN ELLIS RETURNS TO DALLAS

Speaking of Dan Ellis, I was surprised to see the Stars sign him to back up Kari Lehtonen for two years. I knew they would be adding some type of veteran presence to act as a buffer between Lehtonen and Cris Nilstorp, who signed a new one-year, two-way deal back in mid-June.

Ellis was originally drafted by the Stars 60th overall in 2000. He most recently resurrected his career by having a stellar run in the AHL with Charlotte during the NHL Lockout, going 8-7-2 with a 2.46 GAA and .922 SV%. After that, he signed with Carolina for a pro-rated one-year deal, and went 6-8-2 with a 3.13 GAA and .906 SV% while playing with Justin Peters (Cam Ward was injured).

Ellis earned the opportunity to return to the NHL after resurrecting his career following a bad groin injury to end the 2011-12 season. Over the summer, he trained hard with Corey Wogtech from W Goaltending. In February, I had a chance to chat with Wogtech and posted this piece on the adjustments they made to make Ellis a more positionally sound goaltender.

I spoke with Stars goalie coach Mike Valley shortly after Ellis signed, and I know the two have a good relationship and get along very well. So Ellis will step into a familiar role by backing up a workhorse starter and should mesh with his teammates comfortably. Because the Stars will continue to manage Lehtonen's minutes by trying to keep him in the 62-game range, Dan will get a chance to win some games for a team that has a whole new look, a new general manager, and a totally new direction.

KHUDOBIN NOW A HURRICANE

The Bruins lost their solid backup when Anton Khudobin agreed to sign a new one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Personally speaking, this was my favorite deal of the day. Khudobin rarely had an off night with the Bruins this season, going 9-4-1 with a 2.32 GAA and .920 SV%. He brings a ton of energy to the crease, and just like his dynamic and unique style on the ice, he has a similar personality off the ice.

I believe he'll be well-received by the team and successful in a role that has been quite unstable for the Hurricanes. From Michael Leighton to Justin Peters to Brian Boucher (UFA) and Ellis, they finally have someone that has worked hard to get to this point in his career.

Khudobin is 27 and was drafted 206th overall way back in 2004 by the Minnesota Wild.

That age bracket --- between 25 and 27 --- seems to be the sweet spot for a number of these fringe AHL/NHL guys to earn that elusive opportunity to be full-time backups.

Chad Johnson just signed a new one-year, one-way contract with the Bruins to replace Khudobin, and he just turned 27 on June 10. Hutton and Greiss are also 27 years old.

2013 NHL Draft Preview: The Goaltenders

McKeen's Hockey — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 21:30:27 +0000

Mock drafts are seriously the bee's knees.

They're not only fun to debate and compare, but right now, they're everywhere to be found. Some will carry more clout than others, but even the ones posted by fans and bloggers can help you gain more information on the top 30 prospects projected to be selected this Sunday in New Jersey. Now more than ever before, there's a wealth of information out there, and that's always a good thing.

From my perspective, however, I can't gain much information from a mock draft. I already have a pretty good idea of who is widely considered as the top goalie available, and that's pretty much it for the first round. Maybe we'll see two goalies selected in the first round, but nobody knows for sure.

As a result, I've often imagined a world where we publish a mock draft just for the goaltenders. And not just for one or two rounds, because that's only three or four guys. No, I mean a mock goalie draft for all seven rounds.

"Uhh...Not a chance in hell!"

That's not only my first response to said idea, but the response of many others in the scouting realm.

Don't get me wrong, it'd be a fun brain exercise. But I don't think there's any way a draft expert could get past the third round with any type of solid accuracy. There are too many unknowns at the position, and once you get past the fourth round, there's less confidence to be had in Central Scouting's rankings. Not because they aren't accurate, but because for most NHL teams, CSS' goalie rankings are more of a guide.

Teams are also way more likely to draft lower-ranked guys in a later round because it's less of a science and more of a collective hunch or "gut feeling" that they really like a guy, or their sample size for one goalie is much larger than someone else's, thus giving them more confidence to pick a guy that may be ranked much lower.

If someone were able to predict a near-perfect mock draft of every goalie, that would be like winning the lottery. But that's the true nature of goaltending, and that's the battle I will forever fight as someone who exclusively scouts the most volatile and foggy position in hockey.

THE TOP-5 GOALIES AVAILABLE

Now for the 2013 NHL Draft, I think most people would have no problem agreeing that the top five goalies available are pretty clear-cut. In order, here's how I expect it to shake out:

Zach Fucale, Eric Comrie, Tristan Jarry, Spencer Martin, and Juuse Saros.

Saros could drop due to his lack of size, and if he does, I expect he would be trumped by USHL prospect and Notre Dame commit Cal Petersen.

From there, while I do feel strongly that the next five goalies are pretty straightforward, a lot depends on how long it takes for the first five to get selected. I'm not sure why I chose to focus on this aspect of drafting, but it seems like the best place to start if one were to try completing a full mock draft for goalies.

As a goalie, it's just like playing a game...you don't focus on the whole 60 minutes, you break it down into smaller pieces, maybe in five or 10-minute intervals. So if you're like me and you enjoy projecting these things using past drafts, here's some recent history for you to ponder.

In last year's draft, two goalies were selected in the first round (Vasilevski, Subban), two more went in the second round (Dansk, Stolarz), and then Joonas Korpisalo was selected 62nd overall to kick off the third round.

In the 2011 draft, Magnus Hellberg and John Gibson went back-to-back in the second round at 38th and 39th overall, Christopher Gibson was selected 10 picks later, Samu Perhonen went 62nd overall, and then David Honzik went 71st overall. If you thought the top five guys were "no-brainers" each year, think again. Gibson (Chris), Perhonen and Honzik were all left unsigned earlier this month, so they are once again draft-eligible.

In the 2010 NHL Draft, Jack Campbell and Mark Visentin were selected in the first round, Calvin Pickard and Kent Simpson in the second round, and then Scott Wedgewood in the third round at 84th overall.

With so many people under the impression that teams are afraid to draft goalies high, especially in the first two rounds, we've actually seen the top five goalies get snatched up in just 62 picks last year, down from 71 picks in 2011, and then 84 picks in 2010. In the 2009 draft, the fifth goalie taken was Matt Hackett, 77th overall. In 2008, Tyler Beskorowany was the fifth goalie selected, just 59th overall. In 2007, Timo Pielmeier was the fifth goalie selected at 83rd overall.

So looking at how the top five goalies have fared since 2007, and knowing that Fucale is likely to be drafted in the first round (possibly even in the top 10), I'm guessing that the fifth goalie will be taken before the 75th overall pick, which belongs to the New York Rangers (from Columbus).

Seventy-five picks down, only 136 more to go. Once you hit the third round, the number of goalies selected in each round is bound to rise, but their order in terms of ranking by CSS often falls.

If I had to guess, I'd say the next five goalies could come in a tight cluster, maybe even in as little as 30 picks. That's where I'd expect to see names like Philippe Desrosiers, Eamon McAdam, Patrik Bartosak, Antoine Bibeau, and Brendan Burke get taken. I can remember drafts where it seemed like clubs were hesitant to pick goalies, but as soon as one went, it would be a domino effect, and more would get plucked in a hurry.

Either way, you should always expect to see one or two unexpected names jump up into the Top-10 mix, or sink down into oblivion (this happened with Olivier Roy a few years ago).

IS SIZE AT A PREMIUM?

Draft strategies for goaltenders will always vary from team to team, but there are always trends to be found, and the most "obvious" trend is drafting size.

I don't think I need to exert much energy explaining why. Not only is size a finite number that can be charted, averaged, and compared each year, but size equals more net coverage, and the better net coverage you have, the more likely you are to stop pucks that you don't necessarily see, or pucks that just hit you without you actually reacting. Hellberg, Mikko Koskinen, Anders Nilsson, Oscar Dansk, and Beskorowany are just a few of the bigger goalies that have been top-five draft picks since 2007.

That trend may be slightly compromised this Sunday, however, because size seems to be at a bit of a premium.

There are only a handful of goalies listed over 6'2, and they are all likely to be mid-to-late round selections. The list includes Evan Cowley (6'4, 12th), Brendan Burke (6'3, 13th), Shane Starrett (6'4, 15th), Jordan DeKort (6'4, 18th), Merrick Madsen (6'4, 26th), and Chad Katunar (6'5, 28th). Marcus Hogberg (6'4, 4th) is the lone big guy for the top 10 international goalies.

*Many consider a 6'2 goalie to have great size, so keep in mind there's a handful of top goalies available listed at that height.

Cowley recently signed an NLI with the University of Denver Pioneers, which could raise his stock just enough to see him slip into the Top-10. That would likely put him in the fourth round, but with size at somewhat of a premium, maybe he lands solidly in the third round. Burke has the goalie genes in his blood due to his father Sean Burke (goalie coach for Phoenix), which may also lend a hand to him being selected earlier than expected.

One of the most interesting goalie prospects in this draft is Starrett, who vaulted 20 spots in the final rankings (35th to 15th). He could be this year's Anthony Stolarz and also get plucked way sooner than expected. Like Stolarz, he's a raw-skilled, lanky goalie with great athleticism...and he's also set to begin the next chapter of his journey at the NCAA level. Starrett is committed to Boston University.

Lending a hand to this draft being full of smaller goalies is seen with the top three internationally ranked goalies -- Saros, Ebbe Sionas and Luka Gracnar. They're all listed under 6'0, and even more surprising is the fact that seven of the 10 international goalies are 6'0 or smaller.

Fucale, Comrie, Jarry, Desrosiers, Austin Lotz, Patrik Bartosak, and Michael Guigovaz all hover in the 6'0 and 6'1 range, so there are only a few 6'2 goalies in the Top-10, and none listed over 6'2.

SIZE ISN'T EVERYTHING...

For teams that don't invest a lot of time and money into goalie development, or may not have anyone on their scouting staff that is experienced in playing or coaching the position, it's easy to get wrapped up in drafting the big guys. Not only is it easy, but it's legitimately a decent default move. If a team likes two guys exactly the same, why wouldn't you take the taller one?

Despite the fact size brings a significant advantage, it is important to realize that there will always be a place at the pro level for smaller goalies. For those that lack size, they understand at an earlier age that they must be that much better in other areas of the position: puck-tracking, reading plays and shot releases, having elite-level foot speed, and overall flexibility and athleticism are must-have traits for a successful smaller goalie.

The big guys who rely too much on their size, take their size for granted, or simply don't have enough natural athleticism are sometimes more susceptible to being "out-worked" or out-performed by a smaller goalie. And when that happens, a bigger goalie may start to get a bad reputation, and may get left behind.

At the end of the day, since size is a tangible and tactile advantage, and since athletes are getting bigger and stronger, the trend of teams drafting bigger will surely continue. But if a team gets too wrapped up in taking the biggest guy available, they're going to miss out on better, more viable long-term talent.

Size isn't everything, so teams have to do their homework and discover the best way to evaluate what type of skills a smaller goalie has within the traits I described above.

WHICH TEAMS NEED A GOALIE?

No team needs a top-five goalie prospect more than the New Jersey Devils. Not only do they have considerably "weak" depth behind Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg, but those two combine to make the oldest tandem in the NHL. Jeff Frazee is a bust considering he was drafted 38th overall in 2008, and Scott Wedgewood may not pan out because he's on the smaller side. Keith Kinkaid was undrafted, but may find his way into an NHL backup role in a few more years.

The Devils have a perfect chance to draft Fucale ninth overall.

Not only would he fill a massive, gaping hole in the organization, but I think he kind of fits the mold of a Devils goalie prospect. Looking at their current depth chart, interestingly enough, they seem to draft smaller goalies. Frazee, Wedgewood, and Maxime Clermont are all 6'0 or 6'1.

Fucale is listed at 6'1, and I think beyond that, his style could appeal to them as well. He's patient on his skates, he has a good economy of movement, he can play a ton of games in a season, and he has a CHL Title to his name. To me, it seems on the surface that he could be a square peg fitting into a square hole.

But I also think the Devils are akin to developing the type of goalie that can emulate Brodeur, so I'm not sure even Fucale would pan out for them over the next three or four years.

Now that the Los Angeles Kings have finally traded Jonathan Bernier, I believe they will look to draft a top-end goalie this weekend, and possibly one in a later round. They also need to replace Gibson, who was not retained earlier this month. Aside from Gibson, the last time the Kings drafted a goalie was in 2009 when they selected J-F Berube. Remember, Martin Jones was signed as a free agent while with the Calgary Hitmen (WHL).

In terms of who I feel fits the mold of a Kings prospect the best, I'd like to think Jarry could be that guy. Outside of what he brings in terms of skill and upside, the Kings could keep a close eye on him since he's with the Oil Kings, and he'll soon see his workload skyrocket when Laurent Brossoit turns pro. If they continue to pluck guys out of the QMJHL (Gibson, Berube), then I think Desrosiers or Bibeau make good fits.

The other team that needs to draft a top-ranked goalie is Edmonton. Nikolai Khabibulin and Yann Danis are UFA's. Niko Hovinen (RFA) is playing in the KHL next season, and they just abandoned Perhonen. Tyler Bunz is not developing as they had hoped, and I don't think Olivier Roy has the potential to be a long-term starting goalie for them, either.

So those three teams (Devils, Kings, Oilers) stick out to me as the ones with the biggest need for a high-end goalie. Other teams include the Flyers (what else is new), the Canadiens, and the Panthers.

DISCUSSING TEAM DYNAMICS

When it comes to further developing an imaginary goalie mock draft, one way to decipher the later rounds is by looking at a team's needs and developmental approach. This seems an obvious move, but it's not as easy as you think.

Some teams have eight or nine goalies in their depth chart (Tampa Bay, Boston, San Jose) and still may have some holes to fill, while other teams have four or five goalies (Los Angeles, Ottawa, Toronto) and may feel like their short and long-term needs are filled.

Try as you might, there's no magic number to be found. I used to think it was six goalies in a depth chart; two in the NHL, two in the AHL, one in the ECHL, and one in juniors, college, or Europe. But then I found myself debating the "quality vs. quantity" paradigm.

What good is it to have more than six goalies in a system if they don't get a fair chance to play a lot of games and work their way up the professional ladder? Since every goalie matures and develops differently, how much does playing time actually matter after they are drafted? With only a few years to decide whether or not to retain a draftee, maybe it's better to deal with less goalie prospects.

In that regard, I love what teams like Los Angeles (Quick, Bernier, Jones) and Ottawa (Robin Lehner and Chris Driedger) with the limited goalies they've had in their systems.

On the other hand, with Tampa Bay hoarding quality prospects like Jaroslav Janus, Adam Wilcox, and Vasilevski, the more goalies you stockpile, the more likely you might be to land that true hidden gem and elite long-term starter.

Because so many team dynamics influence the actual value of a drafted goalie, there is just too much chaos and no real way to control it. This is without even beginning to explain how a goalie coach will influence a scouting staff's short-list for goalies, and how his coaching philosophy can influence the relationship between the goalie's style and the style that is most effective for a goalie coach to work with.

Ultimately, I think it comes down to one simple point -- draft what you need and draft what you know. Ignore the urge to try and correlate when a goalie is selected with what their expected value may be. Even if you do all sorts of background research and look at the history of goalies selected, where they came from, and how they panned out, one golden rule will forever exist: Good goalies come from everywhere.

Good goalies come from everywhere. That point alone opens up the ultimate Pandora's Box when it comes to the draft -- is it even worth drafting a goalie at all?

ELEVEN BURNING QUESTIONS

I'd like to close my draft preview by posting 11 burning questions regarding the goalies. Some of these questions are more hypothetical than others, while some may never be answered. But these are the things at the front of my mind heading into the weekend.

1. Will Eric Comrie's injury cause him to fall in the draft? Is he a late first-rounder or an early second-rounder?

2. Do the Devils dance with the idea of taking Fucale ninth overall? They desperately need a top goalie prospect.

3. Where does Antoine Bibeau go? He wasn't ranked in CSS' midterm release and was ninth in the final rankings.

4. Who goes first between McAdam and Petersen? Both teammates were solid this season and have similar size.

5. How many goalies will the gongshow Flyers select this weekend now that Ilya Bryzgalov has been bought out?

6. Will we see a significant number of goalies drafted from one league? The QMJHL appears to be strong this year.

7. How many goalies will the Kings draft now that they have finally traded Bernier and released Chris Gibson?

8. Will we ever see a goalie-specific scouting combine? I believe there needs to be one to test vision, reactions, etc.

9. Will my two top sleepers -- Adam Clark (BCHL) and Fredrik Bergvik (SWE) -- be selected in a later round?

10. Will we see NHL teams begin to hire "goalie-only" scouts to assist the rest of their staff with drafting goalies?

11. Will any of the older goalies get selected? Etienne Marcoux, Eetu Laurikainen, or the re-entry goalies?

Of all these questions, #8 is the one that has stuck with me for the past three years.

I really believe there should be a goalie-specific scouting combine. If you want to take the guesswork out of drafting goalies, you need to test things beyond strength and stamina with things like flexibility, ability to track (eye attachment), fast-twitch muscle reflexes, hand and foot reaction speed to different stimuli, the ability to recognize patterns, and their eye-hand coordination.

That's where Dynavision comes into play. If you don't know what that is, check out this video. This, to me, is a key component to the future of evaluating and scouting goalies before they are drafted. Or it could be something way more simple, like how long a goalie can juggle, or how fast they throw a ball against the wall and catch it cleanly in 30 seconds.

Maybe it's a pipe dream, and maybe it's unrealistic. But if I'm an NHL GM and I'm getting ready to invest a high draft pick on a goalie, I'm not doing so unless I have their scores on the Dynavision board...and have a ton of other scores from other goalies to compare it with.

Thanks for reading my lengthy 2013 NHL Draft preview! Be sure to follow along on Sunday as I host a live blog to break down all of the goalie action in New Jersey!

Evaluating 24 USHL Goalie Prospects

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:12:56 +0000

A few weeks ago, I was invited to attend the first-annual ProHybrid Training USHL Prospects Tour. My mission? To publish independent scouting reports on every goalie attending the camp.

It was not only a great chance for me to scout young talent within one of the most popular goalie training programs in Minnesota, but it was also a great way to test my preparation and organization skills; I had to compile a massive amount of scouting notes in three short days, then mold it all into neat and tidy reports.

ProHybrid Training's USHL Prospects Tour was a very unique "invite only" goalie camp (1993-98 birth years) because it not only included high-level on and off-ice training, but it provided the goalies with a chance to gain valuable exposure in front of two USHL coaching staffs and an NAHL goalie coach.

The bus tour included stops in three different cities. It started in Richfield, MN, and then went due south to Des Moines, IA, and then pushed northeast to Green Bay, WI, and then back to the Twin Cities.

The first training session took place on Friday afternoon, May 24 in Richfield. This is the home of the expansion North American Hockey League (NAHL) team, the Minnesota Magicians. The goalie coach for the Magicians is A.J. Bucchino, who also happens to be one of the head goalie instructors at ProHybrid Training, so every goalie had a chance to pick his brain all weekend long.

Click above to download a PDF of every prospect's scouting report

Once the training session in Richfield was complete, we departed on a private bus for Des Moines, home of the USHL's Buccaneers. We spent Saturday (May 25) training in their home arena, where every goalie had a chance to perform drills in front of Buccaneers head coach and general manager Jon Rogger. He also held a "Q&A" session with the goalies in between the two on-ice sessions, providing great insight on the innerworkings of a USHL team, and what he wants to see out of a goalie trying out for his team.

On Saturday night, the bus shipped everyone over to Green Bay, WI. That was the final stop on the tour, as Sunday (May 26) was spent training at the Green Bay Gamblers' practice facility.

It was there that we were joined by Derek Lalonde, the head coach and GM of the Gamblers, and someone who has a reputable goalie coaching background. Lalonde was the assistant coach with the University of Denver Pioneers before taking on his new role with the Gamblers, and has worked with some high-level pro goalies like Marc Cheverie, Peter Mannino, and Adam Berkhoel.

When the training sessions were complete in Green Bay, the bus shipped everyone back to the Twin Cities, and the exhausting weekend was over in a flash. I took a few days to recharge the batteries, then promptly started plugging away at the 20-plus reports.

Click here to download and view the complete collection of reports.

THE GOALIE PROSPECTS

The ProHybrid USHL Prospects Tour included more than 20 goalie prospects. Most of them were Minnesota natives, but also included goalies from Washington, California, Alaska, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Florida, and New York. Click on the names below to view their scouting reports from the tour.

The camp also included one current USHL goaltender, David Jacobson. The Calabasas, CA native ('94) spent the second half of this season with the Sioux Falls Stampede as the backup to St. Cloud State commit and draft-eligible goalie Charlie Lindgren. When Jacobson did play, however, he posted excellent stats, and proved he was capable of replacing the loss of Lindgren next season.

Jacobson not only had the best skill set from everyone in the camp, but his off-ice professionalism and leadership qualities were a breath of fresh air. All of the younger goalies looked up to him due to his skills and success at the junior level, and he handled the role of being a leader with class.

The group of 1994-born goalies also included Nick Deery, who spent this past season in the NAHL with Brookings and Odessa.

One very promising 1994-born goalie was Adam Carlson. He spent this past season playing for the Owatonna Steel in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League and had a strong campaign that saw him participate in the league's All-Star Game. His performance was strong enough over the weekend to earn him an invite to the Minnesota Magicians' tryout later this summer.

The class of 1996-born goalies included some solid talent. The most promising one was 6-foot-4 Justin Ball (Coon Rapids HS), a coveted goalie in the Minnesota High School league. A transport from Texas, Ball is looking to play more games as a junior, and potentially make an NAHL team.

Then there was Luke Pickar, who spent this season playing for the Chicago Fury U-16 AAA team. He not only had a successful season, but had one of the strongest resumes in the camp. The other '96 goalie worth noting was Dyllan Lubbesmeyer, who was a sophomore this season for Burnsville High School. "Lubbes" gained a lot of attention from both USHL coaches due to his assertive positioning and his blue-collared work ethic.

The class of 1997-born goalies was very solid. Peter Thome is a 6-2 prospect playing for Benilde St. Margaret, one of the top high schools in Minnesota. His raw skating skills and aggressive, competitive style made him one of the top prospects in the camp. He was joined by California native Boba Jacobson, who is actually the younger brother of David (Sioux Falls Stampede). Boba spent this season playing for the LA Jr. Kings, and was considered the most flexible goalie on the tour.

LA Jr. Kings goalie Boba Jacobson ('96) during the USHL Prospects Tour

The class of '97 goalies was rounded out with two more promising talents in Will Swanson and Daniel Swail.

The most promising class of goalies in this camp, however, belonged to the youngest group -- the 1998's. This is where I was able to get a great look at Drew Scites, who played for Compuware's AAA Major Bantam team, one of the top teams in the country. He also participated in USA Hockey's Warren Strelow Goaltending Development Program, meaning he was already touted as one of the top goalies in Minnesota for his age.

Scites did not disappoint, as he displayed the durability and strength of a 20-year-old. He scored very well in the off-ice training tests and had the fastest "Herbie" time of anyone else in the camp.

I also had a chance to look at Cole Weaver, who played for Russell Stover's major bantam team this season. Weaver was one of the top skaters in the camp, and he's already being scouted by a handful of WHL teams. His upper body positioning needs a lot of work, but for his age, he has excellent skating fundamentals and a lot of poise in the crease.

Last and certainly not least was New York native Alex Camarre. Not only was he my personal favorite in terms of his on-ice skill and off-ice demeanor, but he works with a very high-level goalie coach in Bob Janosz, who is the assistant goalie coach for the Buffalo Sabres. Camarre displayed excellent footwork and athleticism over the weekend, and despite facing much older shooters, he made some sharp saves due to his excellent reflexes and overall quickness.

Overall, this scouting experience was a very valuable and memorable one. Not only did I get a chance to see more than 20 goalies of all different ages in a short amount of time, but I was able to meet the coaching staffs of two different USHL teams and get to know the coaching staff for one of the top goalie training programs in Minnesota. So much of scouting goalies in the Twin Cities region is about networking, and participating in events like these is a great way to connect.

It not only tested and flexed my goalie scouting skills, but it taught me a lot about the way goalies in Minnesota are trained, and what a couple of USHL coaches expect from their goaltenders.

NHL Goalie Depth Charts Update

McKeen's Hockey — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:19:59 +0000

With the Stanley Cup Final kicking off last night in Chicago, yesterday was a perfect time to post this month’s update of the NHL Depth Charts.

There has already been some “off-season” movement throughout the league, as the Blackhawks, despite being busy with their run for Lord Stanley’s Cup, have signed Finnish superstar Antti Raanta to an entry-level contract. The signing of Raanta came at a time when the entire goalie world was focused on the recent decision by the Canadian Hockey League to ban European goalies from entering their league (starting next season). Raanta dominated the SM-liiga this past season, winning just about every award imaginable for a goalie: the league championship, the playoff MVP award, and the Goalie of the Year award.

But with no experience playing on the smaller ice, it's unclear exactly how hard he'll be able to push Corey Crawford, who was spectacular and durable in last night's 4-3 win over Boston in triple overtime of Game 1. Either way, Raanta is locked in, so the Blackhawks will look to have lightning strike twice, just like it did with Antti Niemi a few short years ago.

In other depth chart movement, the Winnipeg Jets lost pending UFA Mark Dekanich to the KHL, the Flames lost pending UFA Danny Taylor to the Swedish Elite League, and the Islanders decided not to toll Tim Thomas’ contract, making him a full-fledged UFA. And although it can't be made official until July 5 (first day of free agency), it sounds like Calgary has agreed to terms with KHL All-Star and Finnish phenom Karri Ramo.

There was also some significant movement in the coaching realm over the past few weeks, which has a significant impact on the overall performance of goalies around the league.

In Anaheim, Pete Peeters formally announced his expected retirement, which allowed the Ducks to promote Dwayne Roloson to head goalie coach. It's unclear if the Ducks will add a second or assistant goalie coach to the fold, but the odds are good. The biggest splash, however, came in Colorado. Just a few days after Patrick Roy was hired to be the head coach, it was announced that Francois Allaire had signed a three-year deal to be the team's part-time goalie coach. Allaire will most likely implement a system that includes an assistant goalie coach, which transforms Colorado from a goalie graveyard to a goalie gold mine.

While good things were happening in Colorado, a team that is re-establishing a winning tradition, it was an entirely different story in Montreal. In what came as a bit of a surprise, goalie coach Pierre Groulx was not brought back to work with Carey Price and Peter Budaj. Vincent Riendeau is staying on board, but it's unclear if he will be promoted, or if GM Marc Bergevin will hire someone else.

In Pittsburgh, Gilles Meloche stepped down as the goalie coach for the Penguins after he took some heat for the dismal performance of Marc-Andre Fleury in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Meloche will stay on as a scout for the team, and there's a chance assistant goalie coach Mike Bales will be promoted to take over Meloche's old role.

Finally, Tampa Bay may have lost the services of assistant goalie coach Leo Luongo, a former QMJHL goalie coach that has agreed to provide his services for Lugano (NLA) in Switzerland. Luongo is responsible for the development of goalies at all three levels in Lugano, which may no longer allow him to assist the Lightning.

Knowing that the NHL Draft is just a few weeks away on June 30, my July update will have tons of movement all charted out. I'll be adding all of the drafted goalies, and since the next update will come after the 5th, I'll be removing all of the UFA goalies. I've noted every RFA and UFA goalies with appropriate (R) and (U) Alteration Marks. Enjoy this free report and have fun watching the rest of the Stanley Cup Final between Boston and Chicago!

Eric Hartzell and Quinnipac Devoured by Bulldogs

McKeen's Hockey — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 14:41:21 +0000

No matter who I asked or when I asked it, every scout told me the same thing; Quinnipiac senior goaltender Eric Hartzell was the best puck-stopper in the NCAA this season.

Heading into Saturday night's Championship game against the Yale Bulldogs, Eric had a 30-6-5 record with a 1.53 goals-against average, .934 save percentage, and six shutouts.

But after a lazy finish to the second period, which led to the game's first goal with just 3.5 seconds remaining, Hartzell allowed an even weaker goal early in the third period, and that's all Jeff Malcolm and Yale would need to complete the storybook championship victory. They devoured Quinnipiac by a score of 4-0, winning their first-ever NCAA Men's Ice Hockey title.

Malcolm stopped all 36 shots he faced and completed the rare shutout on his 24th birthday.

*Although this scouting report focuses solely on Hartzell, please don't consider it as a slight against Malcolm. What he accomplished in the tournament was sensational, admirable, rare, and clearly worthy of a pro contract. But my scouting assignment was to evaluate Hartzell, so I stayed focused on that task despite the fact he was clearly outplayed by Malcolm.

And even though it won't show up on scouting reports, and you won't hear it being discussed in the NCAA hockey media circles, the emotional aspect of this game for both senior goalies had to be taken into consideration. As a senior, to know this is your last game, it's not hard to put it all on the table. But one goalie had to deal with the lofty expectations of bringing home an NCAA title as the #1 seed in their region, while the other -- in a happy state of mind on his 24th birthday -- was able to stay relaxed, enjoy his daily routine, and embrace the role of being the underdog.

As one NHL goalie coach once told me, as goalies, we play some of our best games when we're happy.

Hartzell didn't go to sleep happy on Saturday night, but something tells me he'll be smiling by Monday. He's expected to sign a pro contract quickly, and if so, I'll update this post with a few paragraphs projecting his path within the depth chart of whatever team he joins. It's not a matter of if he signs, but a matter of when.

GAME NOTES

Eric made an early routine blocker save in a free-flowing and smooth manner, directing the rebound to the right half-boards. He then showed off some stick skills by making an excellent two-line lead pass up the ice while Quinnipiac worked their early power-play chance. He made an excellent reaction glove save on a wrist shot by through traffic by Ryan Obuchowski with 14:25 in the first period, a sign he was "dialed in" early. He also looked very solid down low with seconds remaining in Yale's first PP, sealing the ice inside his left post and making a terrific paddle-down save.

Kenny Agostino created some space short side high after executing a wraparound with 6:50 left in the first period, but Hartzell took away a sure goal with a glove reaction save. His upper body was off his left post, and the rebound was left out in front, but he had ample defensive support and didn't have to make a secondary save.

Following Agostino's chance, Hartzell appeared a little unsettled and imbalanced for the remainder of the first period. On one instance, he almost got caught cheating off his right post on a potential centering pass, but he got lucky as the shot went off the outside of the right post, popped up into the slot, and was quickly cleared.

Yale earned their second PP with 4:30 left in the first period, but they didn't challenge Hartzell. Still, he didn't look the most comfortable in his down movements, and had some trouble tracking a few pucks through traffic. No worse for wear, Hartzell escaped a late push by Yale and stopped all nine shots he faced in the first period.

Hartzell was not tested early in the second, as Quinnipiac carried the play for the first seven minutes. But he made a real nice stop when Agostino placed a great re-direction from the high slot right on goal in the opening seconds of Yale's third PP chance. The puck was tipped perfectly and just glanced off the toe of Hartzell's left pad, so he was in perfect position through traffic. That was a timely save considering he had been watching Malcolm shut the door on the other end for nearly the entire first half of the second period.

With 11:41 left in the second period, Eric once again showcased his dominance down low, snuffing out a shot along the left goal line with the paddle, then covering up the puck with his big body. A few timely saves allowed Quinnipiac to escape unscathed from Yale's third PP chance, keeping the game scoreless.

With only 5:30 remaining in the second, Yale had 20 shots on goal, 12 of them coming on their three PP chances. Quinnipiac had also blocked 17 shots at that time as well, all while killing off five power plays and one 5-on-3 disadvantage.

The breaking point for Hartzell transpired with only 3.5 seconds left in the second. On a routine dump-in, Hartzell met the puck behind the goal, but instead of holding it and draining the clock, he continued to relay the puck around the boards with a backhand push. With his back turned to the play, Hartzell was unaware of a pinching Gus Young, so he wasn't able to return to his crease with a sense of urgency. Young one-timed the puck on goal from the right half-boards, and that's when Clinton Bourbonais tipped the shot just enough to beat Eric five-hole.

It was a rough turnover on somewhat of a lazy play by Quinnipiac's entire six-man unit. It was also a momentum-crusher, as the Bulldogs entered the third period with a 1-0 lead.

Just 3:35 into the third period, Hartzell made a back-breaking mental mistake that led to Charles Orzetti's memorable goal. After making an initial save on a shot from the left boards, he elected to recover back to skates instead of staying in the down position and keeping a seal with the ice. Because he got back to his skates and was forced to drop down again to seal the right post, Orzetti had the time and space he needed to slip a rebound shot under the right pad.

At this point, Hartzell was clearly rattled and frustrated. While the ice crew was fixing the pane of glass that Orzetti detached during his celebration, Eric was looking up at the replay on the jumbotron, trying to see how that puck snuck past him. When this sort of thing happens, every scout knows the mistake got in the goalie's head, and they're having trouble focusing on task at hand -- making the next save.

Andrew Miller's goal to extend Yale's lead to 3-0 with 10:54 remaining was considered as weak as Orzetti's, as Hartzell was sniped five-hole on a clear-cut breakaway. At this point, stick discipline and reading plays became the most prevalent issue for Hartzell. The first goal was a bad read, the second goal was a mental error and a lack of sealing the ice on a bad-angle shot, and the third goal was an inability to keep the stick centered.

Hartzell was boldly pulled with 7:30 left in the game, but Yale extended their lead to 4-0 with 6:58 on an empty-net goal by Jesse Root. He finished the game with 27 saves on 30 shots, but it was Malcolm that earned all the glory.

SCOUTING NOTES

Aside from the obvious traits -- athleticism, size, and good mobility -- Hartzell really impressed me with his strength down low. He is very powerful when pushing laterally or recovering out of the butterfly to regain his edges, and he's like an anchor in the crease when he's in the paddle-down position. His net coverage was excellent and he moved well for the size he carries. He has decent depth control in the crease, being aggressive on some instances, and staying inside the blue paint when killing penalties, or when facing far-side or cross-crease threats.

Another positive trait in Hartzell's game was his active stick. Whether it was lateral passes below the goal line, up-ice passes trying to catch Yale on a line change, backhand chips along the boards, or retrieving and setting up pucks for his defensemen, he was not afraid to get out of the net. It certainly cost him on the game's first goal, and he wasn't the most balanced or precise on every passing occasion, but it was easy to see he was comfortable doing it.

As I mentioned above, I did notice a fair amount of imbalance in the game, but this is where an NHL scout will consider him to have excellent pro upside. To be so dominant all season long and still not be technically polished with some of his footwork and butterfly mechanics is proof he has a lot of room to grow and "tighten up" some loose aspects of his game.

I don't use NHL comparables for NCAA goalies very often, but in Hartzell's case, I saw a mixture of Antti Niemi and Corey Crawford. He isn't the smoothest skater when asked to cover long distances in the crease, he's slightly hunched over, his size is his biggest advantage, he has good hands that are held slightly lower and tighter to his body than most progressive butterfly goalies, and he battles hard to make the tough saves down low.

Niemi loves to use the paddle down technique to absorb a lot of those low shots in tight around the net, which is what I saw from Hartzell. Crawford is slightly hunched over and not the best skater, yet exhibits excellent hard and soft focus when tracking pucks and reading plays, another similarity I saw in Hartzell. So in terms of form and function, if you're looking for a simple way to explain his game, take a look at Niemi and Crawford.

Overall, Hartzell is going to appeal to a lot of NHL teams due to the fact he has the optimal frame and he's very strong down low. His skating can improve, his footwork and lateral mobility is slightly rough around the edges, he'll need to get quicker and sharper on his edges, and being able to maintain body control and rebound control against the faster pro-level speeds will also be an obstacle. Once he gets some more coaching and experience, I believe his posture and save selections will improve, which will help him look and play even bigger in the crease.

With that in mind, I have no doubt that Hartzell has appealed to numerous NHL teams, and I won't be surprised when he inks a pro contract in the near future.

Aittokallio Impresses, but Injured in NHL Debut

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 20:52:28 +0000

This was not the headline I wanted to write.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Sami Aittokallio, who I consider to be one the top four Finnish goalie prospects right now (along with Harri Sateri, Jussi Rynnas, and Riku Helenius), was injured in the third period of his NHL debut on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings.

When I'm asked to describe Aittokallio, I always start by saying he's the prototypical Finnish prospect.

I say that because of the traits he harvests: quick feet, a lanky frame, an athletic base to his butterfly, a competitive and aggressive edge, and a skating style (shuffles instead of t-pushes) that is currently the strategic blueprint in Finland.

Due to his pedigree, his natural skills, and his success with Team Finland on the international level, ever since the day he was drafted, I've projected him as a long-term NHL starter. He was ranked by Central Scouting as the top international goalie available in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, and his solid success as a rookie in the AHL is a reflection of his future upside. He's also currently ranked 54th overall in my Top-100 Prospects Rankings.

The main issue is whether or not the Avalanche can develop and establish that potential, or if he'll end up establishing it in another organization.

A team known for being one of the weakest in terms of developing goaltenders, the Avalanche almost never start their third goalie. Part of this is due to the fact their NHL tandem stays relatively healthy, but even when they're eliminated from playoff races or an injury does occur, they never take the opportunity to showcase or evaluate their minor-league talent in meaningless games. This has been going on for many years, ever since the days of David Aebischer, Jeff Hackett, Jose Theodore, and Peter Budaj.

So for them to have given a 20-year-old pro rookie an opportunity to make his NHL debut against the Stanley Cup champions was unprecedented.

Aittokallio was the second-youngest goalie to start a game for Colorado, behind only Marc Denis, who was 19 years old in 1996.

Since Sami was drafted by the Avalanche back in 2010, I had the good fortune of being able to scout and evaluate him during their 2011-12 training camp. The Avs unfortunately never held a development camp that summer, which I considered to be a huge error for an organization that has four rookie goalies behind Semyon Varlamov and J-S Giguere (Aittokallio, Calvin Pickard, Kent Patterson, and Kieran Millan).

I've posted a lot of my thoughts from Sami's first NHL camp in September, 2011, which you can read right here on The Goalie Guild. It includes a short video I put together from the camp, which gives you a few more basic notes on his style.

You can also read and listen to a recap from one of his best performances to date --- a win over Team USA in the 2012 World Junior Championships. Finally, I compared his stance to that of Varlamov's, and posted more notes there as well.

GAME NOTES

Aittokallio was tested right off the bat due to a penalty by David Jones just three seconds into the game. Considering the nerves and the pressure he was under, I was pretty impressed with his ability to fight through traffic to get his upper body on a few early shots, and his unique footwork was on display right away. He killed off the penalty and weathered the early storm.

Minutes later, Jeff Carter wristed a shot from the middle of the high slot through an Avs defenseman, but Sami squared up nicely and made the save outside of the blue paint without allowing a rebound. A few shifts later, he proved he was not shy to move the puck, as he skated out to the low hash marks to try and clear a puck that landed in the Avs' bench.

On Carter's power-play goal from the right wing at 5:27, Aittokallio was just slightly off his angle. His pads and upper body was opened up towards the middle of the ice, almost as if he was "cheating" just a bit, expecting a pass to Mike Richards, who was cutting through the low slot.

Because Aittokallio wasn't fully square to the puck, the slight deflection off Erik Johnson's stick blade caused the puck to move against Aittokallio's grain, as he dropped and leaned to his right. There was a bit of excess coverage with his right elbow and blocker before the shot was released, which was visual proof he was just an inch or two off his angle.

Most goalies will agree that a shot outside of the faceoff dot (on either side) should be stopped, especially from that severe of an angle, so this was one Aittokallio would want back. And when you're facing a guy like Carter, that 1-2 inches makes all the difference in the world.

On the ensuing shift, a perfectly-executed diving poke check was another display of his aggressive nature, so he did not look rattled or become timid following Carter's goal.

But Richards quickly made it 2-0 when he picked up a loose puck just above the hash marks and fired a wrist shot through traffic and over Aittokallio's glove. Sami was in a deep crouch and up on his skates just inside the blue paint when the shot was fired, but his glove was very low to the ice. When the shot was released, his hand was way too low to react in time to get a piece. This was a high-quality scoring chance off a broken play fired from the "danger zone" through a few bodies, so this was not not one you could fault him for.

Regardless, just 7:14 into the game, Sami had allowed two goals on the first six shots he faced.

But from there, he shut the door in impressive fashion. Even though the crowd was fired up and the Kings had all of the momentum, he staved off the attack and allowed the Avalanche to get back into the game.

The sense I got from watching Aittokallio through the first period was overall consistent with what I had seen at Colorado's training camp in 2011; an aggressive goalie that was not afraid to attack angles, push into shots, and make himself even bigger in the crease. The rebound control was not great, as pucks would come off his pads and land in the slot, but he also made a handful of "breadbasket" saves, where the puck was absorbed into the waist and chest area. That's always a sign of a goalie who is moving with balance and reading plays well.

Aside from the first goal, his positioning and angles was respectable and fairly solid. The first period ended with Sami stopping 13 of 15 shots, which was impressive considering the way the game started.

The Avalanche provided Sami with much more support in the second period. In fact, the Kings did not register a shot for the first 12:54, until Anze Kopitar finally wristed a shot from a bad angle that was gloved down easily. He made a timely save with only nine seconds left in the period, and started the third with 19 saves on 21 shots.

Sami looked much more comfortable in the third period. At this point, I was starting to appreciate his ability to battle on low plays. He was swatting at loose pucks around the crease area, hunching over and flaring his stance and leaning his upper body to either side in order to see around bodies and through traffic, and he had a high level of energy in a game where the Avs were territorially dominant in the second.

Things took a terrible turn for the worse with just over 10 minutes left in the game. He got tangled up with a Kings player, retreated back into his crease, swung his left leg back in order to shuffle post-t0-post, appeared to catch an edge with the heel of his skate, then his leg buckled and he fell over in agony. He had to be helped off the ice with what was labeled a lower-body injury. He did not return, and the Avs ended up losing 3-2 in a shootout.

Since he didn't allow the game-winning goal, he was not the goalie of record, so he finished the game with 23 saves on 25 shots.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In terms of Sami's skating style, there's more to the story beyond his obvious use of shuffles instead of t-pushes. I also noticed that he liked to lift his feet off the ice to make little hop-steps when making micro-adjustments with his angles.

The hop-step is a technique that allows a goalie to move laterally without turning the skate blade or the leg in a t-push motion. Instead, the goalie lifts the outside leg and pushes with the inside leg, then re-gains the edge and squares up. The pads stay facing the puck-carrier, the goalie is able to stay "big" and upright, and depending on the situation, it can be effective in other ways as well.

Because he has a fairly unique skating style, Aittokallio did a good job of staying up on his skates and showing some patience on shots through traffic in this game. This allowed him to track well, meaning he pushed into shots nicely while dropping and creating a seal with the ice. At times this would cause bad rebounds on low shots off the pads, but due to his aggressive nature, rebound control has been the main scouting note against him over the past two years.

While you may see many athletic goalies utilize their flexibility to spread out wide when setting up for a shot, I liked the fact that Sami stayed fairly narrow and upright with his stance. This kept him from getting "locked in" with a wide stance, therefore he could use the shuffles and hop-steps to adjust his lateral positioning with ease and precision. Both goals in the game beat him high to the glove side, so aside from the rebounds, he was solid down low.

Sami holds his glove in a pronounced fashion, placing it high and away from his body with the fingers up. Once he condensed in order to prepare to face a shot, the hand was adjusted so that the palm faced down towards the ice. This is what you are seeing from more and more NHL goalies (Devan Dubnyk, Ben Scrivens, and Brian Elliott, just to name a few). His elbow stayed pretty tucked in, but it was away from his hip, which allowed the hand to be placed well in front of his body.

Ultimately, what I saw in Sami's debut was fairly consistent with what I expected. Quick down low, aggressive, tenacious, and made in the image and likeness of so many raw-skilled Finnish prospects before him.

I still believe he has the potential to be a very solid starting NHL goalie, but I don't believe the Avalanche's weak track record of developing goalies is going to do him any favors. They will give him opportunities since they drafted him high, but he still has a lot of work to do in the technical realm. His rebound control and movements in tight need polishing, his overall mechanics will need to continue to refine, and he will need quality coaching and mentoring as he continues to evolve.

At the tender age of 20, there's no denying his debut was quite impressive.

But what kind of support he receives from the Avalanche and goalie consultant Kirk McLean continues to be the biggest question mark in terms of Sami realizing his true potential.

Faragher Out-Duels McKay in Midwest Regional Final

McKeen's Hockey — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:20:40 +0000

On Saturday night, the St. Cloud State Huskies posted the second bracket-buster of the tournament by blowing out Notre Dame (5-1). Huskies goaltender Ryan Faragher didn't have to steal this one, but he was solid in the first period by stopping all 10 shots he faced, and finishing with 17 saves overall.

The Miami (Ohio) RedHawks defeated the Minnesota State Mavericks 4-0 to advance to Sunday's Midwest Regional Final against the Huskies. Freshman goalie Ryan McKay only had to make 20 saves, but came up with some timely ones in the first two periods. He only faced four shots in the third, which meant he was nice and rested for his ninth consecutive start on Easter Sunday.

Even though the Huskies won the game 4-1 to advance to their first-ever Frozen Four, McKay did show a strong technical game, while Faragher put forth another gritty performance in his own right.

McKay set the tone early with a very fluid left pad reaction save on a quick one-timer from the slot just 1:38 into the game. But the Huskies took control of early momentum when Joe Benik beat McKay over the right pad and under the blocker with an innocent-looking wrist shot just 5:28 into the game.

On the other end, Faragher was active moving the puck behind his net in the early-going, setting up three transition plays despite solid pressure from opposing forecheckers. But seconds after Benik opened the scoring, Faragher turned the puck over on a pass up the boards. The pass was cut off at the half-boards and quickly centered on goal, but Faragher recovered in time to squeeze the pads while falling on his left side.

A few minutes later, the RedHawks started to push back and had two consecutive shots ring off the post, tallying five scoring chances just 10 minutes into the game.

One of Faragher's main strengths is his hands, and he put that skill on display with a nice glove reaction save on a scoring chance with 6:05 left in the first. In the ensuing shifts, he also came up with a couple of timely stops during Miami's first man advantage. He did so by finding pucks through traffic, battling for space by pushing off players that were applying screens in front of him, and by not being overly aggressive with his depth.

McKay responded by making one of his better saves by sliding to his left on a one-timer by Benik with 7:57 left in the first. McKay located the puck quickly, and then rotated and condensed his body in one motion in order to squeeze off the same hole that Benik sniped earlier. More importantly, because he was sliding laterally, the lack of a rebound shut down what could have been a sticky scrambling situation.

Faragher finished with nine saves in the first period, while McKay finished with just five.

McKay entered the game allowing one goal or less in 15 of his 23 starts, but the red-hot Benik scored his second goal of the game 5:36 into the middle frame. McKay was visibly frustrated when the goal was scored, batting the puck away with his stick. But in his defense, he had to commit to a strong power-move to the net by Brooks Bertsch. He stopped the initial shot, but couldn't gain an edge with his right skate in order to push back to his left to make a save attempt on Benik's put-back.

Down 2-0, the RedHawks cut the lead in half at the 7:50 mark when Faragher attempted a half-butterfly glove save on a shot from the point. The shot went just wide, and as the puck fired off the back-boards, Miami-Ohio's Blake Coleman reached out with strong, swift hands to chip the loose puck over Faragher, who was diving back to seal the left post.

Although McKay continued to move well and display solid fundamentals, the lack of consistent action in his zone didn't allow him to get comfortable. He was caught deep in his crease and unprepared for Cory Thorson's goal, which extended the Huskies' lead to 3-1. A bobbling puck was fired high in stride as he streaked down the right wing, and the shot elevated quickly to beat McKay over the right shoulder.

Again, directly following the goal, his visible frustration was on display. But he tightened up after that shocking shot, as he was very strong during a 5-on-3 penalty kill later in the second period, including a big blocker save. After the first goal, it appeared as if St. Cloud was trying to expose him on the blocker side.

Faragher didn't see much action in the second period after Coleman's goal, but he did come up with a timely save on the PK with only 33 seconds remaining in the period. He slid over to his right and sealed the ice nicely on a goal-mouth scrum, but did it without falling on his stomach or losing track of the puck.

McKay stopped nine of 11 shots in the second, while Faragher stopped just four of five.

Each team had a power play opportunity in the third period, but both goalies held strong and made some respectable saves. Only a combined 12 shots were registered in the final frame, so Faragher finished with 20 saves and McKay closed out his freshman year with 18 saves on 21 shots.

Just like Saturday's game against Notre Dame, although Faragher didn't have to steal the win, he was once again timely and confident with his performance. Like we've seen from Yale's Jeff Malcolm this weekend, despite the fact he's not the most fluid or technically sound goalie, he battled hard and created a strong and stalwart presence in the paint. The RedHawks put a lot of bodies and traffic below the hash marks in the first two periods, but Faragher was able to find pucks through bodies, and for the most part, keep his core centered in the net.

Despite the weak save percentage, McKay showed some impressive upside in the loss. His mechanical and technical foundation is solid for a freshman. He slid and pushed laterally with power, but didn't over-slide his angles. He did a real good job of using his posts as anchors, which is a sign he is positionally sound.

Like Wilcox in Minnesota, it's impossible to quantify his success in relation to his team's play, or his actual skill level. But erasing those factors from the equation, I saw a goalie with legitimate pro upside. He doesn't have the raw quickness or athleticism of a goalie like Wilcox, but he is confident in his tactics, and he showed some good maturity by shutting the door after giving up what could be considered a weak third goal.

At the end of the day, Faragher once again had scoring support against a higher-ranked team. And while he did experience some balance and timing issues, as well as some mildly sloppy recoveries, he did what needed to be done -- he won back-to-back games on the biggest stage of his NCAA career. He also moved and managed the puck extremely well, which played a big role considering he didn't face much action in the final two periods.

It looks as if he'll face a much tougher test, Quinnipiac, in the Frozen four. They currently have a 5-0 lead over Union heading into the third period.

NCAA: Hellebuyck, Chubak Impress on Opening Day

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 20:24:21 +0000

Day 1 of the 2013 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament did not disappoint on Friday, as we witnessed one bracket-busting shocker and a couple of very impressive goaltending performances. Below are some of my thoughts and notes on three of the first four games of opening-round action.

Saturday's action is underway, and another bracket-buster is complete. St. Cloud State defeated Notre Dame 5-1 to advance to the second round, so they'll play the winner of Miami (Ohio) and Minnesota State.

YALE 3, MINNESOTA 2 (OT)

Yale's thrilling 3-2 OT victory over Minnesota was a gut-spilling end to Adam Wilcox's impressive rookie season. He had no chance on the game-winner by Jesse Root, which stemmed from a great forecheck by Kenny Agostino, who forced a turnover behind the net. Wilcox tried to push off his left post and throw his right arm and stick out, but failed to deflect a puck that beat him over the shoulder just nine seconds into overtime.

Wilcox showed some visible nerves in the game's opening minutes, but despite some shaky footwork and dangerous passing plays, he stood tall with 11 saves in a scoreless first period. Jeff Malcolm was a bit more comfortable and poised in the first period, but he was well-insulated, only having to make seven saves.

Wilcox's game smoothed out during the second period, even when he was sniped over the right shoulder by Agostino at the 7:08 mark. Adam was able to square up to the shot on the developing 4-on-2 play, but Agostino had plenty of time and space to find the sweet spot just over the blocker. Wilcox stayed up on his feet and didn't drop early, but he simply couldn't get a piece of the well-placed wrist shot, which was fired from just above the hash marks.

Gus Young extended Yale's lead with a power play goal eight minutes later, a shot that once again beat Wilcox on the blocker side. On this goal, Adam appeared to be distracted by a strong net-front presence from Yale's 6-foot-4 forward Antoine Laganiere.

Laganiere's big body was stationed right on top of the crease after the initial 3-on-2 rush turned into a broken play due to a blocked shot. Wilcox instinctively dropped on that blocked shot, then had to slide to his left to square up to the loose puck, which was whiffed on by another Yale forward. That forced Adam to drop again, then shift his body to his right while recovering back to his skates for a second time. Laganiere was taking away Wilcox's eyes and space throughout the entire recovery sequence, so when Young's seeing-eye wrist shot was finally released, Wilcox, who was back up on his skates, couldn't get a piece of it through traffic.

Knowing Wilcox had no chance on the game-winner, this was a game where I felt like he deserved a better fate. He finished with 23 saves on 26 shots.

Overall, I thought Wilcox was tense early, but became more relaxed and comfortable as the game went along. He was his usual adventurous self when he was moving and playing the puck, but he's so good at reading plays and then retreating back to his net behind his strong skating skills.

Despite the rough loss, it was a treat to watch Wilcox this season. A few areas of his game can be cleaned up a bit this summer, but ultimately, I'm still wildly impressed with his skill-set.

One point I'll make as a way of encapsulating everything I've learned about him this season:

He's really good at gauging the different speeds of the game, whether it's the speed of a forechecker applying pressure when he's moving the puck, the speed of a wrist shot, or the speed at which shot speed, speed of odd-man rushes, etc. Combine that with his athleticism and raw instincts, even if he doesn't have the same statistical success as a sophomore, his pro upside will continue to improve as he gains more experience.

Take nothing away from some of the timely saves made by Malcolm, but I did not see much pro upside in his game. He did seal the ice well and make some good paddle-down saves, but his skating needs to improve, as does his overall mobility. His footwork is not very polished, and while he competes hard to seal holes and cover loose pucks, he's not the type of NCAA goalie I consider to be a "technically sound" prospect.

Nevertheless, as I mentioned in my preview piece, sometimes the underdogs or "unknown" goalies are the ones that come up with the biggest wins. Experience plays a huge role in the NCAA tournament, and if there's one area where Malcolm was strong, it was his composure and even-keeled presence in the crease.

He finished with 26 saves on 28 shots and is currently facing North Dakota on Saturday night.

UMASS-LOWELL 6, WISCONSIN 1

This game was not on ESPNU live, so I caught most of the replay later at night. This game was seemingly dominated by the RiverHawks for the entire 60 minutes, and the unquestionable defensive star was Winnipeg Jets prospect Connor Hellebuyck.

I've all but erased the term "blocking goalie" from my scouting vernacular, but only because today's goaltending styles are not static. All NCAA-level goalies know that styles are predicated on situations, and that means the blocking save is a save selection, not a style. It's more about decision-making and knowing when to use the blocking save, and in what kind of situations.

But the more I watched Hellebuyck against Wisconsin, the more I came to realize that he really is a "blocking-style" goalie. In so many instances, he was dropping, making himself big, letting pucks hit him, and then relying on his defense to clear loose pucks or tie up opponents so he could recover and square up again.

There was very little excess movement in his game, but I felt that a big part of this was due to the fact he's not the strongest skater. Because of this, I think he's forced to simplify his game by playing inside the blue paint and utilizing his big frame as much as possible.

What makes Connor such an interesting prospect is the fact that he has a "steely resolve" in the crease. He looks completely unfazed by anything happening around him, which is pretty remarkable for a freshman coming straight out of the NAHL. He has a quiet look about him, and it was really noticeable when he was being interviewed by ESPNU during a TV timeout.

What really resonated in my mind was a statement he made on ESPNU when he described his style. He called it "big and boring" and that really revealed to me a lot of what I've explained above -- he does nothing fancy or flashy, he simply makes the first save and gets his body behind pucks in whatever manner necessary.

It's not pretty, but it's effective.

I was also interested to hear the broadcasters on ESPNU comment on how he had been working with former UML goaltender Dwayne Roloson. That opened the door for some more insights into his style, as Roloson was one of the true "old school" goalies that thrived by competing hard and reading plays extremely well.

Even though it wasn't always pretty, there was no denying that Hellebuyck was making big saves throughout the game. The only shot that beat him came on a Wisconsin power play in the third period, and hit deflected off two bodies, so it wasn't a result of a bad read or a mental lapse. He even stopped a penalty shot by Wisconsin's Jeff Dahl late in the first period when the score was 1-0 UML.

Wisconsin may have been dominated in this game, but they out-shot the RiverHawks 11-4 in the first 20 minutes. Even when Wisconsin scored to pull within 3-1 in the third period, Hellebuyck's steadying presence during the ensuing few minutes squashed whatever momentum Wisconsin had.

Hellebuyck finished with 31 saves and a chance to make the Frozen Four with a win over UNH on Saturday night.

To be honest, this guy fascinates me because I have so many questions about his style, and how it affects his long-term upside. Can he really thrive at the higher levels playing this way? Does the "drop-and-block" mentality allow him to develop the athleticism he'll need at the next level? Can he improve to the point where he's a solid pro-level goalie?

Regardless of these questions, and regardless of how much of his success stems from the team in front of him, the saves he made against Wisconsin were pretty impressive.

No, the footwork wasn't polished, and no, he's not the quickest goalie out there, but he was clearly the difference-maker, and at the end of the day, that's all any head coach cares about.

NORTH DAKOTA 2, NIAGARA 1

Maybe the most impressive performance I watched on Friday night came from Hobey Baker finalist Carsen Chubak.

Super-athletic and with a propensity for the flashy, acrobatic save, Chubak is a high-energy goalie with an extremely high level of compete in the crease. His movements are explosive, he's very aggressive with his angles and positioning, and he's never out of a play.

Because of his gifted mobility and footwork, he really excelled at covering loose pucks in the crease. He pounced on them with visible speed, and due to his small frame and condensed stance, he sealed the ice extremely well. Even when North Dakota tried to snipe him under the bar, Chubak fended off shots with his shoulder, arms, and gloves.

Chubak single-handedly put Niagara in place for the upset. Time and time again, no matter who had the scoring chance for North Dakota, Carsen had an answer. Technically sound on initial shots, when he did give up a rebound, his mobility gave him the edge needed to get pieces of second chances. Whether he had to dive on his side or lunge out to take away time and space from an elevated shot, he simply found a way to make the save.

"When we first started to work with Chubs he worried we would take away his athleticism, instead we worked together to use it," Mind The Net goalie coach Travis Harrington said to me on Twitter. "Chubak's game management is incredible. He reads and understands the game well. Always asking questions."

Chubak's story for Niagara began with an injury-riddled past. He had reconstructive knee surgery during his freshman year, and then had hip surgery before his sophomore year.

His perseverance over the past three years not only led him to a remarkable run this season, but it helped him out-perform the entire North Dakota team for all but 57 seconds in the 2-1 loss. That's all it took for UND to take the lead in the third period and seal the deal, which killed any chance of a fairy-tale finish for the Purple Eagles.

Despite the loss, Chubak finished with 41 saves, many of which were of the acrobatic and aggressive variety, and he was one of the game's biggest stars.

Zane Gothberg flew under the radar in this game due to Chubak's inspiring performance, but he was very solid in his own right. Similar to what I saw in Wilcox, the freshman was visibly shaky early, but settled into a good rhythm by the second period.

Niagara's lone goal may be considered of the "weak" variety by many analysts, but it was a tricky read. Jason Beattie's wrist shot barely snuck under a sliding block from a defenseman, which coincidentally took away Zane's ability to track the release. It slipped under both players and gave Niagara the 1-0 lead at the 6:27 mark of the second period.

Gothberg stopped 15-of-16 shots in the middle frame, and many of their chances were high-quality. One of his biggest saves came on a partial breakaway by Niagara's Ryan Murphy with five minutes left in the second. That save gave him a visible boost of confidence, and despite the added pressure of a come-from-behind 2-1 lead, he was technically sound in the third period and stopped all seven shots he faced.

But what impressed me the most was Gothberg's overall net coverage. In tight or through traffic, he was able to make some dynamic saves, and even in one instance, dropping his stick and covering a loose puck with his blocker hand. He has good structure to his technical game for a freshman, and his big upper body takes away some of the space in the top corners.

Enjoy the games on Saturday and be sure to check back tomorrow for another blog post on the goalies!

NCAA Tourney Goalie Preview

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:45:16 +0000

The 2013 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament begins today, and that means 16 goaltenders will begin to battle their way to Pittsburgh, where the Frozen Four will be held on the weekend of April 11.

To prep you for what will certainly be another explosive and exciting tournament, I've dropped some notes on every starting goalie from all 16 teams. I'll be evaluating a bunch of the games on-the-fly thanks to ESPNU, so feel free to follow me on Twitter @TheGoalieGuild and check back here over the course of the next few weeks for more NCAA goaltending insight and analysis.

Before I get started, I wanted to mention a few NCAA goalies that have signed pro contracts, something I've written about earlier in the season right here.

Aside from Andrew Hammond (Bowling Green) signing with the Senators, Northeastern's Chris Rawlings has signed an ATO with the Idaho Steelheads. Although it's not an entry-level contract with an NHL team, the Dallas Stars will certainly have their eyes on Rawlings' performance(s).

The Stars took a similar route last summer with Michigan Tech's Josh Robinson. He signed a two-way AHL/ECHL deal last season, and while he's not Dallas' official property, they are certainly grooming him for the future. Robinson worked with Stars goalie coach Mike Valley over the summer at his Elite Goalies mentorship camp, and Rawlings has worked with Valley before as well.

Beyond Hammond and Rawlings, it appears as if Jared Coreau (Northern Michigan) is spending some time in Detroit, which may mean he is discussing a possible contract with the Red Wings. If something official drops during the NCAA tournament, I'll post it here.

But with that on the back-burner for now, here's a look at each goalie in the tournament, sorted by region.

WEST REGIONAL

YALE - Jeff Malcolm: Entering the tournament with a 16-6-2 record, a 2.42 GAA, and a .914 SV%, the senior from Lethbridge, Alabama played a major role in Yale earning an "at large" bid. He put together two separate five-game winning streaks during the second half of the season, including one shutout in each streak.

Malcolm missed most of February due to injury, but his return sparked a five-game winning streak, and Yale has been playing much better with him back in goal.

He has given up eight goals on 62 shots in his last two games (both losses by way of shutout), so for a team that isn't as offensively gifted or as deep as in years past, he'll have to surprise everyone to get past the powerhouse known as the Golden Gophers. Furthermore, I have never seen Malcolm play before, so he's a virtual unknown for me heading into the tournament.

But as I have learned over the years, sometimes the guys that fly far under the radar end up having the biggest impact. If you're a fan of the underdog, you're a fan of Malcolm and the Yale Bulldogs.

MINNESOTA - Adam Wilcox: Because of my location here in the Twin Cities, I've had the pleasure of closely evaluating Wilcox's game this season. Not only is he statistically one of the top freshman goalies in the NCAA, but he's one of the most exciting raw-skilled prospects I've scouted in the past five years. He enters today's game against Yale with a 25-7-5 record, a 1.85 GAA, a .922 SV%, and three shutouts.

Despite playing behind one of the most talented lineups in the NCAA, Wilcox didn't coast at any point this season. Sure, there were nights where he was able to rely on Minnesota's NCAA-leading 3.51 goals-per-game to get him through some inconsistent efforts, but for the most part, he came up with the timely saves to preserve leads, sustain momentum, or kill off penalties.

No matter which way you slice it (Minnesota was 3rd in team defense with a 1.91 goals-per-game average), his reliability instilled the confidence needed to play him in 38 games, which landed him third in overall minutes played (2270:51). For a freshman, especially in a talented conference like the WCHA, that is almost unheard of.

Drafted by the Lightning 178th overall in 2011, Wilcox brings electric foot speed and a visible energy to the crease. He's aggressive, dynamic, and very flexible. His glove hand is one of the best in the NCAA, he's highly athletic, and he's one of the better puck-movers you'll find at his age. He's sheer eye-candy in the crease, fun to watch, and capable of stealing a game if his teammates fail to show up.

It certainly helps that I've seen close to 80-percent of his games this season, but if you're watching him for the first time, you'll quickly realize why he was drafted by the Lightning. The kid has skills, and he thrives under pressure.

NORTH DAKOTA - Zane Gothberg: I had originally profiled Clarke Saunders here, so apologies for a late update on Gothberg.

UND enters the tournament scoring 3.30 goals-per-game, but the combination of Saunders and freshman Zane Gothberg only posted a 2.45 GAA collectively, which was only 17th-best in the NCAA. So in terms of facing different types of pressure, knowing that Zane will have to stare down a Hobey Baker Finalist (Carsen Chubak) in today's game against Niagara is not going to be easy.

Zane played more as the season went along, entering the tournament with an 8-4-3 record, a 2.55 GAA, and a .918 SV%. He earned three straight wins in impressive fashion over Wisconsin and Nebraska-Omaha back in early-February, and has become more comfortable in his rising role with UND.

I had a chance to evaluate Zane last summer while he trained with goalie coach Dave Rogalski. During that session, I really liked how Gothberg moved. He has a lot of structure to his low game, and he reminded me a little bit of Nikolai Khabibulin in terms of utilizing his broad and large upper body, but still having quick feet and good levels of overall athleticism.

NIAGARA - Carsen Chubak: Like Hartzell in Quinnipiac, Chubak was one of the NCAA's best goaltenders this season. A Hobey Baker Finalist in his own right, the AHA Player of the Year enters the tournament with a 23-6-5 record, a 1.91 GAA and a .939 SV%. Combine that with six shutouts, and you have one of the most impressive goalies in all four regionals.

Chubak does benefit from the defensive support of blueliners Kevin Ryan and Dan Weiss, and his team does average 3.11 goals-per-game, but there's no denying the Prince Albert native's value to the Purple Eagles. But even more impressive than the NCAA-best six shutouts or the solid team in front is the fact that Chubak didn't have a single losing streak this season.

That "bounce-back" ability will be put to the test against North Dakota today; Niagara dropped a disappointing game to rival Canisius in the Atlantic Hockey semifinals, one where Chubak stopped just 24 of 29 shots.

It was the only time this season he allowed more than four goals.

NORTHEAST REGIONAL

UMASS-LOWELL - Connor Hellebuyck: It's rare to see an NAHL goaltender get inserted directly into the lineup of an NCAA D1 program, but both Anthony Stolarz (now in the OHL) and Hellebuyck completed that feat this season. A draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets, Hellebuyck was named the Tournament MVP after leading the River Hawks to a Hockey East title.

Hellebuyck enters the tournament with an 18-2-0 record, plus an NCAA-leading .949 SV%. He was second in GAA (1.38) only to Ryan McKay. At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, Connor brings an intimidating frame to the crease, and his confidence level reinforces that intimidation factor.

Like Wilcox in Minnesota, Connor settled into the starter's role after just a few games and never looked back. Connor lost his NCAA debut to DU by allowing five goals on 28 shots, and after more than a month between starts, went on a rampage and pitched shutouts in two of his next three starts.

If there's one area of Connor's game that has vastly improved since his final games with the Odessa Jackalopes, it would be his skating. Less than a year ago, he relied too much on his size to take away time and space from a shooter, but rebound control and staying upright to make secondary saves was an area of concern. It was mentioned on ESPNU that he had been working with former Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson on a lot of technical aspects, which has also played a role in his improved play.

But over the course of this season, scouts have pointed to his improved footwork as a big reason why he's now looking at a chance to lead the River Hawks to an NCAA title.

WISCONSIN - Joel Rumpel: Although the Badgers struggled early in the season, the team is firing on all cylinders after earning huge wins over Minnesota State, St. Cloud, and Colorado College to clinch the WCHA Championship. Rumpel, who earned a spot in the All-WCHA Tournament team, enters the tournament with a 1.84 GAA and .923 SV% this season.

Rumpel has just one loss in his last 11 games, but is not considered to be one of the most talented goalies in the tournament. Nevertheless, he's known for having a relaxed, even-keeled demeanor in the crease and positionally sound game. He instills a lot of confidence in his teammates for a sophomore, and he utilizes his 6-foot-3 frame very well. He plays a simple and technically sound game, and even when he's forced to scramble, he stays calm and displays good body control.

In my opinion, Rumpel is one of the more under-appreciated goalies in the tournament. But after coming up huge in the grueling WCHA Final Five tournament, he's in prime pouncing mode to potentially steal a game from #1 seed UMASS-Lowell.

DENVER - Juho Olkinuora: When I was living in Denver from 2004 to 2012, I had the fortunate opportunity to track, evaluate, and even work alongside some of DU's legendary goaltenders. From Adam Berkhoel to Peter Mannino and Marc Cheverie, the Pioneers could almost always rely on solid goaltending in the post-season.

The recurring theme with all of their past netminders was the high goalie IQ to go along with solid fundamentals and a strong work ethic. That theme holds true with Helsinki native and former "walk-on" goalie Olkinuora.

Juho didn't begin the season as the expected starter, but he certainly finished it as one. He stole the job from Florida Panthers prospect Sam Brittain in November and entered the tournament with a 13-5-5 record, a 2.28 GAA, and a .929 SV%. Of the handful of games I watched him play this season, I was most impressed with his 33-save shutout performance over Minnesota on March 1, which may go down as one of his best outings in a Pioneers uniform.

What I like about Olkinuora is that he's not your typical Finnish prospect. Because he developed in the USHL, he is much more of a positionally-oriented goalie, as opposed to the more outlandish, acrobatic, and ultra-athletic Finnish prospects at his age. By focusing more on staying centered in the crease and relying on square shoulders and quiet footwork to stop the puck, he conserves energy and controls his rebounds better than most sophomore goalies.

Olkinuora's latest game ended on a low note in the first-round WCHA series the CC Tigers, but the Pioneers were able to earn an at-large bid to join the field of 16.

NEW HAMPSHIRE - Casey DeSmith: The Wildcats entered the tournament in the Top-10 in terms of goals-against average (2.32), and DeSmith was a major factor in their defensive success. He not only set a school scoreless record (203:32) with three straight shutouts and four in five games, but he was named a Hockey East Honorable Mention All-Star, and was the Hockey East Goaltender of the Month in both October and November.

In November, DeSmith went 5-1-1 with a 1.65 GAA and a .951 SV% en route to the three straight shutouts. He won the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week twice in November and stopped 30-plus shots on four occasions, including a pair of 40-plus save performances to boot.

A goalie that faced some serious adversity due to a lack of playing time in high school, Casey was tossed into the NCAA fire last season when a struggling Matt DiGirolamo lost the starting job. This year, he went 18-9-7 with a 2.24 GAA and .924 SV% and carried the starting role for the entire season.

What makes tonight's game against DU so exciting for DeSmith is the opportunity for revenge. In his only game against DU this season, he was pulled just 9:05 into the first period after allowing three goals on eight shots.

EAST REGIONAL

QUINNIPIAC - Eric Hartzell: The Bobcats won the ECAC this season behind stellar, steadying play from their senior goaltender. A Hobey Baker Award finalist, Hartzell has a great buffer zone in front of him on the blueline, a d-core that includes the ECAC's top defenseman, Zach Davies. Hartzell helped lead the Bobcats to an 18-0-3 streak this season, which included three shutouts and eight other games where he allowed just one goal against.

Hartzell enters today's regional matchup against Canisius with a 27-6-5 record, a 1.52 GAA, and a .934 SV%. Hartzell (White Bear Lake, MN) is known for his great net coverage due to his 6-foot-4 frame and solid athleticism. He reads plays well and brings a poised, confident demeanor to the crease regardless of the situation.

That being said, I'll be watching to see how he handles the additional pressure in uncharted territory for Quinnipiac, especially since he's targeted to sign a pro contract at the end of his NCAA career. Let's just hope that career doesn't end tonight.

CANISIUS - Tony Capobianco: The little engine that could, Canisius enters the tournament on a franchise-best eight-game winning streak, which happens to currently be the longest in the nation. The Golden Griffins are backed by junior goaltender Capobianco, who I had the luxury to see live at Mariucci Arena back on October 28. He allowed a goal on the first shot faced, then went on to stop the next 40 shots in a 1-0 loss. It was one of the best individual performances I scouted all season long.

Capobianco is comfortable playing behind a team that may not score often, but plays to their strengths as a "defense-first" system. They allow a lot of shots, but push players to the perimeter. Tony had four shutouts this season, with shot totals of 23, 35, 35, and 36. He faced 1,312 total shots in 40 games, an average of 32.8 per game. He was first in the NCAA in minutes played (2344:13), which was a few games ahead of his opponent today, Hartzell (2282:59).

When I evaluated Capobianco in his game against the Golden Gophers, his style reminded me a lot of Jaroslav Halak's. He moves in a small triangle and makes the most of his 6-foot-2 frame by playing inside the blue paint. His movements are quiet and he is very positionally sound. He'll out-wait shooters and make tough saves look easy. Everything seemed to hit him in the chest and get swallowed up, but obviously that performance was one of his better games all season long.

If he expects to get past Quinnipiac, today's performance will have to be even better.

UNION - Troy Grosenick: Despite missing some games due to injury this season, the former Cedar Rapids Rough Riders goalie has allowed just five goals in his last five games, stopping 142 of his last 147 shots. That includes a 34-save shutout over Yale en route to the ECAC Championship. Grosenick and his teammates had their fair share of mid-season struggles, as he went just 1-5-3 in a nine-game stretch from late-November to mid-January.

But Grosenick has proved in the past he can get hot at the right time, so he'll need to rely on the late-season momentum if his Dutchmen have any chance of pushing past Boston College.

Grosenick enters the tournament with a 16-9-5 record, a 2.06 GAA, and .925 SV%. That's a far cry from his 1.65 GAA and .936 SV% in 32 games as a sophomore, but there's no denying he has the skill and experience to win a big game under the bright lights of the NCAA tournament.

BOSTON COLLEGE - Parker Milner: The Eagles will have a chance to win their fourth NCAA title in six years, but this tournament presents some different obstacles for Milner.

First of all, as a senior, he'll face a different type of pressure heading into today's game against Union; Milner struggled in last Friday’s 6-3 loss to Boston University in the Hockey East semifinals, allowing five goals on 26 shots. If he isn't sharp when the puck drops, or gives up a few early juicy rebounds, Union knows they'll have a decent chance of getting under his skin.

Prior to that unsettling loss, Parker went 3-0-1 in four straight games against a much weaker opponent in Vermont. Yet he was fairly leaky in March, allowing 21 goals in seven games (4-2-1). He enters the tournament with a 22-10-4 record, a 2.59 GAA, and .912 SV%.

Small in stature, Milner is known for his quickness, athleticism, and high level of compete around the crease. He does an excellent job of challenging shooters and sealing the ice with his leg pads, he thrives when forced to make strong second-effort saves, and as a senior, he is rarely fazed by a tight game, or while playing with a one-goal lead.

But it's never easy to shake off a sloppy performance when you know your college career is on the cusp of ending, so the biggest obstacle Milner may face today is his own mind.

MIDWEST REGIONAL

MIAMI (OHIO) - Ryan McKay: The RedHawks split their playing time this season between McKay and Jay Williams (also a freshman), and it's unclear which goalie will start on Saturday against the Minnesota State Mavericks. As this game preview shows, head coach Enrico Blasi hadn't named a starter, which called for a great week of competitive practices for both goalies.

Ryan has started the last seven games, and his NCAA-leading 1.37 GAA was the result of a 12-6-2 record, and the second-best team defense with a 1.73 goals-per-game allowed.

McKay struggled against Michigan in the CCHA tournament, as he was pulled after allowing four goals on 16 shots in just 31 minutes of play. The 6-2 loss was the first time all season that McKay and the RedHawks allowed more than four goals.

MINNESOTA STATE - Stephon Williams: The WCHA Rookie of the Year suffered a head/neck injury after taking a skate to the back of the mask while giving up a goal during the second period of a tough loss to Wisconsin in the WCHA Final Five. Fortunately for the Mavericks, he was cleared to play and will start against the Red Hawks on Saturday.

Williams went 21-11-2 with a 1.96 GAA, a .925 SV%, and four shutouts this season. Especially for a 1993-born freshman, he put together an impressive seven-game winning streak early in the season, beating Wisconsin, Bemidji State, and Alaska-Anchorage twice each.

Not only did Williams impress the entire WCHA with his play as a freshman, but he also helped turn the Mavericks into one of the best stories in the WCHA. Behind a more sound defense and a much better power play system, they were able to learn an at-large bid after going 16-11-1 in the WCHA and 24-13-3 overall.

NOTRE DAME: Steve Summerhays: Known for his quickness and pure puck-stopping instincts, Steve experienced a fair share of highs and lows this season, but since late-February, has sparked the Fighting Irish to a nine-game unbeaten streak (7-0-2). The Anchorage, Alaska native enters the tournament with a 21-11-2 record, a 1.94 GAA, a .922 SV%, and four shutouts.

Like Wilcox, Summerhays is aggressive and plays the position with a visible intensity. I have in my notes from previous games that he really thrives in low-scoring games, he's very fluid when executing knee shuffles and slides, and his glove hand is very strong. Summerhays is listed at just 6-foot-0 and 188 pounds, but he makes the most of his smaller frame due to quick feet and an ability to challenge shooters with poise and confidence.

If you're a fan of smaller, more athletic goalies like Wilcox in Minnesota or even guys like Jonathan Quick, you'll love Summerhays.

ST. CLOUD - Ryan Faragher: Still a raw-skilled prospect, the sophomore from Fort Frances, Ontario is known for his flexibility, compete level, and strong hand positioning and reflexes. Those elements led him to a 22-13-1 record with a 2.29 GAA and .914 SV% with three shutouts, while finishing ninth in minutes played (2120:05) and 24th in the nation in GAA.

A member of the WCHA All-Academic team, Faragher spent two years in the NAHL with the Bismark Bobcats before committing to St. Cloud State. He posted a 2.17 GAA and .921 SV% in 38 games en route to an NAHL Robertson Cup championship in 2010, then posted a 2.44 GAA and .918 SV% in 52 games in the 2010-11 season. Both years in the NAHL, Faragher was part of the All-Central Division Team.

Compared to the other three starting goalies in this region, Faragher doesn't enter the tournament with a flashy resume or a ton of regular-season success. That makes him the perfect underdog against the Fighting Irish, which gives him an edge in terms of fighting off the pressure that comes in a do-or-die game.