Early in the season, his stats don’t look that great, but this is a prospect that with the right goalie coach can develop well. He has good size and mobility but plays a bit lazy. I would like to see him compete more and not just being a puck-stopper. He has the tools to become a good goalie if he learns to use his mobility and size in the right way and if he could compete more. With competitiveness, it is not just a matter of competing for loose pucks, but it is about being competitive and ready for various situations. It is still early in the season but I could see Bednar getting drafted next summer, maybe even in the 2-4 round range of the draft. He has the size and some strong foundations in his game.
| Jan Bednar | 2020 NHL Draft Eligible |
|---|---|
| Position: GK, Glove: L | H/W: 6-4", 196 lbs |
| Stats to date (GP-GAA-SVP) | Karlovy Vary, CZE (5-3.84-.893) |
| Banik Sokolov, CZE-2 (5-3.37-.813) | |
| CZE U18 Hlinka (4-4.47-.828) |
Photo: Jonas Forsberg / BILDBYRÅN
Characteristics
Athleticism/Quickness/Speed: Bednar has good basic elements. He moves well in the crease and is a good skater. He is fast up and down. He lacks a bit in his edge plays and tends not to react fast enough, but when he reacts, he is quick. Grade: 55
Compete/Temperament: He’s calm and poised in the net. He doesn’t move too much and plays square to the puck. He could compete more though. Bednar is a typical goalie who relies a lot on his size and saving the first shot. Grade: 50
Vision/Reading Play: His calmness comes from being in the right position much of the time. He sees where the play is heading and can make hard saves look easy. Often square to the puck. Grade: 60
Technique/Style: Strong glove hand and agile movements. Can be a bit low with his upper body and should work on his upper body strength. Has good size and plays to his strength. He relies more on his size than good structure. Reacts more to the situations than acts in anticipation of them. At the junior level he gets away with his style better but when the pace and velocity of the shots gets up, he should be in more trouble. Grade: 50
Rebound Control: Strong across the goal line and his strong glove helps him with the rebounds. I would like to see him compete harder though. He played in front of a tight defense and his rebound control wasn’t tested that hard. Grade: 50
Puck Handling: A bit shaky at times but most often he remains calm. For the most part, he essentially keeps things simple. Grade: 45
Overall Future Projection (OFP): 53