malcolm subban – McKeen's Hockey

NHL EXPANSION DRAFT: Seattle Roster by the Numbers

Alison Lukan and Shayna Goldman — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 13:25:18 +0000

In just under 48 hours, the Seattle Kraken will have the very first roster of players in franchise history courtesy of Wednesday’s Expansion Draft. 30 other teams (lucky Vegas is exempt) have labored over protection lists, and now it’s up to Seattle to pour through the available players and select one individual from each NHL club to join its organization. There are rules of course: the final roster must include 30 players – one from each team – and include a minimum of 17 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders with a minimum total cap hit of $48.9 million.

It’s a fun but daunting task to think about all the options and resulting on-ice product, so we decided to join the fray and come up with our own projection for the Kraken team with a data-driven approach.

For player valuation, we used Evolving-Hockey’s Goals Above Replacement (GAR) measure to quantify what each player contributes on ice. We also considered a player's “expected” GAR (xGAR) to consider how a player performed compared to what was expected of them. We then also looked at this performance relative to cost (using annualized cap hit values from CapFriendly.com) to fill out our roster within the Draft guidelines.

With tremendous thanks to both of those online resources, here is our take on what the inaugural Kraken Draft class might look like.

THE ROSTER

THE DOLLARS AND SENSE

NOTES AND THOUGHTS:

The roster of signed players had a cumulative cap hit of about $58 million. On the viz above, to get a gauge of what some of those free agents could sign for, we used Evolving-Hockey’s contract projections. We’ll be honest, some teams had fewer attractive options than others and some of our picks (Fischer, Jarnkrok, Johnsson, Tierney) we view as bait for future trades or flips – some of which will help lower that 2021-22 cap that is over the limit with the featured projections. Also, while acknowledging there could be no shortage of side deals that influence these selections, we picked players with the expectation that they were who Seattle wanted without any constraints.

Here’s some of the players who stood out to us:

Carolina Hurricanes Defenceman Dougie Hamilton (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

DEFENSE:

Dougie Hamilton (D | Carolina Hurricanes)

We really like our defense overall, and Hamilton is arguably the cornerstone of that. He was a legitimate Norris candidate this past season, as he continues to have driven play while maintaining a positive defense impact. Any blue line would be lucky to have the skill that the right-handed back brings and according to Evolving-Hockey’s projection, that comes at a $8.5 million cap hit.

Mark Giordano (D | Calgary Flames)

Here’s our nod to the old school traditions of hockey. Giordano is in the older range of players we selected, and while that can raise some concern from a longevity perspective, he’s coming off a season where he had a team-high GAR of 12.7, which was also fifth best among all NHL defensemen. Add in a solid reputation as a leader - something a brand new team will need - and Giordano is a natural fit on and off the ice.

Shayne Gostisbehere (D | Philadelphia Flyers)

Just because the rest of the league passed on acquiring Gostisbehere when the Flyers put him on waivers doesn’t mean Seattle will. The leftie’s on ice impacts have slipped over the last two seasons, but a change of scenery should help him bounce back – so could time with Dave Hakstol, who was his bench boss for three and a half seasons earlier in his career.

Vince Dunn (D | St. Louis Blues)

Like Gostisbehere, there have been reports that the defender could be on the move. He isn’t really used in high leverage situations in St. Louis but has solid results in the minutes he’s played thus far in his career. The 24-year-old has the potential to help the Kraken grow on defense for years to come and gives some flexibility as he plays both the left and right side.

FORWARDS:

Josh Bailey (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Josh Bailey (LW/RW | New York Islanders)

Unlike Gostisbehere and Dunn, Bailey’s availability is more of a surprise. The Islanders’ forward scores at the rate of a top-sixer and can provide two-way play on either wing. His versatility adds value as the veteran could shift around the lineup to wherever he’s most needed. If not Bailey, Seattle does have options from this squad; Jordan Eberle is also available and is the better option offensively if management feels they need more scoring up front.

Yanni Gourde (C/LW/RW | Tampa Bay Lightning)

While teams are throwing salary and term at Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow, the Kraken have the option of getting one of the most valuable pieces of that line for free. While he primarily played on the third line in Tampa Bay these last two seasons, Gourde could slot into most teams’ top-six, and can be deployed in all situations. Skating at either wing or center, the versatile forward creates offense both off the rush and forecheck, driving play with his passing and shooting. He gets to work every shift, pressuring for turnovers, and is defensively responsible despite his 5-foot-9 frame.

Philip Danault (C | Montreal Canadiens)

Danault may not be as high scoring as other top-six centers around the league, but he’s one of the best defensive centers right now which is why there’s going to be interest in him once free agency begins. Seattle gets to take a crack at him early, and Evolving-Hockey projects a $6.2 million cap hit. On a team of players put together just months before puck drop, Danault’s defensive play would be a source of stability. And with the right offensively inclined linemate, he could bolster his play on the other end of the ice too.

Andreas Athanasiou (C/LW/RW | LA Kings)

The knock on Athanasiou has always been that while he’s an offensive dynamo, his defensive play is non-existent. That’s still true, but paired with proper linemates, a team may be able to protect and utilize him in the proper way. He’s coming off a nice rebound last year and could be productive in the Pacific Northwest.

GOALTENDERS:

We approached our goaltending choices as a solution in its entirety more than thinking of each player one at a time. We wanted an established and seasoned veteran who understands and has experience with a true starter’s role. Enter Braden Holtby. He is still strong in net, and while costly, doesn’t have a Carey Price-esque contract. Holtby can provide stability in net while also being a mentor to Chris Dreidger. The young Panther is widely expected to join Seattle and his performance this past season gives a glimpse into what could be an exciting staple in net long term for the Kraken. He can play well in net as a backup while likely carrying a larger load than a traditional backup might, while preparing to become the eventual starter. Our third selection, Malcolm Subban, brings in a very solid security blanket in the number three spot. Subban has NHL experience at an affordable price.

Data via Evolving-Hockey, HockeyViz, and CapFriendly

Boston – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:21:44 +0000

In May 2015, Don Sweeney was named as the new General Manager of the Boston Bruins, a promotion from his previous role as the Assistant General Manager under the recently fired Peter Chiarelli. Among his first acts was preparing for the upcoming NHL draft. Slated to pick 14th overall, he made a positive first impression, showing creativity by trading for both picks 13 and 15 on the day of the draft. There were rumors that Sweeney wanted to bundle those consecutive picks for one of the first handful of picks in what is already proving to be a stacked draft class, but in the end, he used all of those picks internally.

His second impression was immediately met with derision and scorn. Not able to trade up (assuming that was the plan) the Bruins used those picks on, respectively, Jakub Zboril, Jake DeBrusk, and Zach Senyshyn. Solid prospects all, but many were shocked that that the team passed up on more highly touted prospects including Mathew Barzal, Kyle Connor, and Thomas Chabot, who, not coincidentally, were taken with the next three picks.

Two years later, Sweeney remains the butt of jokes for his draft maneuverings in 2015, and for good reason. While Zboril, DeBrusk, and Senyshyn are all fine as prospects, none have elevated themselves to elite status. A number of players taken later in that round have already established themselves in the NHL (Travis Konecny, Anthony Beauvilier) or have much higher prospect stock today, and have had from almost day one (Barzal, Connor, Chabot, Joel Eriksson Ek, Colin White, Ilya Samsonov, Brock Boeser, etc.). Ironically, there is a good case to be made that the Bruins made out better with their three 2015 second round picks (Brandon Carlo, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, and Jeremy Lauzon) than they did with the first round trio.

Despite the opprobrium, Sweeney has quietly drafted and signed enough prospects that the Bruins currently have one of the deepest and richest prospect pools in the league. The aforementioned Carlo is already a full-fledged NHLer, but the other five drafted in the first two rounds in 2015 are only part of a deep system with future contributors at every position. Although the Bruins have sputtered along at the NHL level since his promotion, with only one playoff appearance in three years, they have been added valuable assets, some of whom will be key contributors now (we expect at least to graduate to the NHL this year) and for the next truly competitive Bruins teams.

While it would be less than fair to judge Sweeney on the basis of his 2015 draft shenanigans alone, it would also be unfair to judge him solely on the system as it stands today. A number of the organization’s best prospects, including top names like Bjork and Heinan, predate his promotion. Further, the Bruins’ 2017 draft class appears light – especially after their first rounder - based on information currently available.

Charlie McAvoy (73) (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

1 Charles McAvoy – Already an NCAA as a 17 year old, McAvoy only got better in his first post draft year. Not only was he a first team All-American for BU, but he was arguably the top player on the Gold Medal winning Team USA at the WJC. Signed to an ELC at the tail end of the season, he made his NHL debut in the playoffs and was immediately an impact player again. Very few defensemen, at any level, have his puck skills. He is simply a dynamic player who will have an impact with Boston on par with what Zach Werenski did last year with Columbus.

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA - APRIL 24: Finland's Urho Vaakanainen #7 celebrating with the championship trophy 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/HHOF-IIHF Images)

2 Urho Vaakanainen – A plus skater with an intriguing shot, Vaakanainen reminded the hockey world that he has more offensive potential that he let on during an understated Liiga season with a powerful performance in the WU18 tournament. A very mature player who has spent 1.5 season in the top Finnish league before he became eligible for the NHL draft, there are some who see a potential top pairing blueliner in the not-too-distant future. Expect an increased offensive role in his third Liiga season.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish right wing Anders Bjork (10) (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

3 Anders Bjork – A 5th round steal from 2014, Bjork had matured into one of the most exciting forwards in NCAA hockey by his junior season. It was no surprise that the Bruins worked hard to convince him to give up his final year of college eligibility to sign this offseason, which he began with a cameo for Team USA in the World Championships. He has dangerous speed, a hard shot and fantastic inner drive. Hearkening back to his USNTDP days, he is also extremely responsible in his own end. NHL ready.

4 Trent Frederic – Somewhat of a surprise selection at the tail end of the first round in 2016, Frederic, who was more of a two-way player for the USNTDP program, emerged as more of an offensive force as a freshman with Wisconsin. He reads plays very well, accurately judging when to use his teammates and when to go it alone. His hockey IQ on both sides of the puck is near elite. Puck skills are also high end, while his skating and shot are merely above average. He should be a shoe-in for Team USA at the 2017 WJC.

5 Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson – JFK showed a bit more goal scoring acumen in his sophomore season at BU. A very smart hockey player who has now spent four seasons playing in North America, he is always in the right place to generate a positive effect on the flow of the game. He can finish a net drive with deft stickhandling, a strong one-timer or a whippy wrist shot. He signed an ELC after BU’s season ended and should have a relatively brief AHL apprenticeship before seeing steady NHL ice time.

6 Jake DeBrusk – Former first rounder Jake DeBrusk, son of retired NHL policeman Louie DeBrusk, had a strong, if at times uneven, rookie pro season. A strong skater who is effective playing both an East-West as well as North-South game, he has above average top speed and very good agility and body control. When he enters the offensive zone with momentum, can be very dangerous, particularly when combined with his puckhandling skills. Could use another half season or more of AHL development time.

7 Zachary Senyshyn – One of the fastest players in the OHL, Senyshyn, another product of Don Sweeney’s infamous 2015 first round, ended his OHL career with his highest points-per-game average yet. A gifted goal scorer, he can commonly be found blazing down the wing and cutting in towards the net. Needs to fill out his lanky frame to have similar success as a pro. He has decent hands, but rarely tries fancy puck play as his speed has been able to beat most OHL defenders on its own.

8 Danton Heinen – Heinen upped the ante after a strong AHL rookie season with a fantastic, point-per-game playoff run. Although his first, abbreviated, NHL run was non-descript, he is still a strong prospect. He owns a solid slap shot, but is even better as a playmaker. He shows good vision in the offensive zone when carrying the puck and makes sharp and clever passes to open teammates. One of several mid-round success stories from recent Boston drafts.

9 Jeremy Lauzon – Although his final junior year was marred by injury, Lauzon turned heads with a strong WJC performance and ended on a high-note with a very good postseason performance for Rouyn-Noranda. Has a solid point shot that can be dangerous whether slapped or wristed and packs a big force into his checks. Foot speed is not an area of strength, but he has enough to stay relevant. Overall, a very polished young defenseman.

10 Jakub Zboril – Finally turning pro after a solid QMJHL season with Saint John, Zboril will no longer have to hear that he is not as good as Thomas Chabot. Of course, in the pros, he will have other good players to be compared to. He is a physical player whose tools have not improved much since he was drafted in 2015. Too easily drawn out of position. Possesses a strong shot and can execute passes from the blueline all over the zone, but his hands are stiff and his offensive upside may be limited.

11 Ryan Donato – A skilled puck player, Donato, whose father Ted Donato played for a number of years with Boston and is currently coaching his son at Harvard, nearly doubled his point production as a sophomore. He plays an exciting offensive game, with tenacity on both sides of the puck. A solid skater and shooter, his best attribute is clearly his plus stickhandling. Still not done filling out.

12 Malcolm Subban – Now four years deep into an AHL career, the former first round pick has put up team leading save percentages in only two of those years, with last year’s average numbers falling well short of the work of crease-mate Zane McIntyre. Subban still gets the nod in this list largely due to his athleticism portending the ability to improve over time. He can make highlight reel saves due to his lateral agility, but he needs to get his happy feet under control.

13 Matt Grzelcyk – After a storied college career at BU, Grzelcyk got his pro career off on the right foot with Providence. He will need to prove himself at each step due to his diminutive stature (think Torey Krug), but his offensive gifts are evident. He has very good vision and a plus wrist shot. He does not hesitate to pinch in very deep in the opposing zone and gives solid effort away from the puck.

14 Ryan Lindgren – Despite being selected to represent the USA at last year’s WJC, Ryan Lindgren’s first post draft year served as a reminder that the jump up from USHL play to college hockey is sometimes very difficult. In addition to struggling getting his offensive game going, he committed a plethora of unforced errors and averaged over two penalty minutes per game for the Golden Gophers. He should be able to play hard without spending so much time in the penalty box.

15 Jack Studnicka – A high IQ forward, Studnicka can also contribute as a secondary offensive threat, thanks largely to his plus wrist shot and solid puck skills. He still has a lot of room for physical growth, but he plays an effective physical game at the OHL level. His production in the playoffs far surpassed his regular season scoring pace and he could see a big increase in his role as an offensive producer in his post draft season.

16 Cameron Hughes – The sixth round pick from 2015, at the time a little-used freshman with Wisconsin, has been a scouting find for the Bruins. He is still underappreciated in prospect circles, but his hands are among the best at the collegiate level. He is extremely creative and can create magic with the puck on his stick. He is not higher up this list as he cannot do it alone. He needs a playmaker to put him in the clear, giving the slight Hughes the space he needs to operate.

17 Peter Cehlarik – A Slovakian forward drafted out of Sweden in 2013, Cehlarik finally came over to North America last year and impressed in his first North American season. A natural goal scorer with above average puck play, he is best when he has a teammate who can set him up. He still needs to improve his quickness to continue to be able to find soft spots in coverage from which to capitalize, but if he is still prospect eligible next year, he will most likely be higher up this list.

18 Kenny Agostino – Once the key part of the return for Jarome Iginla, Agostino has matured into an absolute beast at the AHL level, winning the league’s MVP award as its top scorer. It is an open question whether he can translate some of his AHL prowess into the NHL, but the minor league free agent signing is a good skater with very quick hands and plus finishing skills. The Bruins will give him a chance.

19 Jesse Gabrielle – A very physical player with a heavy shot, Gabrielle has had a somewhat disappointing finish to an otherwise solid WHL career. Despite playing on a suddenly strong Prince George team, the former fourth rounder’s production stagnated. He is a decent enough skater with a battler’s mentality that may find life on a professional energy line perfectly suited to his skills and style.

20 Emil Johansson – Fitting to end this list with another late round pick making good. Johansson, a puck moving two-way defenseman, took big steps forward last season while playing big minutes with Djurgardens in SHL, establishing career highs in both goals and assists. A solid skater with a decent shot, he made Sweden’ national Men’s team at age 21 and was given an ELC during the off-season.

In addition to the twenty prospects listed above, the Bruins had a few more who would have fit in very nicely in the top twenty of other organizations. Players like Noel Acciari, Ryan Fitzgerald, Sean Kuraly, Zane McIntyre, Daniel Vladar, Joona Koppanen, and more. With this type of system depth, the Bruins should never need to use NHL free agency to fill out the back half of the roster.

NHL Prospect Watch: Boston Bruins

Ryan Wagman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 13:28:39 +0000

Although not quite to the same extreme, the Boston Bruins have built their system similarly to the Chicago Blackhawks in that they heavily scout and draft players who are destined to play in college. Last season, 11 Bruins prospects were playing NCAA hockey, while another pair were spending an extra year in the USHL, the largest NCAA-feeder league. At the recent draft, as if to reiterate that this element of organizational philosophy had not changed under relatively new GM Don Sweeney, they took a college player in the first round and drafted three other college-bound amateurs among their six total picks.

A great example of this philosophy can be seen in 2015 second rounder Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson (also known as JFK), who was selected out of the Omaha program in the USHL. A Swedish import, JFK had shown marked improvement in his two years in the USHL, including reasonably good showings above his age group for his home country. He was a point per game player in his draft year with a strong reputation for two-way play. Since his selection by the Bruins, the rangy center has matriculated at local Boston University, where the head office can very easily keep tabs on a player who will have earned his spot among the most promising in the system. As a freshman with the Terriers, JFK maintained a promising scoring touch (10 goals, 20 assists in 39 games) while once again representing the Tre Kronor, this time at the WJC.

Forsbacka-Karlsson is a five tool player, who projects to be above average in all offensive characteristics while also bearing the stereotypical Swedish high hockey IQ. He has plus acceleration as well as good agility. His wrist shot is whippy, with a plus release. I fully expect him to add at least 50% to his goal total as a sophomore and doubling the total would not surprise in the least. He is confident in his puck skills and owns solid finishing moves. He can carry the puck right into coverage, and feel reasonably secure that he will come out the other side unscathed. BU also used the freshman regularly on the penalty kill, indicative of the maturity in his game. He is not a banger by any means, but has decent strength already and room to fill out on his frame. He may be ready to embark on his professional journey as soon as next summer. In any case, he is expected to be the leader of the BU offense, as the only two players who outscored him last year will be paid to play this season.

April 11, 2015: Boston University Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (5). The Providence College Friars defeated the Boston University Terriers 4-3 in the final of the Frozen Four, NCAA Division 1 Men's Ice Hockey Championship at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Providence wins their first ever NCAA championship.

Matthew Grzelcyk, D, Boston University (NCAA) (85^th overall, 2012)

One of JFK’s teammates at BU last season, Grzelcyk elicites cheap comparisons to current Bruin Torey Krug. For the most part the comp comes from both blueliners standing a mere 5-9”. In this case, the comp is doubly appropriate as Grzelcyk is also a gifted offensive defenseman, although he has a ways to go to reach Krug’s NHL utility. After scaring Bruins supporters by playing the full four seasons in college, Grzelcyk finally put pen to paper on an Entry Level Contract with Boston shortly after BU was knocked out of the NCAA tournament.

The Massachusetts native played a very freewheeling game for the Terriers and will need to adapt next year in the AHL, but there are some tools there to strongly suggest that he should not fully abandon his game. Namely, Grzelcyk is a strong skater with a rocket from the point. At the very least, he can reach the NHL as a power play specialist. While undersized, he does not play a weak game, but most of his attempts at physicality are doomed to fail due to his inherent strength deficit. He needs a lot of refinement on his play away from the puck as well. As he tends to think offense, he will get out of position too often trying to push the play. When he times it right, he is an absolute boon to the possession game. Unfortunately, if he mistimes it, or misjudges the play, he ends up leaving his mates shorthanded. This is not a function of his size, but of his proclivities, so being forced to play a more structured game, as well as take on a role where he is not the go-to option, should do wonders for his all-around development. With Krug locked up in Boston long-term, he will need to show that a he can be more than a power play specialist to find a regular NHL job, although with more attention to detail in his own end and a willingness by the Bruins to play two “skill” guys on the blueline will allow him to get there after roughly a full season in the AHL.

Ryan Fitzgerald, C, Boston College (120^th overall, 2013)
Matthew Benning, D, Northeastern (175^th overall, 2012)
Wiley Sherman, D, Harvard (150^th overall, 2013)
Ryan Donato, C, Harvard (56^th overall, 2014)

Fitzgerald, Benning, Sherman, and Donato are all listed together here as all four, like Forsbacka-Karlsson and Grzelcyk above, played their college hockey in the Boston region. No matter which game Bruins scouts wanted to watch in the Beanpot Classic, each side featured at least one Bruins prospect.

Donato, the most promising of the quartet, gained some national attention with a sharp showing at the recent WJC. He has a plus second gear and can beat many defenders to the outside with pure speed. Although his shot is average at best, the son of former Bruin Ted Donato has plus hands. Playing in the shadow of Hobey Baker winner Jimmy Vesey as a freshman, he put up respectable numbers and should do even better for the experience. He demonstrates hints of speed, stickhandling ability and offensive vision, but did not often enough show all three traits at the same time. More consistency in execution should make him a more exciting player altogether.

Like Donato, Matthew Benning is another Boston legacy prospect as Uncle Jim was the Bruins’ Assistant GM when Matthew was drafted in 2012. A two-way defenseman, the younger Benning is a solid skater with plus puck skills. He sees passing lanes very well and consistently makes crisp, accurate passes, whether the target is moving or stationary. He is the primary transition-starter with Northeastern. Not a physical player, Benning can be sloppy with his gap control, but will utilize his stick occasionally to break up rushes. The upside may only be that of a decent third pairing blueliner, but there is little except opportunity to prevent him from reaching that plateau.

Ryan Fitzgerald is yet another legacy prospect. His father, Tom, played 1,097 games in the NHL, the final 71 of which, in 2005-06 were in a Bruins uniform. Ryan Fitzgerald is a player who mostly gets by on his above average hockey smarts, which come to the fore in all three zones. He always seems to be near the puck, even though his skating is only in the realm of average. He has scored over 0.5 goals per game over the past two seasons at BC even though his shot is subpar. Beyond always being in the right place at the right time, Fitzgerald receive plus marks for his stickhandling skills. He will complete a fourth season at BC, but projects to fill a bottom six role as a professional, who can also take on a leading role on the penalty kill.

The final member of the Bruins Beanpot contingent*, mammoth defender Wiley Sherman, is more of a project than the other five profiled here. Listed at 6-6”, 201, plays a game in line with his physical dimensions, in the sense that he is quite physical and difficult to play against. His skating is good for his size, although he will always struggle against smaller, fleet of foot opponents. Furthermore, his hands and game processing are in need of improvement if he is to make it to the NHL. While he increased his offensive production as a sophomore (from three points to ten) he will never be an offensive force as his core strengths are all in the area of force, as opposed to stealth. There is nothing wrong with using a fifth round pick on a player of this ilk, but he remains as much a long shot today as he was when he was originally drafted as a prep schooler three years ago.

*This is as good a place as any to remind you that this series is not looking at 2016 draft picks, as first rounder Charlie McAvoy has already completed his freshman year at Boston University.

Danton Heinen, C, University of Denver (NCAA) (116^th overall, 2014)

One third of the Pacific Rim line which took the University of Denver to the Frozen Four, Heinen, like linemate Trevor Moore, has since turned pro. The former fourth round pick has surpassed one point per game in both of his collegiate seasons in Colorado, a product of soft and creative hands. The B.C. native has plus vision that he uses with frequency, whether threading the needle with a pass, or reading the game in his own end, looking to create turnovers. His other offensive tools, his skating and his shot, both project as somewhat above average. He also has roughly average size and physicality, which, in his case, means that he holds his own. While there is reason to think he could contribute at the NHL level very quickly, if not straight-away, the Bruins have enough depth down the middle to let Heinen develop for at least a few months in Providence. Ultimately, his ascension to the NHL will depend on how quickly he acclimatizes to the professional game. Heinen has second line upside.

Malcolm Subban, G, Providence (AHL) (24^th overall, 2012)
Zane McIntyre, G, Providence (AHL (165^th overall, 2010)

Combined, Subban and McIntyre played in 58 of the Providence Bruins’ 76 games. Boston would have preferred to see them split the entire season for their AHL affiliate, but Subban took a puck to the windpipe on February 8, shattering his larynx and knocking him out for the season. McIntyre, on the other hand, was simply disappointing, with an .898 save percentage that was not only worse than Subban’s, but also markedly worse than that of journeyman AHLer Jeremy Smith, brought in after Subban went down, who posted a 0.934 save percentage in 20 games, and was the starter between the pipes for Providence’s aborted playoff run.

The two netminders of note here are a study in contrasts in that each has some of the attributes that often go into making quality goalies, but neither, as of yet, has been able to bring the full picture to fruition. Subban, the former first rounder, is the goalie with the more enticing natural tools. P.K.’s younger brother is extremely athletic and moves better than most of his peers. More often as well. While his mobility allows him to scramble for second chances and make plenty of exciting saves, he also often gets out of position too quickly and is forced to scramble to avoid letting in soft goals. On other occasions, when the play is close to the crease, but not close enough for him to employ a poke check, he makes himself too small, opening up plenty of room towards the top half of the net.

McIntyre, on the other hand, was drafted with comparatively little fanfare as a sixth rounder, and also a different name, as he was known as Zane Gothberg at the time. Although, like Subban, McIntyre is listed at 6-2”, and a few pounds north of 200, he is nowhere near the athlete of his more renowned teammate. While Subban is very good with low shots, kicking out his legs with ease, and struggles more with higher shots when he gets too deep into his crouch, McIntyre has the reverse split. His slower legs make him beatable down low, he makes himself bigger in the crease and has a sharp glove hand. McIntyre has plus anticipation and is calm in his net. He could stand to improve his rebound control. There are plenty examples of both styles of goalie who have seen success in the NHL, but the athleticism (and pedigree) point to the more likely future NHL starter of this tandem to be Subban. That said, neither are near ready yet. Subban has publicly agitated for an NHL job next year, but his development would not likely be well served by sitting on the bench for 60-odd games per year behind Tuukka Rask. He still has not proved that he could master the AHL level.

Austin Czarnik, C, Providence (AHL) (UFA: Mar. 31, 2015)
Noel Acciari, C, Providence (AHL) (UFA: Jun. 2, 2015)

Along with Frank Vatrano, Czarnik and Acciari were signed as undrafted free agents last spring after successful NCAA careers. Czarnik from Miami (Ohio) and Acciari from Providence. Both are examples of quality scouting from a hockey sector that is often overlooked. While neither player should be seen as having a strong chance of a long NHL career, both are also solid bets as underdogs.

Czarnik is undersized yet talented. He demonstrates good vision and has a very good shot. His release, particularly on his wrister, is very quick while Providence often used him on the point during power plays. Acciari, on the other hand, is much more a meat-and-potatoes player. A good skater with solid edges, he offers relatively little offensively. What he provides brings to the rink is a feisty, physical game, which he couples with a good hockey IQ, often lining up with Providence’s first PK unit. In spite of their polar opposites in terms of points production, Czarnik spent the entire season in the AHL, while Acciari received a 19 game trial with Boston. Czarnik could play in the NHL for a coach who doesn’t mind a lack of physicality in a third or fourth line center. Acciari fits the traditional fourth line agitator role to a tee.

Fantasy Hockey: Ranking Goalies by Tier

Peter Harling — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 16:35:35 +0000

For most, trying to predict fantasy goalies is a little like trying to predict where lightning is going to strike. If you are like me, you need all the help you can get. One thing you can do to help better prepare for your fantasy draft is to rank goalies by tiers. Depending on your leagues size, format, and scoring mechanism you can have all different kinds of values associated to players. With goalies, there are a few constants which apply to most leagues and situations that you need to take into consideration.

Skill level of the goalie
Situation: is he the sure-fire staring goalie looking at 50 – 60 starts
Strength of the team: Lousy teams usually equals lousy goalie stats

Below I will rank the top 50 goalies and categorize them into groups. Heading into your draft, you should have an idea of how much value you want to place on a goalie. How soon do you draft one, do you want an elite goalie, are you happy with two good goalies. You can put all your eggs in one basket and use a first round pick on a player like Carey Price. You may think that the league elite goalies fluctuates so much each year, and you would be correct, and therefore you wait until mid-draft and pick a goalie who may have a monster year. Once you have an idea of how your draft strategy, you need to look at ranking the goalies into a tier system. I suggest looking at some of the better fantasy hockey predictors such as the McKeens yearbook, and Dobber hockey and then create your own draft tier list like the one I created below.

Tier I: The Elite

These are the best of the best; they play on Stanley Cup contenders and are the undisputed starter, and are Vezina calibre.

1. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens – He won it all last year, Vezina, Hart, Lindsay, and Jennings.

2. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers – King Henrik is arguably the best goalie on the planet.

3. Jonathan Quick, LA Kings – No contest who is the starter with the two time Cup Champion.

4. Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals – New addition to the top five after a breakout year.

5. Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning – Big Ben needs to stay healthy, if so he is elite.

Tier II: The very good

Nothing wrong with this group, they are all capable of being elite but have some question.

6. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators – Re-established himself after an injury lost season.

7. M.A. Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins – Always has strong regular season stats and the Pens have beefed up.

8. Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins – Rask is solid, but what direction are the Bruins headed?

9. Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks – Crawford struggled at times and temporarily lost the crease in playoffs to Scott Darling. A hiccup or a warning sign?

10. Jaroslav Halak, New York Islanders - Was unable to get job done in St. Louis but has looked good on the Island. The Islanders are a team on the rise, can he do for them what he couldn’t do in St. Louis?

Tier III: Good goalies in bad situations

11. Semyon Varlamov, Colorado Avalanche – The Avs had a huge regression but Varly remained solid.

12. Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus – Injuries killed the season last year but Columbus are a team on the rise

13. Roberto Luongo, Florida Panthers – Roberto is getting older, will the Panthers improve while he can still make a difference?

14. Corey Schneider, New Jersey Devils – Entering his prime but desperately needs some run support.

15. Steve Mason, Philadelphia Flyers – Flyers may have finally found their starting goalie

16. Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild – This time last year he was a fantasy after thought, then went on to play in over 40 straight games earning a Vezina nomination. Would the real Dubnyk please stand up?

Tier IV: Should be the starting goalie on a good team…should be!

17. Jonas Hiller, Calgary Flames – Rebound season, Flames projected to regress, contract year, a lot of questions with this player.

18. Frederik Andersen, Anaheim Ducks – With the addition of Khudobin and Gibson pushing, Andersen could lose some starts at the first sign of trouble.

19. Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators – Has elite type stats, but can’t stay healthy. Had the crease burgled late in the season.

20. Ryan Miller, Vancouver Canucks – Jacob Markstrom will push Miller who struggled at times last year.

Tier V: Split starters on good teams

Tandem situations where the team will ride two goalies, ideal for handcuff situations

21. Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings – Lost the starting job in playoffs, but contract says he is the starter

22. Petr Mrazek, Detroit Red Wings – Is younger and arguably better than Howard.

23. Brian Elliott, St. Louis Blues – Like Howard, lost the starting job in the playoffs.

24. Jake Allen, St. Louis Blues – Is the gaolie of the future, which could begin immediately.

25. Kari Lehtonen, Dallas Stars – Brutal season, may flourish with less pressure.

26. Antti Niemi, Dallas Stars – Couldn’t cut it as a starter in San Jose, may work well in tandem.

Tier VI: The Unknown

Potentially great goalies, potentially getting their first crack as a number one.

27. Martin Jones, San Jose Sharks – Sharks could have a good season and Jones could see the lions share of the starts.

28. Robin Lehner, Buffalo Sabres – Tim Murray believes in Lehner, he drafted him in Ottawa, gave up a first to bring him to Buffalo, but has injury history.

29. Cam Talbot, Edmonton Oilers – Talbot was excellent spelling Henrik Lundqvist when he was injured behind a strong New York Rangers defence.

Tier VII: Split starters on bad teams

30. Jonathan Bernier, Toronto Maple Leafs – The Leafs badly want him to be the answer in goal.

31. James Reimer, Toronto Maple Leafs – Clean slate in Toronto with new management, it’s now or never for Optimus Reim.

32. Ondrej Pavelec, Winnipeg Jets – The Jets are not a bad team, but Pavelec has proven to be very inconsistent

33. Michael Hutchinson, Winnipeg Jets – Again, Jets are a good team, but Hutchinson struggled later in the season

34. Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes – Ward has been in steady decline, but is in a UFA contract year.

35. Eddie Lack, Carolina Hurricanes – Lack is a player on the rise. In a better situation he would rank higher. His time may come next year, or as soon as now.

Tier VIII: Boom or Bust

These players need a break to reach their full potential, but I’m saying there is a chance.

36. John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks – If he were not injured last year, he could have been ranked in the top three tiers

37. Andrew Hammond, Ottawa Senators – Count on Anderson being injured, and when that happens, the Sens will look to Hammond. Was his miraculous run an aberration, or is he the next Tim Thomas?

38. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets – As mentioned above, the Jets are a good team and Pavelec and Hutchinson have underwhelmed. Hellebuyck impressed at the World Championship and could steal the show

39. Scott Darling, Chicago Blackhawks – Darling temporarily won the starting job away from Crawford last year and has a slight chance of doing so again and not letting go.

Tier IX: Rookies

These rookies have lots of potential and should be starters one day, maybe not this year…but maybe.

40. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning – A blood clot will keep him out for the first few months otherwise he could push the split with Bishop.

41. Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins – The AHL’s best goalie will be the backup to Fleury this year, all it takes is an injury and Murray will be the starter.

42. Malcolm Subban, Boston Bruins – Was shelled and pulled in his first NHL game last year but is the future starter for the Bruins and could be the backup to Rask this year.

43. Anders Nilsson, Edmonton Oilers – Was dominant in the KHL last year and returns to the NHL after 23 games with the Islanders.

Tier X: The long shots

If you are drafting these guys, they better be your third goalie or you only score one and you have a Tier one goalie.

44. Karri Ramo, Calgary Flames

45. Michael Neuvirth, Philadelphia Flyers

46. Alex Stalock, San Jose Sharks

47. Jacob Markstrom, Vancouver Canucks

48. Ben Scrivens, Edmonton Oilers

49. Thomas Greiss, New York Islanders

50. Jhonas Enroth, LA Kings

2015-16 Yearbook: Top 30 Calder candidates

Grant McCagg — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 11:45:50 +0000

McKeen's Head Scout Grant McCagg ranks the Calder Cup candidates for the coming season. Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel were linked all season as two franchise players available at the 2015 NHL Draft, and will continue to be compared throughout their career, begin with their inaugural campaign. Grant's rankings and notes are below:

RANK	PLAYER	NOTES
1	Connor McDavid, C, Edm	Generational talents play right away as a rule, and McDavid should be no exception. Scored at 15 in the OHL...he'll score at 18 in the NHL.
2	Jack Eichel, C, Buf	Provides the size/skill/strength/maturity to step right into a top-two center role and produce offence from the first game of the season.
3	Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, Wpg	Danish roadrunner expected to crack Winnipeg's opening lineup - likely in a sheltered role. Too young for the AHL - will play in Switzerland otherwise.
4	Sam Bennett, LW, Cgy	Enjoyed a solid NHL playoff run after being recalled from Kingston. Second-year pro should snare a second-line wing position beside Backlund.
5	Max Domi, LW, Ari	His explosive offensive skills will be a welcome addition to a club starving for offence. May line up beside Strome and Duclair on a dynamic Kid Line.
6	Dylan Larkin, C, Det	Detroit GM Ken Holland expects Larkin to step into Detroit's lineup following his terrific freshman season at Michigan. Played on US WHC team at 18.
7	Mike Reilly, D, Min	The prize catch of the college free agent pool will be given every chance to succeed on a Minnesota blueline that could use another powerplay option.

8	Darnell Nurse, D, Edm	Already possesses NHL size, speed and strength - traits Edmonton's defence has not been noted for in recent years. A top-four position awaits.
9	Noah Hanifin, D, Car	Stepped into a top-four role seamlessly as an NCAA freshman last season...no reason why he can't repeat the feat on an NHL bottom feeder.
10	Dylan Strome, C, Ari	A team that employed Kyle Chipchura as a number one-center at one point last season should welcome the OHL scoring champion eagerly to the fold.
11	Sam Reinhart, C, Buf	A top-two pick rarely enters the league with a lack of hype and pressure, but Reinhart may be in that unique position with Eichel's arrival.
12	Artemi Panarin, LW, Chi	Outscored more ballyhooed teammate Kovalchuk in the KHL last season. Should step into a key role after Chicago's offseason exodus of top nine forwards.
13	Pavel Zacha, C, NJ	Another year of junior wouldn't hinder his development, however the Devils sorely lack offensive talent at center. If he sticks, he should see plenty of ice.
14	Madison Bowey, D, Wsh	Memorial Cup runner-up has the ability to replace most of Mike Green's offence while providing better defence. May take him half a season to adjust.
15	Joonas Donskoi, RW, SJ	Teamed up with Boston newcomer Joonas Kemppainen - to terrorize Finnish league playoffs. Creative catalyst may be just what San Jose mix needs.
16	Kevin Fiala, LW, Nsh	He may have trouble cracking Nashville's top six initially, but if Hodgson bounces back the third line should be quite productive and pushing for bigger minutes.
17	Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW, CBJ	Almost reached the 100-goal plateau last season by the end of the WHL playoffs, which should earn him a shot at a top-six spot in training camp.
18	Robby Fabbri, C, StL	Berglund injury affords Fabbri the opportunity to step into a third-line center role right out of junior. Got a taste of pro hockey last spring in Worcester.
19	Mikko Rantanen, RW, Col	Finnish winger has the size, skills, and defensive mindset to step directly into NHL. Will get long look at camp - skating being the main concern.
20	Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Phi	Flyers deep in high-end blueline prospects with the former NCAA star likely nearest to contributing. Lost season to injury could delay promotion.
21	William Nylander, C, Tor	Will benefit from full season in the AHL to learn the defensive side of being a centerman. Trades on the big club could open the door earlier.
22	Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, TB	Set to challenge starter Ben Bishop - with 30-plus games a possibility. Plans will change after late-summer surgery to repair a blood clot.
23	Jordan Weal, C, LA	The departure of Stoll and Richards opens up a chance for the proven AHLer to show he can handle the NHL game from a physical standpoint.
24	Sergei Plotnikov, LW, Pit	Russian newcomer slips under the age limit for NHL rookie status. Also arrives in an advantageous spot - possibly lining up with Malkin & Kessel.
25	Ty Rattie, RW, StL	Fired 52 goals combined over past two AHL seasons and injects some speed into the St. Louis forward mix. One-way player will need to crack the top six.
26	Connor Hellebuyck, G, Wpg	A revelation at the World Championships for Team USA, he showed all season long that he could handle pro shots, leading the AHL in goalie wins.
27	Esa Lindell, D, Dal	Finnish defender made incredible strides last season - culminating in a strong showing at the senior Worlds. May follow John Klingberg's swift NHL path.
28	Malcolm Subban, G, Bos	Would be a spectacular story to win the Calder given his lack of experience - his only NHL appearance being a rather forgettable one.
29	Lawson Crouse, LW, Fla	Already plays a two-way, pro-style game with his size, sense and skating ability. Florida has openings on the top two lines on the wing.
30	Emile Poirier, RW, Cgy	No need to rush talented winger given well-stocked forward ranks on Calgary. May force the NHL door open earlier with a hot AHL start.

Gibson Dominates at the World Juniors

McKeen's Hockey — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 06:34:17 +0000

I have one word to sum up John Gibson’s performance in the 2013 World Junior Championships.

Dominant.

The Anaheim Ducks prospect led Team USA to a Gold Medal by stopping 193-of-202 shots in seven games, and posting a 1.36 goals-against average and .955 save percentage. He allowed just two goals in the medal round, shutting out the Czechs 7-0 in the quarterfinals, beating Canada 5-1 in the semifinals, and then limiting Sweden to just one goal in the finals. In those three games, he stopped 90-of-92 shots.

In my opinion, his statistical dominance wasn’t even the most impressive aspect of his play in the tourney. Instead, I was way more impressed with his mental toughness and relaxed demeanor. As the pressure rose with each and every game, he rarely ever appeared tense, rattled, or uncomfortable.

He was a pillar of poise in the medal round, and this helped him make timely save after timely save.

Technically speaking, there’s something special and different about the way Gibson stops the puck. He’s not the most polished or fluid skater, nor is he considered highly flexible and athletic. But behind sound positioning and pure strength (listed at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds), Gibson gave himself a chance to stop almost every shot he faced. He also played with a visibly high sense of urgency in each game; he was aggressive, he battled to find pucks in traffic, and he made desperation saves on a consistent basis.

I also thought Gibson was the antithesis for all of the talk I hear about North American goalies being too robotic. There’s really nothing “cookie-cutter” about him at all, and since he’s not overly technical or one of those goalies that always tries to look perfect, he moved and reacted in a simple and effective manner. He also did a good job of sealing the ice in different ways, some of which were unorthodox.

But with such a strong core and lower body, if he had time to get the pads down, pucks had no chance of slipping underneath him. This was especially apparent when he was asked to kill penalties.

It was so refreshing to see a “bigger” goalie play this way, and I considered it as a sure sign that he’ll only get better as time goes on. Those unpolished slides or slightly off-balance recoveries are areas of the position you can refine and teach, but the timeliness and the grittiness are often un-teachable.

Whether he was flashing out a pad to make a powerful kick save or showcasing his quick hands with a reaction glove save, even though it didn’t always look picture-perfect, Gibson had great focus and confidence under pressure.

Beyond all of this, I thought Gibson’s most impressive trait was his ability to instantly bounce back after allowing a goal. On at least six of the nine total goals he allowed, he quickly responded with a timely save, and some of those came on difficult odd-man rushes.

The World Juniors is a short tournament, so it’s often saturated with unimaginable pressure for a goalie under the age of 20. But Gibson was unfazed by the myriad of different pressures he faced, especially in the medal round. Big penalty kills, one-goal leads, momentum swings, or a hostile crowd in Ufa; whatever it was, he never seemed distracted or frustrated. He let the game come to him.

To display this type of mental toughness in the World Juniors may speaks volumes about Gibson’s long-term potential. He not only led all goalies in the tournament by playing 95.22% of his team’s minutes played, but he did this coming off a hip injury less than a month ago. Combined with all of the travel and the quick turnaround after a sloppy loss to Finland in the prelims, that’s some impressive durability.

His leadership traits were also a calming and motivating influence for his teammates.

Defenseman Seth Jones spoke highly of Gibson’s communication skills during a few intermission interviews on NHL Network, saying how John’s verbal cues alleviated some of the tough decisions he had to make when retrieving the puck deep in their own end.

Ultimately, in the seven games Gibson played in the WJC’s, I thought he displayed numerous traits you want to see in a future NHL starter. And although I’m merely predicting his path from that relatively small sample size, I see Gibson starting his pro career in the AHL next season.

From there, it should only be a few years until he is ready to fight for an NHL gig.

SUBBAN NOT TO BLAME, BUT I EXPECTED MORE

It’s hard to imagine the type of pressure Canada’s goalies felt in Russia. After Malcolm Subban and Jordan Binnington suffered defeats in the medal round, the ire and frustration vented by Canada’s passionate fan base boiled over into lewd and obnoxious commentary, some even racist at times.

As scary as that seems, it gets even scarier when you hear scouts everywhere saying that he wasn’t even to blame for the losses to Team USA and Team Russia. But regardless of where the observers elect to pin the blame, one vital lesson a goalie must learn is how to take blind accountability for their team’s woes.

So no, Subban is certainly not to blame for USA’s rout in the semifinals, nor does he deserve the harsh criticism he’s facing. But just like every player on Team Canada, I did think he could have been better.

Technically speaking, we saw that Subban is clearly a gifted athlete. He has telescopic legs, he’s very fluid with his lateral slides and pushes, and his flexibility allows him to utilize his fast-twitch muscle fibers whenever he chooses. He can clearly make the big saves, his glove hand was solid throughout the tourney, and his ability to scramble, kick out his feet at the last second and seal the ice, was impressive.

There’s also no denying that he was victimized on the first two goals Team USA scored in the semis, and because Gibson was at the top of his game, that’s all they needed to suffocate Canada. I thought he could have gained some depth and made himself bigger on Team USA’s third goal, and the fourth goal came on a shot that was very stoppable. He didn’t adjust to Jim Vesey coming off the wing with a left-handed shot, which exposed way too much space inside the far-side post.

One area of Subban’s game that concerned me in this tournament was his inability to fight harder for some sight lines when he was screened. He would square up to shots and make himself big when there was a body or two in front of him, but I thought he could have done a better job of moving his upper body and swiveling his head in order to see the puck around or through bodies. His sense of urgency in this area wasn’t the highest, and even though you couldn’t fault him for some of these goals through traffic, I thought he could have worked harder to track the puck into his body.

I also thought a lot of pucks came off his body and pads very hard. His ability to control rebounds was solid and his glove hand was strong, but while Gibson looked like he was a sponge throughout the medal round, I thought Subban was like a rubber band at times. There’s no knowing how much of this was due to the fact he was wearing a brand new set of pads, but either way, I noticed some long, uncontrolled rebounds that forced him to scramble, or kept the play going when Canada needed a whistle.

When I compare and contrast Subban and Gibson, I find myself realizing once again how important the mental side of the game is for goaltenders playing in a pressure-filled tournament like the World Juniors.

The ability to stay even-keeled and relaxed is paramount to success, otherwise things can unravel quickly. So much of goaltending at that stage is about focusing on what you can control, and while Subban seemed to get rattled on a few occasions where he gave up goals, that simply wasn’t the case with Gibson, and it made a significant difference throughout the tournament.

But can you blame Subban for Canada going home empty-handed? Not at all. In fact, with how much pressure he faced heading into the tournament, I would say he did a pretty good job overall. He’s a very gifted athlete, and as he continues to learn how to manage and handle the mental side of the game, he’ll look back and realize this was a tremendous learning experience.

Tough losses develop tougher skin, and that’s something Subban will need when his pro career begins.

Russia’s Tandem Excelling at WJC’s

Justin Goldman — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 21:26:04 +0000

With Team Russia defeating Germany 7-0 on Saturday night in Ufa, I wanted to post some of my thoughts on the goaltending so far in the 2013 World Junior Championships. Thanks to NHL Network, I’ve been able to break down video of Andrey Makarov, Andrei Vasilevski, John Gibson, Marvin Cupper, Malcolm Subban, and Adam Nagy.

If you missed my segment earlier today on The Pipeline Show, you can listen to it right here. Two weeks ago, I had labeled the tandem of Vasilevski and Makarov as the best duo in the tourney, and so far that prediction has held true. Through three games, they have a .97 GAA and .974 SV%. That’s scary good for the competition they’ve faced.

Team Russia barely survived a major scare in their 3-2 overtime win against Slovakia, but Vasilevski was very good under the pressure. He stopped all 11 shots he faced in the first period and 12-of-13 in the third. The goal he allowed with only 46 seconds left in regulation just snuck under his blocker, but he stayed poised against the pesky and motivated Slovakian team. He made three timely stops in OT and skated away with 32 saves.

Vasilevski had a much easier night against Team Germany in the 7-0 win, but he was still called upon to make 10-12 excellent saves. The best stop he made so far in the tournament came in the first minute of the third period. A tricky centering pass from below his left goal line landed right on the stick of a German forward, but Andrei came across by pushing hard off his left post and made a full extension with the right leg to get a skate on the one-timer.

Not only was it a great display of his excellent flexibility as the right pad sealed the ice, but he exploded off the left post and attacked the puck. He was also able to cover it without allowing a rebound, an impressive feat considering his size. The ability to make dynamic reflex saves with such a big frame is probably his biggest asset, and a big reason why he was selected in the first round last summer.

Vasilevski has stopped 73-of-75 shots in his two games for Team Russia. An impressive stat, but not surprising.

Makarov, a goalie who plays with tremendous pride when donning the Russian jersey, was outstanding in the 2-1 win over Team USA. He was poised and relaxed in a tight game that was laden with scoring chances from the get-go. He did an excellent job of killing penalties, absorbing low shots, controlling rebounds, and tracking the puck.

One of his biggest saves was a desperation left-pad stop very early in the first period, a stop that set the tone for his 41-save performance. He was voted the Player of the Game for his effort, and continued to boost his long-term value as a hidden gem for the Buffalo Sabres. They got an absolute steal with this guy, without ever wasting a draft pick.

When I evaluate Team Russia’s goalies, I discover more and more interesting parallels in terms of comparable styles with two veteran NHL goalies in Evgeni Nabokov and Nikolai Khabibulin. As I explain it below, this might help you better understand their styles, especially if you have only had limited viewings of both goalies.

Makarov is comparable to Nabokov in regards to their upright stances and narrow butterfly, economical movements, and their ability to scramble extremely well. Makarov is very skilled at sealing the ice on low plays, and I appreciate the way he fights to find pucks through traffic and screens. His narrow butterfly allows him to deflect away bad-angle shots from either wing with his stick, which I feel is more effective than employing the much-maligned and rigid VHS (vertical-horizontal stance).

Makarov is labeled a battler because he has very quick feet and recovers to his skates after making initial saves. So instead of doing a lot of sliding on his knees, he’ll recover and try to gain depth with short shuffles in order to take away rebound chances. Maybe the one thing I’d like to see Makarov adjust is his hands. The gloves are held low on his body, and since he’s a smaller goalie, shooters have a little more space to find the sweet spot over his shoulders.

That’s something I’ll keep an eye on as the tournament continues, but his low gloves haven’t cost him yet in this tournament, as he made at least three solid snags against Team USA.

Vasilevski is comparable to Khabibulin in regards to their wider stances and butterfly, and their combination of athleticism and flexibility. They’re more aggressive goalies than their counterparts, and they both set their hands higher on their bodies. Vasilevski is clearly gifted in terms of his ability to stretch out his legs so quickly, but while still staying square to shooters. He is truly a gifted athlete, one that I have no problem saying has “future NHL starter” written all over him. He is cool under pressure and does a good job of controlling his lateral movements.

One area to watch with Vasilevski is his puck-moving. During the Subway Super Series, I was bothered by the fact he would “push” or swat the puck to his teammates with only one hand on the stick. But in the 7-0 win over Germany, I saw at least three instances where he actually passed the puck with both hands on the stick. He’s not the type of goalie that is active coming out of the net, so maybe Team USA will dump pucks in deep and force him to turn it over.

Moving on to Team USA, I have really liked the play of John Gibson so far. He has stopped 47-of-49 shots after a strong effort in the 2-1 loss to Russia and the 40-minute shutout over Germany. This is even more impressive considering he’s coming off a hip injury a few weeks back, and had a poor showing in the 5-1 loss to Finland in the prelims.

What I’ve appreciated the most so far about Gibson’s style is his body positioning. He makes the most of his wide frame thanks to strong lateral mobility and he is very even-keeled in the crease. One trait that really stands out right now is his ability to push into and behind pucks, especially on shots that are re-directed or tipped coming across his body. He makes a lot of saves with his chest and shoulders square to the puck, a sign he is very strong in the core area. He also seals off his posts very well. He may not be the most fluid skater, but he’s big, quick, and aggressive.

I don’t think anyone can fault Gibson for the two goals he allowed in the loss to Russia. If not for some big saves (including a 2-on-0 chance with 17:09 left in the second period of a 1-0 game), USA doesn’t even stand a chance.

The first one was a seeing-eye shot that bounced off bodies as he tried to reach out with the blocker, and the game-winner was a nice individual rush around Seth Jones that led to a goal-mouth scramble. But Gibson did his job by sealing the short side post and making the first save with the paddle of his stick. He even made a nice stretch with the right pad on the rebound, but it appeared that he suffered from a slip-out with his left skate, and he just barely missed getting a right toe on the goal.

I’m going to save most of my thoughts on Malcolm Subban for a later blog post. I want to see how he does against better talent. That’s not to say Germany and Slovakia didn’t challenge him, but there is so much pressure on his shoulders that I want to evaluate him a little more first. He’s being over-analyzed to the extreme by the media and fans, and while that comes with the territory, three of the six goals he has allowed came while shorthanded.

I do think he appeared a little shaky and uneasy at times, and I did not like his body language in the first half of the win over Slovakia at all. Subban has shaken off the pressure of giving up three goals in the first two periods of each game with very solid third periods, but negative body language has no place in a tournament like the World Juniors.

Regardless, if Subban can continue to make timely saves in the third period, it will give Canada a chance against Team USA and Russia. Everyone knows those are the true tests, so the pressure only mounts from here.

I’ll close by giving credit to Slovakia’s Adam Nagy. His performances against Canada and Russia were solid despite what the stats show. He’s a smaller-framed goalie that plays big by utilizing a wide stance in order to take up as much space as possible. He holds his hands in very good position, he has an active stick and good reflexes, and motivates his teammates by working extremely hard.

My two hidden gems have done well so far. Luca Boltshauser stopped 21-of-23 shots in a 7-2 win over Latvia, and Red Deer Rebels goalie Patrik Bartosak made 29 saves to lead the Czech Republic to a 3-1 win over Finland. Aside from Makarov’s win over Team USA, Bartosak’s performance is the only true “steal” of the tournament.

Keep an eye on Sweden’s Niklas Lundstrom as well. He came off the bench completely cold in the shootout in a 2-2 tie against Switzerland and stopped all three shots he faced to give Sweden the 3-2 win. He followed that up with 20 saves in a 5-1 win over Latvia. Considering Oscar Dansk has yet to play in this tournament, the coaching staff clearly has a lot of confidence in Lundstrom and (draft-eligible) Joel Lassinantti.

That’s enough to chew on for now! Expect another blog after the relegation round ends, so we can get pumped up for the medal round next week. I’m also dropping live scouting notes on Twitter @TheGoalieGuild, so be sure to follow along on there as well.

Selecting Team Canada’s Top Four Goalies

McKeen's Hockey — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:56:05 +0000

After watching all six games of the Subway Super Series, I took some time this weekend to put myself in Ron Tugnutt’s and Kevin Prendergrast’s scouting shoes, and selected four goalies to attend Team Canada’s tryouts for the 2012 World Junior Championships.

Below are my selections, along with some scouting notes and insights on why I think they fit the bill for Team Canada. I also discussed the goalies below on The Pipeline Show last weekend, which you can listen to by clicking here.

Malcolm Subban: I think the starting job is clearly Subban’s to lose, and rightfully so. Only in his fifth year as a goaltender, the 18-year-old’s athletic blueprint is extremely impressive. His sheer speed, flexibility, and puck-stopping instincts were consistently on display in his 30 minutes of action in Game 3 of the Subway Super Series, just as it has been all season long in Belleville.

Malcolm’s natural traits like vision, balance, and eye-hand coordination proves he’s a gifted athlete, but he still has the solid technical base to lead Team Canada in the World Juniors. That was likely the main reason Boston drafted him in the first round last summer.

I also really like Subban’s glove hand positioning. It’s out in front of his body, but with the elbow tucked in and activated. If he sees it cleanly, he’s catching it, and that’s an important skill for a goalie to have in today’s game.

Subban tracks pucks well and seals the ice down low with strength and stability, and his wide stance allows him to build a wide butterfly wall on low shots, while still utilizing his reflexes to stop deflections or pounce on loose pucks. With great net coverage at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he also has plenty of swagger in his game, so I think he’ll embrace the pressure of leading Canada at the World Juniors.

Laurent Brossoit: The 19-year-old workhorse for the Oil Kings brings a solid combination of size and athleticism to the crease. His shutout in the 1-0 shootout win over Russia in Game 5 was considered (along with Andrey Makarov’s shutout) the most impressive performance in the tournament.

Brossoit deserves a spot because he brings a mature and composed mindset to the crease, and he’s starting to get hot at just the right time. Heading into the Subway Super Series, he was 3-1-0 with only seven goals allowed on 123 shots (.943 SV%).

What I like so much about his game is the decision-making and the adaptability. If he needs to fill space and rely on blocking pucks to make saves, he can do it. If he needs to rely on flexibility and make a timely reaction save, he can do it. He has good patience on his edges and knows how to stand up to make a save.

Brossoit also has a strong core and a lanky frame, so he can extend a foot while in the down position to take away space at the last moment. He can also make the crowd-pleasing reflex glove save by snaring pucks out of the air, and he can stay square to shooters by gaining depth in the crease, making himself bigger, and relying on that lanky frame to eliminate space in the upper and lower corners.

Laurent wasn’t very controlled or consistent in Game 6 against Russia, but his overall skill-set has him likely slated for not only a camp invite, but a potential spot as Subban’s backup.

Jordan Binnington: The cool, calm, and collected workhorse for the Owen Sound Attack is having a stellar season so far. In fact, he was just voted as the OHL’s Player of the Week after going 2-1-0 with two shutouts and a .956 save percentage. He’ll have his detractors since he allowed two goals in a botched 2-1 loss in Game 3, but he bounced back with a solid outing in Game 4.

The main thing to take away from Binnington is that he’s a smooth operator in goal. He’s a solid positional goalie that relies on his size to let pucks hit him, but he has good hands and instincts as well. When it comes to selecting goalies for a tournament like the World Juniors, the poise and even-keeled demeanor he brings goes a long way, and that’s why I feel he deserves a camp invite.

Zach Fucale: The toughest decision in my book was selecting the fourth goalie to attend camp. I narrowed it down to the two 1995-born goalies in Fucale and Eric Comrie, as both are clearly at the head of their class. In the end, I sided with Fucale, and here’s why.

In his 30 minutes of action against Team Russia, the only goal he allowed was on a shorthanded rush where a shot went off Nail Yakupov’s body and under the blocker. It was a tough and tricky goal to allow at the time, but Zach’s demeanor and body language didn’t change at all. He remained even-keeled in all areas, from rebound control to his ability to square up and seal holes.

That is one of Fucale’s shining traits – he seems to absorb everything, regardless of the situation. The more shots he absorbs, the more he controls the pace and the flow of the game, and the more it helps Team Canada dictate the game’s momentum.

Secondly, the 80 games he played last season allowed him to gain wisdom from experience that Comrie hasn’t yet gained. Fucale won a Gold Medal in the Ivan Hlinka Tournament over the summer, a tournament that was played on the Olympic-sized ice. To me, that’s an advantage worth noting, because it breeds a level of familiarity that can benefit Team Canada. Comrie was Fucale’s backup for that tournament, so while he did get some experience on the Olympic ice, it’s not as significant as Fucale’s performance in the event.

On the flip side, there are certainly plenty of good reasons why Comrie deserves to earn an invite to Team Canada’s training camp as well. Both goalies are exceptional for their age, and they will continue to be touted as the top goalies available in this summer’s draft.

But for the sake of this report, knowing I had to choose just four goalies for the World Juniors, I sided with Fucale.