Neutral Zone Draft Goalies
| Tyler Brennan | Prince George Cougars | WHL | L | G | 6’4″ | 192 | Prince George Cougars | 2018 | Winnipeg, MB | 2003 | 2021-2022: C+ |
Last 5 game snapshot- Prince George goes as far as their goalie and the last five games continues to show that. Tyler has done a great job keeping them in games, but unfortunately has a 1-4 record to show. Special team goals and goals coming over turnovers have been their Achilles heel the last few games. With Tyler’s size and presence in the net its easy to see why he is touted as a prospect for this upcoming draft. Brennan has good fundamentals and is an average skater. He does a good job of playing all of his big frame and allowing plays to develop while making the proper read. The one biggest area of development that Tyler will have to develop is eliminating his methodical approach in certain situations. Wether it is a lack of explosive ability to move laterally or he is trying to be too textbook, Brennan will occasionally look uncomfortable on lateral plays. This will need to continue to develop and improve over his second half of the season.
| Topias Leinonen | JYP | Liiga | L | G | 6’5″ | 216 | JYP | Jyväskylä, FIN | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Topias continues to be a steady hand in goal for JYP U-20 Team. Only allowing more than 2 goals once in the last five game stretch, which allowed him the opportunity for his first experience in the Liiga with his pro affialte JYP team. Albeit a thrown into the fire action, Leinonen showed great poise for it being his first appearance with the big club. Topias is your stereotypical Finnish goalie. He is a very good and fluent skater with strong edges and great command in getting into and out of his post play. Does a good job of tracking pucks and has good hands for a goalie his size. Leinonen will have to continue to work on his core and leg strength in order to make the transition to the next level. Right now, he can’t get away with average tendencies due to his sheer size in the net, but that won’t cut it as he continues to climb the ladder.
| Alessio Beglieri | EHC Biel-Bienne | NL | L | G | 5’11” | 165 | EHC Biel-Bienne | Biel-Bienne, SUI | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Alessio is coming off of his national team break where he and team Switzerland played against Finland and Sweden in preparation for the U18 tournament. He played very well against Sweden and then struggled against Finland. Needs to continue to find consistency on a continuous basis to take the next step. By todays standards Alessio is considered a small goalie. He is explosive in his lateral movement. Sometimes to explosive which causes him to lose his net behind him and must scramble just to get back to his net in order to make a save. Will have to clean this area in his game up in order to not give potential attackers easy goals. Needs to continue to work on his skating, so he can beat the majority of plays and threats on his feet. His default right now is to just move around and recover on the ice
| Dominic DiVincentiis | North Bay Battalion | OHL | L | G | 6’2″ | 183 | North Bay Battalion | 2021 | Bolton, ON | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Domenic has only appeared in 8 games this season. Has struggled with the pace of play and traffic that the Ontario Hockey League is known for. Will need to find consistency to earn his starts and try to take the net during the second half of the season. Domenic is a very fundamentally sound goalie with exceptional athleticism. Reads the play well and sets himself up for success on potential rebound threats with his awareness. He needs to work on keeping his hips up when dropping to the butterfly in order to be a big presence to the puck and take up the most space possible in the net. When you sink your hips, not only do you make yourself smaller, but you give the puck an opportunity to find holes in your butterfly.
| Rastislav Elias | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | L | G | 6’3″ | 176 | Uncomm. | Nyiregihaza | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Has appeared in 6 games this year for the Gamblers. Has really struggled with his transition to North America and the style of play. Rastislav has struggled adapting to the speed and skill level of the USHL. With his big athletic frame, he tends to always sprawl which puts him on his stomach and pucks beating him easily. It is still early in the season and a small sample size, so I expect Elias to settle in and become a top end goalie in the league.
| Charles Edward Gravel | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada | QMJHL | R | G | 6’0″ | 181 | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada | 2020 | Levis, QC | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- In what continues to be a roller-coaster of a first half for Gravel, the last 5 games have continued to follow that trend. One good outing, followed by a lopsided outing, Charles-Edward will be very battle tested for a second half stretch where the Armada are going to need him to steal a few games. Another goalie by todays standards that would be considered undersized, Charles-Edward presents a different wrinkle to shooters. He catches with his Right hand. I still believe that this sometimes catches shooters off guard due to the fact that the bulk of goalies they play against catch with their left hands. Gravel has a quick glove hand and is precise in his movements in the crease. He will need to work on his rebound control. I think his rebound issues are a compound issue with Gravel having too much drift or backwards momentum in his game. With constant movement, it creates two moving objects trying to stop each other. This is not a recipe for success.
| Gibson Homer | Chicago Steel | USHL | L | G | 6’6″ | 209 | Arizona State | 2022 | Grand Rapids, MI | 2003 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- With just 4 appearances in the last month, its has been a bit of an up and down string of performances lately with Homer. Coming off of his last game where he allowed 7 against the National Development Team Program, Gibson will need a very strong second half to earn his starts. Gibson is a monster presence in the net. He has very good athleticism for a goalie his size. Has a slightly above average fundamental skill set. His compete level coupled with his size makes him a tough goalie to beat and always gives him an opportunity to make a game changing stop. Homer will need to fine tune his ability to stay inside the posts when battling to make a save. He makes himself small by widening his legs out and sprawling forward on lateral plays. He needs to learn to finish his push laterally and build his coverage from the ice up. This will give him an opportunity to make the athletic saves, but also put him in a great position for rebound possibilities.
| Matthew Kieper | Regina Pats | WHL | L | G | 6’1″ | 181 | Regina Pats | 2019 | Winnipeg, MB | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Matthew continues to be a workhorse for Regina appearing in 18 of the 21 games played this season. Kieper has a 3-2 record over the past 5 including a couple of very strong outings. Regina will continue to rely on him heavily to make a push in the second half. Kieper is a very athletic goalie who has solid fundamentals. He is a good skater and does a good job reading lateral plays. He is going to need to improve on keeping his hips up in his butterfly. When he drops and sinks his hips, he loses coverage and has a tough time controlling his rebounds. Along with dropping and being big, he needs to continue to work on traffic management. Tendency to drift back in the crease right now which causes him to lose the puck and limits his time to make the save due to him being deep in his crease.
| Cameron Korpi | Muskegon Lumberjacks | USHL | L | G | 6’4″ | 154 | Western Michigan | 2023 | Detroit, MI | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Has only appeared in 4 games this season. Has struggles making the jump to the USHL from the NAHL. Needs to stay patient and keep with it to find his game Korpi has great size and is very mobile. Where he gets himself in trouble lately is his lateral response. He is widening out his legs prior to the shot or pass which causes him to lose mobility laterally and forces him to open himself up exposing holes and making it easier to beat him. Cameron is going to need a monster second half to keep his name in the mix of being a potential draft pick.
| Kaidan Mbereko | Lincoln Stars | USHL | L | G | 5’11” | 190 | Colorado College | 2022 | West Bloomfield, MI | 2003 | 2020-2021: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Kaiden has had a bit of a rough patch lately. Going 1-4 during that stretch. The last 3 games however being 1 goal games, so they have been tightly contested affairs. Kaiden is an undersized goalie who relies heavily on his compete level. He is an average skater but does a good job tracking pucks. Mbereko will need to continue to work on his rebound control. He also needs to keep his hips up when dropping into his butterfly. When he drops and sinks his hips, Kaiden makes it very difficult to be a big target to the puck and makes it difficult to react to a rebound if a rebound presents itself.
| Jacob Oster | Guelph Storm | OHL | R | G | 6’3″ | 187 | Guelph Storm | 2020 | Manotick, ON | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Coming off an impressive 3 win and 2 losses in the previous 5, Jacob has been up to the task with 4 of the games being a 1 goal game. This will continue to build mental toughness as the rest of the season goes on and has him learning to deal with pressure and limiting mistakes that could be costly. Oster has great size and a good presence in the net. He moves very well laterally and does so in stacked manner which limits any holes while he is moving. Along with his physical traits, it can’t be neglected to mention his strong 8-2-win loss record. One area that Jacob will have to continue to develop in is keeping his feet underneath him as the play progresses in the zone. When he starts to widen his feet out, he starts to limit his lateral mobility on his feet and makes it more difficult to control rebounds if the shooter changes the angle of the shot. Guelph continues to develop must watch prospect goalies, so I would be interested to watch Oster’s second half of the season.
| Charles Schenkel | Soo Greyhounds | OHL | R | G | 6’5″ | 195 | Soo Greyhounds | 2021 | Ottawa, ON | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Charlie has had a bit of a rough adjustment transitioning to the OHL and the high pace and numerous lateral plays. Has only started 4 games and has come in for one relief appearance. The Greyhounds give up numerous odd man rush situations nightly, so it becomes a pressure cooker playing in that system. Schenkel is a monster figure in the net. He has pretty good mobility for a goalie his size. That coupled with Charlie catching with his Right hand, he has some tools that no other prospect has in this class. One thing that Charlie is really going to have to continue to develop on is his skating. He starts to widen his feet out as the puck enters the zone which starts to limit his
mobility and creates holes for him as he drops into his butterfly. Too many pucks have gone through Schenkel. With his size, he needs to identify where his positioning will best benefit him. Right now, he looks like he is playing a little deep in his crease which is creating problems for him.
| Dylan Silverstein | NTDP U18 | USHL | L | G | 6’0″ | 179 | Boston College | 2023 | Calabasas, CA | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Coming off Dylan’s most impressive game of the season in a 4-0 shutout of the University of Wisconsin, Silverstein continues to get better. He is 3-2 in his last 5 and his game is trending in the right direction. Explosive, powerful, and precise are just a few words to describe Siverstein’s skating and ability to get around the crease. Does a very good job of scanning the zone for potential threats when he has the opportunity to do so. Has a very strong fundamental skill set which is highlighted be his puck tracking ability and compete level. Dylan will have to continue to establish a plan to deal with traffic situations. Being 6’0” will present some difficulties trying to find sight lanes or find the puck through bodies. Excited to track his second half.
| Jan Spunar | HC Olomouc | International | L | G | 6’3″ | 185 | HC Olomouc | Olomouc | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- After recently competing for his home country of the Czech Republic in their tune-up for the U18 World Championships, Jan played in 3 consecutive 1 goal games against a very good Russian, Swedish, and Finnish team. Jan is a carbon copy of Vitek Vanecek. Same size, same stance and same demeanor in the net. I would be very surprised if Vitek isn’t someone who Spunar tries to model his game around. Has a very sound foundation and fundamental skill set. Jan gets himself in trouble at times when scrambling on rebound situations and winding up on his stomach or back side. Needs to try to stay big so he gives himself a chance on every shot, rebound or not.
| Conor Sullivan | Rivers School | NE Prep | L | G | 6’3″ | 185 | Uncomm. | Westborough, MA | 2003 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Connor has good size and athleticism. With limited viewing it is hard to put an elaborate report on him. In the video I have seen, needs to work on consistency in his save selection. There are times that he puts himself in vulnerable situations due to not being decisive in what he wants to do. Sullivan needs to allow his size and athleticism to play true to his 6’3” frame. Would like to see him be more aggressive in his positioning in the crease. Need to watch more of him.
| Simon Wolf | EC Salzburg U20 | International | L | G | 6’2″ | 192 | EC Salzburg U20 | Rothenburg ob der Tauber, GER | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Has kept his team in every game sporting a relatively high Goals Against average, but a very impressive save percentage. His record of 3-8 doesn’t support how strong he has been up to this point. Simon is a very good skater that has very good athleticism. He has a very calm demeanor in the net and rarely looks shaken or shows his body language. As Wolf continues to get stronger, his ability to beat plays on his feet will continue to improve. Excited to track him the second half of the season.
| Hugo Havelid | Linkoping HC | SHL | L | G | 5’10” | 174 | Linkoping HC | Taby, SWE | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Havelid has continued his strong season in his last five games, sporting a record of 4-1 between his club team and the Swedish U18 team. He ended November with an impressive three shutouts over the five game span, adding stability for his team in the net. He has been playing with a lot of confidence and it shows that this flows through his teammates as well. Havelid plays a very structured and calm game, using his elite skating ability as his biggest attribute. He is able to hold his edges well by not dropping too early on straight on shots, as well as plays that move laterally above the hash marks. This allows him to track pucks cleanly and be in great position for first and second shots. The biggest obstacle for Havelid is that he is an undersized goalie at 5’10”. He still has time to grow but this is something that will make NHL teams hesitant on taking him for the lack of optimal net coverage while he is down in his butterfly. Havelid definitely has the skill set and hockey sense to make up for this and make him a top prospect in this year’s draft.
| Mason Beaupit | Spokane Chiefs | WHL | L | G | 6’5″ | 185 | Spokane Chiefs | 2018 | Surrey, BC | 2003 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Earning a heavy workload so far this season, Beaupit has played well in three of his last five games, putting up a record of 3-1-0-1. He has shown that he can bounce back strong from a subpar game, but will definitely look to be more consistent in his next games. Beaupit has all of the tools someone would want in a stereotypical NHL draft goaltender. He has size, strong technique, and athleticism that makes him hard to beat on first and second opportunities. His puck playing abilities are very impressive as he is able to stop many rimmed pucks, get his feet up ice to scan his options, and make short accurate passes to help his team break out clean. He has found himself in trouble on low to high plays where he does not get his feet set, as he has a tendency to continue to drift out toward the shot. Having some more urgency to beat passes and get set, even if it means sacrificing a little depth, should help him greatly because of his size and squareness.
| Brett Brochu | London Knights | OHL | L | G | 5’11” | 176 | London Knights | 2018 | Windsor, ON | 2002 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Brochu has strung together an impressive season so far on a very good London team. He has stopped 164 of 177 over his last five games for a save percentage of 92.6% and a record of 3-2. He has given his team a chance to win every game with both of these losses only being decided by one goal. The best thing that stands out about Brochu is his high compete level, as he never is found giving up on a play. He finds a way to make saves in scrambles around the net that leads to second and third opportunities. He is very aggressive on plays and makes a lot of unorthodox saves through his battle and hunger to find the puck through traffic. This attack mentality has also been his Achilles heel at times, as there have been numerous times he gets himself outside of the posts, which makes it hard to recover if the puck bounces to the other side of him. He is able to make it work for himself at this level, but he will definitely need to build more structure in his game if he wants to find success at the next level when dealing with smarter and more skilled players. Brochu also loves to play the puck whenever he has the chance, but sometimes tries to do too much with it instead of making the simple pass for his team to end up with possession.
| Reid Dyck | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | L | G | 6’4″ | 194 | Swift Current Broncos | 2019 | Winkler, MB | 2004 | 2020-2021: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Dyck has found himself on a struggling Swift Current team in this first half of the season. He has let in 21 goals with a save percentage of 87.9% over his last five games. It is clear that he has had to go through some adversity this season with the team’s results so far, but this could be a good learning experience for him down the road. He has one win so far this year and will look to steal some more games for his team when he gets in the net. Dyck is a very good skater for his size and is quick to get across the crease on lateral plays with great agility. He has the ability to make smart reads and is generally good on the first shot because of his positioning and tracking. Better rebound control is one thing he can tighten up in his game to simplify the defensive zone play for his team, which is something to expect him to be able to do with more experience and confidence as the season goes on. He occasionally finds himself on his stomach while stretching to make saves in a scramble situation which puts him in a vulnerable position and limits his ability to get in position for the next save. Overall, Dyck is an impressive goalie with a great skill set who finds himself on a weak team that gives up a lot of grade A chances. He will be one to keep an eye on down the road that could be an outstanding goalie for a more competitive team.
| Vincent Filion | Moncton Wildcats | QMJHL | L | G | 6’0″ | 181 | Moncton Wildcats | Shawinigan, QC | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Filion has played in a little under half of the games for a middle of the pack Moncton team this season. His last five games have not been great with only one win and 15 goals against, but he had a solid 22 save shutout against Victoriaville that shows he can be the difference in a game in a positive way. Filion does a great job of being aggressive, playing at the top of his crease on rush plays and when the puck moves from low to high in the zone. He has the ability to make big saves on lateral plays by being explosive, sliding across the crease and taking up the bottom half of the net. From a skating standpoint, he can continue to develop his movement around the crease to be more direct and efficient. He finds himself off balance during some saves with his upper body and hands out of position to take away the top corners of the net, and instead relies too much on his pads to make the save. Filion still has time to continue to develop and put together some strong games in a high scoring Quebec league.
| Braden Holt | Everett Silvertips | WHL | L | G | 6’1″ | 161 | Everett Silvertips | 2018 | Bozeman, MT | 2003 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Holt’s last five games have dictated how the Silvertips results have been. He has struggled in two of the games where he did not see many shots and it led to losses for his team, but otherwise he has put up stellar numbers in the team’s wins. Overall he has had an impressive season so far with a record of 9-1-2 and a GAA of 2.09. Holt is a very technically sound goaltender who finds himself in great positions to make saves. He is able to present himself well to the shooter with big, active hands that build his coverage. He is very mobile around the crease and can make big rebound saves when needed, while also relying on great post integration techniques to seal the posts on plays that generate behind and to the sides of the net. A few areas he needs to improve are his awareness of where potential threats are while plays are developing and his tracking ability, as he has let up some soft goals that are shot from a long distance. Overall, Holt will continue to draw a lot of positive attention to himself if he keeps putting up the solid numbers he has so far this season, as he shows that he can find a way to win games in many different scenarios.
| Sergei Ivanov | SKA-Varyagi im. Morozova | MHL | L | G | 5’11” | 165 | SKA-Varyagi im. Morozova | Chernushka, RUS | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Ivanov has been on fire as of late, standing with a record of 4-1 in his last five, with every game being above a 91% save percentage. His one loss was a 2-1 decision to Dynamo Moscow in which he gave his team a chance to win and made 26 saves. Although he is still playing at the U18 level, he is showing that he is dominating the level he is at and setting himself up for success to play at the next level. Ivanov plays a very classic Russian style of goaltending, as it looks like he models his game after a couple of NHL greats like Bobrovski and Vasilevski. He uses his large frame well and is very quick in his movements. His post integration is elite as he tends to rely on his RVH a lot to seal his posts on bad angle plays. Puck handling is also a major strength, as he is impressive in getting to every rimmed puck as possible and makes clean passes to his defenseman. Dealing with plays that involve traffic in front of the net has been something he needs to continue to work on, as this has been a way opposing teams have found ways to beat him. Overall, Ivanov is a very exciting young Russian prospect to keep an eye on and could make a statement in this year’s draft if he continues his superb play.
| Niklas Kokko | Karpat | Liiga | L | G | 6’3″ | 185 | Karpat | Oulu, FIN | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- This Finnish goaltender has been doing a good job in his country’s U20 league so far this season. He earned a chance to play for Team Finland in the recent under 18 international games against the US and Sweden, struggling going 0-2 with an 85% save percentage in both games. He has had a mix of good and bad games for his junior team and will look to find more consistency in the month of December. Niklas has a very calm demeanor in net and shows off his active hands, being able to catch or deflect shots cleanly to control his rebounds when he tracks the puck well. He does a good job holding his feet with patience and does not commit too early on shots or lateral plays. Watching his international games, his confidence seemed to have wavered when he let in a goal, as a string of more goals tended to follow. Through more time and experience, he should be able to find a better way to reset his mental state and bounce back after a goal to make the next save, instead of giving up these goals in bunches. Kokko can definitely be better in his games to come, but he shows he has the tools to be a reliable goaltender who can make elite saves when he is dialed in and confident in himself.
| Nolan Lalonde | Erie Otters | OHL | L | G | 6’1″ | 185 | Erie Otters | 2020 | Kingston, ON | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Nolan is another example of a goaltender playing well on a team that is struggling this season in Erie. He has seen a lot of shots and grade A chances in his last ive games, holding a 91% save percentage overall during that span. In two of the four losses, he has been able to give his team a chance to win by keeping it close against Guelph and Hamilton. Nolan’s skating ability stands out with how smooth and crisp he moves around the crease, having a purpose with how he is getting to each new angle. He is also elite at being able to hold his edges and beat passes. He reads the play well and generally finds himself in the right spot at the right time while maintaining a sense of control. His awareness is above average as he scans the zone when he has time to identify potential threats in dangerous areas, which allows him to be thinking ahead of the play. This is something he can continue to work on though, as he has a tendency to be beaten on one timers and lateral plays, although his team has not done a great job at eliminating these dangerous chances. He can also work on adding more of a sense of desperation to his game when needed, as he tends to rely on only his technique in most situations and sometimes becomes robotic.
| Tyler Muszelik | NTDP U18 | USHL | L | G | 6’2″ | 195 | New Hampshire | 2022 | Long Valley, NJ | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Tyler is on a hot streak of 5 wins in a row for the always strong US NTDP u18 team. He was very good in three recent international games against Sweden, Czech Republic, and Finland, only letting in 5 goals against in 3 games. The other two games were wins over the Adrian Bulldogs Division III where he was not great, but good enough to get his team the win. His skating abilities are average, but he makes up for it by using his size to his advantage and has great play reading ability. Tyler does a good job of staying square to the puck and presenting his hands to the shooter to take away the top corners. He also keeps his hips up in his butterfly to be as big of a target as possible, which in turn allows him to be quick to get rebound chances. One thing Tyler struggles with is his ability to explode across the crease on lateral plays. His skating ability tends to get exposed on scrambles around the net and 2 on 1 situations that are passed across the midline of the ice.
| Jonathan Reinholdt | Lulea | SHL | L | G | 5’11” | 170 | Lulea | Lulea, SWE | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Jonathan has been having a stellar year for his u18 team, but has struggled when called up to his u20 team. With his u18 team, he has had incredible numbers going 10-2 with a GAA of 2.14 and a 92.7% save percentage. When called up to the older team, he has lost 2 games with a 6.36 GAA and a .744 save percentage. Jonathan plays a very standard Swedish style of goaltending, playing deeper in his crease and relying on blocking and bumping into pucks with his whole body. He moves efficiently and likes to be down on his knees, especially when the puck is behind the net in his RVH position. These traits make him successful when he is reading the play correctly, but when he does not, he is very vulnerable past his top corners. His lateral movement needs some work as he tends to attack the puck on lateral plays instead of rotating and pivoting to stay square to the shot after a cross ice pass.
| Michael Schnattinger | HC Kometa Brno | Czech | L | G | 5’11” | 181 | HC Kometa Brno | Brno, CZE | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Michal has not had the best season so far, being fairly average going 7-7 with a 3.43 GAA and a .892 save percentage. The stats do not sum him up though as he is a very fluid and steady goaltender who moves very well in the crease and has good positioning. He seals the ice great on in-tight plays with little holes in his butterfly. Michal does a good job of staying square to the play and can recover from saves very quickly and efficiently. Keeping his hands in front of him at all times is a strength of his that allows him to track pucks clearly into his gloves. One tendency that stands out as a negative is how he over slides on plays around the net, getting himself caught outside of his posts and becoming susceptible to being caught on fakes. Michal does have a great foundation to his game and will be a European prospect to keep an eye on for the rest of the season.
| Alexander Smolin | Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk | MHL | L | G | 6’1″ | 152 | Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk | Chebarkul, RUS | 2003 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Smolin has not seen a great deal of work this season so far, but when he has, he’s made it count. His record is 4-0 with impressive numbers of 1.07 GAA and a .957 save percentage. Smolin’s biggest strength is his elite athleticism in the net, as he can get from point A to point B very fast while being under control. With this speed, he still has a great sense of patience in his game, not adding any extra movement that puts him out of position. He is able to control his rebounds well and make it easy for his team to not have to defend second and third opportunities. Getting more of a workload throughout the year will make it interesting to see if Smolin can keep putting up these great numbers he has started with. If he does, he could be a real dark horse in the draft this year.
| Tomas Suchanek | Tri-City Americans | WHL | L | G | 6’2″ | 170 | Tri-City Americans | 2020 | Prerov, CZE | 2003 | 2021-2022: C+ |
Last 5 game snapshot- The last five games for Tomas have been strong, even though his team has a 1-4 record to show for it. He stole a game for Tri City against Prince George by making 44 saves in a 4-1 win at home. The other games the team lost he saw a lot of rubber, stopping 134 of 145 shots. Tomas’ movements are not the cleanest, but he finds a way to stop pucks using his big frame to his advantage, along with his compete level. Having the confidence to play the puck and make accurate passes is also another trait that stands out in his game. One tendency that is problematic is how he falls forward on a lot of plays when he is sliding across the crease, due to his subpar skating. This desperation makes him lose maximum coverage over his shoulders and opens up holes underneath him, which has led to him being beat in these types of situations.
| Cameron Whitehead | Lincoln Stars | USHL | L | G | 6’3″ | 170 | Northeastern | 2023 | Orleans, ON | 2003 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- Whitehead is another goalie who has been on fire as of late in the win column, going 4-1 in his last 5 USHL games. Being a league that is known for every game being difficult to get two points, this stat sticks out as being very impressive for Cameron and his team. His one loss was a rough one during this segment, giving up 6 goals to Tri City on 26 shots. It is clear Whitehead has a solid foundation to his game and is very technical, showing he has a strong base in his stance that allows him to move smooth and in control in the crease. He does a great job of keeping his hands in coverage while moving, even when plays get hectic in front of him. It is interesting to see Whitehead face some adversity in the Tri City game when some bounces did not go his way early, and he was never able to recover from them. It will be important to see the makeup of his mental toughness in how he responds in his next start after a rare bad game.
| Ivan Zhigalov | Sherbrooke Phoenix | QMJHL | R | G | 6’3″ | 161 | Sherbrooke Phoenix | 2021 | Minsk, BLR | 2003 | 2021-2022: C |
Last 5 game snapshot- This Belorussian goaltender has been the definition of inconsistent over his last five games. Basically trading back and forth losses and wins for a record of 2-3, he only had one game above a 90% save percentage. His best game in this segment did come as an impressive 3-1 win over Quebec where he stopped 22 of 23 shots. Zhigalov plays with a lot of energy in the crease and does a good job controlling his depth, taking a couple extra inches when he has time to challenge more. In general, he is a strong irst save goaltender who will stop the first shot when he can see it clearly. He Struggles on his rotations and quickness on his post save recoveries, especially if he puts a rebound on an opposing player’s stick in a hurry. He has had some major trouble dealing with point shots when there is traffic in front of him as of late, as many goals against have been because of this.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
Evaluation: Brennan Poderzay
Stats provided by InStat