If anyone doubted the power of goaltending, all they have to do is watch this year’s Stanley Cup Finals. It hasn’t been a battle of big offenses, its been a duel between the pipes between future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur and rising star Jonathan Quick. A good goaltender can neutralize even the best offensive teams and can carry a team to a Stanley Cup championship. The old drafting axiom is, “never draft a goaltender in the 1st round,” but this year’s championship shows how that philosophy can be both right and perhaps wrong. The example in favor of this axiom is Jonathan Quick who was selected in the 3rd round (72nd Overall) in 2005, but in contrast is Martin Brodeur; the goaltender with the most wins in NHL history who was selected by the Devils in the 1st round, 20th Overall in 1990. There are always goaltenders selected in the first round each year, but they make up a very small minority of the selections as most clubs opt to take goaltenders in later rounds.
The Wild certainly adhere to this latter philosophy. They have never drafted a goaltender in the 1st round. Minnesota has had a good history of success between the pipes. With goaltending coach Bob Mason, the Wild have been able to get by using draftees from the 2nd round or later as well as free agents like Dwayne Roloson, and its current top goaltender Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom is on the last year of his 4-year contract, and most believe this will likely be his last season with the team. So who is there to replace Niklas Backstrom? The Wild’s prospect pool has a wealth of talent in the crease with four young players vying for their opportunity. The current front runner is Matt Hackett who has had two strong seasons at the AHL level and has looked good in a handful of starts this season. But there are others waiting in the wings in Johan Gustafsson who led Team Sweden to a gold medal at the World Junior Championships, 2010 CHL goaltender of the year Darcy Kuemper and young Stephen Michalek who had a reasonable freshman season at Harvard last year. If the Wild doubt the ability of any of these goalies to be Backstrom’s heir apparent maybe they team’s scouting department chooses to make the bold step of taking a goaltender in the 1st round. Unlikely, yes but there are options to be had if not for the 1st round but the ones after that. So what are these options that I’m referring to?
Click on “Read More” for the rest of the article…
Brynas’ Oscar Dansk
With so many goalies in its system already its extremely unlikely the team is going to draft a goaltender in the 1st round. Even Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher was quoted in a press conference he gave to KFAN on Thursday, “I would fall out of my chair if we drafted a goalie 7th Overall.” Fletcher even indicated that the team may not draft a goaltender as it has done in the past, unless they feel someone great falls to them. So with that being said…
The first thing one must do is assess the team’s needs as an organization taking into considering the current group of prospects it already has. The most promising signs of this organization’s turn around are found in its group of prospects, many of whom who are now signed to 3-year entry level contracts. So what are this organization’s biggest needs?
1. A speedy, goal scoring forward to play on their Top 6. The Wild were 30th in scoring last season, and while the team does have a bunch of promising forwards, they do not have any players that fits this description.
2. An aggressive and physical defenseman to clear out the area near the crease. The Wild are a bit soft, especially on their blueline where they have a plethora of finesse, un-physical defensemen.
3. An heir apparent 1st goalie to Niklas Backstrom. They have lots of options within their system (Hackett, Gustafsson, and Kuemper) but if they have any doubts a top tier goaltender might be an option for them.
So with that in mind, I am going to provide a list of players who I believe could (and likely) be available when the Wild go to make their selection 7th Overall, barring any trade. These are the players that would be on my draft list for this team to select that could help fill their organizational holes either in the short term or the long term.
The third of three articles will focus on goaltenders. If you look at my list of organizational needs the team needs to have a plan to replace Niklas Backstrom. Drawing from scouting reports from a number of different sources I selected 5 goaltenders I believe would be available when the Wild go to their selection with the 7th Overall pick. These 5 goaltenders fit the needs of the organization and who would be on my short list if I was a member of the Wild’s scouting department. So without further adieu.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qasCpdGDNpo
2. Oscar Dansk ~ Brynas Jr. (Sweden Jr. Elite)
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 189lbs Catches: Left
The Hockey News’ ranking: #44 NHL Central Scouting’s ranking: #2 (European) ISS’ ranking: #1
2011-12 Stats: 28GP (11-17-0) 2.82GAA .910%SP
Talent Analysis: Dansk is your more traditional goaltender who has refined his movements and calculates his angles to make stopping shots more of a science than an art. The only aggressive part of his game comes from his willingness to move out of the crease to cut down the angles for opposing shooters and with a nearly 6’3″ frame he doesn’t give shooters a lot of net to look at in the first place. Even when something bad happens, he maintains a quiet and steady calmness and shows no negative reaction to pressure. Dansk does a good job of absorbing pucks and really has no glaring holes to his game. The Stockholm, Sweden-native has a good glove hand. Top goaltender potential is definitely there. Many scouts compare him to the New York Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist.
Why the Wild should draft him: Dansk is your no-nonsense technical goaltender that is very similar to that of Niklas Backstrom. A goaltender who oozes confidence in his own abilities and thus brings confidence to the teams he plays for. Certainly another goaltender with starting potential who would challenge any of the of the Wild’s incumbent goaltending prospects.
3. Andrei Vasilevski ~ Ufa Tolpar (MHLJ)
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 204lbs Catches: Left
The Hockey News’ ranking: #21 NHL Central Scouting’s ranking: #1 (European) ISS’ ranking: #3
2011-12 Stats: 27GP 2.01GAA .931%SP 3 Shutouts
Talent Analysis: Andrei Vasilevski made himself stand out after a terrific performance for Team Russia at this winter’s World Junior Championships. He is a terrific combination of size and technical skill. His glove is outstanding, incredibly quick but if he does have a vulnerability it is his blocker side. Unlike the glacial personalities of Subban and Dansk, Vasilevski wears his feelings on his sleeve and can sometimes let his emotions get the best of him. His emotions fuel a fierce competitor who never gives up on a shot. The Tyumen, Russia-native can also be guilty of being lazy in his movements but most of his fundamentals are pretty solid. His game resembles fellow Russian, in Flyers’ goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.
Why should the Wild draft him: If the Wild want a goaltender who has a little fire to his game and has real home run potential Vasilevski is a terrific choice. He plays the game with an emotional fire that you normally don’t find in a goaltender.
4. Matthew Murray ~ Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Height: 6’4″ Weight: 162lbs Catches: Left
The Hockey News’ ranking: #61 NHL Central Scouting’s ranking: #18 (North American) ISS’ ranking: #4
2011-12 Stats: 36GP (13-19-1) 4.01GAA .876%SP
Talent Analysis: The reviews are a bit mixed on the tall, but very thin Sault Ste. Marie goaltender. One one side, scouts rave about the way he uses his big frame to effectively deny just about everything down low but he took a precipitous drop in the Central Scouting rankings. Murray went from being rated the #2 goaltender amongst North Americans to #18 in their final assessment. The Thunder Bay, Ontario-native is an exceptional athlete and some scouts believe his potential may be the highest of any goaltender in this draft. He certainly will need to add some strength to his lanky frame, but the chance for a home run is evident.
Why should the Wild draft him: I would not call Murray 1st round worthy, but he may be worth a risk in later rounds. The reviews are mixed which adds an increased element of risk. But its tough to pass on a potential home run, especially if you have the chance to select him in the 3rd round or later.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=v4w7wgZINNQ
5. Anthony Stolarz – Corpus Christi Ice Rays (NAHL)
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 200lbs Catches: Left
The Hockey News’ ranking: N/A NHL Central Scouting’s ranking: #4 (North American) ISS’ ranking: #10
2011-12 Stats: 50GP (23-22-4) 2.84GAA .920%SP 3 Shutouts
Talent Analysis: I think every team in the league besides Nashville wishes they had their own Pekka Rinne between the pipes. Anthony Stolarz is an American-version the big Finnish puckstopper that fills the net and drives shooters crazy. Stolarz is not just a big guy, but he moves well and has tons of raw skills. The butterfly goaltender denies just about everything down low, but his big torso gives you little to shoot at up high. After starring in the NAHL, he has committed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Scouts were impressed by his skills when you consider there isn’t much coaching for goaltenders in the NAHL, and with his raw talents the thought of his potential when honed by a coach are off the charts. Giant, athletic and raw gives teams a lot to work with in this long-term project goalie.
Why should the Wild draft him: Its all about potential with Stolarz. If the Wild were to select Stolarz they could effectively tailor his game to fit their needs. His natural ability and size make him a very compelling long-term project goalie. He’s not the kind of player you’re going to draft in the 1st round, but he could end up being a later round steal.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
