Goaltenders: the pipeline of the guy between the pipes

[CarltonTheBear]

I'm not capable of any type of deep dive goaltending performance breakdown, but one difference between Murray and Campbell that's always immediately stood out to me is simply their size in net. They're both roughly listed at the same height/weight: 6'3"/6'4", 200-ish lbs (which is probably generous for Murray in terms of weight) but Murray looks massive in net while Campbell always looked like he was barely wearing shoulder pads. It always bugged me a bit how small he seemed. Like I get at this point in his career he might not be able to adjust to bigger equipment but with so many other top goalies in the league pushing the limits there (*cough* Vasilevskiy *cough*) not doing so is probably putting him at some sort of disadvantage.

[herman]

I'm not capable of any type of deep dive goaltending performance breakdown, but one difference between Murray and Campbell that's always immediately stood out to me is simply their size in net. They're both roughly listed at the same height/weight: 6'3"/6'4", 200-ish lbs (which is probably generous for Murray in terms of weight) but Murray looks massive in net while Campbell always looked like he was barely weighing shoulder pads. It always bugged me a bit how small he seemed. Like I get at this point in his career he might not be able to adjust to bigger equipment but with so many other top goalies in the league pushing the limits there (*cough* Vasilevskiy *cough*) not doing so is probably putting him at some sort of disadvantage.

That PDOCast episode from Nov 21 has a good segment on Campbell and his current struggles (equipment, technique, stance).

[cw]

Every time I think I know something about NHL goaltending in recent years, by the following year, it is upside-down. It was always harder to predict when drafting. It seems even harder now. So many of them are on rollercoasters: good one season and not-so-good or not-as-good the next.

I'm very grateful for Murray's and Samsonov's performances so far this season. I didn't expect it. Low expectations. I was hoping one of them would be average.

Murray was going along very well after his rough opener. Then lets in his softest goal of the season against TBay in OT. "Has the bubble burst?" And then bounces back with his best game of the season. Even the goalies playing well this season have their ups and downs.

Like Herman, I do not think they're having a crazy run of luck. They're stopping a lot of what they should and the skaters seem to be generally doing their part to keep chances down. They could falter some. But I don't expect a gigantic collapse. Then again, who knows with today's goaltending? I sure don't.

[herman]

https://twitter.com/brigstew86/status/1601250476057538560
It pays to be huge and mobile at the same time. I know next to nothing about goalie scouting, and only a little bit more than nothing about Hildeby, but I am unreasonably hyped by this pick. (I usually pick one prospect from each position to fawn over).

[herman]

https://twitter.com/brigstew86/status/1602007337560162304

[herman]

https://twitter.com/brigstew86/status/1604907087225651210
Bro, save some of that for the NHL

[herman]

https://twitter.com/kyle_cush/status/1605711658487275520

[Bender]

https://twitter.com/brigstew86/status/1604907087225651210
Bro, save some of that for the NHL

Let's see what he can do in the K

[Zee]

https://twitter.com/brigstew86/status/1604907087225651210
Bro, save some of that for the NHL

Let's see what he can do in the K

Why is he in a lower tier?  Why not the KHL?

[CarltonTheBear]

Why is he in a lower tier?  Why not the KHL?

Two pretty good goalies in front of him on his KHL team. Also we should probably temper our expectations a little bit knowing that the league he's currently dominating in isn't all that good. It's probably ECHL-like.

[herman]

Why is he in a lower tier?  Why not the KHL?

Two pretty good goalies in front of him on his KHL team. Also we should probably temper our expectations a little bit knowing that the league he's currently dominating in isn't all that good. It's probably ECHL-like.

League playstyle aside (potshots from distance), the MHL/VHL (and even the KHL) teams have a ton of disparity in skill level. Most VHL goalies this year (10+ GP) are in the 0.920 range.

Akhtyamov is currently at the top of the heap in all-situations sv% (0.950) with 26 GP while on loan to Neftyanik Almetievsk (17-6-2).

His (technically) teammate and Leaf prospect buddy Vyacheslav Peksa with Bars Kazan has taken the starter's load and is sporting 0.920 in 30 GP (12-14-3).

In any case, it's still nice to see Leaf goaltender prospects putting up solid starter numbers in a pro league. They're still just 20/21 years old.

[bustaheims]

Two pretty good goalies in front of him on his KHL team. Also we should probably temper our expectations a little bit knowing that the league he's currently dominating in isn't all that good. It's probably ECHL-like.

That's fair. I'd also add "goalies are voodoo" and stats from lower leagues have an unpredictable correlation to NHL success. It's encouraging, but we should always temper our expectations for or disappointment in goalies when we only have non-NHL stats available to us.

[CarltonTheBear]

In any case, it's still nice to see Leaf goaltender prospects putting up solid starter numbers in a pro league. They're still just 20/21 years old.

For sure. I wouldn't exactly be expecting a 4th round Russian goalie to be getting significant KHL starts at the age of 21 anyway.

[herman]

https://twitter.com/brigstew86/status/1610260818452430848

[L K]

Laval outshot the Marlies 58-17 last night.  The Marlies won 4-2.

Joseph Woll is now 8-0-0 wiht a 2.25 GAA and .934 SV%