Quote:
Originally Posted by GranteedEV
re: bolded
Smaller players aren't more innately skilled. However 95% of (pre-selected) players are shorter than 6'2. You're more likely to find high talent levels searching in a group of 950 players than a group of 50 players.
Again, size is one potential advantage, but it's treated as a prerequisite relative to every other aspect of puck-stopping. At a position where positioning, awareness, quickness, and mental toughness are paramount.
And size can be a disadvantage if it affects agility.
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You're still missing the point.
Yes, there are more average-sized goalies than large goalies. And yes, there will therefore be more highly-skilled average-sized goalies. And that is why, all the way up to the NHL, there will be more average-sized goalies than large goalies.
However, the NHL doesn't need hundreds of goalies, they only need 60. So there are only a handful of new jobs each year. So with jobs being that scarce, the one guy that makes it is the guy with elite skills AND size.
Can smaller guys make it? Of course. But that added dimension of size is a big advantage.