Mike McKenna (former NHL goalie) breaks down what's wrong with Jacob Markstrom after watching every goal he's allowed this year:
https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/di...en-off-a-cliff
Quote:
So what’s up with Markstrom? Is it just confidence? Technique? The team in front of him?
Like most players that aren’t playing up to their potential, it’s a little bit of everything. I watched every goal Markstrom has given up this season, and I can say unequivocally that the Flames tend to give up catastrophic chances against.
Many goals came off odd-man rushes and backdoor plays that Markstrom really couldn’t have done much about. And I also think Calgary hasn’t been great in front of its own net. Opposing players haven’t been boxed out. Sticks haven’t been tied up. And too often, Flames players have been caught standing directly in front of Markstrom, obscuring his line of sight.
...
But Markstrom also has a nagging habit of allowing a goal early. Good goal, bad goal – it doesn’t matter. Playing from behind doesn’t equal winning hockey. Markstrom is averaging a goal against within the first six shots of the game. That needs to change.
There hasn’t been any drastic technical change to his game this season. And I don’t think Markstrom’s woes are related to confidence. He knows he can be a top-flight goaltender. If anything, I think Markstrom is guilty of trying too hard sometimes.
The Calgary netminder stands 6-foot-6, which is undoubtedly to his benefit. But size only works when it’s maximized. And when Markstrom starts pushing the envelope in terms of depth and explosiveness, holes tend to appear. Hence the high number of five-hole goals that he’s allowed. Which brings me to my first observation.
|