[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 14):

LHG Jan Spunar, 6'3",198lbs

Portland (WHL): 35gp, 25-6-2, 2.12 GAA, .913 SV%
Portland (Playoffs): 18gp, 12-5-1, 2.63 GAA, .914 SV%

Jan Spunar has gone undrafted in the last two seasons, but fans of the WHL know what this player brings to the Winterhawks- he's been one of the best goalies in the league for two years. Though Portland is a powerhouse team, Spunar makes them true contenders- just go take a look at the stats of the other three goalies they used this year, and you'll see what I mean. Unfortunately, the Moose Jaw Warriors had their number, and swept them in the finals to become WHL Champions. Spunar turns 20 in late May, and despite being ranked the #21 North American Goaltender by Central Scouting, his name has been whispered plenty in recent months leading up to the Draft. In his first year of eligibility in 2022, he was ranked the #3 European Goaltender by CS. His stats, and maybe Portland's position in the standings, took a bit of a hit when Spunar went on the IR after having surgery on his foot that took him out of action for nine weeks.

One of the pillars of Spunar's game is his hockey sense and situational awareness that puts him often well ahead of the action- he reads the play very well, and knows where the puck is going. To add to this is that he seems to be able to track the play through traffic, and is unhindered by screens in front of him. Another pillar of his game is his mental strength, which makes him a calming presence for his team as he stays focused and poised, even when under immense pressure. He is always firmly in control of his game and his movements, staying mentally strong and never getting flustered- even when things aren't going well for himself or his team. He has improved his patience by leaps and bounds over the last few seasons, and now waits for the shooter to make the first move. Spunar covers a ton of net, even when down in the butterfly, and seals off the top of the net with his lightning-quick hands, and his keen reflexes. He seals off the lower part of the net too, with quick legs that explode out in the knick of time to rob opponents. He moves well, without overcommitting or oversliding, and employs effortless lateral mobility. The default position is usually deep in the net with his glove hand high, but he will telescope out to the edge of the crease to challenge shooters before resetting. He will leave the crease to stop, and set up the puck for his D, but he doesn't play it very often- although his skills in this regard have improved.

Many of his weaknesses back in his draft year have been worked on and improved- he seals up his posts well these days, and doesn't slide out of position. Spunar relies heavily on his technique, and doesn't need to improvise as much as some other netminders, but he will battle in making desperation saves when he has to. Rebound control is still a bit of a problem, as a ton of shots bounce off of various pieces of his equipment, particularly his pads, and he tends to lose sight of those pucks. In his draft year, there was talk that Spunar would only make a good backup in the NHL, but he hadn't yet had the opportunity to show his stuff on North American ice, and he's vastly improved his performance of the craft since then. It will be interesting to see what happens, but if he's drafted, he will likely have to wait until the later rounds.