[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 15):

LHG Louka Cloutier, 6'2",168lbs

Chicago Steel (USHL): 34gp, 14-14-2, 3.68 GAA, .904 SV%
Chicago Steel (Playoffs): 2gp, 1-0-1, 2.20 GAA, .935 SV%

The Chicago Steel used to be a perrenial contender, but they are currently rebuilding, and lost their entire top-6 from last year. They finished this season in 11th place out of 16 teams, with a goal-differential of -47 in 62 games, good for 4th-worst in the league, and they were swept out of the playoffs. Cloutier was named to the USHL First All-Rookie Team, ahead of fellow netminder Mikhail Yegorov, and is ranked the #15 North American Goaltender by Central Scouting. Cloutier was selected by the Cape Breton Eagles in the 2022 QMJHL Draft in the second round, 34th-overall, but chose to go the college route instead. In the spring of 2023, Cloutier was selected by the Steel in the seventh round of the Phase 2 Draft, 107th-overall. His SV% this season was ranked third in the league, and was 32 points higher than his backup, veteran Christian Manz, who struggled mightily before being dealt. Scouts will like his age as he is quite young, with a August 22nd birthday.

Cloutier is quite strong mentally, and handled the season well after being thrown into the fire with a weak Chicago Steel team. Though he faced a ton of rubber every night, he stayed calm and poised under pressure, and there was a ton of pressure in Chicago- but at least he got a ton of experience playing in all kinds of situations. One of his main strengths is his hockey sense- he reads the play well, and can track the puck through traffic. He moves extremely well around his crease, possessing amazing edges, and can explode out to the top of the crease to challenge shooters, or go post-to-post with lightning speed. To add to his sublime footwork, he also exhibits sharp vertical mobility, with the ability to go down into the butterfly and back up into his stance very quickly. When in the butterfly, he is able to move around quickly, and does so without oversliding- he has good control. He uses an active stick to poke check, and his blocker is effective in deflecting shots out of high-danger areas. He wields pretty good athleticism, and can make desperation saves, complete with dives and acrobatics.

Cloutier plays a bit small, and stays too deep in his crease at times, with a low, wide-legged stance, and some have said that he has a rather weak glove hand. For a goalie who stands 6'2", that could spell trouble in protecting the top of the net. He will have time to round out his game, as he is committed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha for 2025-26. Look for him in the later rounds.