[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 13):

LCG Michal Pradel (6'5",194lbs)
Tri City (USHL): 14gp/ 9-4-0, 2.41 GAA, .899 SV%

Slovakian netminder, Michal Pradel (ranked # 3 EU Goalies, # 43 by Button) is another player who boosted his draft stock with his performance in the most recent U-18 Worlds. Pradel backstopped the surprising Slovakian Team at that event, taking his team all the way to the Bronze-Medal Game, where they unfortunately lost to the Americans in a squeaker, 4-3 in OT. He went 4-3-0 in that tournament, with a 2.46 GAA (6th-overall in the tourney), and a .914 SV% (tied for 5th-overall). Before coming over to play in North America for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, Pradel played games with Slovakia's U18 National Team against U20 competition (6-4-0, with a 2.81 GAA, and a .920 SV%), and against men in the second-tier league (3-12-0, with a 4.59 GAA, and an .898 SV%), with a stop in the U20 league, playing 4 games for Barani Banska Bystrica (2-2-0, with a 1.99 GAA, and a .909 SV%). Last summer, he took part in Slovakia's entry in the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, playing 3 games, with a 3.77 GAA, and a .897 SV%.

Pradel's size and range are some of his best assets, with his 6'5" frame covering most of the net, while owning extra-long legs and an expansive wingspan to seal off the net when down in the butterfly. His limbs are lightning-quick, and he's highly mobile in his crease- whether sliding around on his pads, or darting around in the blue paint to stay square to the puck. He moves surprisingly well east-west, as well as forwards-backwards to challenge shooters at the top of his crease, and he also moves up-and-down in the butterfly with explosive speed- recovering almost instantly to his default stance. He rarely overcommits, or slides out of position, but there are plenty of times where he drops to his knees too quickly, leaving the top of the net exposed- this is one of his biggest flaws. Pradel can see over bodies easily, and bends low to see the puck through screens, while tracking the puck proficiently with traffic in front of him. He stays square to the puck, and makes micro-adjustments in his positioning to do so, possessing the ability to read the play and process at a high-level, which gives him the anticipation to act proactively, rather than purely reactively. He generally shows good timing, and even better reflexes. Pradel is strong mentally, and ultra-competitive, with the ability to re-set quickly after a goal, and showing remarkable calmness and poise under pressure. He battles hard when he has to, never gives up on a play, and fights hard in net-front scrambles. He plays well and keeps focus under a heavy workload, as he has shown in the USHL, as well as in international play.

There's a lot of rawness in his technique, and thus- there are flaws in his game that require attention. In addition to his tendency to drop early, he fails to seal off his posts as well as he should, despite employing a tight RVH, which leaves small holes that are exploitable for shooters. Rebound-control is another area in need of improvement, as he gives up too many dangerous second-chance opportunities, and has difficulty in deflecting pucks to the corner off of his blocker. Making things worse is the fact that he seems to lose sight of the puck at times when it bounces off of him, and he has difficulty in re-positioning himself to make the extra stop- even when he can see it. His long pads seal off the bottom of the net well, but not infallibly, as pucks can still squeeze underneath him on occasion. Pradel has shown some ability in playing the puck, but must keep his passes safe and simple; this gives him an added layer of value, with his ability to aid in his team's breakout. He has many NHL-projectable traits, and a few high-end tools to work with; I would say he's a mid-rounder, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was taken much earlier.