Quote:
Originally Posted by 3thirty
Anyone know anything about a Johnny Hicks, undrafted goalie in the NCAA?
Looks to be pretty small, but posting video game numbers since the WHL playoffs playing with Reschny last year in Vancouver and now Denver this year.
https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/...2025?tab=stats |
He came to Victoria in the back half of the 2024/25 season just before the trade deadline. Royals other backup was rough and moved to the BCHL.
I didn’t see a lot of him live, but he was quite good in Victoria and stole the net in the playoffs and then lost it in the final series… which may have ultimately contributed to the royals not moving past Spokane, because Hicks was probably the better goalie than Victoria’s main starter.
He was already committed to going the college route when he signed with the royals (he was an older player), and probably signed with the team becuase the new ncaa transfer rules allowed him to play WHL at that point.
I don’t think he’s a late bloomer, he’s skilled but small and his size has probably held him back—even so far in college. Looks like he only recently got the net in Denver in January after Montreal Canadiens goalie prospect Quentin Miller got injured.
Not sure if nhl teams would ever take the risk on a goalie that small despite his numbers. But he regularly outperforms expectations and a team may eventually sign him during or later in his college career.
He will be an interesting guy to keep an eye on. Nice find.