Quote:
Originally Posted by 1991 Canadian
It is a pretty good sign to me that we’ll have to get the 4th round before we get to non-NHL ready prospects. It is still very easy to miss on players at 16th overall, 56th overall and 60th overall. Add in a couple late round gems and the prospect system is not nearly as bad as it should be for a team that hasn’t had many high picks recently.
The only major concern for me is the Flames have still struggled to develop a drafted goalie. The drafted goalie graveyard continues to grow. I’m hoping for the best, but it is possible both Parsons and Gillies follow McDonald out of the organization next year if they don’t show definite signs of improvement.
|
I still have high hopes for Gillies and Parsons. So high I still think they can be our near-future tandem. They are both still in my top 10 prospects.
The "goalies are voodoo" and "goalies take longer" arguments are practically fact outside of a few exceptions. The NHL is a huge jump and so is the AHL from college or junior. Especially at that position.
Adversity and bad stat years seem to be a good thing for goalies more so than other positions, Makes them tougher and no position requires more resilience. You need to see flashes are NHL level competence and you need to retain your belief in them. Without that you cut bait like they did with McDonald.
The example du jour of course is Binnington who was the Blues 5th goalie at the start of 2017-18 and loaned to another AHL club. He started this year, his 6th pro season, as the #4.
Goaltenders rarely take a straight line to the NHL. Of all the starters in the league right now the only ones I think can make that claim are Gibson, Quick, Martin and Vaselivsky (and maybe Bobrovsky).
We've got three decent prospects (incl. Zagidulin) and two maybes (Schneider and Wolf). I like it.