2006 draft eligible goalies

[Holden Caulfield]

I know that the concensus top 3 goalies in this year's draft seem to be Jonathan Bernier, Leland Irving and Riku Helenius, but id like to know what people thought of the rest of the goalies. These are the guys i have heard/saw/looked up that might be going next (in no particular order):

Seman Varlamov Yaroslav 2, Russia 2
Billy Sauer U of Michigan, CCHA
Kris Lazaruk Kootenay, WHL
Kevin Armstrong Spokane, WHL
Alex Kangas Sioux Falls, USHL
Jhonas Enroth Sodertalje, SWE JR
Reto Berra GCK Lions, SWISS Div 1
James Reimer Red Deer, WHL

Other guys high ranked at CSB:
Jeff Zatkoff Miami U, CCHA
Joseph Palmer USNDP, U-18
Ryan Daniels Saginaw, OHL
Brett Bennett USNDP, U-18
Steve Mason London, OHL
Michael Neuwirth Sparta, CZE JR
Ivan Kasutin Penza, RSL

Creating a top list or just general information would be welcome.

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[BritSabre]

I would like to see Armstrong, Berra and Sauer going by the end of the 3rd round.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

There seems to be a lot of intriguing goaltenders who should be taken in rounds 2-4.

There are some Euro goaltenders aside from Helanius who could end up being mini steals in the middle rounds. Guys like Varlamov, Enroth and Berra.

There doesnt appear to be any "bluechip" types. Some may argue Bernier, Helenius and Irving are, but i would disagree.

The goaltenders for this draft are especially intriguing because if you ask 10 different people to rank the top 15 goalies, all 10 will come back with very different rankings. There are guys who should be taken in rounds 2-4 that are equal to each other so its tough to give an order. There seems to be varrying opinions on all the goaltenders. Personally for me its hard to predict where each will go. Its not clear cut.

 

[sarcastro]

Sauer was godawful in the game I saw him in, against MSU at the Joe. He let in 5 goals, and while 4'6" Lerg was stopping one-timers and roof shots while letting in 5, Sauer didn't really make anything more than an average save in the whole game. It was just one game, he's just a freshman, and he's got a big frame that clearly needs some filling out, but still, I'd be real leery about picking that guy.

 

[chlebak]

I know, he is 2y older, but I think Radek Fiala can be drafted high. Not 1st or 2nd round but somewhere as Jonathan quick last yaer he can go. He is rookie of the year in Czech league and was much much better this season than Marek Swacharz(STL prospect)

 

[HansonBro]

I like Varlamov. I havnt seen all the other goalies mind you but varlamov was very quick with great lateral movement. I dont even know much about him, but I know i liked what i saw. Marc Andre Fleury"ish" with a bit of kipper. Rebound control will be his question.

 

[Le Golie]

Unfortunately there are a handful of good goalie prospects I have not seen. But, if I were a scout I'd consider James Reimer's pro potentail to be really good. He made Canada's U18 team but broke his hand and couldn't go.

 

[Prussian_Blue]

I know, he is 2y older, but I think Radek Fiala can be drafted high. Not 1st or 2nd round but somewhere as Jonathan quick last yaer he can go. He is rookie of the year in Czech league and was much much better this season than Marek Swacharz(STL prospect)

I like Fiala as well, but considering that "Swacharz" was sold a monumental bill of goods by Sparta Praha management about being a starter, and then had his @$$ nailed to the bench all season long while a 41-year-old got all the starts, it's crazy to deride Scwharz for not being as good as Fiala when Schwarz didn't get a fair shot to play.

All he got, basically, was screwed out of a year of his development, and I see it strictly as punishment for going to North America last season to play in Vancouver instead of staying home. Maybe that's harsh, but I can't explain the way he was treated over there in any other way. They didn't even send him down to the junior team, or farm him out to a second-division affiliated club, for more than a two- or three-game tease. Instead, they kept him riding the pine in Prague.

P_B

 

[Boomhower]

Steve Mason had a few really impressive showings with the Knights this year. Unfortunately they rarely used him, until the end of the year. He has the size and quickness, no question about that and his positioning seemed alright from what I saw.

What makes him even tougher to evaluate is that he played in a lower level junior league the season before this one and it was far below his level. His numbers were stupid, he set shutout records and I believe kept his GAA below 1.00. But again he was playing junior C.

He's sort of a high risk pick, but it's also a sure thing that he'll be London's starter next year and get a chance to develop.

 

[hockey-hoser]

Unfortunately there are a handful of good goalie prospects I have not seen. But, if I were a scout I'd consider James Reimer's pro potentail to be really good. He made Canada's U18 team but broke his hand and couldn't go.

I'm a huge Reimer fan as I've said before, but I know a few scouts who have said he will be the surprise of the draft. I think they mean that he will likely have Pogge type success in the next few seasons, because he is not ranked very high- 19th by CSS and 9th - 11th by ISS and can't see him going higher than the 3rd -5th round. But I think he should go higher.....

 

[chlebak]

I like Fiala as well, but considering that "Swacharz" was sold a monumental bill of goods by Sparta Praha management about being a starter, and then had his @$$ nailed to the bench all season long while a 41-year-old got all the starts, it's crazy to deride Scwharz for not being as good as Fiala when Schwarz didn't get a fair shot to play.

All he got, basically, was screwed out of a year of his development, and I see it strictly as punishment for going to North America last season to play in Vancouver instead of staying home. Maybe that's harsh, but I can't explain the way he was treated over there in any other way. They didn't even send him down to the junior team, or farm him out to a second-division affiliated club, for more than a two- or three-game tease. Instead, they kept him riding the pine in Prague.

P_B

Schwarz and Briza very both at the same starting line and the start of season. Schwarz failed and Briza led Sparta to czech champion titul. I saw Schwarz's 3 games in Sparta a 2 games in Beroun this season. He was 2 times changed during the games and in orher 2 he could have been. Maybe I saw only his bad games, but so high number of mistakes he did, good prospect must not do. Maybe it is the reason, why he was not in lower league. He was sent to Beroun, but he concede almost 20 goals in 4 games, Beroun sacked him a no one did not want so bad goalie
I saw almost all Fiala's games this season. He started as a back up. When 1st keeper had bad days he take occasion to be a starting goalie. Although he was behind one on the worst defense in the league, he finished at the 8th spot between goalies.

 

[firstroundbust]

Alec Richards from Yale