Sharks goaltending coach ---> Warren Strelow aka "The Goalie Guru"
From an MSNBC article:
"Strelow coaches Evgeni Nabokov and Vesa Toskala and coached Miikka Kiprusoff, Johan Hedberg and Sean Burke. Robert Esche attended one of Strelow's camps. Strelow coached Craig Billington, who now coaches David Aebischer, and he coached Roland Melanson, who now coaches Jose Theodore. Even Martin Brodeur -- Strelow was the Devils' goalie coach in Brodeur's first season in the AHL."
"Warren is a unique guy in the sense that he's got a feel for goalies and their emotional state and can do a lot along those lines," the late coach Herb Brooks said before the 2002 Olympics, Strelow's second Games with Brooks.
Yes, second. Strelow coached some guy named Jim Craig -- did pretty well, too -- in 1980 in Lake Placid.
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Point is...IMO, the SJ system works quite well - & therefore, I'd give much credit to future Team Teal netminders - because they were chosen for having that certain something, which Strelow likes & can work with to develop a successful NHL caliber goaltender....note:
1995 draft:
4th round, pick 90 - Vesa Toskala, Ilves Jrs (Finalnd) G
5th round, pick 116 - Miikka Kiprusoff, TPS Jrs (Finland) G
1994 draft:
9th round, pick 219 - Evgeni Nabokov, Torpedo UST Kamenogorsk (CIS) G
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Strelow's current crop of youngsters - not including the 2004 draft:
1. 2000 draft:
5th round, pick 166 - Nolan Schaefer, Providence College (Hockey East) G
2. 2001 draft:
4th round, pick 107 - Dimitri Patzold, Erding (German Jr) G
3. 2003 draft:
5th round, pick 139 - Patrick Ehelechner, Hannover (GER) G