Mephisto said:
Hi guys,
I'd like to get an evaluation of the guy...
How is he comparable to some other you ng goalies, nhl goalies and how does he fit in the future of the Oilers? Is he ready for backup role next year or else?
Thanks.
Deslauriers is a very talented netminder. I have watched quite a few goaltending prospects, but Deslauriers is one of my favorite.
I think that the only difference between him and a Lehtonen or Fluery, is that he is not as safe a pick as them. They are already great netminders, and are no doubt going to be starters in the NHL. With Deslauriers you get a goaltender that is not as sure a thing as those two, but has just as high an upside IMO.
Scouting Report:
Very good glove hand that would make some NHL goalies envious...Goes to his knees a little premature, but is big enough (covers enough of the net) that this does'nt hurt him as much as you might think because even when he is down, his 6'4" frame covers most of the net...His blocker is average, it is not great, but it usually does'nt hurt him either...He has very fast feet for a big man, he can wait on a breakaway until the player releases the puck, and still manages to kick the puck away from the net...His blocker pad seems to be a little bit faster than his glove pad, although they are both very fast...He is very sound technically using the butterfly, and is very rarely caught out of position...When he scrambles it is noticable that he cannot dive from one side of the net to the other very well, he must work on this...His five hole has steadily improved since he was drafted, although when he is being screened he seems to open it up a little more...He is one of the most flexible goalies I have ever seen, on many glove saves he will do the splits...The best way to score on him is to roof it in the top corners, unless the shot is perfect it will probably hit him, and also shooting for five hole is not a bad idea...He is also not the best puckhandler but is trying very hard to improve this aspect of his game...He is a very focused goaltender.
I hope this helps.
From what I have seen I don't think you can compare him to a certain NHL goalie. The closest one though is probably Theodore, except Deslauriers is 6'4", they even both catch with the right hand.