Prospect Info: Goalielocks

[emptyNedder]

Some are big (Booth, Helvig, Kucharski), one is small (Nedeljkovic). There are Americans, Canadians, and Europeans.

So which one (or two or three) are just right?

My top three would be:

Ned—have seen him quite a bit the past two seasons and he finds a way to win.
Helvig—have only seen him three times, but from what I have read he has a good combination of skill and tenacity.
Makiniemi—prospect camp is artificial. Still Makiniemi looked by far the best goalie.

As usual, I could be 100% wrong as the organization seems to think Booth and Kochetkov are the top prospects. For his uncle's sake, I hope Kucharski forces himself into the conversation.

Click to read more...

 

[HisIceness]

Goalielocks sounds like a good name for an indie rock band.

On a serious note however I have high hopes for Helvig

 

[Lempo]

High hopes for Helvig sounds like a Goalielocks song name.

 

[RibFrabcus]

Goalies are voodoo but I like Booth and Kochetkov from what I've seen.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

Not Jake Kucharski.

 

[DaveG]

Hard to say until they see actual action at high level play. Ned's numbers got worse as he went in the OHL, though Plymouth/Flint went from contender to complete and total dumpster fire in that time, but he was utterly dominant in the WJC. Mediocre numbers his first 2 years in the AHL but was dominant in the playoffs and this past season. He's one of those guys that just comes across as a big game goalie. That could end up giving you a Jonathan Quick... or it could give you Jack Campbell.

Helvig had a good rookie year last year, felt like Booth took a step back but then again he was being bounced around because of the Darling situation.

I'll be interested to see how Eetu does in Liiga this coming season and how Kochetkov does for SKA. I'll call my shot with Kochetkov, if he's not getting a lot of playing time with their top club he'll be in Charlotte to start the 20-21 season.

 

[emptyNedder]

I'll call my shot with Kochetkov, if he's not getting a lot of playing time with their top club he'll be in Charlotte to start the 20-21 season.

The crease is going to be crowded in Charlotte. Both Booth and Helvig should be there in 20-21. Actually, I would be comfortable with both there this season if Ned starts in Raleigh. I don't like either spending more time in the ECHL. Many top goalie prospects (Georgiev, Samsonov, Hart, Murray Hellebuyck) never play in the ECHL, others like Binnington play only one season in the ECHL.

The one advantage for both Kochetkov and Makiniemi is that they can develop as professionals in Europe.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I haven't gotten to see either of Helvig or Boooth play much, but the fact that when Darling was not on the team they felt the need to get Tokarski says they weren't as held back in the ECHL by him as it is made out sometimes. It's also no big deal for goalies to need to spend some time in the ECHL though.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

The one advantage for both Kochetkov and Makiniemi is that they can develop as professionals in Europe.

Which is why, in my opinion, we should be drafting 1-2 Euro goalies every single year. It's the position that most benefits from having many darts.

 

[emptyNedder]

Makiniemi has his team in first place in the Finnish second league; he is second overall in sv%. He likely won't get a call-up to Liiga as the organization has Lukas Dostal who is one of the top 5 goalie prospects right now.

Helvig has stopped 99 of the last 103 shots he has faced in Greenville. What is amazing is that is only his past two starts. Apparently the Swamp Rabbits don't play defense. Helvig has a .938 since rejoining Greenville. His .926 this season is second overall in the ECHL for goalies who have faced at least 300 shots.

 

[NotOpie]

Makiniemi has his team in first place in the Finnish second league; he is second overall in sv%. He likely won't get a call-up to Liiga as the organization has Lukas Dostal who is one of the top 5 goalie prospects right now.

Helvig has stopped 99 of the last 103 shots he has faced in Greenville. What is amazing is that is only his past two starts. Apparently the Swamp Rabbits don't play defense. Helvig has a .938 since rejoining Greenville. His .926 this season is second overall in the ECHL for goalies who have faced at least 300 shots.

Isn't Bednard the #1 in Greenville? He's got the majority of the starts (something like 15 to Helvig's 5) or is Elite Prospects off?

Isn't the reason Charlotte went out and got Tokarski was that they wanted to ensure that they had a veteran back-up? It's sort of like the Mac thing for us last year....that calming influence.

 

[emptyNedder]

Isn't Bednard the #1 in Greenville? He's got the majority of the starts (something like 15 to Helvig's 5) or is Elite Prospects off?

Isn't the reason Charlotte went out and got Tokarski was that they wanted to ensure that they had a veteran back-up? It's sort of like the Mac thing for us last year....that calming influence.

With all that is going well with the organization, the goalie development seems really disjointed.
Booth hasn't played in almost a month. The last three weeks Bednard (a Florid prospect) and Helvig have been alternating starts in Greenville.
Last year Tokarski was definitely part of the all-in for the Calder Cup strategy. Still Ned got 50+ starts, this season he isn't going to get 40 and neither Booth nor Helvig are going to get 30.
As I said not an obvious development plan.

 

[Vagrant]

unless its the russian, i don't think we have an answer in the system presently which sucks considering we've put a lot of picks into it. goalies are impossible to scout effectively. it takes an entirely different eye.

 

[DaveG]

Meanwhile the canes just need to go ahead and hire me. There have been 2 goalies the past 3 drafts that I've been all in on. One was VV who is kicking ass as an AHL rookie, the other was Cayden Primeau

 

[jiitu]

I only wish they would soin give couple starts for Ned. He looked good in his game last season and he definitely deserves chance to show. It is something strange in nhl how often promising goalies are kept years and years behind and eventually they just leave before even original team gives the chance. Even if onw definitely deserves it.

Current duo is pretty fine ( compared what it used to be) but i think they should activly drive in possible teplavements. Now. Not in 3 years. Giving a start or two cannot be that horrible idea for the management.

 

[NotOpie]

unless its the russian, i don't think we have an answer in the system presently which sucks considering we've put a lot of picks into it. goalies are impossible to scout effectively. it takes an entirely different eye.

I'm probably more optimistic than you @Vagrant . I feel pretty good about what we've got, but I'll agree with @42 jerks, our development effort does seem disjointed. It was clear that Booth had some significant talent and that Helvig was a late bloomer. It's also clear that Makiniemi has some skills, but playing on the junior circuit doesn't allow him to show it against better competition.

Currently, we don't "need" a goalie as our tandem is doing fine...and both under contract through next season. I agree w/ @jiitu that Ned should get a few games. However, we're once again, in a playoff push and, right now, the Metro is horse race....so he's not going to see the net in Raleigh without an injury to one of Petr or James.

Also, I thought I read that Kotchekov was under contract until 2021. So he's not going to be any help for a while.

 

[emptyNedder]

Currently, we don't "need" a goalie as our tandem is doing fine

But the Canes might to win the Cup. Thirteen of the last 15 Cup champions have a goalie who was either drafted or signed by the organization. One of the two who wasn't, Thomas with the Bruins, had been part of the team for 9 seasons when he/they won.
I understand that it is likely coincidence. However, there might be some in-group dynamic at play. Seriously, the majority of fans believe that grit and who is captain effects the outcome of games/seasons, it isn't out of the realm of reason (given the actual pattern) to think that feeling loyalty is a key for goalies—we all admit that goalies are voodoo.

 

[emptyNedder]

Helvig continues to be solid in Greenville, now has .923.
Makiniemi got his chance in the top Finnish league and was 1.59 GAA and .930 sv%.
I am intrigued to see who if anyone gets to Charlotte next season.