Goalies

[Joretus]

I think Rask, Price an Montoya are definitely better prospects right now, but Semen can easily be compared to Harding, Irving, Pogge, Schwarz and in Varlamov's favor.

You are at least partly correct. But the reason is russian goalies aren't so popular in NA. It would be same thing if Finland wouldn't had so much succes with goalies last couple of years.

Any not top-10/20 prospect outside NA will always get much less fuzz than inside of NA juniors.

If Kopitar would have been ie. canadian/yankee he would have got reallyreally much PR before NHL and even more in NHL as well. And so in HFboard he would have been a lot higher. Same goes for Varlamov as well.

 

[vincetheprince]

Rask
Harding
Price
Montoya
Bernier
Schneider
Irving
Pogge

 

[Mackee]

Tuukka Rask
Carey Price
Josh Harding
Jonathan Bernier
Al Montoya
Leland Irving
Justin Pogge
Cory Schneider

 

[ShyCheetah]

I don't want to weigh in on these randomly speculative listings considering I havn't seen all of these guys play and those I have seen were just a few times. From what I have seen I have to say that some of these guys should give their publisists a raise.

Shy.

 

[mister lerock]

people keep saying rask played against men but who are these men price played in the dub and dominated then he steped into the ahl and didnt skip a beat i really think he has the mental makeup and phisyical pacakge to go far right away in the nhl almost like ward(not comparing how far hell go in his nhl debut)but if the habs get rid of huet or even make him abackup idont think the habs will really falter in the standings.Its obvious that he will make rookie mistakes but he just seems so solid.I love rask but i think it will take him time sourght of like toivinan or even lethonin to get adjusted to angles and even the smaller ice surface

 

[TOG26]

Harding has to be the top as he stepped in when minnisota was battling for a playoff spot and he was able to have dominate performances in the NHL while all the rest have yet to show that.

 

[FLYLine27*]

I'll admit...I got a bit of a chuckle out of that also.

 

[WILDTATE10]

I think Rask, Price an Montoya are definitely better prospects right now, but Semen can easily be compared to Harding, Irving, Pogge, Schwarz and in Varlamov's favor.

Harding should be up there with Price Rask and Montoya for your list. Heres how i see it.
1.Harding/Price/Rask
4. Montoya
5. Bernier
6. Irving
7. Pogge
8. Schnider

 

[itzabreeze]

Tuukka Rask
Carey Price
Cory Schneider
Al Montoya
Josh Harding
Jonathan Bernier
Leland Irving
Justin Pogge

 

[Finkle is Einhorn]

Just wondering how many of those ranking these goalies have seen more than a handful of them play more than a couple games? If you have, I am impressed. But something tells me most of these lists are being cobbled together from press clippings and stats.

 

[Redwingsfan]

i believe harding and halak are still considered prospects.

 

[vincetheprince]

Actually...we should even be mentioning Halak (21 yrs old) since we're/you're mentioning Harding (22 yrs old?)...

Halak and Harding (aren't considered prospects anymore, no?). With the recent success of Price I almost forgot about Halak!!

So...Price and Rask are the best prospect goalies right now (imo + in the opinion of most scouts/GM's).






1. Price / Rask
2. Harding / Halak (except that both aren't prospects anymore)
3. Montoya (shouldn't be considered a prospect anymore 'cause of age and/but has to wait his turn 'cause of Lundqvist...) and...
4. Bernier / Irving
5. Pavelec / Varlamov / Frazee /
6. Pogge / Schneider / Howard

Jeff Frazee really shouldnt be ahead of Pogge and Schneider. I also think Schneider is ahead of Pavelec and Varlamov but everybody is intitled to his opinion.

 

[Mr. Hab]

i believe harding and halak are still considered prospects.

I'll call them "soon-to-graduate" prospects. But, you never know with injuries & other goalies playing better/competing more...
Harding has Fernandez, Backstrom on his back.
Halak has Price on his back (& for now is "back"-up to Huet).

I DO have a feeling Harding will soon be #1 (but then again...I ike Fernandez a lot, too, so...we'll just have to wait and see!!). And, we can't forget about Backstrom...signed or not? I don't see how they can keep 3 very good goalies with each goalie itching to be #1...(maybe I can smell a trade coming up?).

Harding and Halak...I'll give an edge to Harding for now? Gonna be interesting to see who has a longer/better career (maybe both will have good careers...). Both have had similar solid/great AHL careers...

 

[FLYLine27*]

3. Montoya (shouldn't be considered a prospect anymore 'cause of age and/but has to wait his turn 'cause of Lundqvist...) and...

22 years old is too old to be considered a prospect???

 

[Fozz]

So...Price and Rask are the best prospect goalies right now (imo + in the opinion of most scouts/GM's).

What scouts & GM's would that be?

 

[Mr. Hab]

22 years old is too old to be considered a prospect???

No...I'm absolutely wrong here (I really meant to edit that part, really...!!).

There is no such thing as "too old" (it's just an opinion).Some might consider a 25-26 year-old a bit on the old side for a rookie or prospect, but...again it's just an opinion based on the average age of MOST prospects/rookies, etc...

Hasek missed out on what? 2-3 years (or more) 'cause they (Chicago) had Belfour...so Hasek only had his turn with Buffalo, and never looked back...


Harding, Montoya, and Halak (all are approx. 22)...

Montoya would already have had his NHL chances, but either has to wait ('cause of Lundqvist) or be traded for a solid player. Then again, you can have 2 solid goalies in nets in Lundqvist & Montoya...

 

[Jeffrey]

carey price
tuukka rask
josh harding
leland irving
al montoya
justin pogge
cory schneider
jon bernier

 

[Mr. Hab]

What scouts & GM's would that be?

I made it up based on my opinion only, so...of course I could be wrong

 

[Mackee]

22 years old is too old to be considered a prospect???

You forgetting what board you're on?

 

[Mr. Hab]

Jeff Frazee really shouldnt be ahead of Pogge and Schneider. I also think Schneider is ahead of Pavelec and Varlamov but everybody is intitled to his opinion.

I just really liked what I saw from him at the WJC (I know that the WJC is not everything but it could be an indication of something good!).

 

[znk]

I dont know much about all these goalies.
Seems Price and Rask are the top 2 in many minds.
One thing I do know is that Price has exceptional puck handling skills. How does Rask fair in this aspect of the game? and If not as good would this give an edge to Price or is this already taken in to consideration?

 

[Mr. Hab]

I dont know much about all these goalies.
Seems Price and Rask are the top 2 in many minds.
One thing I do know is that Price has exceptional puck handling skills. How does Rask fair in this aspect of the game? and If not as good would this give an edge to Price or is this already taken in to consideration?

Good point, and...I'm sold!!

Well, it's not fair 'cause I'm a HAB fan (homer opinion) but, I have to admit...it is very attractive to have a goalie who is great at handling the puck (3rd defenseman). And, Price IS great at handling the puck, so it can give a goalie an edge (depending on opinion, if it's up to me I'd say that it's a great advantage...).

Not sure about Rask's puck handling (I haven't heard anything about it, & I haven't seen him handle the puck that often from the little that I saw on tv).

 

[Joretus]

One thing I do know is that Price has exceptional puck handling skills. How does Rask fair in this aspect of the game? and If not as good would this give an edge to Price or is this already taken in to consideration?

Clear edge to Price, haven't seen him so much, but Rask's puckhandling with the stick really isn't too good yet. He really need to work with it. The major issue is prolly the thing that he is right while playing with player-stick, so he is playing with goalie stick glove up and have to change side while playing with it. I think at least CuJo(?) have same thing...

 

[Arctic_Hab_Fan]

and rask has shown it in the finnish league wich is a better league then both the WHL and the AHL.

IMO price, rask and harding are extremely close. it comes down to who you like the most for the 1-3 places.

Just how is the Finnish league better than the AHL?

 

[Redwingsfan]

Just how is the Finnish league better than the AHL?

top end talent is probably a bit better in the AHL, but overall talent the finnish league is a lot better.

the finnish league is at just about the same level as the RSL and the RSL is without a doubt the second best league in the world.

im going to make a poll about it right now.


edit: the poll is up.

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=384255