Prospect Info: 2017-18 Flyers Prospects - Top 7 GOALIES, #4

[Curufinwe]

1. Hart, Carter - 72%
2. Sandstrom, Felix - 97%
3. Stolarz, Anthony - 90%


Fedotov, Ivan
Lyon, Alex
Tomek, Matej
Ustimenko, Kirill

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[Garbage Goal]

My biased self wants to vote Ustimenko, but logically Lyon deserves the vote here for being more proven, established, and much closer to NHL time.

 

[Stizzle]

My biased self wants to vote Ustimenko, but logically Lyon deserves the vote here for being more proven, established, and much closer to NHL time.

I disagree. Ustimenko is the pick here. Go with draft pedigree and upside. He's big & athletic, and clearly being groomed for a future possible WJC spot.

Lyon is 6 years older than Ustimenko, and in great danger of being out of the organization next year when Sandstrom and Hart will take over the AHL jobs.

 

[Hakroach]

Oh no! I brain freezed and voted Tomek instead of Lyon...

 

[Rebels57]

Lyon

I need to see Ustimenko play before I can vote for him.

 

[Hurricane28]

Lyon

I need to see Ustimenko play before I can vote for him.

My thing as well. Lyon has proven more to this point

 

[deadhead]

Tomek and Ustimenko may have more potential than Lyon, but right now they're total unknowns.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Tomek and Ustimenko may have more potential than Lyon, but right now they're total unknowns.

Tomek's been a total bust since the moment he was drafted. There's reason to be down on him compared to where he was drafted.

But I don't see why it's wrong to use Ustimenko's superior pedigree to date to rate him over Alex Lyon, who is a 24 year old undrafted college free agent with nothing but one average season as an AHL backup under his belt and who no one projects as likely to be an NHL starter if he makes it at all.

 

[Rebels57]

Tomek's been a total bust since the moment he was drafted. There's reason to be down on him compared to where he was drafted.

But I don't see why it's wrong to use Ustimenko's superior pedigree to date to rate him over Alex Lyon, who is a 24 year old undrafted college free agent with nothing but one average season as an AHL backup under his belt and who no one projects as likely to be an NHL starter if he makes it at all.

You are aware Lyon had a highly successful collegiate career...right?

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=114768

2014-2015

NCAA (East) First All-American Team
NCAA (ECAC) Best GAA (1.62)
NCAA (ECAC) Best SVS% (0.939)
NCAA (ECAC) First All-Star Team
NCAA (ECAC) Goaltender of the Year
NCAA (New England) D1 All-Stars
NCAA All-Ivy League First Team
World Championship Bronze Medal

2015-2016

NCAA (East) First All-American Team
NCAA (ECAC) First All-Star Team
NCAA (ECAC) Goaltender of the Year
NCAA (New England) D1 All-Stars
NCAA All-Ivy League First Team
NCAA Top Collegiate Player (Hobey Baker Award) Finalist

Not saying that means he will have NHL success but to be back-to-back top NCAA goalie than follow it up with a solid (but not spectacular) AHL rookie season is certainly not a bad start to his career.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

I'm aware he had a good college career. Do you think that gives him a better pedigree than Ustimenko?

Plenty of undrafted goalies have good college careers. Doesn't mean they're considered great prospects or future NHL starters. See, e.g., Merrick Madsen. And the most recent info I have on Lyon is as an AHL backup where he didn't stand out at age 24. So pardon me if I'm skeptical of his NHL prospects vs. Ustimenko's.

 

[Rebels57]

I'm aware he had a good college career. Do you think that gives him a better pedigree than Ustimenko?

Plenty of undrafted goalies have good college careers. Doesn't mean they're considered great prospects or future NHL starters. See, e.g., Merrick Madsen. And the most recent info I have on Lyon is as an AHL backup where he didn't stand out at age 24. So pardon me if I'm skeptical of his NHL prospects vs. Ustimenko's.

I have no issue with you voting Ustimenko over Lyon. None whatsoever.

I was just defending Lyon's credentials, which I think you're selling short.

No goalie has won top NCAA goalie two years in a row since as far back as I can tell, except for Lyon.

A .912 Save Percentage for an AHL rookie is pretty solid (Stolarz was .911) and he played more games than Stolarz (47 to Stolie's 29), so even calling him a back-up is incorrect. He may have started the season as the back-up but was 1B by the end of it.

 

[Stizzle]

A .912 Save Percentage for an AHL rookie is pretty solid (Stolarz was .911) and he played more games than Stolarz (47 to Stolie's 29), so even calling him a back-up is incorrect. He may have started the season as the back-up but was 1B by the end of it.

Lyon played more, in great part, because Stolarz spent a good amount of time riding the pine in the NHL.

 

[deadhead]

What is Ustimenko's pedigree?
Other than being drafted around the same area as Tomek?

To be fair to Tomek, he's had a bad luck streak so far, I'm not ready to right him off until he gets a chance to play a full season at any level.

 

[Rebels57]

Lyon played more, in great part, because Stolarz spent a good amount of time riding the pine in the NHL.

Yep I know..but then when he was sent back down Lyon was outplaying him for a bit and earning starts still.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

What is Ustimenko's pedigree?
Other than being drafted around the same area as Tomek?

To be fair to Tomek, he's had a bad luck streak so far, I'm not ready to right him off until he gets a chance to play a full season at any level.

Leading the MHL in save percentage (.938!) in his 17 y/o season; playing for Russia at the U18s; KHL first round pick; top 80 NHL draft pick. That's a better pedigree than Lyon.

 

[Stizzle]

Yep I know..but then when he was sent back down Lyon was outplaying him for a bit and earning starts still.

Yes, after Hak did him the pleasure of 20-something straight games of watching from the bench. When he returned to the AHL, Stolarz was a bit rusty. But I hardly hold that against him.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Kind of difficult to compare goalies 6 years apart.

 

[Rebels57]

Yes, after Hak did him the pleasure of 20-something straight games of watching from the bench. When he returned to the AHL, Stolarz was a bit rusty. But I hardly hold that against him.

Oh I agree. I'm defending Lyon, not criticizing Stolarz

 

[Tripod]

looks like we finally have a battle going on.

 

[Magua]

We have a soon to be 25 year old -- who belatedly began college in his age 21 season -- with a strong collegiate career in the ECAC. Although Lyon does have one year of pro hockey to judge, which wasn't especially remarkable for good or bad. Not the most gifted natural athlete but smart and dedicated. Will he be here after this season? Or will he be some throw-in to a trade? His path doesn't seem clear, though he will have his chance this season to battle the player with the higher pedigree in Stolarz, coming off his own up-and-down year.

Then we have the pure upside 18 year old who the Flyers effusively love and think is a steal. All the stats are there, but he has to continue to develop overseas and is a long way off. He's under no effect from any roster squeeze and can develop as needed, but there's a lot of projection.

I'm having deja vu of the Vecchione debates

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I just don't think Lyon has much of a future here going forward. So went with Ustimenko.

 

[Stizzle]

I'm having deja vu of the Vecchione debates

This is even worse. I'd rate Lyon as a significant favorite to not even be in the freaking organization this time next year! Yet somehow people think he's a more valuable prospect than than Ustimenko? No way.

Maybe Ustimenko flames out, or maybe he's the next Bob. I don't know. But the Flyers really like him. The Russian national team likes him enough to be on the U-18 team, then the Senior B national team, then the 4-Nations tournament team.

This really shouldn't be close.

 

[Rebels57]

This is even worse. I'd rate Lyon as a significant favorite to not even be in the freaking organization this time next year! Yet somehow people think he's a more valuable prospect than than Ustimenko? No way.

Maybe Ustimenko flames out, or maybe he's the next Bob. I don't know. But the Flyers really like him. The Russian national team likes him enough to be on the U-18 team, then the Senior B national team, then the 4-Nations tournament team.

This really shouldn't be close.

For me its pretty simple; I havent seen him play yet

 

[Curufinwe]

After almost everyone including me assumed Weal was done as a prospect at age 24, I'm not ready to write off Lyon's chances just yet.

The Flyers also thought Tomek was a good value 3rd round pick leaving guys like Nicholas Roy on the table, so hopefully Ustimenko is more like Sandstrom than Tomek.

 

[Tripod]

Would Lyon fetch a 3rd in a trade?