Surprised there has been no bump on this thread so far this year... I mean, of all the guys drafted in 2015 I think he has an argument as to having one of the most unexpected pronounced 'jump' in terms of what he has done since. I mean, were it not for injuries and mono he probably goes higher that he did, and a lot knew of his impressive talent, but he has came on so much since last season.
Made the Brynas SHL team. Pushing 2014 3rd rounder Jonas Johansson to the Allsvenskan on loan.
Stepped in when Starkbaum went down. Has proceeded to outplay Starkbaum and is now the Brynas split-starter.
6gp, 4w, 0l, 2otl.
.922 sv% (3rd best in the SHL)
And while the numbers alone are very nice (though over a small sample) it is the way he has played that is most impressive...
he is 18 and is playing like a proper pro-style goalie, his positioning is great, angles very good and there is zero panic with him. Last year he was relying more on his athleticism to get by in his limited SHL games (I saw 2/3 of them)... but this year he has only had to use it as a last resort, as he is rarely getting himself in trouble or out of position.
One goal on a breakaway that trickled through his 5 hole and one that he did not track behind the net properly that was reversed and slammed home have been the only 2 you could really say he would 'want back'.
By my reckoning Hans-Goran Elo and Jakub Markstrom have been the only two guys in the SHL's 40 year history who have established themselves as a split-starter or better at a younger age.
What he has done, albeit in a small sample, is very, very impressive.
