G Mark Visentin (2010, 27th overall, Phoenix)

[Brock]

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.com/2010/05/q-with-niagaras-mark-visentin.html

Recently, Niagara goaltender Mark Visentin took time out of his incredibly hectic schedule to answer some of my questions. He's in Toronto this week for the NHL combine testing thanks in part to being rated as the 4th best goaltender available in North America for the 2010 Draft by NHL Central Scouting. Few draft eligible players worked as hard as Visentin to improve this season and his passion for the game comes through in the interview.

Also, be sure to read the companion piece over at School Your Pool, as linked on the blog.

This is a guy I'm rooting for to get drafted high. He deserves it.

Click to read more...

 

[Mathletic]

Mark Visentin

Just wondering what kind of goaltender he is. I've never seen him play but he played on the same team as Simila and seems to have outplayed him badly even if Niagara was pretty bad.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

I've only seen him play 2 games and he was ok in both. He could definitely develop and I've been hoping for my team to grab him with a middle round pick. The potential is there and he has shown sparks of being a solid goaltender.

 

[Brock]

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.com/2010/05/q-with-niagaras-mark-visentin.html

 

[Dutch Dreams]

Mark Visentin

Why did this guy go so high? Calvin Pickard finally went at 49th, and it was widely thought he would go after, even before Campbell, who went 11th.

From what I saw Visentin was of those group of goalies who would go later, possibly in the 2nd/3rd rounds along with that group of Dominigue, Simpson, Theriault, etc..

So what could Phoenix possibly have seen in this guy to take him not only way ahead of projection, but in the first round altogether??

 

[Brock]

I think it's all about progression of skill. If a guy improves a lot from one season to the next, you have to assume that he's a) a very coachable player and b) he's able to progress even further.

When Visentin came into the league as a 16 year old rookie last year, he just wasn't very good. He had a lot of trouble following the play, gave up a lot of easy goals and looked quite timid in net.

He came back this season a changed player and really came into his own. Not only that, but he continued to improve as the season went on and by the end of the year, was playing as good as any goaltender in the OHL. In the Top Prospects Game, he didn't allow a single goal and was IMO the most impressive goalie in the event (ahead of Pickard).

He's got a lot of things going for him as a player. He's got size in the net. He's very athletic and moves well in his crease. He isn't afraid to challenge shooters. He's worked a lot on his rebound control and has made that above average. I think he still needs to work on his glove hand and his ability to read shooting angles. He can give up soft goals every once in a while due to being a little bit out of position.

But the kid is your ultimate hard worker and perfectionist.

I had a Q and A session with him this year and I came away really impressed.

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.com/2010/05/q-with-niagaras-mark-visentin.html

Hope that helps.

 

[Leviathan]

I'd guess they didn't want to take him that high but probably got a whiff of someone taking him early 2nd round. They probably tried to trade down and failed, and hence stood pat and selected him. And I guess they weren't so high on Pickard.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

I thought I heard one of the Coyotes scouts lived near Niagara and saw him many times this year and was the main voices pushing for him.

 

[Bjorn Le]

I thought I heard one of the Coyotes scouts lived near Niagara and saw him many times this year and was the main voices pushing for him.

One of the Gretzky brothers was the scout I think, they talked about it on TSN after and apparently he was really high on the kid.

I'm sure Phoenix knows what their doing though.

 

[DJB]

If I remember correctly, Visentin was one of the better goaltenders at the top prospects game. He outplayed Picakrd imo...

Not sureif the Phoenix scouts value that a lot more then the regualr season where Pickard was the better netminder...

 

[PhoPhan]

Don Maloney has gone on record saying Visentin was their favorite goalie prospect in the entire draft, higher than Campbell.

Resounding speculation suggests they wanted Kevin Hayes when they traded down from 22 to 27, but when Chicago took him, they decided to shore up a position of weakness. They had Domingue rated pretty highly as well (possibly right after Visentin), but actually exercised some strategy and took him in the 5th.

 

[james30]

It also has something to do with size...new rules with regards to equipment...a 6'2" frame is better than Pickard's 6' frame.

 

[RangerRed]

I worry because as much as I like Visentin, he reminds me stylistically of Thomas McCollum and McCollum's had some trouble translating his game whenever he's played up over the OHL level.

 

[Dutch Dreams]

Thanks for the response Brock. So basically Phoenix thinks that his progression has a steeper curve to it?

 

[Brock]

Thanks for the response Brock. So basically Phoenix thinks that his progression has a steeper curve to it?

Yeah basically. I think that and probably what they know about his work ethic. It's pretty hard to pass on a player who's hard work has made him as good as he is today. Not to mention that you know he'll continue to work as hard as he needs to in order to reach the NHL.

 

[rt]

Why did this guy go so high? Calvin Pickard finally went at 49th, and it was widely thought he would go after, even before Campbell, who went 11th.

From what I saw Visentin was of those group of goalies who would go later, possibly in the 2nd/3rd rounds along with that group of Dominigue, Simpson, Theriault, etc..

So what could Phoenix possibly have seen in this guy to take him not only way ahead of projection, but in the first round altogether??

Don Maloney said that Phoenix had Visentin ranked higher than any other goalie in the draft. He also said they had Domingue as the second highest rated goalie in the draft.

 

[PhoPhan]

While we're here, can someone explain to me how to pronounce his name? I've heard it three different ways now:

VIZ-en-tin
vi-SEN-tin
viz-en-TEEN

 

[RangerRed]

While we're here, can someone explain to me how to pronounce his name? I've heard it three different ways now:

VIZ-en-tin
vi-SEN-tin
viz-en-TEEN

This is how I've heard it pronounced on TV and radio during games. So it's the one I'm going with.

 

[Dutch Dreams]

While we're here, can someone explain to me how to pronounce his name? I've heard it three different ways now:

VIZ-en-tin
vi-SEN-tin
viz-en-TEEN

That one. The third one sounds too much like Byzantine, as in the Empire.

 

[rt]

While we're here, can someone explain to me how to pronounce his name? I've heard it three different ways now:

VIZ-en-tin
vi-SEN-tin
viz-en-TEEN

On his OHL features on youtube they call him viz-en-TEEN

 

[rt]

That one. The third one sounds too much like Byzantine, as in the Empire.

Which is exactly how his name is prounounced, it seems.

 

[Brock]

Which is exactly how his name is prounounced, it seems.

You are correct. It's Vis-en-teen.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Mark Visentin

What do you guys think, will he be playing for San Antonio Rampage next year? Maybe even try and make the Coyotes team? With Bryzgalov gone, there going to need a backup? Is he ready?

 

[Teemu]

No way is he ready. He's also not old enough to join the Rampage, so he'll return to the OHL next year. He certainly has proven doubters wrong so far, however.

 

[PhoPhan]

As Teemu mentioned, Visentin has another year until he's old enough to be AHL eligible. So while he's probably "ready" to the extent that he's the best young goalie in the Coyotes system right now, he won't be able to play there.