G Rastislav Elias - Green Bay Gamblers, USHL (2022 Draft)

[Martinez89]

Back to back good games this weekend and last. Also you must remember, his team isn’t really very good. Only 1 drafted player and he was a 4th rounder in 2021.

In my eyes Elias deserves to be drafted. It´s normal for 17 y.o. European goalie you need month or two for acclimatization in the USA and so I can understand Elias was really bad in his first 5 games.

But after that, in his next 10 starts, he looks like draftable prospect again. His GAA is 2.60 and his SV% is 91.32 which is very decent for 17 y.o. goalie prospect in the USHL. Add a silver medal from HGC from the beginning of the season and for me he is worthy to be drafted in later rounds.

 

[Antiillafire]

In my eyes Elias deserves to be drafted. It´s normal for 17 y.o. European goalie you need month or two for acclimatization in the USA and so I can understand Elias was really bad in his first 5 games.

But after that, in his next 10 starts, he looks like draftable prospect again. His GAA is 2.60 and his SV% is 91.32 which is very decent for 17 y.o. goalie prospect in the USHL. Add a silver medal from HGC from the beginning of the season and for me he is worthy to be drafted in later rounds.

He looked quite shaky at times in the U18 tournament. I thought Jurcak was the better goalie overall, and should have split time more evenly. I’m unsure how he won best goalie, but I guess they had to give at least 1 award to Slovakia. I doubt he will be drafted, Hlavaj wasn’t and neither was Latkoczy.

 

[DatDude44]

He looked quite shaky at times in the U18 tournament. I thought Jurcak was the better goalie overall, and should have split time more evenly. I’m unsure how he won best goalie, but I guess they had to give at least 1 award to Slovakia. I doubt he will be drafted, Hlavaj wasn’t and neither was Latkoczy.

Elias’s process/details are way better and transferable long term than latkoczy. Latkoczy is a great USHL and will be a very good college goaltender but I don’t see him amounting to much in pro hockey. My reasoning is he’s way too out of control and over aggressive. He spends more time in the white paint than the blue paint lol

 

[Martinez89]

He looked quite shaky at times in the U18 tournament. I thought Jurcak was the better goalie overall, and should have split time more evenly. I’m unsure how he won best goalie, but I guess they had to give at least 1 award to Slovakia. I doubt he will be drafted, Hlavaj wasn’t and neither was Latkoczy.

Jurcak made some mistakes in preparation games and didn´t look good there. Also his game against KAZ was weaker so for me there is no question it´s Elias who I have more trust between these two.

I agree Elias probably lost part of his confidence after his weaker season in NA, looked shaky. For sure he wasn´t the best goalie of the tournament, at least that French goalkeeper seemed better - as you wrote they had to give some award to Slovak player.

Right now I would say his chances to be drafted are quite low scouts will be wait probably for the next season. Here we´ll see his true face, Elias will probably be no.1 goaltender in some USHL team and will be more adapted for US style. But maybe some team it´ll try with him in this draft in later rounds, I can imagine that.

 

[alko]

Adam Huska first season (half season) in USHL was also a disaster. And despite that, he was drafted.

 

[Antiillafire]

Once viewed as the clear best 2004 born Slovak goaltender, played a really good pre season game for HIFK. 28 save shut out. Hopefully he has a good season and can form a good 1-2 option with Gajan for WJC

 

[JabbaJabba]

Didn't know he came to play in Finland. That's cool. HIFK look very good for the upcoming season so Elias has a chance to win something. I believe Taponen is the starter going into the season, but I don't think it's set in stone. With good performance, Elias can take the spot.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Once viewed as the clear best 2004 born Slovak goaltender, played a really good pre season game for HIFK. 28 save shut out. Hopefully he has a good season and can form a good 1-2 option with Gajan for WJC

Don’t forget my boy Jan Korec. He had a much better USHL season last year than either of Elias’ seasons in the league.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Don’t forget my boy Jan Korec. He had a much better USHL season last year than either of Elias’ seasons in the league.

Slovakia should take a lesson from the Czech's and know that if you're going to bring a big, flashy goalie you need to have a calm, positionally sound goalie ready to take over like Suchanek or in this case Korec. I'd be surprised if Elias was in real contention for a spot as he's just all agility and all over the net,

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Slovakia should take a lesson from the Czech's and know that if you're going to bring a big, flashy goalie you need to have a calm, positionally sound goalie ready to take over like Suchanek or in this case Korec. I'd be surprised if Elias was in real contention for a spot as he's just all agility and all over the net,

The thing is, I don’t think Korec is calm. He’s a showman type of smaller goalie that can steal you a game, and he’s currently better at it than Elias. His positioning is pretty good though, so I think the main reasons he didn’t get drafted is he’s 6’1, was one of the oldest first year draft eligibles in 2023, and has little international experience.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

The thing is, I don’t think Korec is calm. He’s a showman type of smaller goalie that can steal you a game, and he’s currently better at it than Elias. His positioning is pretty good though, so I think the main reasons he didn’t get drafted is he’s 6’1, was one of the oldest first year draft eligibles in 2023, and has little international experience.

Well calmer than Gajan or Elias anyways and calm for a U20 goalie. His height is primarily why he didn't get drafted. NHL teams are happy to draft 6' 6" goalies that don't know how to even play goalie (Zhigalov). Problem with Korec is he's 6' 1" with the 2nd being a good distance behind in being that he doesn't really possess a great level of skill in anything. He's good to average in everything, just not really great.

 

[Antiillafire]

Don’t forget my boy Jan Korec. He had a much better USHL season last year than either of Elias’ seasons in the league.

Korec was a disaster in the pre tournament game last year and was why Gajan was invited. If Elias has a good season in the U20 Finnish league he will likely be there as the second goalie with Urban or another 2005 as the third goalie.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Well calmer than Gajan or Elias anyways and calm for a U20 goalie. His height is primarily why he didn't get drafted. NHL teams are happy to draft 6' 6" goalies that don't know how to even play goalie (Zhigalov). Problem with Korec is he's 6' 1" with the 2nd being a good distance behind in being that he doesn't really possess a great level of skill in anything. He's good to average in everything, just not really great.

I wish NHL teams would stop their infatuation with height in goaltenders. The trends show that the ones having more success are shorter than average height goalies. I think it’s easier now for a shorter goaltender to cover up more of the net with the weight of equipment than it is for a taller goaltender to move well side to side or do so in a graceful and repetitive manner.

 

[alko]

Was somehow dissapointed with his progress in last 3 seasons. But still young, he could do something in future.

btw. it was a game for senior team?

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

 

[Antiillafire]

Shame he never really panned out or at least not yet. Maybe instead will be a player for Slovakia NT down the road