This is Brock's take on JoeV at #21:
21. Joe Vrbetic - Goaltender - North Bay Battalion
Vrbetic is a massive (6'6), but slight (180lbs) netminder who is definitely deserving of the NHL attention he is receiving. A late born 2002, Vrbetic has really only played one OHL season, unlike the aforementioned Tristan Lennox. His rookie year had some serious ups and downs, but it did seem like he had turned a corner in the final month or two before the pandemic shut everything down. Obviously, at 6'6, his size is going to be the first thing NHL scouts find attractive; it is the trend. He does certainly take up a lot of the net, especially when he drops down to the butterfly and manages to get out to challenge shooters. However, his quickness and agility is something that he will need to work hard on. He can get caught deep in his net too often because he lacks the quickness to react aggressively with a hard push out into the blue paint. This also goes for his up/down quickness, which needs improvement as well in order to give him a better chance of making those second/third chance opportunity saves. In flurries, he can get lost. That said, I do feel Vrbetic tracks the play well. His anticipation is excellent, so once he refines some of those technical components, he should be able to be a much more consistent netminder. Vrbetic's rebound control for a larger netminder is also good, especially his pad control and his ability to squeeze body shots when fighting through traffic. The control of his long limbs despite obviously lacking strength and power reminds me a bit of watching Matt Murray at the same age. Goaltenders are certainly tougher to project, but there is no reason to suggest that Vrbetic could not be an NHL netminder if he continues to improve.
. Looking forward to hearing how 2 big parts of our future stack up against the others, one year out from draft.
