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Prospect Info: Scott Ratzlaff, G, Seattle (WHL) - 141 OA, 2023; Signed ATO 3/27/24

Dingo44

Dingo44

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theathletic.com

2024 NHL prospect pool rankings: No. 1 Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres have a new wave of prospects coming and their top six or seven are as strong as any group in the league.
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12. Scott Ratzlaff, G, 18 (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Ratzlaff is on the smaller side for a goalie at 6-foot-1 and 170-something pounds, and he hung around on draft day until the Sabres took him in the fifth round largely for that reason, but his track record is strong and I know Buffalo was happy to get him/had honed in on him and done its homework. Last season, Thomas Milic (now drafted by the Winnipeg Jets) was the Thunderbirds’ starter in their run to a WHL title and Memorial Cup appearance and was the league’s postseason MVP, but there were times during the regular season when Ratzlaff really pushed and challenged him for the crease in Seattle. He was also tremendous en route to gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup with Canada and played well at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. This season, on a now-rebuilding Thunderbirds team, the net has been his and he has been consistent behind a weak team. He was also the only 18-year-old goalie invited to Canada’s world junior selection camp and I actually thought he looked like the most comfortable of the bunch throughout, stopping 28 of 30 shots he faced in camp (he should be one of their two goalies for next year’s tournament in Ottawa).

He’s a quick and technically sound goalie who is supremely aware of where everyone is on the ice, a good combination of tools that allows him to get to his spots early and make difficult saves look easy. He plays good angles and knows when to challenge and when to read and react. He goes post-to-post and low-to-high quickly and recovers in and out of his butterfly fast. He’s got quick feet and hands. He doesn’t spin or get caught napping often, which is important at his size. There really isn’t a lot to poke holes in from an ability standpoint. And he’s by all accounts a good, smart kid. I expect him to get signed at some point.
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RoyalOverNavy

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I plan to keep bumping this thread. This kid is good.

Tonight v Portland -- 52 saves from 56 shots
Seattle rallies behind him to win, 5-4, in overtime
Earns the No.1 star

Season stats (on a not good team) -- 3.45 GAA, .901 SV%
 
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Dingo44

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Chainshot said:
Just curious why you post things from a feed that is not official? Is that your feed?
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Didn't realize it matters. Sometimes I like the formatting better. Sometimes they break it before the official Amerks account which is what happened in this case. Amerksource and Sabresource are pretty good and accurate follows on Instagram that don't share wild speculations like other accounts.

I also refuse to be on Twitter (which goes back before Elon Musk bought it in case anyone is wondering) which maybe means I don't get the breaking news as fast as others but I still see it eventually.
 
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Chainshot

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Dingo44 said:
Didn't realize it matters. Sometimes I like the formatting better. Sometimes they break it before the official Amerks account which is what happened in this case. Amerksource and Sabresource are pretty good and accurate follows on Instagram that don't share wild speculations like other accounts.

I also refuse to be on Twitter (which goes back before Elon Musk bought it in case anyone is wondering) which maybe means I don't get the breaking news as fast as others but I still see it eventually.
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I was just curious.
 
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Faceboner

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Now that upl plays like a starter and Levi looks to be at least back up level for now we can properly develop goalies and take our time with them, keep stocking the goalie pipeline
 
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NotABadPeriod

NotABadPeriod

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Do we think he'll actually get game action, or is this going to be more of a "get to practice with pros" type situation?
 
BuffaloMango

BuffaloMango

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Reddawg said:
You hear that Kevyn? We want you to use every single 2024 pick on goalies. Nothing but goalies. Goalies all the time. It’ll be epic.
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If they aren't goalies they need to be left handed shots. No right handed sticks in this locker room.
 
Matt Ress

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MarkusKetterer said:
Who cares? Better than “Adams sucks” or “Terry sucks” that is 90% of the every thread nowadays
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I happen to think that neither suck but they're not helping their public images by supporting poor coaching. I also don't necessarily think that we're 100% doomed to poor coaching next year. Coaches bounce back also albeit less dramatically than players.
 
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