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- Apr 18, 2017
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Here are my takes, but I'd love to hear yours:
Patrick Rybar - 24-year-old Rybar was third among all goalies in the Czech league in SV%, and 2nd of those who played over 15 games. Decently tall at 6'3", although nothing special for goalies. Skinny at only 176 lbs. Not sure where he sits in Detroit's depth chart for goalies. Both Jared Coreau and Tom McCollum, the Grand Rapids Griffin's goalie tandem, are pending free agents, while (according to EliteProspects) Matej Machovsky is going to play in the Czech league for the 2018-2019 season. This leaves Jimmy Howard, Patrik Rybar, and Kaden Fulcher as the Red Wings' only goalies signed in North America for the 2018-2019 season. I'd say Rybar has a better chance than Fulcher of playing behind Howard, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Red Wings sign a backup goalie in the offseason leaving Rybar in the AHL.
Kevin Lankinen - 23-year-old Lankinen put up Liiga's best SV% and GAA, albeit in a limited number of games (only 15). A little shorter than Rybar at only 6'2", but weighs more. With Corey Crawford back for the 2018-2019 season, I expect Lankinen to start in the AHL alongside JF Berube, with Collin Delia returning to the ECHL. Anton Forsberg will most likely stay behind Crawford in the NHL, but Lankinen may be the go-to call up if either Forsberg or Crawford are injured considering Berube's shaky stats from last season. Chicago also has young Ivan Nalimov to turn once if he decides to cross the pond to North America (he was second in the KHL in SV% and his contract ends after this coming season).
Pavel Francouz - Older than Lankinen and Rybar at 27-years-old, Francouz led the KHL in SV% on a decent Traktor Chelyabinsk team. Short for a goalie at only 6'0". He is the only goalie of the bunch that EliteProspects lists as playing with his signed club's NHL, rather than AHL, team. Considering his age, stats and the fact that Semyon Varlamov is the only other goalie of Colorado who isn't a pending free agent, I can peg Francouz getting the backup position with the Avalanche. However, I could also see Colorado signing a 1b goalie to play behind the inconsistent and injury-prone Varlamov.
Mikko Koskinen - The 29-year-old Koskinen was fifth in the KHL for Russia's favorite SKA St. Peterburg team, sitting just above his partner-in-crime Igor Shestyorkin (who he split playing time with). Koskinen is a large goalie, standing 6'6" at 205 lbs. With Al Montoya signed through 2018/2019, Koskinen should be the starting goalie for Bakersfield, Edmonton's AHL affiliate. The only other goalie signed for Edmonton after this season is Shane Starrett, who will most likely play backup to Koskinen. I am fairly confident in saying that Koskinen will be Edmonton's go-to call up, as long as he doesn't majorly disappoint and Starrett doesn't majorly impress.
Miroslav Svoboda - Very similar to Rybar in terms of stats, age, and size, Svoboda was fifth in the Czech league for SV% and 4th in GAA. Svoboda played for the Czech league's best team (in regular season standings), while Rybar played for the second-best team. Svoboda will be stuck behind Rinne and Saros, and potentially Troy Grosenick in the AHL. I can vouch for Grosenick starting in Milwuakee after watching him play with the San Jose Barracuda, but it's possible that Svoboda will split time with him.
So for the next season, I'd rank them: Francouz > Koskinen > Rybar > Lankinen > Svoboda
Just in terms of their competition on their team, my ranking for them in the future is: Francouz > Rybar > Koskinen > Lankinen > Svoboda
Patrick Rybar - 24-year-old Rybar was third among all goalies in the Czech league in SV%, and 2nd of those who played over 15 games. Decently tall at 6'3", although nothing special for goalies. Skinny at only 176 lbs. Not sure where he sits in Detroit's depth chart for goalies. Both Jared Coreau and Tom McCollum, the Grand Rapids Griffin's goalie tandem, are pending free agents, while (according to EliteProspects) Matej Machovsky is going to play in the Czech league for the 2018-2019 season. This leaves Jimmy Howard, Patrik Rybar, and Kaden Fulcher as the Red Wings' only goalies signed in North America for the 2018-2019 season. I'd say Rybar has a better chance than Fulcher of playing behind Howard, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Red Wings sign a backup goalie in the offseason leaving Rybar in the AHL.
Kevin Lankinen - 23-year-old Lankinen put up Liiga's best SV% and GAA, albeit in a limited number of games (only 15). A little shorter than Rybar at only 6'2", but weighs more. With Corey Crawford back for the 2018-2019 season, I expect Lankinen to start in the AHL alongside JF Berube, with Collin Delia returning to the ECHL. Anton Forsberg will most likely stay behind Crawford in the NHL, but Lankinen may be the go-to call up if either Forsberg or Crawford are injured considering Berube's shaky stats from last season. Chicago also has young Ivan Nalimov to turn once if he decides to cross the pond to North America (he was second in the KHL in SV% and his contract ends after this coming season).
Pavel Francouz - Older than Lankinen and Rybar at 27-years-old, Francouz led the KHL in SV% on a decent Traktor Chelyabinsk team. Short for a goalie at only 6'0". He is the only goalie of the bunch that EliteProspects lists as playing with his signed club's NHL, rather than AHL, team. Considering his age, stats and the fact that Semyon Varlamov is the only other goalie of Colorado who isn't a pending free agent, I can peg Francouz getting the backup position with the Avalanche. However, I could also see Colorado signing a 1b goalie to play behind the inconsistent and injury-prone Varlamov.
Mikko Koskinen - The 29-year-old Koskinen was fifth in the KHL for Russia's favorite SKA St. Peterburg team, sitting just above his partner-in-crime Igor Shestyorkin (who he split playing time with). Koskinen is a large goalie, standing 6'6" at 205 lbs. With Al Montoya signed through 2018/2019, Koskinen should be the starting goalie for Bakersfield, Edmonton's AHL affiliate. The only other goalie signed for Edmonton after this season is Shane Starrett, who will most likely play backup to Koskinen. I am fairly confident in saying that Koskinen will be Edmonton's go-to call up, as long as he doesn't majorly disappoint and Starrett doesn't majorly impress.
Miroslav Svoboda - Very similar to Rybar in terms of stats, age, and size, Svoboda was fifth in the Czech league for SV% and 4th in GAA. Svoboda played for the Czech league's best team (in regular season standings), while Rybar played for the second-best team. Svoboda will be stuck behind Rinne and Saros, and potentially Troy Grosenick in the AHL. I can vouch for Grosenick starting in Milwuakee after watching him play with the San Jose Barracuda, but it's possible that Svoboda will split time with him.
So for the next season, I'd rank them: Francouz > Koskinen > Rybar > Lankinen > Svoboda
Just in terms of their competition on their team, my ranking for them in the future is: Francouz > Rybar > Koskinen > Lankinen > Svoboda