G Jesper Wallstedt (2021, 20th, MIN)

[Masch78]

Not sure if its the same as Soccer as it is in Hockey but as the old saying goes “You have to be crazy to be a keeper”

Isn't that a handball quote?

 

[NHL Dude 120]

Isn't that a handball quote?

Tbh dunno

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Isn't that a handball quote?

That goes for both sports.
Just look at Oliver Kahn for example...

 

[Masch78]

That goes for both sports.
Just look at Oliver Kahn for example...

In Kahns case you have to be nuts to be a striker. Just avoiding.

 

[B Boarding]

Isn't that a handball quote?

Yes it is. I've played handball and it's also true that many goalies are a bit crazy. You have to be to deliberately want to get in the way of shots between 100-140 km/h, only wearing a jockstrap as protection.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Getting back to Wallstedt, I think he’s pretty good and a likely first rounder. What I struggle with in ranking him is his athleticism.

I’m not against goalies in the first round, but I’d want them to be a certain profile (good size, athleticism, track record of success, good read of plays) to rank them as high as the best skaters. I think Wallstedt is good in all those areas, similar to Knight and Askarov, except I don’t think he’s an above average athleticism guy. I’m not sure I’m going to be able to rank a goalie with his profile much higher than 16-20 range, even with a great season. I don’t think he has the same sort of ceiling as Knight and Askarov.

 

[Teemu]

 

[theslatcher]

Started in an OTW in his first game back from his concussion today. Looking pretty good, as usual.

 

[theslatcher]

Stops 22 for the donut. Leads the league in sv%, & GAA now.

 

[Guttersniped]

They are also voodoo.

Fleury 1st overall
Price 5th overall
Rask 21st overall
Jarry 2nd round
Markstrom 2nd round
Vasilevsky 2nd round
Crawford 2nd round
Blackwood 2nd round
Binnington 3rd round
Bishop 3rd round
Grubauer 4th round
Hellebuyck 5th round
Ullmark 6th round
Andersen 7th round
Raanta undrafted

You can find goalies all throughout the draft. Of the goalie 1st overall, only Fleury was worth it, though you can argue Eric Staal is a better player (not to Pitt though with all their C). You don't need to get 1st overall to get a franchise goalie and most often than not, they will actually be drafted in later rounds.

Vasilevskiy was 19th overall and Andersen was drafted again by the Ducks in the 3rd round in 2013 btw. It’s actually not all that voodoo-y considering how many were taken in the early rounds but it’s similar to how top defensemen are found later, unlike elite forwards who tend to be concentrated at the top.

Nobody is debating that. That is, however, the least value position at the draft because:

1) Goalies are easy and relatively cheap to get both by trade and in the free market as opposed to #1 Ds or Cs who hit the UFA market once in blue moon (still impossible to get then if you aren't attractive market) and are virtually impossible to trade for.
2) There is a negligible difference between the top-end goalie and the average one compared to the top-end center and an average one.
3) Goalies are harder to project at a young age, you can always end up with another Jack Campbell.
4) Average draft position of the NHL starting goalie, even somewhat recently - discounting Rinnes and Lunqvists that would skew numbers even more - is ~#70. So there is a huge chance you could have had basically the same performance by investing 1-3 mid-round picks (depending on your luck and other factors) as you have with #1 pick. While legitimate #1 centers drafted outside of the first round could probably be counted on one hand.

So, to conclude, it doesn't matter how important the goalie position is. It's about the cost-effectiveness of the pick.

Again, it would be more interesting to compare drafting defensemen to goalies rather than forwards since elite offensive production is the easiest factor to predict.

The reason no GM would draft a goalie 1OA is no one is drafting a player who won’t contribute for a couple of years in that spot. Fleury did play with the Penguins right after being drafted but he faded and was sent back to juniors then later had a year in the AHL. Top young goalies are able make the NHL D+2, but it’s hard to see any future goalies making an impact much faster than Cary Price. Askarov is predicted to come over 2022-23 which fits that pattern. Having your 1OA show up two years later kills both the marketability and early benefits of winning the 1st overall.

Also when UFA changed in 2004 from 30 years old to 27 years old-or-7 years then the longer development of goalie prospects did make them lose value as picks. A late bloomer would now be a lot closer to UFA status by the time they secured a spot in the NHL.

That said I have no problem drafting Askarov where Nashville did or even considering drafting him sooner. He’s exceptional and that caliber of a goalie in his prime would not be available in trade so drafting him is how you get that. Top 3 for Askarov would have been a bit much though and I’m surprised Wallstedt is getting talked up for that more than he was but then again I’m no goalie expert.

 

[theslatcher]

Starts his second consecutive game today.

 

[theslatcher]

Just let in his first goal in 132 minutes.

 

[Appleyard]

Scouting Report: Jesper Wallstedt - Smaht Scouting

Wrote a pretty in-depth scouting report on Wallstedt for those interested.

 

[theslatcher]

Will start his third consecutive game today, and last one before heading to the WJCs.

 

[PostFriend]

Named as Goalie in the SHL autumn season Allstar team today!!! Youngest goalie in the league.

Lena Sundqvist: ”Spelarna ska ha en jätteeloge”

 

[theslatcher]

Named as Goalie in the SHL autumn season Allstar team today!!! Youngest goalie in the league.

Lena Sundqvist: ”Spelarna ska ha en jätteeloge”

Well, Lena Sundqvist's All-Star team. Picked Wallstedt over Fasth as she likes young players on their way up. Fasth has been lights out as of late but had a slow start.

 

[theslatcher]

Back in Lule, and starting tonight. Sounds like Lassinantti might come back to Luleå(they need to solve the Rauttio situation if so), not a bad goalie at all to backup Jesper.

2021 NHL Draft Goalie Dataset - Smaht Scouting

Some goalie data collected by Smaht Scouting's Josh Tessler.

 

[theslatcher]

Talk about a close one.

 

[theslatcher]

And in his first game back, he gets the 21 save SO.

 

[theslatcher]

Started 3 games in a row now, .943 sv% during that span(all Ws), though Joel Lassinantti(awarded SHL's Goaltender of the Year 18-19, and was one of the best last season), who left in the off-season for the KHL is back after a lackluster performance there. So Rautio is heading out, will be interesting to see how they play Lassi, & Wallstedt. If I had my say he'd not be a bad backup for Jesper.

 

[theslatcher]

Luleå's defense has really tanked Jesper's sv% as of late.

They allow few shots against, but the shots they do allow, boy oh boy, they are rough.

 

[theslatcher]

Made his SHL playoffs debut relieving Lassinanti in the 3rd after Luleå went down 4-1, saved the 4 shots he faced.

 

[thethinglonger]

It's a bit difficult to compile a Shift-By-Shift for goaltending prospects, but here's some footage of a game Wallstedt played back in January:

 

[Arthur Morgan]

where would be a realistic place for him to be drafted? top 10?

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

Honestly, if the Rangers are around the mid-teens in the draft, I'd have no issue if they drafted this kid.