G Joshua Ravensbergen - Prince George Cougars, WHL (2025 Draft)

[Bubbles]

1st shutout of the playoffs.

 

[Halakitlikethat]

Kid is cool as a cucumber.

Go cougars.

 

[Hinterland]

I'm glad to see him doing well in the playoffs because in the regular season he did kinda fall apart in 2024 after entering the league with a bang.

 

[Bubbles]

Back to back shutouts. 16 shots, but the ones he did deal with were handled fine. PG does block a lot of shots. I'm really impressed with how quick his feet are for a 6'4 kid.

 

[touchnotthecat]

His poise is incredible for a young goaltender. He wasn't really tested today but never lost focus and was ready for the rare dangerous chance. You can tell how frustrated Kelowna is when every shooter looks to the sky. They can't figure him out.
Stood out to me at the end of the first game when he would leave the net or handle a puck on net without dropping into butterfly with minutes left on the shutout. He is just oozing confidence right now and the Cougars look unbeatableble.

 

[Bubbles]

Shut out the high powered Portland team last night. 3 shutouts in the playoffs so far.

 

[Bubbles]

Had a couple of bad games after the shutout, we'll see if he plays tonight as PG is facing elimination.

Still he was rookie of the month for April.

 

[McMozesmadness]

He was amazing tonight. Great bounce back for him. Great bounce back for the Cougars

Back to PG for 6 and 7

I wonder if the workload caught up to him in games 2 and 3. I can’t imagine he’s played this often before and obviously never at this level or intensity

 

[Bubbles]

He was amazing tonight. Great bounce back for him. Great bounce back for the Cougars

Back to PG for 6 and 7

I wonder if the workload caught up to him in games 2 and 3. I can’t imagine he’s played this often before and obviously never at this level or intensity

You're probably right on him getting a bit tired, back to backs are tough. Won't be playing till Monday so he'll have lots of rest.

 

[Hinterland]

You're probably right on him getting a bit tired, back to backs are tough. Won't be playing till Monday so he'll have lots of rest.

Yeah. I think fatigue is definitely a factor but I guess it's probably mental more so than physical fatigue. Without wanting to take anything away from Ravensbergen who I think is gonna be the top goalie available in the 2025 NHL draft I also think that he kinda got figured out as well. He entered the league with a bang but those numbers were never sustainable. I think he benefitted from being a big, athletic righty goalie which isn't something you see very often in hockey. So the more you play, especially as you keep on playing the same teams over and over again, the more difficult it becomes for Ravensbergen and he has to make adjustments, work on his game. Therefore, some up's and down's were to be expected. As a result, his 2024 wasn't quite as consistent as his 2023. Good to see him bounce back during playoffs though where he, for the most part, has been really good.

 

[McMozesmadness]

PG and Portland 1-1 heading to OT

Season on the line for the Cougars

Ravensbergen has been incredible. An all time goalie duel with Spunar tonight

This has been one of the best games I’ve watched all year. These are the two best teams in Jr. hockey for my money

 

[McMozesmadness]

Portland wins in 2OT. They advance to the WHL Final

Ravensbergen played his ass off tonight. What a playoff for him. He seemed unbeatable at times. Finishes with a 1.92 GAA and a 933 SV%

PG will be a powerhouse again next year. He will anchor that team. I’m not sure how high he goes in the 2025 draft but he’s the most exciting goalie prospect I’ve seen since Cossa/Wallstedt. His mix of size, poise and athleticism looks elite to me

 

[Petes2424]

Can’t say anything bad about the kid. He played his heart out tonight, and has a bright future ahead of himself.

 

[StreetHawk]

Portland wins in 2OT. They advance to the WHL Final

Ravensbergen played his ass off tonight. What a playoff for him. He seemed unbeatable at times. Finishes with a 1.92 GAA and a 933 SV%

PG will be a powerhouse again next year. He will anchor that team. I’m not sure how high he goes in the 2025 draft but he’s the most exciting goalie prospect I’ve seen since Cossa/Wallstedt. His mix of size, poise and athleticism looks elite to me

If you are a team in need of a goalie, best to secure a late first to give yourself the option to take him in the 20's. Don't think we are going to be seeing goalies going in the non PO team slots up to 16. After that, probably wide open depending on how badly your teams needs a future goalie and what's on the board with the skaters.

Or you're one of the PO teams and your starting goalie is into his 30's. Thus, need to think long term and look at drafting his heir.

 

[ameselare]

He's been invited to the 24-25 Canadian National Junior Team Summer Showcase.

2024-25 Summer Showcase Roster | National Junior Team

View the 2024-25 Canadian National Junior Team Summer Showcase Roster.

www.hockeycanada.ca

 

[BKarchitect]

How does he stack up against the other big, higher end goalies from out west recently like Cossa and Bjarnason?

Potentially one of the best Canadian goalie prospects in a while? I know Ivankovic had great stats in the OHL but I feel like his 6’-0” frame is going to hurt him come draft day. Ravensbergen has the stats over a heavy workload plus dynamite playoff performance plus that huge frame that almost seems a prerequisite these days for the high, high end goalie prospects.

 

[StreetHawk]

Been a while since CAD goalies went round 1. Outside of Cossa in 2021 need to go back to like 2012 with Subban I believe. First round goalies since 2012 were Samsonov in 2015, Oettinger in 2017, knight in 2019, Askarov in 2020, Cossa and Wallstedt in 2021. None since then in the past 3 drafts. 6 goalies. A Cad, 2 Americans, 2 Russians and a Swede.

 

[ameselare]

How does he stack up against the other big, higher end goalies from out west recently like Cossa and Bjarnason?

Potentially one of the best Canadian goalie prospects in a while? I know Ivankovic had great stats in the OHL but I feel like his 6’-0” frame is going to hurt him come draft day. Ravensbergen has the stats over a heavy workload plus dynamite playoff performance plus that huge frame that almost seems a prerequisite these days for the high, high end goalie prospects.

He is currently projected to go in the first round. StreetHawk outlined how that's pretty rare for Canadian goalies these days (and in general, to be fair).

If we compare Cossa and Ravensbergen's rookie seasons in the WHL (doesn't take into account anything about the teams in front of them so grain of salt etc, but interestingly they're both November birthdays):

Cossa
Regular Season 19-20
33 GP (21 W, 6 L, 3 T)
4 Shutouts
2.23 GAA
0.921 sv%

No playoffs

Ravensbergen
Regular Season 23-24
38 GP (26 W, 4 L, 2 T)
6 shutouts
2.46 GAA
0.907 sv%

Playoffs 23-24
12 GP (9 W, 2 L, 1 T)
3 shutouts
1.98 GAA
0.931 sv%

 

[StreetHawk]

He is currently projected to go in the first round. StreetHawk outlined how that's pretty rare for Canadian goalies these days (and in general, to be fair).

If we compare Cossa and Ravensbergen's rookie seasons in the WHL (doesn't take into account anything about the teams in front of them so grain of salt etc, but interestingly they're both November birthdays):

Quite a few teams took goalies in rounds 2 and 3 the past 3 drafts, when no goalie went round 1.

2024 - Col, NJ, LA, CBS, Edm in round 2 - LV, Cal, Sea in round 3.
2023 - Chi, AZ, Det, Phi, Ana in round 2 - Mon, Phi, in round 3
2022 - Buf, Sea in round 2 - None in Rd 3

Phi and Sea doubling down the past 3 drafts on goalies.

8, 7, and 2 the past 3 seasons in the top 3 rounds.

 

[LeProspector]

He’ll follow a similar trajectory as Bjarnason, and go in the second round.

 

[landy92mack29]

We'll see how he does in his draft year but he's closer to if not as good as Cossa was his draft -1, 1st round is the most likely if he can repeat or improve

 

[StreetHawk]

We'll see how he does in his draft year but he's closer to if not as good as Cossa was his draft -1, 1st round is the most likely if he can repeat or improve

15 clubs have not drafted a goalie high in the past 3 drafts. Even if you add in Minny with Wallstedt in 2021, that would drop it down to 14.

That leaves teams like Cal, Van, SJ, Nas (if they move off Askarov), Win, Dal, Tor, Ott, Bos, NYR, NYI (took Luneau in 2021), Pitt, Wash, Fla (still have Knight from 2019) as the most likely to draft him high.

Fla, Tor have no first rounder in 2024. Owed by Cal (more likely to go to Mon), and Chicago.

Cal has NJ's 1st so they could use that. Van, might have too many holes in F/D prospects to go G, SJ, needs a goalie prospect if they don't have one. Nash, depending on how Askarov situation plays itself out. Bos, have Swayman and need to replenish asset base from their Lindholm/Bertuzzi trades. NYI with Luneau probably not going to take a G.

So, mostly likely would be Cal, Sj, Win, Pitt, Wash IMO. But any of Win, Dal, Ott could as well. New York teams set in net for a while.

 

[OtherThingsILike]

So, mostly likely would be Cal, Sj, Win, Pitt, Wash IMO. But any of Win, Dal, Ott could as well. New York teams set in net for a while.

It's unlikely that the Penguins would draft a goalie in the 1st Round in 2025. We have a lot of goalie prospects coming up that we would want to see how they do first.

 

[ameselare]

15 clubs have not drafted a goalie high in the past 3 drafts. Even if you add in Minny with Wallstedt in 2021, that would drop it down to 14.

That leaves teams like Cal, Van, SJ, Nas (if they move off Askarov), Win, Dal, Tor, Ott, Bos, NYR, NYI (took Luneau in 2021), Pitt, Wash, Fla (still have Knight from 2019) as the most likely to draft him high.

Fla, Tor have no first rounder in 2024. Owed by Cal (more likely to go to Mon), and Chicago.

Cal has NJ's 1st so they could use that. Van, might have too many holes in F/D prospects to go G, SJ, needs a goalie prospect if they don't have one. Nash, depending on how Askarov situation plays itself out. Bos, have Swayman and need to replenish asset base from their Lindholm/Bertuzzi trades. NYI with Luneau probably not going to take a G.

So, mostly likely would be Cal, Sj, Win, Pitt, Wash IMO. But any of Win, Dal, Ott could as well. New York teams set in net for a while.

Wouldn't be surprised if it's SJ. 1/3 of their 2024 draft picks are from North Vancouver, where Ravensbergen is also from. They don't really have their goalie of the future yet, so why not? Could use Vegas' first. We'll see what happens.

 

[Sacha BOXviert]

The Penguins have Blomqvist and Murashov. They are not going to draft a goalie.