G Spencer Knight (2019, 13th, FLA)

[rt]

Late 1st round goalie talent

He’s a great prospect. I wouldn’t take any goalie prospect in the first three rounds. In fact, I think it’s better to never draft a goalie in any round. They rarely help the team that drafted them. In any round. This is a great goalie prospect, though. Still wouldn’t think about taking him in the first 100ish picks.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He reminds me a lot of Carey Price. Not saying that he is going to be him, but has very similar goaltending style. Everything seems effortless almost to the point where it looks like he's not even trying.

I think he's the best US goalie prospect we've seen since Gibson.

Thats a pretty good comparison. I think he's better than all the recent American goalie prospects, whether its Gibson, Oettinger, Demko. Price might be the best comparison stylistically, mentally and from a pre-draft accomplishments standpoint.

 

[scoutman1]

He’s a great prospect. I wouldn’t take any goalie prospect in the first three rounds. In fact, I think it’s better to never draft a goalie in any round. They rarely help the team that drafted them. In any round. This is a great goalie prospect, though. Still wouldn’t think about taking him in the first 100ish picks.

Kind of late imo to take a franchise goalie...people rush goalies too fast and most people.are too impatient now days to let players like goalies play 2 to 3 years before coming up...imo I have no problem taking a goalie 1st round and this guy is one...

 

[Guy Gadowsky]

I'm necroing this thread to ask how Knight compared to draft year Carter Hart

 

[NJ DevLolz]

I am very against taking goalies in the top 2 rounds, but this is a guy who is worth the bet, imo

 

[Vachon23]

Is he better then Carter Hart ?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Definitely a better pre-draft prospect than Hart.

Its close between Knight and Samsonov. One of those two is the best pre-draft prospect since Vasilevskiy. Knight was the more polished of the two, Samsonov had better athleticism.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He has a .930 SV% in the USHL this season. I think he could play in the AHL next season, but I doubt he won’t play at Boston College for at least a season or two.

 

[Boonk]

He has a .930 SV% in the USHL this season. I think he could play in the AHL next season, but I doubt he won’t play at Boston College for at least a season or two.

No he wouldnt. Hes the best goalie in the class but hes far from ready for professional hockey.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

No he wouldnt. Hes the best goalie in the class but hes far from ready for professional hockey.

Samsonov, who I think is similar caliber to Knight, had 19 KHL stats and a .925 SV% in a better league than the AHL at 18.

 

[Newfoundland]

He has a .930 SV% in the USHL this season. I think he could play in the AHL next season, but I doubt he won’t play at Boston College for at least a season or two.

Whoa, calm dowm

 

[Boonk]

Samsonov, who I think is similar caliber to Knight, had 19 KHL stats and a .925 SV% in a better league than the AHL at 18.

The USHL is not the KHL.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The USHL is not the KHL.

I said I think he's a similar caliber goalie to a player who played well in the KHL at 18.

 

[Boonk]

I said I think he's a similar caliber goalie to a player who played well in the KHL at 18.

That doesnt mean he would do well in the AHL. Jumping straight to the AHL from USHL is not the same as jumping to the AHL from the KHL.

 

[Dodospice]

That doesnt mean he would do well in the AHL. Jumping straight to the AHL from USHL is not the same as jumping to the AHL from the KHL.

What are you talking about? He said he thinks Knight at 18 could play in the AHL, Samsonov at 18 played in the KHL. Samsonov at 18 played in one of the best pro leagues and was great, he’s saying that he thinks Knight could also do the same at 18. What does jumping to the AHL from the KHL have to do with what he’s talking about?

 

[Boonk]

What are you talking about? He said he thinks Knight at 18 could play in the AHL, Samsonov at 18 played in the KHL. Samsonov at 18 played in one of the best pro leagues and was great, he’s saying that he thinks Knight could also do the same at 18. What does jumping to the AHL from the KHL have to do with what he’s talking about?

Because Knight and Samsonov are coming from two different development paths. The USHL is an amateur junior league. Not every 18-19 year old succeeds in a pro mens league, nevermind an 18 year old goaltender.

 

[StreetHawk]

I am very against taking goalies in the top 2 rounds, but this is a guy who is worth the bet, imo

It really depends on the age of your current starter. If your starter is in his 20’s like Gibson in Ana, Helly in Win, Vasilevsky in TB, no reason to be using high picks. Use picks from round 3 onwards and hope you strike gold.

But if your starter hits 30 and none of those late round picks and emerged or shows signs that they can be legit starters then you need to use a higher pick. I doubt you’ll see a goalie drafted in the top 10 anymore. Only first round goalies the past few Yadira went in the 20’s. Oettinger in 2017 to Dallas was around 26. Samsonov went around 23 in 2015.

So, goalies aren’t going super high anymore. If you are a team that is in the bottom 10, you likely can use your 2nd round pick and get the 2nd highest rated goalie on the board or possibly the highest rated one.

Main thing with goalies is never wait until your goalie is near the end to think about his replacement. Like right now is too late for Florida to be looking for an heir if one isn’t already in the organization.

 

[Meeqs]

Okay honest question, how good is this kid? I've seen him in a lot of 1st rounds which has surprised me. Is he simply really good and the best in the draft so they put him there or is this kid special and that's why he is so high?

We've seen a lot of promising 1st round goalies not pan out, so I guess my question is, is this kid different than a guy like Ottinger?

 

[Meeqs]

That doesnt mean he would do well in the AHL. Jumping straight to the AHL from USHL is not the same as jumping to the AHL from the KHL.

One thing that I think isn't talked about enough is that different leagues are more so just 'different' for goaltenders than they are necessarily better. While in some leagues the players are more skilled and have better shots, in the lower leagues there could be more break downs in coverages that the goalie wouldn't see in a higher one. So different skill sets are applied.

For example Hart has been way better in the NHL than he was in the AHL.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Okay honest question, how good is this kid?

Really, really.

(and I'm not usually very high on goalie prospects...he's a player.)

 

[Meeqs]

Really, really.

(and I'm not usually very high on goalie prospects...he's a player.)

That's what I have been hearing but esp at that position I feel like it can be tough to differentiate between those scenarios that I listed above.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

Knight is one of the best goalie prospects since Carey Price. He’s better in his pre-draft year than Hart. The NTDP plays a wide-open style and he sees way more breakaways and OMR’s than Hart saw in Everett, which is a tight-checking team.

Technical superiority and way more advanced than most goalies in their early 20s. Going to guess at least two or three teams have him top 15 on their draft board.

He looked like Lundqvist against Sioux Falls — stylistically, recovery, tracking. And he’s super intense.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He was the best goalie at the WJC18 a year ago as an under-ager. He was picked for that tournament because he had a very good season prior to the tournament. He's followed that up with another really good season.

Knight has good size and above-average athleticism to go along with very polished positioning and instincts. He rarely gives up bad goals, and is capable of making hard saves.

 

[StreetHawk]

Okay honest question, how good is this kid? I've seen him in a lot of 1st rounds which has surprised me. Is he simply really good and the best in the draft so they put him there or is this kid special and that's why he is so high?

We've seen a lot of promising 1st round goalies not pan out, so I guess my question is, is this kid different than a guy like Ottinger?

Late 1st is pretty fair. Remember, a couple of teams have already dealt their first round pick away. SJ belongs to Buffalo. STL belongs to Buffalo too. They have 3 of them, so if they don't view their Finnish goalie as the long term answer, they could use the last of those picks to secure Knight. LA Kings own the Leafs 1st round pick. Is Peterson the heir to Quick? Or would they be better off adding Knight late in the first? If you don't feel comfortable that he will be there come your turn in round 2, you can use that extra pick on him.

NYR could have TB's 1st if they win the Cup. Possibility for them as well.

Winnipeg, Nashville, Boston, Washington, Calgary, etc could all deal their 1st round pick giving another team an extra pick. That could be used to take Knight.

Knight is the only one who is rated in round 1. That trend should continue as well move forward. Don't see teams lining up to use a 1st on a goalie. Waiting 4-5 years and as the GM, you might not be around when he's ready to play. Has to be the right situation.

 

[Meeqs]

Late 1st is pretty fair. Remember, a couple of teams have already dealt their first round pick away. SJ belongs to Buffalo. STL belongs to Buffalo too. They have 3 of them, so if they don't view their Finnish goalie as the long term answer, they could use the last of those picks to secure Knight. LA Kings own the Leafs 1st round pick. Is Peterson the heir to Quick? Or would they be better off adding Knight late in the first? If you don't feel comfortable that he will be there come your turn in round 2, you can use that extra pick on him.

NYR could have TB's 1st if they win the Cup. Possibility for them as well.

Winnipeg, Nashville, Boston, Washington, Calgary, etc could all deal their 1st round pick giving another team an extra pick. That could be used to take Knight.

Knight is the only one who is rated in round 1. That trend should continue as well move forward. Don't see teams lining up to use a 1st on a goalie. Waiting 4-5 years and as the GM, you might not be around when he's ready to play. Has to be the right situation.

I don't think either Buf or NYR are the team to pick him as they both already have 2 high end young goalies right now. However I could see a team taking a chance. It'll be interesting to see where he goes.