G Zach Fucale (2013, 36th, MTL)
- Thread starter Thebeastoftheeast
- Start date
-
Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
PBandJ
If it didn't happen in the 80's, it didn't happen
That's some expectations you got there for him. It really depends on how you want to skew the term 'start of season': http://theqmjhl.ca/roster/show/id/8611
He was good to start the season before the last week. You have to be good to give up 14 goals in his last 10 periods and still be 6th in GAA 20 games in...
Is he 2nd in GAA, T3rd in SV%, 1st in W, 3rd in minutes like last season? No...but it's early November in a league than ends in March. He really took his 'stats' to another level in February and March last season so it is relevant and interesting to watch. It's a prospect not a proven NHLer...
You have by far the most posts out of anyone in this thread and shows you have an agenda against Fucale for whatever reason. Even if he was 1st in all goalie stats he still isn't close to NHL ready. I'm not sure what your point is...what young goalie doesn't have bad games/stretches? My favorite is the cross CHL sv% comparison between players...now that's a hilarious display of 'scouting'.
Last edited:
3 Minute Minor
Registered User
- Sep 29, 2009
- 5,201
- 850
That's some expectations you got there for him. It really depends on how you want to skew the term 'start of season': http://theqmjhl.ca/roster/show/id/8611
He was good to start the season before the last week. You have to be good to give up 14 goals in his last 10 periods and still be 6th in GAA 20 games in...
Is he 2nd in GAA, T3rd in SV%, 1st in W, 3rd in minutes like last season? No...but it's early November in a league than ends in March. He really took his 'stats' to another level in February and March last season so it is relevant and interesting to watch. It's a prospect not a proven NHLer...
You have by far the most posts out of anyone in this thread and shows you have an agenda against Fucale for whatever reason. Even if he was 1st in all goalie stats he still isn't close to NHL ready. I'm not sure what your point is...what young goalie doesn't have bad games/stretches? My favorite is the cross CHL sv% comparison between players...now that's a hilarious display of 'scouting'.
I probably have the most posts because of responses like this, where I say something and then you respond with something completely irrelevant to the post you quoted, seemingly putting a bunch of words in my mouth yet again. You also quote me then talk about "cross CHL Sv% comparison between players" which I didn't do at all, with that said, CHL Sv% might be skewed from league to league but it makes more sense than quoting a guys place in the league for GAA, the most irrelevant goalie stat in junior hockey lol
I get what you're doing, posting about his bad performances to counter people who still overrate him, but you're not doing yourself any favours with the way that you post in this thread.
By simply laughing at comments you disagree with, it just seems that you're trying to stir up anger in other posters, rather than trying to make them see your point. Also not helping is the phrase 'Just sayin'. That's probably the most condescending way anyone could finish a post. The fact that you post that just one day after Fucale had a shutout and you said nothing would also seems a little odd.
I do understand where you're coming from, sometimes others will do nothing but praise a player even if they are struggling, so balancing that with negative comments, when they're deserved, can make sense. I also think I've read enough of your posts to know that you aren't the condescending type, but I can see why others would feel that you're coming across that way, at least in this particular thread.
And although I doubt you are one, there certainly are plenty of boxscore scouts around here, and that's a terrible way to judge a goalie, which immediately is going to get some posters' backs up.
So anyway, that's my take on the situation, and I don't know if my post will come across the way I'm intending, but I hope people can understand that I would really just like it if this thread could actually be about Fucale, rather than being about a war between posters who are taking the polar opposite view of any poster they even slightly disagree with.
Here, I'll get the ball rolling:
Fucale's positioning is excellent, and he makes tough saves look easy, he also rebounds well from bad goals/games(as we saw with his recent shutout).
However, his glove hand has looked weak, and he need to improve his in-game focus, as he often goes long stretches without seeing any real shots, then looks shaky when the opposition finally comes at him.
Zephyr666
Registered User
- Apr 17, 2013
- 294
- 7
He's not living up to the expectations actually, but ffs guys it's only been 1 month of hockey after his draft. Goalies are a wild guess at this age, from what I've seen last season he has a good chance of making the big league eventually.
Chill out and let him play all season to judge him or at least wait to see the WJC (if he plays, pretty sure he'll at least take one of the three roster spots) it's going to be a good test to see his under-pressure performances.
Chill out and let him play all season to judge him or at least wait to see the WJC (if he plays, pretty sure he'll at least take one of the three roster spots) it's going to be a good test to see his under-pressure performances.
I think he will be good goalie. Fucale had a good camp, shown to be playoff warrior and better than Fleury or Giguere who played around here and went on to good NHL careers. Waite made a good goalie out of Crawford, he'll make better one out of Fucale. Common for junior goalies to have wide swings in their game.
Ohashi_Jouzu*
Registered User
I still don't get what these "expectations" were, or where they came from. If they were statistical expectations, they must be from amateur observers. Halifax is 8-2 in their last 10 and aren't losing games due to the performance of either goalie.
I wouldn't say extremely shaky, but he certainly had a lacklustre start. Lately (last two weeks) I would say he has risen to the occasion.
As far as Fucale goes, I wouldn't get too upset over the stats. Goalies are long term projects, and a poor statline in the November following his draft is really nothing to be alarmed about.
Stephen23
Registered User
I am a Moosehead fan but I highly doubt he will be better than Fleury. Fleury was lights out when he played for the Screaming Eagles. I think Fucale is very talented and young, but also a little overated unfortunately and a benefit of the system/team he played for. I do think he will be an NHL goalie one day though. He's a great kid with a great attitude. Hope he does well.
Ohashi_Jouzu*
Registered User
Sounds like Fleury's NHL career so far, if you ask me; especially as a former 1st overall pick. Guy has 8 full NHL seasons at this point, and has put together an excellent regular season with an excellent playoffs exactly once in his career - same thing in junior, actually. I think Giguere is/was the better goalie, and a better comparison for Fucale anyway. Will probably end up with a similarly delayed rise to NHL prominence too, unless traded (as Giguere was), because the Habs have Price.
Patmac40
BESTPOSTERINTHEGAME
Great game from Zach tonight. Some huge saves coming post to post and held the fort when it mattered. The two goals that got by him wouldn't have been stopped by most goalies unless that had a horseshoe up their ***. Great game.
3 Minute Minor
Registered User
- Sep 29, 2009
- 5,201
- 850
He's got a great chance to string together some good games. The next number of games are against bottom half of the league teams like Acadie-Bathurst, Cape Breton, Moncton, Victoriaville. If there's a time this season to get on a roll it's now.
Patmac40
BESTPOSTERINTHEGAME
He definitely has a good shot at beating up on some of the lower tier Maritime teams for sure. His confidence could be through the roof if all goes as planned for the next stretch of games. I think tonight will be a good test for him on a back-to-back against Charlottetown.
PensBandwagonerNo272*
Forgot About Sid
- Sep 10, 2012
- 12,530
- 9
I honestly wouldn't praise Zach too highly for last night. His play picked up, sure, but a huge part of that was due to the fact Halifax came out as a totally different team in the 2nd/3rd and were not giving up any big chances most of the rest of the game.
He had some solid saves though, sure, but I really want to see Zach get to another level this season.
He's doing fine and I don't mean to sound overly harsh. Just want to see him get to that level.
He had some solid saves though, sure, but I really want to see Zach get to another level this season.
He's doing fine and I don't mean to sound overly harsh. Just want to see him get to that level.
Ohashi_Jouzu*
Registered User
Lots of people complaining that he hasn't been playing "well enough", but when you look at the stats, he's still 3rd in the Q among starters for GAA, and top 10 for SV%, so good enough to keep Halifax just 2 points out of 1st place. As for the WJC starter, I'd give him 50/50. There's pretty much no chance he's relegated to 3rd goalie, imo. When they need big games in a short tournament, it'll be hard not to go with Zach.
jlawrence
Registered User
- Jul 1, 2012
- 52
- 0
He's shown in his junior career so far that he can be depended on in big games, hopefully he's given an opportunity to play as number 1.
3 Minute Minor
Registered User
- Sep 29, 2009
- 5,201
- 850
I would hope his chances are 50/50 and no chance he's relegated to 3rd goalie considering... they only named 2 goalies to the camp roster
GAA leaders is the most irrelevant thing ever. If there's a goalie with a 4.59GAA and a .935Save%, I think I want him more than a goalie with a 1.95GAA and .935Save%
Last month when I said he had a great opportunity to string together some good games, he did. He's had a block of 10 games or so and he's done exceptional in all but maybe 1 or 2.
Tim Wallach
Registered User
Ask Saginaw fans and they'll tell you that Paterson has not been good at all this year. In fact, he is basically the second best goalie on Saginaw right now. They have no faith in his ability to win them games in the OHL right now, so I'm guessing Fucale has a great shot at starting.
And it makes the decision to only take two goalies all the more curious.
1Gold Standard
Registered User
- Jun 13, 2012
- 7,970
- 295
Ever since Al Murray left Hockey Canada for the T.Bay Lighting job, I don't think anybody there really knows what they are doing. We'll see if this Jankowski character knows what he's doing. I think the call for a smaller selection camp roster was a smart move, but I have my doubts about everything else.
The goalie situation for Canada this year makes me nervous. The team looks solid otherwise, but goaltending again looks like it could be the weak link.
Tim Wallach
Registered User
Jankowski comes with a solid scouting reputation, but putting a team together for a short tournament is a different ball game. We'l see what he's got.
I think Canada's goaltending will continue to make everyone nervous until we have a tournament where our goalie is dominant like used to happen every year it seemed. The last several years have ranged from decent to poor. That's enough to fray anyone's nerves. I do like Fucale's big game pedigree though. At least we have that. I think all Canada ever asks is to have a goalie who stops the pucks he should stop. We shouldn't need a hero.
