G Zach Fucale (2013, 36th, MTL)

[Aceboogie]

I prefer not to make any firm judgements like labeling a goalie a bust because the fact is goalies are much different than players in terms of development. While there are guys who simply just don't improve there is the chance for others to suddenly put things together or make certain changes that finally leads them to success. Just like at Tim Thomas, Mike Smith and Devan Dubnyk

The problem is you have to start weeding out players soon or later. You can't just horde 6 goalie prospects in AHL/ECHL in hopes one turns into Thomas/Quick/Smith. At some point management will have to choose between a less hyped goalie prospect performing well at pro level or a highly hyped Fucale not performing well. That could come fairly soon too

If you could horde all your prospects until they turned 30 thatd be great, but most teams cut times with struggling AHL players around 22/23 to make room for others

 

[ottawa]

he was?

in his 20 year old season and 21 year old season IN THE NHL, his combined stats were...

93gp. 47-28-13 record and 4 shutouts

im unsure why someone was call a 21 year old a bust after a record like that. Not everyday a 20/21 year old plays almost 100 games and wins a lot of games. He was still eligible to play junior hockey that one year

That was during the Halak era. Price got outplayed by Halak after a stretch of bad games and lost the starter spot...then the playoffs came and we all know how Halak performed there, which didn't help Price.

He wasn't labeled a bust, but around half the fanbase was ready to trade him because he was inconsistent.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

I prefer not to make any firm judgements like labeling a goalie a bust because the fact is goalies are much different than players in terms of development. While there are guys who simply just don't improve there is the chance for others to suddenly put things together or make certain changes that finally leads them to success. Just like at Tim Thomas, Mike Smith and Devan Dubnyk

There's a massive difference between a guy suddenly putting things together and developing steadily over a long period of time.

Mike Smith, played ECHL as a 20 year old and did well. He improved every year in the AHL until his eventual call up to the NHL at 24.

Dubnyk played in the ECHL as a 20 year old and did very well. He stunk in the AHL in a very short stint (204 minutes) but at 21 he was an AHL regular and improved every year in the AHL until he was in the NHL full-time at 23.

Thomas went to Europe as a first year pro out of college and did well every where he went. His problem was finding a team whiling to roll the dice on a 5'10 goalie.


I still can't find an example of someone that struggled this much post-draft/early pro years and make it to the NHL as a stable goalie.s

 

[Patmac40]

He's shown much more improvement over the last number of games in Brampton.

He'll also be representing Canada at the Spengler Cup. Very interesting and good opportunity for him.

 

[HuGo Sham]

He's shown much more improvement over the last number of games in Brampton.

He'll also be representing Canada at the Spengler Cup. Very interesting and good opportunity for him.

hope he progresses because he's become trade bait. habs are stacked at goalie. he's behind lindgren and mcniven

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

I still can't find an example of someone that struggled this much post-draft/early pro years and make it to the NHL as a stable goalie.s

Scott Darling.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Scott Darling.

The only thing Scott Darling struggled for was an opportunity lol

He came out of college with 0 hype and managed to get an SPHL contract on a dreadful team. Performed well enough to get on a better SPHL team. Performed well enough to get a shot in ECHL. Performed well enough to get to the AHL. Killed the AHL which resulted in the NHL shot.

It's a totally different struggle. Darling had to fight for respect, Fucale is fighting the puck (the pucks winning)

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

Corey Crawford's years in the AHL were largely underwhelming too.

3 straight years with save percentage below .910 to start his pro career. Even his 5th and last AHL year he was at .909. His best year was a .917 save % in year 4.

Now he's a top 5-10 netminder on the planet.

I can't sit here and say I feel good about Fucale becoming a quality NHL goalie at this stage, but goalie development can be so bizarre and complicated that you can't call a guy done at 21 either.

 

[Patmac40]

Leads Canada to a victory with a 40 save performance in the final. Finishes the Spengler Cup with a .934 save percentage and 2.00 GAA with 4 straight wins. Played very well, glad to see him have some more success.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Leads Canada to a victory with a 40 save shutout in the final. Finishes the Spengler Cup with a .934 save percentage and 2.00 GAA with 4 straight wins. Played very well, glad to see him have some more success.

Canada won 5-2.

 

[Patmac40]

Canada won 5-2.

Sure did. I have no idea why I wrote shutout

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Corey Crawford's years in the AHL were largely underwhelming too.

3 straight years with save percentage below .910 to start his pro career. Even his 5th and last AHL year he was at .909. His best year was a .917 save % in year 4.

Now he's a top 5-10 netminder on the planet.

I can't sit here and say I feel good about Fucale becoming a quality NHL goalie at this stage, but goalie development can be so bizarre and complicated that you can't call a guy done at 21 either.

Crawford developed under the best defensive team from 2010-2015 (2011-2012 (Coincidentally, St. Louis was easily the best defensive team by far that year with zero competition (Nashville was only in top 10), was the only off year, and Crawford was terrible that year). Crawford has also shown that without one of Keith, Hjalmarsson, or Seabrook in the lineup, he's exposed as an average goalie.

 

[BobbyShehan]

Heard Fucale interviewed on French radio today after win at the Spengler Cup in Davos. The kid is obviously very intelligent and incredibly well spoken for his age. Sounds more like a 35 year old lawyer than a 21 year old goalie playing in the ECHL. Whether or not he's talented enough to become a number one in the big leagues, he's got a bright future in front of him.

 

[Stephen]

Seems like Fucale hasn't had a good year in many years now. Just hard to remember why so much hype was attached to him in the first place.

 

[East Coast Icestyle]

Seems like Fucale hasn't had a good year in many years now. Just hard to remember why so much hype was attached to him in the first place.

He was outstanding for Halifax regardless of what his haters say. Haven't followed him since junior but if people thought he was a product of the team in his draft year they were wrong.

Honestly I had high expectations for him. Spengler cup is a pretty challenging tournament so a good showing is good.

 

[BM14]

He's playing for the Beast. I might check out a game or two.
I was shocked when I saw him on that roster.

 

[King Mapes]

He was outstanding for Halifax regardless of what his haters say. Haven't followed him since junior but if people thought he was a product of the team in his draft year they were wrong.

Honestly I had high expectations for him. Spengler cup is a pretty challenging tournament so a good showing is good.

I'm from Hali too and followed him close. In his draft year he was solid but it was afterwards that concerned me. He took a step back the following years and in his draft year he wasn't the best in the Playoffs or the Memorial Cup. But he is well spoken with a good personality and head on his shoulders. Regardless of him being property of Habs I always hoped he'd succeed.

 

[hototogisu]

Seems like Fucale hasn't had a good year in many years now. Just hard to remember why so much hype was attached to him in the first place.

I know the pre-draft hype was high, but he ended up going 36th overall...yet people still hold him to the standard as if he actually ended up going 15th or whatever, which I always found bizarre.

If there was pre-draft hype, it wasn't with the teams making the actual selections. Even Montreal passed on him twice.

 

[BobbyShehan]

He's only 21... He's seeing plenty of rubber in the ECHL. Let's revisit in 2-3 years. The skills are still pretty raw but he's got time, a great hockey IQ and a fantastic attitude.

 

[East Coast Icestyle]

I'm from Hali too and followed him close. In his draft year he was solid but it was afterwards that concerned me. He took a step back the following years and in his draft year he wasn't the best in the Playoffs or the Memorial Cup. But he is well spoken with a good personality and head on his shoulders. Regardless of him being property of Habs I always hoped he'd succeed.

I found he only really struggled when he was traded, personally.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

He's only 21... He's seeing plenty of rubber in the ECHL. Let's revisit in 2-3 years. The skills are still pretty raw but he's got time, a great hockey IQ and a fantastic attitude.

Agreed. I don't expect any goalie to make it to the NHL before age 25. If they do, it's a bonus.

 

[CorgisPer60]

The only thing Scott Darling struggled for was an opportunity lol

He came out of college with 0 hype and managed to get an SPHL contract on a dreadful team. Performed well enough to get on a better SPHL team. Performed well enough to get a shot in ECHL. Performed well enough to get to the AHL. Killed the AHL which resulted in the NHL shot.

It's a totally different struggle. Darling had to fight for respect, Fucale is fighting the puck (the pucks winning)

Except he was an alcoholic in college and it was ruining his attempt at a career, so he sobered up and took the most baseline of baseline pro leagues out there. It worked out really well for him.

 

[Thebesthockey]

diminant in minor hockey
dominant in the Q and memorial cup winner
winner of gold in world juniors
winner of gold in spengler
playing well in echl
still 21 !!!

this hf hate by the arm chair warriors on this board is typical
ignorance

 

[izzy]

He was outstanding for Halifax regardless of what his haters say. Haven't followed him since junior but if people thought he was a product of the team in his draft year they were wrong.

Honestly I had high expectations for him. Spengler cup is a pretty challenging tournament so a good showing is good.

No he wasn't. He was impressive for his age in his early years but didn't improve at all and he's lucky that he played behind such a dominant team. He was pathetic during the playoff run the year after the memorial cup win.

 

[BlueBull]

On January 5th 2015, The National Canadian U20 Team won the 2015 World Junior Championship over Russia, 5-4. Canada's Starting Lineup that game and throughout most of the 2015 World Junior Championship Was:
Connor McDavid
Sam Reinhart
Nicolas Petan
Josh Morrissey
Madison Bowey
and
Zach Fucale
Fucale had lead WJC goalies in GAA, SV% and Shutouts, and was on paper the goalie of the tournament.
In the 2014 season, the year before, he had lead the QMJHL in GAA and was one of the best goalies in the CHL.
Now, 3 years after the WJC and 4 years after the 2014 QMJHL Season, he finds him self rotating between a Backup in the NHL (Where he is now) and a struggling fringe starter in the ECHL.
What Happened?
I do see that in the 2015 season he was sucking in CHL play, but honestly what happened?