Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

We created the ideal NHL goalie: Bobrovsky's butterfly, Rinne's glove and more

Written by 
Published in Hockey
Thursday, 04 June 2020 05:27

Today's NHL is loaded with skill and talent up and down the ice. But what would the perfect player look like? Using the attributes of current NHL stars, we set out to create the perfect forward, defenseman and goaltender.

We complete the series here by building the ultimate goaltender from 15 skills and characteristics of players around the league.

Jump to:
Fundamentals | Awareness
Style | Save type

See more: Forward | Defenseman

Technicality: Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens

Goalie guru Kevin Woodley once called Price "a living how-to-be-a-goalie" instructional video. His patience might be his best virtue, and that's born out of the soundness of his technique. When he's on, Price's fluid movements and low-to-the-ice style allow him to track pucks through traffic. He is one of the best in hockey at letting the play come to him.


Positioning: Carter Hart, Philadelphia Flyers

Hart is a fundamentally sound goalie whose positioning defies the 21-year-old's inexperience. As the Flyers add more to his repertoire, it's that patient positioning that Hart relies on to excel.


Patience: Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

If Hellebuyck, the probable Vezina Trophy winner in 2019-20, has one elite goaltending virtue, it's his patience on shot attempts from straight ahead of him. Many goalies believe that shooters can't beat them unless they allow them to; Hellebuyck embodies that. He posted a sparkling .922 save percentage in 56 starts -- 79% of the Jets' games -- this season.


Hockey sense: Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators

With Anderson now 39 years old, this pick might seem like some "with experience comes wisdom" rationalization. But Anderson's ability to read the game has allowed him to punch above his weight during a 17-year NHL career. Vegas' Robin Lehner recently credited Anderson as an inspiration for his turnaround as a goalie, via the Ottawa Sun: "He's very smart. It's not pure butterfly. It's a hybrid. He stands up [on] some saves. It's about reading plays. And I just learned so much from him."


Compete level: Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues

If "Play Gloria" was the defining battle cry for the 2019 Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues, "Do I look nervous?" was a close second. That line was uttered by Binnington after he was asked if, as a rookie, he was nervous playing in close games. That swagger led him all the way to a Game 7 victory in the Stanley Cup Final, and it's part of the reason he has been able to post an .865 high-danger save percentage this season, tops among goalies with at least 50 games played, according to Natural Stat Trick.


Athleticism/reflexes: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

Flexibility and athleticism earned last season's Vezina winner the ultimate comparison for a goaltender: Dominik Hasek, another netminder who moved incredibly well and took away whatever advantage a shooter thought he had. According to Natural Stat Trick, Vasilevskiy's 37.72 goals-saved above average the past three seasons ranks No. 1 in the NHL.

Skating: Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers

The NHL sample is small, but skating ability is one reason Shesterkin quickly became a rookie sensation. The speed with which he gets to his edges from a slide is incredible to watch, as he covers a wide swath of ice in a blink.


Aggressiveness: Ben Bishop, Dallas Stars

There are different kinds of aggressiveness with goaltenders. There's the bad kind, when they flop out of position. There's the risky kind, when they skate out and thrust their sticks on poke checks. Then there's the Ben Bishop kind, when the 6-foot-7 goalie swings his stick from side to side on the ice like a battle axe on plays around his net.


Butterfly: Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers

The Panthers' netminder has one of the prettiest butterflies in the NHL, and he can be an unbeatable goalie down low when he drops into it because of his core strength and movement. His issue -- and that of many butterfly-style goalies -- is dropping too soon. With two Vezina awards to his credit, however, Bobrovsky is doing something right.


Glove: Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators

InGoal Magazine once called Rinne's glove "the place where rebounds go to die." Rinne's ability with his glove has sometimes been likened to that of a Major League Baseball shortstop, and there's a reason for that: Rinne grew up in Finland playing Pesäpallo, a distant cousin to American baseball.


Blocker: Anton Khudobin, Dallas Stars

The Stars' No. 2 goalie has made a habit of making spectacular, lunging blocker saves that end up on highlight reels. That strength helped Khudobin to a league-leading .945 even-strength save percentage this season.


Breakaway saves: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

Among goalies with at least 18 games played in the shootout in their careers, no one has a higher save percentage (.852) than Vasilevskiy, who has allowed just nine goals on 61 shots. This is one area in which you can really see that aforementioned athleticism.


Desperation stops: Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights

Fleury is the best goalie in the NHL when it comes to reacting inside of chaotic situations. His speed, reflexes and, above all, aggressiveness allow him to thrive in those moments when the net is wide-open and he needs to find a way to keep the puck out. You might recall this gem from earlier this season ...


Rebound control: Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins

Rask was not always an elite-level rebound-control goalie in his early years. It's an area of his game that has really improved. Of course, for anything he doesn't grab, a few all-world defenders on the Bruins are there in front of him to clean it up. That rebound-control ability has helped him to a save percentage north of .900 in 73.2% of his starts this season, fourth in the NHL.


Puck-handling: Mike Smith, Edmonton Oilers

Although not on the level of a Martin Brodeur or Marty Turco, Smith's puck-handling skills make him an effective third defenseman and have shown to have a positive impact on his team's shot generation. Since entering the league in 2006, Smith has 17 assists and one goal, back in 2013.

Read 315 times

Soccer

U.S. youth Figueroa signs pro deal with Liverpool

U.S. youth Figueroa signs pro deal with Liverpool

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsUnited States youth international Keyrol Figueroa has signed a prof...

Mbappé takes blame for PSG: 'I didn't do enough'

Mbappé takes blame for PSG: 'I didn't do enough'

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsParis Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappé gets the credit when hi...

U.N. proclaims May 25 as World Football Day

U.N. proclaims May 25 as World Football Day

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFootball fans around the world will now have a day to celebrate the...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

NBA confirms key illegal screen call on Turner

NBA confirms key illegal screen call on Turner

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner was correctly called...

Nuggets' Murray fined, avoids suspension for toss

Nuggets' Murray fined, avoids suspension for toss

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNuggets guard Jamal Murray was fined $100,000 but avoided a suspens...

Baseball

Rangers 'break out' in 10-run inning, roll past A's

Rangers 'break out' in 10-run inning, roll past A's

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsOAKLAND, Calif. -- Marcus Semien had four hits and five RBIs, and t...

Bellinger comes off IL, hits solo HR in Cubs' win

Bellinger comes off IL, hits solo HR in Cubs' win

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs activated center fielder Cody Bellinger...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated