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AW13 · 09-07-2018, 01:20 PM

This is my first article if that is still a thing! (For Bonus Purposes)

Hello! This will be a weekly media article covering all the goalies in the SMJHL and how they stack up against each other, this will include TPE, stats, and hopefully, reflect who have been the best goalies in the league and separate the good ones vs. the ones with defenses only allowing a few shots per game. This week we will mainly be looking at TPE in addition to last year's stats if there were any at all even if limited. We will not look much into whose defense may be affecting goalie play but look at goalies and their stats only to determine our rankings.

Season 43's Goalies:
Anchorage - Larry Atta (155 TPE), Benjamin Blue (416 TPE)
Colorado - Brandon Sando (155 TPE), Scottey Crawfling (441 TPE)
Detroit - Cedric Robinson (358 TPE), Ricky Lewis (189 TPE)
Halifax - Nathan Cosco (203 TPE), Kata Vilde (678 TPE)
Kelowna - Mark McFleury (S44 - 161 TPE)
Montreal - Petr Vrana (320 TPE), Scott Wyndham (Unknown TPE - Base TPE?)
St. Louis - Arvid Hakansson (155 TPE), Aleister Cain (301 TPE)
Vancouver - Johannes Leitner (295 TPE), Greg Santos (285 TPE)

There are 15 total goalies in the SMJHL and all teams have 2 currently with the exception of Kelowna who currently have one on their roster according to the roster pages.

15. Scott Wyndham - Montreal
Height: 6'2
Weight: 180 lbs
Birthplace: Philadelphia, PA
Player Type: Hybrid Goalie
Strengths: Hand Speed, Reaction Time, Rebound Control
Weakness: Size
TPE: Base TPE

SK = Skating: 55
DU = Durability: 50 (do not add TPE here, injuries are turned off)
EN = Endurance: 65
SZ = Size: 50
AG = Agility: 70
RB = Rebound Control: 80
SC = Style Control: 70
HS = Hand Speed: 70
RT = Reaction Time: 75
PH = Puck Handling: 50
PS = Penalty Shot: 55

Coming in at the last spot we have the backup goalie for the Montreal Militia in Scott Wyndham. What do we know about Scott Wyndham besides everything posted here? The answer to that question is nothing. We know nothing about Mr. Wyndham. He does not have an update page from what I can tell and no updates have been made to his player page so it appears to me that he is inactive and never touched his player after creation. He was a season 41 guy so he has at least been able to stay around as a backup but I am guessing his time will be short lived. He did not play last season and has accumulated no stats. He was an inactive pickup from my understanding and will definitely be used no more than 6 games per the backup goalie rules. Overall, I think his build is solid and that he can easily be better than the next few on this list. He is well-rounded and his 70+ in the main goalie areas should help him perform as a decent backup in the SMJHL.

14. Arvid Hakansson - St. Louis
Height: 6'5
Weight: 225 lbs
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Player Type: Hybrid Goalie
Strengths: Hand Speed Reaction Time, Rebound Control
Weakness: Weakness: Skating

SK = Skating: 60
DU = Durability: 50 (do not add TPE here, injuries are turned off)
EN = Endurance: 60
SZ = Size: 65
AG = Agility: 60
RB = Rebound Control: 70
SC = Style Control: 60
HS = Hand Speed: 80
RT = Reaction Time: 70
PH = Puck Handling: 60
PS = Penalty Shot: 50

Hakansson, coming in at 14th, makes the list as an inactive backup goalie for the St.Louis Scarecrows. Overall, I believe he will play just 6 games this upcoming season which is similar to all of the backup goalies in this list that are no longer active. I don't think he has any stats much like Wyndham so it is hard to gauge on ability. I put him here above Wyndham just because it was easier finding how much TPE that he had. I believe in the end, him and Wyndham could easily flip flop based on how they perform in their 6 games played. Overall, the build seems decent although the low Style Control could be a big factor here and that he should have focused points there rather than Puck Handling and his Skating weakness in the early build. He makes up for it with solid Hand Speed but the build leaves much to be desired in my point of view.

13. Larry Atta - Anchorage
Height: 6'3
Weight: 192 lbs
Birthplace: Mexico
Player Type: Butterfly Goalie
Strengths: Rebound Control, Style Control, Reaction Time
Weakness: Agility
TPE: 155

SK = Skating: 70
DU = Durability: : 50 (do not add TPE here, injuries are turned off)
EN = Endurance: 50
SZ = Size: 70
AG = Agility: 50
RB = Rebound Control: 70
SC = Style Control: 83
HS = Hand Speed: 70
RT = Reaction Time: 70
PH = Puck Handling: 50
PS = Penalty Shot: 50

At number 13 on our list, we have the Armada backup, Larry Atta. He is a butterfly goalie and played last season also with the Anchorage Armada and appeared in 16 games last season. Atta is inactive and serves only as a backup goalie these days for the Armada, backing up Blue for the team up in Alaska. He has the same TPE as goalie Brandon Sando and Arvid Hakansson but overall performed slightly worse last season than Sando so he gets the 13th spot here while Sando as we will see, will get 12th. If he was still active, he could be higher on this list but for now will remain here especially since he most likely will only get 6 games this season. Last season in his 16 games, he had a 5-5-0 record with a .879 save percentage and 2.92 goals against average. He recorded one shutout and 2 games where he was in the top 3 stars. Expect to see Atta for 6 games this season and based on last season, should serve as a decent player provided the defense holds up for those 6 games. Unlike a few other goalies on the list, Atta focuses mainly on Style Control but at least has 70 in all other main goalie areas. His agility is a weakness and low as well as his endurance and puck handling but has high skating ability which I believe he could have focused his points elsewhere in the early going.

12. Brandon Sando - Colorado
Height: 6'3
Weight: 215 lbs
Birthplace: Latvia
Player Type: Butterfly Goalie
Strengths: Rebound Control, Reaction Time, Hand Speed
Weakness: Skating
TPE: 155

SK = Skating: 60
DU = Durability: : 50 (do not add TPE here, injuries are turned off)
EN = Endurance: 50
SZ = Size: 70
AG = Agility: 70
RB = Rebound Control: 70
SC = Style Control: 55
HS = Hand Speed: 70
RT = Reaction Time: 80
PH = Puck Handling: 50
PS = Penalty Shot: 60

Sando, 12th on our list, was another player who early on looked like a guy that might be the top goalie of his class ahead of Johannes Leitner who will be mentioned much later in this article. Unfortunately, much like Atta, Sando disappeared and went inactive, only staying at 155 TPE and having no future in the SHL. As a rookie, Sando suited up in 14 games for the Colorado Raptors and had solid results in his limited time. He was close to Atta in terms of abilities but in my opinion, barely beats him out based off of the small stat advantages. Sando last season compiled a win-loss record of 7-4-0 with a .898 save percentage and a 2.35 goals against average. Sando did not face any penalty shots, record a shutout or gain any first stars although he did have one second star. Based on accolades, Atta might be atop here but based on save percentage and goals-against average, Sando is the ruler here. This can definitely change based on the likely 6 games that they both get this season. Sando has a solid build with a great Reaction Time and secondary abilities but Style Control may hurt here as it is just at 55. It has not hurt him so far but has the potential too at it's current low rating.

11. Mark McFleury - Kelowna
Height: 6'2
Weight: 204 lbs
Birthplace: Canada
Player Type: Hybrid Goalie
Strengths: Reaction Time, Style Control, Hand Speed
Weakness: Skating
TPE: 161

SK = Skating: 55
DU = Durability: 50 (do not add TPE here, injuries are turned off)
EN = Endurance: 60
SZ = Size: 60
AG = Agility: 60
RB = Rebound Control: 72
SC = Style Control: 75
HS = Hand Speed: 70
RT = Reaction Time: 75
PH = Puck Handling: 60
PS = Penalty Shot: 51

The only goalie of the season 44 draft, Mark McFleury takes the 11th spot here although it may be temporary. Kelowna, the former SMJHL champions, decided to blow it up, get rid of their star goalie Vilde and rebuild, taking McFleury in the season 44 entry draft. With the big rebuild coming, I expect McFleury to struggle a lot this season behind a poor team around him. It won't be his fault but his numbers may take a huge hit as a result. He will get credit for being a starter so it will be interesting to see where he ranks amongst the goalies as the season goes on and the backups get their time. One thing is certain, the Knights need McFleury to stay active to live out this rebuild. If not, it could be a long time before we see the Kelowna Knights hoist another cup. His starting build is decent and has 70+ in the main goalie areas. His secondary skills are solid and he looks to be a well-rounded goalie to the point.

10. Ricky Lewis - Detroit
Height: 6'3
Weight: 210 lbs
Birthplace: Norway
Player Type: Butterfly Goalie
Strengths: Rebound Control, Hand Speed/Reaction Time
Weakness: Weakness: Size

SK = Skating: 65
DU = Durability: 50
EN = Endurance: 70
SZ = Size: 51
AG = Agility: 70
RB = Rebound Control: 72
SC = Style Control: 74
HS = Hand Speed: 74
RT = Reaction Time: 74
PH = Puck Handling: 62
PS = Penalty Shot: 62

The Detroit backup slides into the top 10 here but has the chance to move around with McFleury being a starter and other backups being ahead of him. The reason he slides in here is that he has a higher TPE and has game experience over the young McFleury. He is inactive and suited up last season in 11 games last season for the Detroit Falcons. I expect Lewis to get around the same amount of games or even less based on his inactivity. Last season, in his 11 games, he had a win-loss record or 2-3-2 with a save percentage .867 and goals against average of 3.10. Other than that, he did not have any notable stats with no shutouts, a .800 penalty shot save percentage, and no stars. His build is mediocre and makes for a well rounded backup goalie with everything being good enough besides size which is his weakness. I expect he either stays at this spot or falls between 15-11 by end of the season.

9. Nathan Cosco - Halifax
Height: 6'1
Weight: 200 lbs
Birthplace: United States
Player Type: Stand-Up Goalie
Strengths: Size, Hand Speed, Reaction Time
Weakness: Rebound Control

SK = Skating: 50
DU = Durability: 50
EN = Endurance: 55
SZ = Size: 51
AG = Agility: 55
RB = Rebound Control: 55
SC = Style Control: 80
HS = Hand Speed: 80 2/5
RT = Reaction Time: 87 2/5
PH = Puck Handling: 50
PS = Penalty Shot: 50

Nathan Cosco, a season 43 draftee, is our 9th goalie on this list with the potential to mainly move up the list with solid play from the backup position. As far as I know, Cosco is active and a player with the potential to grow. Halifax made a huge splash by acquiring the star goalie Kata Vilde so it keeps Cosco as a backup this season where he should be a decent amount of time but more than likely won't exceed 15 games played like he received last season. If Cosco is active, Halifax should keep the active players happy by getting them some time and who knows, Vilde might get a call-up to play in the SHL a few games this season also. Cosco last season in 15 games posted a 3-2-2 record with a save percentage of .908 and 2.69 goals against average. He received one first star, no shutouts and had a penalty shot save percentage of .600. His build is solid and focuses on the main goalie attributes while ignoring the secondary skills. His relatively low TPE total keeps him here for now but he may have a bright future as a backup goalie although he may never get an SHL starter job.

8. Aleister Cain - St. Louis
Height: 5'9
Weight: 160 lbs
Birthplace: United States
Player Type: Hybrid Goalie
Strengths: Reaction Time, Hand Speed, Agility
Weakness: Size

SK = Skating: 70
DU = Durability: : 50
EN = Endurance: 50
SZ = Size: 70
AG = Agility: 70
RB = Rebound Control: 82
SC = Style Control: 82
HS = Hand Speed: 82
RT = Reaction Time: 84
PH = Puck Handling: 60
PS = Penalty Shot: 50

Another Season 43 goalie, Cain, the new starting goalie for St. Louis comes in at the 8th spot in our preseason goalie rankings. Cain has great ability and has the potential to move up this list. He is above some others ahead of him in this list but the question will be whether or not he has a solid team around him. His limited playing time last season also hurts his rankings here as he did not get to suit up much at all last year. Last season, Cain suited up in 2 games, posting a record of 1-1-0 with a .875 save percentage and 3.36 goals against average. He was not great in his appearances and had a weak Scarecrows team around him. I believe Cain will move up this list a little this season but I don't think he cracks the top 5 while playing for a not so good team. His build is really good and is already up to 70 with his weakness but has low endurance. It is weird to me how a 5'9 goalie can have size at 70 but at least it is his weakness, nobody should feel like the net is blocked with him in front.

7. Greg Santos - Vancouver
Height (ft.): 5'11
Weight (lbs.):190 lbs
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts
Player Type: Butterfly Goalie
Strengths: Rebound Control, Reaction Time, Style Control
Weakness: Size

SK = Skating: 65
DU = Durability: 50
EN = Endurance: 62
SZ = Size: 58
AG = Agility: 62
RB = Rebound Control: 82
SC = Style Control: 83
HS = Hand Speed: 84
RT = Reaction Time: 84
PH = Puck Handling: 55
PS = Penalty Shot: 50

The starting goalie for the Cup runners-up Whalers, Greg Santos falls into the 7 spot here on the rankings. Why is Santos all the way down at 7 after the great season he had? Sources say that Santos will now be the backup to Leitner in Vancouver and as an inactive, will not play much. That being said, if Leitner gets lit up one day, the Whalers can rest easy knowing they have Santos on the bench in his Whalers' baseball cap. Santos last season in 35 games tallied a record of 28-6-1 with a .903 save percentage and 2.39 goals against average. He had 3 shutouts, 2 first stars, 3 second stars and stopped 92% of penalty shots taken against him. Santos is a stud and easily the best backup goalie in the SMJHL. His build focuses heavily on the main goalie attributes and he is not super well-rounded but on a strong Vancouver team, he is a backup worth ranking this high.

6. Petr Vrana - Montreal
Height (ft.): 6'2
Weight (lbs.): 210 lbs
Birthplace: Prague, Czech Republic
Player Type: Hybrid Goalie
Strengths: Hand Speed, Reaction Time, Rebound Control
Weakness: Weakness: Skating

SK = Skating: 65
DU = Durability: 50
EN = Endurance: 70
SZ = Size: 77
AG = Agility: 76
RB = Rebound Control: 75
SC = Style Control: 81
HS = Hand Speed: 84
RT = Reaction Time: 84
PH = Puck Handling: 51
PS = Penalty Shot: 50

Petr Vrana, the starting goalie for the Montreal Militia, comes in at the 6th position on our list and has the chance to move into the top 5. Also, a member of the season 43 regression class, Vrana is one of the higher TPE goalies for his class. Vrana has the ability to crack the top 5 easily with a better showing from his team around him. Last season, Vrana suited up in 45 games for the Militia and compiled a record of 18-23-3 with a save percentage of .890 and 2.70 goals against average. He had 1 shutout, 3 first stars and 2 third stars while stopping 68.8% of penalty shots taken against him. Montreal is a rebuilding team and without a solid defense, Vrana could struggle which is why he comes in at 6th instead of 5th. His build is solid but may need some points in rebound control but overall is a good overall all-around goalie.

5. Johannes Leitner - Vancouver
Height (ft.): 6'4
Weight (lbs.): 198 lbs
Birthplace: Innsbruck, Austria
Player Type: Butterfly Goalie
Strengths: Rebound Control, Hand Speed, Reaction Time
Weakness: Weakness: Skating

SK = Skating: 63
DU = Durability: 50
EN = Endurance: 70
SZ = Size: 70
AG = Agility: 70
RB = Rebound Control: 81
SC = Style Control: 82
HS = Hand Speed: 82
RT = Reaction Time: 82
PH = Puck Handling: 64
PS = Penalty Shot: 50

Leitner cracks the top 5 of the list! Main reasons are the fact that it is me and the Whalers will place a kick-ass team around me this upcoming season along with being pretty awesome last season in limited time. Leitner saw a decent amount of time last season when Santos was called up and even had to relieve Santos for a terrific comeback win in the cup finals against Kelowna. Leitner, the future of the Austrian goalie position looks to be the starter for most of the season in season 43 and take advantage of that hopefully moving up the list. Last season, Leitner played in 16 games and compiled a record of 8-5-1 with a .899 save percentage and 2.57 goals against average. Numbers wise, he looked great as a backup and also added 2 shutouts, a 100% penalty shot save percentage and 1 first star. Leitner is one of the most all-around goalies with his current build and that was my goal. Looking to improve in all areas is Leitner's goal and he should "Leit" it up in Vancouver this season.

4. Benjamin Blue - Anchorage
Height (ft.): 6'6
Weight (lbs.): 255 lbs
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Player Type: Hybrid Goalie
Strengths: Rebound Control, Hand Speed, and Reaction Time
Weakness: Skating
TPE: 416

SK = Skating: 72 & 3/4
DU = Durability: 50
EN = Endurance: 77
SZ = Size: 80
AG = Agility: 80
RB = Rebound Control: 81
SC = Style Control: 81
HS = Hand Speed: 81
RT = Reaction Time: 81
PH = Puck Handling: 50
PS = Penalty Shot: 55

The Swedish goalie, and starter for the Anchorage Armada, Benjamin Blue cracks our list at number 4. This massive goalie is high in TPE and is ready to turn things around from a season that leaves much to be desired. Blue had the most games played out of anyone on our list so far and based on the fact that Atta had 16 games with 10 decisions, he had his share of rough games. In 44 games last season Blue put up a decent but not great record of 18-17-5 with a .884 save percentage and 3.26 goals against average. He had just one shutout on the season, 5 games where he cracked the top 3 stars and saved 92.3% of penalty shots. Blue beats out Leitner and Santos here solely for TPE totals and the fact that maybe he could turn it around. Overall, maybe I am biased but I like Leitner's build better at this point but that is not saying Blue's build is bad because its a nice all-around build. I expect Blue to either fall as other goalies reach the 350 TPE cap or rise with a few bad games from our top 3.

3. Scottey Crawfling - Colorado
Height (ft.): 6'8
Weight (lbs.): 250 lbs
Birthplace: Finland
Player Type: Butterfly Goalie
Strengths: Rebound Control/Hand Speed/Reaction Time
Weakness: Weakness: Agility
TPE: 441

SK = Skating: 70
DU = Durability: 50
EN = Endurance: 72
SZ = Size: 72
AG = Agility: 69
RB = Rebound Control: 77
SC = Style Control: 86
HS = Hand Speed: 86
RT = Reaction Time: 86
PH = Puck Handling: 50
PS = Penalty Shot: 50

Cracking the top 3, our 2nd highest goalie in terms of total TPE, Scottey Crawfling makes our list at number 3. The Finnish product and Colorado Raptors starting goalie is a solid player and while he did not perform super well, did well enough and that combined with his TPE total makes him the guy here at number three. Crawfling last season appeared in 41 games with some mixed results but overall, had solid numbers for an average Colorado squad. In his 41 games, he compiled a record of 17-14-8 with a save percentage of .893 and 2.98 goals against average. He had 1 shutout, 2 first stars, 1 second star and stopped 71.8% of penalty shots against him. He even tallied an assist last season. The massive goalie stands 6'8 and 250 lbs so I am glad size isn't his weakness! Overall, his build is terrific and while it is less well-rounded, his hand speed, reaction time and style control are on an elite-level in the SMJHL and he could be tops in the league because of the 350 cap depending on if Colorado can make the step from average to good.

2. Cedric Robinson - Detroit
Height: 6'7
Weight: 240 lbs
Birthplace: United States
Player Type: Stand-Up Goalie
Strengths: Size, Hand Speed, Reaction Time
Weakness: Skating
TPE: 358

SK = Skating: 70
DU = Durability: 50
EN = Endurance: 75
SZ = Size: 83
AG = Agility: 70
RB = Rebound Control: 70
SC = Style Control: 85
HS = Hand Speed: 84
RT = Reaction Time: 84
PH = Puck Handling: 50
PS = Penalty Shot: 50

Cedric Robinson is up to number 2 and although he is 4th in TPE, his season last year moves him up to number two on the list over the higher TPE earners in Crawfling and Blue. Another big goalie, standing in at 6'7 and 240 pounds, the American goalie and Detroit Falcons incumbent starter has some size and talent. Last season, Robinson suited up for 45 games for the Detroit Falcons. In his 45 games, Robinson had a record of 19-17-7 with a .899 save percentage and 2.58 goals against average. He tallied 5 shutouts, 2 assists, cracked the top 3 stars 11 times although only stopping 61.9% of penalty shots against him. Overall his build is solid but I think it is a little behind some others which could cause him to fall a little. Overall, it is well balanced though and his only issue will come in terms of controlling rebounds and his handling of the puck. So far, it has not been an issue, so look for Robinson to remain a top 5 goalie this season.

1. Kata Vilde - Halifax
Height (ft.): 6'3
Weight (lbs.): 215
Birthplace: Marstrand, Sweden
Player Type: Butterfly Goalie
Strengths: Rebound Control, Hand Speed, Reaction Time
Weakness: Skating
TPE: 678

SK = Skating: 73
DU = Durability: 50
EN = Endurance: 70
SZ = Size: 72
AG = Agility: 72
RB = Rebound Control: 82
SC = Style Control: 84
HS = Hand Speed: 84
RT = Reaction Time: 84
PH = Puck Handling: 50
PS = Penalty Shot: 50

Over 200 TPE above the next highest SMJHL goalie, Vilde is the cream of the crop amongst them. However, he looks less dominant with the 350 TPE cap but still remains the top goalie as he was the starting goalie for the cup winning Kelowna Knights. Vilde is on his way to Halifax now so it should be interesting to see how he does on a team that might not be as good as the cup winning Kelowna team. Build wise, he is very well-rounded but does not look outstanding anywhere which is okay for an SMJHL goalie. Depending on Halifax, this could make or break the top rating for Vilde as the 350 cap keeps all the top goalies close and the team around them could determine the ranking. With that, expect guys like Leitner to compete as the top goalie if Halifax lets Vilde down. Last season for Kelowna, Vilde suited up in 40 games. In his 40 games, he compiled a record of 29-8-2 with a .892 save percentage and 2.50 goals against average. He had no shutouts, 2 assists, cracked the top 3 stars 4 times and stopped 77.8% of penalty shots against him. His stats weren't terrific and I believe they were created from a strong Kelowna team and he can be passed. His build is well rounded and he looks to be terrific still but I expect Vilde to slip down but remain in the top 5.

This will be a weekly review but will most likely be less detailed but it will have more team-based reviews on how they're helping the goalies and it will likely just review the goalies who have played or started. Hope you enjoyed!

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