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Austin Lemieux robs Montreal Impact forward Evandrus Jesster of the chance to tie up the game, leading to a 3-2 win for Lemieux and the Falcons

AUSTIN LEMIEUX SCOUTING REPORT </div>

Hello and welcome to HockeyTown Scouting, your source for all things Detroit Falcons, Falcons prospects, and future SHL All-Stars! Today, we take a look at the goalie playing backup duty for Game 1 of the Eastern Division Finals, rookie goaltender Austin Lemieux. Since we last observed Lemieux during the preseason, the 4th round selection out of Canada has become a fantastic option between the pipes for the regular season champion Falcons, with lemieux and sitting veteran Lee Bowden splitting time this season. Lemieux has gotten better training with Bowden, and the results are staggering:

<div align="center">TPE = 241 (+40 TPE)
SK = Skating: 53
DU = Durability: 50
EN = Endurance: 62
SZ = Size: 74 (+11 TPE)
AG = Agility: 75 1/2 (+8 TPE)
RB = Rebound Control: 77 (+14 TPE)
SC = Style Control: 76
HS = Hand Speed: 77 1/2 (+15 TPE)
RT = Reaction Time: 77 (+3 TPE)
PH = Puck Handling: 70
PS = Penalty Shot: 60</div>

Lemieux has been playing bigger in net, which has been a great secondary quality that accents more notable improvements in primary parts of the goalie game. Lemieux's hand speed has gotten faster, leading to more stopped pucks for the butterfly goalie, but hand speed is nothing without quick reflexes. Improvements in Lemieux's arm movement (from the time Lemieux realizes the puck is going to an area of the net, his ability to move his arm/leg/glove to the area and glove the puck) have made him a better tender and that leads to more wins. Hand Speed also makes it easy to stop rebounds, which gives his team more chances to take the faceoff in their own end instead of fight for rebound control and risk a quick dirty goal for the other team. With so much more to go until Lemieux gets on an SHL team, HockeyTown Scouting has outlined a build that Lemieux could jump to the SHL with:

<div align="center">TPE = 350
SK = Skating: 55 (+4 TPE)
DU = Durability: 50
EN = Endurance: 75 (+18 TPE)
SZ = Size: 80 (+12 TPE)
AG = Agility: 78 (+5 TPE)
RB = Rebound Control: 77
SC = Style Control: 80 (+8 TPE)
HS = Hand Speed: 85 (+30 TPE)
RT = Reaction Time: 85 (+31 TPE)
PH = Puck Handling: 70
PS = Penalty Shot: 60</div>

Skating will never be Lemieux's strong suit, but the fact of the matter is that Austin does need some skating ability to stop pucks and play them on dump-ins. Lemieux has also been known to falter at the end of games, so conditioning training will build Lemieux's cardio and endurance while getting Austin's body bigger. SHL goalies need to be big, fast, and nimble, and this training regimen gives Lemieux the skills to become an SHL player sooner than later. Style Control is a big part of this, however: as a rookie, Lemieux has been switching between his natural butterfly stance and some other stuff that's not natural. If he wants to become part of the next Holy trinity, he needs to stay where he's best and keep the butterfly style.

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When Lemieux is on his game and down in the butterfly stance, he can stop most penalty shots, like this one against Prince George's Patrick Brumm</div>

Lemieux was chosen in the 4th round of the SMJHL Draft because Detroit had only Bowden as a goaltender. With Pressen leaving for Winnipeg and no other goalies in sight except Bowden, Lemieux came in and stepped up, taking on his half of the workload as a rookie and succeeding. Playing right alongside Lee Bowden, Lemieux recorded 13 wins, a 3.16 GAA, and an 86.8 save percentage, which is not bad for a rookie starting goaltender in the minor leagues. Austin's play has helped Detroit get into the playoffs and even though he's riding the pine for Game 1, Lemieux will still be a big part of this team's victory in the postseason.

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Lemieux has proven to be a stalwart in net, rejecting St. Louis forward Robb Wind late in the game to force an eventual overtime winner for the Falcons</div>

Moving forward, Lemieux has to be better about his social image. While boisterous in Detroit and a great motivator from the bench or between the pipes, Austin hasn't had the outgoing presence other rookies on the team have had. Once Lemieux starts finding his groove in whatever SHL team and town he lands in, we think the Lemieux will explode and become a great tender with the right type of people around him. Landing on a team with experienced veteran goalies will help Lemieux realize his full potential and prove that he is the best goaltender of his draft. Having the most ice time out of any of the rookies in the SMJHL helps a goalie develop, and Lemieux is developing nicely.

<div align="center">SHL Comparison: Jakob Tanner, </div>

Last time we looked at Lemieux, Prikulis was the comparison because of the Latvian's ability to carry a whole team on his back, even to a Challenge Cup. Jakob Tanner seems to be a guy that more compares because not only is Tanner amazing in net, but he has charisma around Hamilton and the league that has been seen in Lemieux. Austin could become the next great goaltender in Prikulis, and Tanner is not to that level yet based purely on tenure, but Lemieux could become Tanner earlier in his career and end up a Prikulis. That goalie trajectory is something you build a franchise around, and we think that SHL GMs will see that potential.

<div align="center">SHL Draft Projection: 13th - 16th Overall</div>

Goalies are really big prospects for teams with older goalies or young ones that need goalie by committee. As such, Lemieux has his pick of these teams looking for an active backup goaltender as he is the clear front runner in the goalie pool this season. St. Louis's Nikita Nevzorov is the only close candidate and he doesn't have the ice time or experience to be an SHL goaltender in the time Lemieux should rise through the ranks. Teams that would benefit from having an active goalie in the system include the Edmonton Blizzard , the Winnipeg Jets , and the West Kendall Platoon . All 3 of these teams lack a student riding the pine and observing in team training camp to take over for Aittokallio, Prikulis, and Schmidt respectively, and Lemieux could fit the mold the best now.

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far and away the best goalie in the draft with Nikita Nevzorov going straight to the expansion team (I assume)

Originally posted by Sam_Bennett's_Pullup_Coach@Jul 22 2015, 10:21 AM
far and away the best goalie in the draft with Nikita Nevzorov going straight to the expansion team (I assume)

He's going to be a huge asset to whichever team drafts him.

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Originally posted by Sam_Bennett's_Pullup_Coach@Jul 22 2015, 09:21 AM
far and away the best goalie in the draft with Nikita Nevzorov going straight to the expansion team (I assume)

Yep