Prospect Check-in: Goaltenders

We’ll be taking a look at the Prospects in the system and how they’re doing fairly early on today and tomorrow. But instead of starting with forwards or maybe defensemen (lord knows defensemen are a hot commodity in Boston, especially if they aren’t hurt or concussed.), we’re going to start out with the goaltenders, as the position has definitely been the center of attention in Boston for quite some time and will probably continue to be so for awhile.

So! From the top of the system going down...

Providence:

Dan Vladar

GP: 5

SV%: .911

While Providence has had it’s ups and downs in a very new season, it’s pretty clear who’s trying to actually get the starting job this year. Vladar has, on average anyway, had some pretty decent workloads in net for the P-B’s, having faced 135 shots in just 5 games. And if that doesn’t impress you, I’d both gently remind you that they’re only 10 games in, and...well...he’s not had a lot of competition in net so far.

Zane McIntyre:

GP: 5

SV%: .821

Just five games in and McIntyre sure looks...distressingly similar to how he did last year when he lost the job to Jordan Binnington, a player loaned from St. Louis’s farm program. Hopefully this is just a rough patch and he’ll bounce back to help the Baby B’s dominate the AHL.

Junior:

Kyle Keyser:

GP: 9

SV%: .926

The Coral Springs native has full control of the Oshawa Generals starting job through the first month of OHL and so far has been absolutely killing it, sitting at 4th in the entire OHL in SV% and 3rd in GAA. Now naturally, it’s still early in the season, and the Gens have played the least amount of games in their division, so he still has a long road ahead of him, especially when his team is giving up something like 30+ shots a game, but for right now he really looks like he’s coming into his own and can handle the workload placed in front of him.

NCAA/College:

Jeremy Swayman:

GP: 6

SV%: .893

Have a heart for poor Swayman, of whom he and his fellow UMainers won their first three games while only giving up one goal each time...only to make a terribly wrong turn and run directly into Number 3 ranked Minnesota-Duluth in a back alley when they’re feeling particularly bored and violent. The Bulldogs dumped a combined 90 shots on Swayman in back-to-back games in one weekend, and on one of those occasions he let in eight goals. A much less forgiveable loss is a UConn loss of which Maine basically stopped trying after Period 1, and then tying in the second game. UMaine’s offense spluttering early and against even fairly mediocre conference opponents might mean Swayman’s season could be very long indeed.