Colorado Avalanche: Top 5 Goalies at the 2018 Draft

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The Colorado Avalanche need to improve their goal tending depth, which they may do at the 2018 NHL Draft. Here are the top five options.

The Colorado Avalanche have a problem with goal tending depth. In fact, it’s verging on a crisis if they don’t start increasing the depth. One way they can do that is with the 2018 NHL Draft.

In fact, I fully expect the Avalanche to draft a goalie this season. They signed an undrafted goalie in 28-year-old Pavel Francouz. It sounds like they’re in negotiations to bring Jonathan Bernier back next season. I also expect they’ll sign a goalie prospect, either their own or an AHL player from another team.

But I think it’s all going to start with this year’s draft. The Colorado Avalanche need to bolster their goalie depth — only two net minders signed (Francouz and starter Semyon Varlamov) — and a few prospects who don’t feel like the future of the team.

Are any of the below goalies the future of the team? It’s hard to say. None of them are projected to go in the first round. However, goalies who go first-overall like Marc-Andre Fleury, or even in the first round, are very rare.

In fact, one of the best goalies to ever play the game went in the third round. In 1984. 51st overall. You can look up who with that information. Or you can just know I’m talking about Patrick Roy.

Anyway, I would never say we can draft the next Roy in this or any year. However, Let’s look at the top five goalies from this year’s pool — you never know when the next Varly might be up for grabs in a draft.

A quick reminder — the Colorado Avalanche have the following picks:

#16
#47
#58 (from Nashville)
#78
#109
#140
#171
#202

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Olivier Rodrigue

2017-18 Team: Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL
Date of Birth: Jul. 6, 2000 (17 years old)
Ht: 6’1″
Wt: 159 lbs.
Catches: Left
Ranked #1 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Goalies)
Future Considerations: 83rd
ISS Hockey: 1st (among goalies)
Bob McKenzie: 3rd (among goalies)
Craig Button: 70th

Olivier Rodrigue out of the QMJHL is generally the first goalie to go in most mock drafts. He’s top-ranked North American goalie by Central Scouting. Draftsite has him going at the #43 spot, which is just before Colorado’s first second-rounder.

That said, the Hockey Writers project Rodrigue to go in the third round “between the 70th and 80th picks” — which puts him right in Colorado’s range.

Rodrigue isn’t in the new style of tall, lanky goalie. However, Steve Kournianos of The Draft Analyst calls him “an aggressive netminder who will dart out of the crease to defend shots from anywhere in his own end.”

Ben Kerr of Last Word on Hockey considers Olivier a mature goalie with a “cool demeanour in net [that] rubs off on his teammates.” The scout observes that Rodrigue is an athletic goalie with quick reflexes who recovers quickly. He also considers the goalie to have excellent agility and skating ability.

If the Colorado Avalanche picked up Olivier Rodrigue with the Nashville Predators second rounder, #58, I’d feel comfortable enough. I feel Olivier could be one of those sneaky goalies who’s better than he scouts.

Rodrigue in action:

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Kevin Mandolese

2017-18 Team: Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, QMJHL
Date of Birth: Aug. 22, 2000 (17 years old)
Ht: 6’4″
Wt: 181 lbs.
Catches: Left

Ranked #2 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Goalies)

Poor Kevin Mandolese played on a bad team last year that led him to seeing way too many shots. As such, his statistics can be a little misleading. However, Steve Kournianos thinks the young goalie plays with athleticism and aggressiveness, adding, “His initial post-save recovery is excellent and both his blocker and glove hand are very quick.”

Even with the hindrance of the weak defensive corps in front of him, Kevin Mandolese earned the #2 spot from Central Scouting. Draftsite has him going in the second round — to Colorado, incidentally, with Nashville’s pick.

Bill Placzek of the site observes Mandolese “Reads attacks well, and shows strong understanding and implementation of the technical aspects of his position,” adding: “He has shown moxie and mental toughness on a poor defensive club.”

Mandolese certainly is in the new style of goalies — tall and lanky. He just automatically takes up a lot of net. What’s more, he’s only 17 years old. Not only does that mean he will likely grow more, but he’s got plenty of development ahead of him.

Plus, he’s used to facing a lot of shots, which automatically makes him a natural fit for the Avalanche. I wouldn’t mind at all seeing him come to Colorado.

You also never know when he’s going to go all Reto Berra on you:

Lukas Dostal

2017-18 Team: SK Horacka Slavia Trebic, Czech Liga
Date of Birth: Jun. 22, 2000 (17 years old)
Ht: 6’1″
Wt: 165 lbs.
Catches: Left

Ranked #1 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Goalies)

Last season, Lukas Dostal was on loan to SK Horacka Slavia Trebic of the Czech Liga, which is the tier-two league in the country. In 20 games with the club, he posted a 2.43 goals against and .921 save percentage.

Bill Placzek of Draftsite projects Dostal to go late in the second round, to the Arizona Coyotes, who have Minnesota’s second-rounder. Placzek considers Lukas to be a well balanced, well controlled goalie with a cool and calm demeanor. The scout praises the goalie’s glove hand and balance in all directions. He adds that Dostal “Is under control and angles shots off into the corners lessening rebounds in the middle area.”

As with Rodigue, scouts see an issue with his size, hoping he’ll get taller and maybe a little bulkier. Greg Balloch of In Goal Magazine calls him a “Czech super-goalie…[who] has all of the footwork and speed of a high-end prospect.”

Kournianos admires Dostal’s quickness both in his reactions and in his glove and blocker.

I’d say the Colorado Avalanche might give Lukas Dostal a look if Rodrigue is already gone in the third round. He might be a good fourth-rounder if still available.

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Alexis Gravel

2017-18 Team: Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL
Date of Birth: Mar. 21, 2000 (18 years old)
Ht: 6’3″
Wt: 220 lbs.
Catches: Right
Ranked #51 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Ranked #3 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Goalies)
Bob McKenzie: 2nd (among goalies)
Craig Button: 85th

Alexis Gravel has the size… of a defenseman. That’s a whole lot of goalie in net, and it makes him an intimidating presence to opponents.

All that size isn’t slowing Gravel down. Brett Slawson of The Hockey Writers observes he can “traverse his crease with ease and makes powerful movements in order to deny lethal scoring opportunities.” Slawson adds:

“His ability to follow the play and track the puck stands as one of his best qualities.”

Steve Kournianos sees a lot to like in Alexis Gravel’s game, too”

“We’ve see an upright butterfly netminder who uses smart positioning, razor-sharp attentiveness and glove-hand quickness that makes opponents rethink seemingly open looks towards his net. Gravel always looks locked in and fights tooth and nail to maintain a visual on the puck, including when it’s behind the net.”

A couple of interesting aspects about Gravel. He’s a righty — and he was born in Germany.

#Hlinka: Halifax Moosehead G Alexis Gravel (2018 Draft) having a strong 3rd period against several PP's. Theatrics kinda unnecessary. pic.twitter.com/ie0IAR0qZH
— Steve Kournianos (@TheDraftAnalyst) August 7, 2017

I’d start considering Alexis Gravel around the fourth round.

Amir Miftakhov

2017-18 Team: Irbis Kazan, MHL
Date of Birth: Apr. 26, 2000 (18 years old)
Ht: 6’0″
Wt: 159lbs.
Catches: Left

Ranked #3 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Goalies)

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Amir Miftakhov is a goalie that’s considered an up and comer. He’s small, but he’s known for being feisty. Brett Slawson calls him a “relative unknown” who’s “continued to impress and develop throughout the 2017-18 campaign.” Slawson further describes Miftakhov as an “impenetrable force” who “offers little opportunity for opposing shooters and is quick to deny any and all well-placed shots owing to his quick reflexes. ”

Steve Kournianos is also impressed with Miftakhov’s reflexes, calling them impressive. The scout considers Amir to be smart who’s also an able puck-tracker. Here are some interesting observations about the Russian:

“The quickness of his pads, when combined with the positioning of both his blocker and glove hands, fools shooters into thinking they have a chance at beating him in conventional net targets. There’s… a controlled violence about the way he not only stops pucks, but resets or recovers from initial chances around the net.”

That is a fascinating way to describe a goalie’s movements. Kournianos also observes that Amir Miftakhov is capable of facing “a barrage of successive shot attempts” with aplomb.

Bill Placzek is also impressed with Miftakhov’s unflappability, calling him “focused” and “patient,” further observing that “Traffic in front doesn’t rattle him.”

The Draftsite has Miftakhov going in the third round. However, I wouldn’t mind seeing Colorado pick him up in a later round if he’s still available. The Avalanche do love their unflappable Russian goalies who don’t mind facing a lot of shots.

MORE COLORADO AVALANCHE PROSPECTS:

The 2018 NHL Draft takes place on June 22-23 in Dallas.

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