The Hockey PDOcast - Goalies! Goalies! Goalies!

Episode Date: November 15, 2024

Dimitri Filipovic is joined by Kevin Woodley to talk about how Joey Daccord has gotten to the level he’s at in Seattle, the impact of the new agreement between the NCAA and CHL on goalie development, Mackenzie Blackwood as a trade target, and the early season performance of netminders like Dustin Wolf, Anthony Stolarz, and Connor Hellebuyck If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

It's the Hockey PEDEOCast with your host, Dmitri Filippovich. Welcome to the Hockey PEDEOCast. My name's Demetri Villepovich and joining me here in studios, my good buddy, Kevin Woodley. Kevin, what's going on, man? Not much. Like, six-game homestand, so it feels like the work's actually finally begun. I am fully upside down in terms of my, I tried really hard to, you know, get healthy this off-season and get eight-hour sleep a night. And then as soon as you're getting home at 1 a.m.

And up the, it's, yeah, so I'm sideways right now. but maybe that'll have a little, you know, get me fired up for a few things in this conversation. Well, it was my birthday last week, and as a present, I got, thank you, yeah. And the only reason I bring that up is because I got this aura ring that I'm wearing on my finger now, and I've been tracking my sleep recently,

because that's a thing I guess you apparently do once you're your 30s and that starts to really matter. My sleep score this week's actually been pretty good. So I really can't complain. I would have thought it'd be much worse based on how I was feeling earlier, but don't put that thing anywhere near me. It'll be just go black right now. Well, it won't go black for our listeners because it's Kevin Woodley Day here in the PDCast.

If we had any production budget here, we'd be sounding the sirens, just pretend they're going off. We've got a fun show here today. I asked you originally, as we typically do, we bounce around some ideas before we go on air. And this morning, I texted you. I was like, Kevin, here are the few things that I want to talk about. What are you feeling? And generally, I feel like you're a pretty good sport about just going with the flow with whatever I suggest. This time, though, you had a few ideas of your own.

And you even suggested when as far as to say, you should do a rapid fire type of show. And my response to you was, I love the idea of that. I think self-evaluation is very important. And I know that you and I in particular are probably incapable of functioning at that frequency because we get bogged down by two or three things. And that's okay. I think people are more than happy to hear us go into deep depth on just a couple topics. So I love the self-confidence and the vote of support.

that you had believing that we were capable of that. But alas, I don't think we are. But it's okay because we've got a fun couple topics that we're going to get into here. And we're going to see how far we go along. Let's get into the Pediocast Discord mailbag here to guide the conversation. Because as always, I let the listeners know you're coming on. They're your biggest fans. We've got over a thousand people in there by now, Kevin, by the way.

What's the benchmark we got to hit before we teach you a little bit about technology and get you in there? Are we talking a couple thousand? I'm talking 10,000. I'm going to be perfectly honest here. This isn't so much a benchmark thing is my business partner at Engle magazine, my savior when it comes to technology, David Hutchinson would tell you, this is probably more about me handing you my phone

so that you can log me in and teach me how to download the app because, as I've said before, my birthdays are, there's a few more of them than you, Dimitri. I am one of the old, so we'll get there. We'll get you eventually. just going to keep hammering you and badgering you over this and then eventually you're going to impromptu impairance. Wyatt Arn't actually once had me on Discord for, I think it was a fantasy football draft,

but I perfectly honest, I don't know if I got booted off or I'm still whatever. I can't long back in. I'm going to talk to a lot of crap to poor Wyatt when it was our fantasy football commissioner. So apologies to the stanchion. I was a little tough on you back in those days. It's okay. We'll get you back on there one day. Here's a question of Pixies, one of our most,

loyal and devoted posters in there, some would argue, most deranged, shadow Pixies. It says, any insights on how Seattle slash Coachella Valley rehabbed Joey Decord into becoming one of the better starters in the league this season? Now, this is obviously someone here in the Pacific Northwest whose game you're quite familiar with. I think he was obviously a phenomenal story last year, right, stepping into a big role, essentially, you know, ostensibly their starter. I think he played 50 games or so last year. And then it got lost in the a little bit on the eve of this regular season because I think we were all so preoccupied with Jeremy Swayman's extension and Linus Allmark's extension and all the scuttlebut about

Igor Shurkin's upcoming deal. And not that many people were talking about the extension Joy to Cordgaat. I think right before the regular season started where Seattle essentially rewarded him with a five-by-five deal. And that doesn't even kick in until next year, of course. But I think, you know, this is a goalie who coming into this season had 69 NHL games to their name, essentially, right? And 50 of those, as I said, were the previous season. So very minimal track record. Yet he seems to be backing it all up this year, in my opinion, every time I watch him play. He certainly looks just as good as he was last year, if not even better.

I've got a bunch of number here that can kind of reinforce that. But to the listeners question, what do you think sort of the process was there? because they obviously liked him, right? They identified him in the expansion draft, even though they had devoted a bunch of resources into both Philip Grubauer and Chris Driger at the time. And now they've essentially tabbed him to be their starter moving forward. This is a matter of just evaluation

in terms of identifying certain things they liked in his game and it just carrying over, or have you talked to anyone there that's told you stuff they've worked on? Like, what's the sort of arc here for him over the past couple years in Seattle? I think this is a lot of pay, like it's part in part patience, and that's two ways. Joey being patient with being sent down to the American Hockey League,

the year they won the two years ago, I guess, and then going to the Calder Cup final. I think at a time when he thought he was ready to be in the National Hockey League, we remember they went out and signed Martin Jones, if I'm not mistaken, maybe a little later in the summer even, and relegated him to

number three status. And I think that year really paid off because he got to just go down there and play a ton. And the playoff run they went talking to him, there were lessons learned. But I think this is mostly just time for a continued evolution. I don't know. I'm a big fan of Steve Breyer, the goaltending coach in Seattle. And I think to a certain degree here, this is also credit to Joey, who is also his own coach, whose dad Brian DeCord run stop at goaltending out of Massachusetts, one of the

biggest and longest standing. They just celebrated their 25th anniversary. this year, goaltending schools back east. You know, guys like, like Corey Schneider, like Joey DeCord, grew up going to his dad's goalie school,

and guys like Corey Schneider were regular goalies. And so I think, like, Joey's like, in the goal, he's the goaltending equivalent of one of those kids that just keeps going to school for a very long time, you know, like the career,

I have got a few buddies, I guess, so apologize, apologies, Dwayne Cover, a career student, you know, with like multiple like just stay in school like Joey's Joe's a no stone

unturned guy who is always looking to get better he goes back to his dad's schools every summer he coaches and sometimes you learn best by seeing what the next generation is working on and there's just a real commitment to the craft by him and I think that combined with playing experience the pressure experience of playoffs being able to connect the patterns of the game

and learn how to play his game Like, it's just all coming together. And I'm with you, the numbers I have, plus 1.2 adjusted say percentage right now. He was there for a good chunk of the year last year, dipped a little late, as I think did everything around the Cracken. But it started off very well. I mean, this is a guy who tactically, technically, when I say no stone on turn, like he's my go-to guy when I write about, like, new things in goal-tending, like technology. He uses virtual reality. Not just virtual reality NHL Senserina tool before a game for his warm up,

but also he'll even throw on a headset in between periods. Like, hey, my glove didn't feel great in the first period. He told me he'll throw on a headset and make virtual reality glove saves, just set up a drill that shoots pucks at his glove in the locker room, imaginary, makes a bunch of saves feels better and goes out there. So not afraid to find things that help him in his game. He's changed some of the way he trains and I'm brain-cramping. He told me, we had him on the podcast a little while ago at Engel,

and he told me there was something he was doing that was quite different than anyone else physically to sort of train. And I have to remember and send you a note for later about what it is. But again, just a career learner. And so I thought he was really good in Ottawa. And then you add all this experience and continued evolution and you've got yourself a goalie. I'd be willing to wager he's on Discord. So just listening to talk about that, I bet he's got the technological capabilities to be popping on there in chatting with his friends and his colleagues.

Also listening to talk about that made me think, I guess we really don't have this anywhere, but it'd be interesting if NHL teams had the equivalent essentially of a bullpen, where goalies would be able to, whether it's the backup in game, right? Because we often see if there's an injury, they come out and, you know, they do their stretches and movements a little bit. I think there was a rule change this year that allows them to take shots now. Really? In an injury.

I think that's new. So I haven't really seen that, but it'd be amazing if there was like a, within the confines of the building, some sort of a room as a bullpen where they were essentially just taking shots and getting practice shots in and maybe even if you'd had a quiet period right we often hear how like oh a goalie the puck was on the other end of the ice the entire period they didn't get to you know feel the puck hit them feel that rhythm go in there get make a few saves during intermission just to uh just to stay warm so you're back ready for the second period good to go yeah and the virtual route that's exactly what it's fine and i can't remember if joey said like

low shot games or another it was him or another goal like there's a handful of guys using this in NHL now. If it was him or somebody else that told me they use NHL Sensorina in between periods when they don't see a lot of shots, but I do know when he goes through times where, especially get on in a season, and with the workload he's going to be playing, as he did last year, a higher, you know, volume of games played, you get days where you're supposed to take a break where you're not on the ice. Physically at least, yeah, and you can, you can still see, you can work on your hands, you can work on your eyes without actually having to get on the

So it's, again, like, it's just kind of one of those, this is what I love about it, right? We're always evolving. This is one of those new tools. And I think it's a perfect sort of example of why Joey's always evolving. And I think that's why he's having this success at this stage age-wise of his career. And then good on him. Yeah, and his 10 games so far, Sportogic has him at nearly plus five goals able to expected 921, save percentage.

And I was watching his most recent game against Columbus here where he winds up stopping 38 to 40. but in that first period in particular, the Cracken just clearly didn't have their legs moving and they were getting pummeled by the Blue Jackets and he kept their respectable. And then they, I think in the second period, they wound up bouncing back, scoring a few goals and winning it. And it's nice having that as sort of like a foundation to build on.

There's 6-3-1 in the court starts, which are note as well. And they're 1 in 5 when he's not their goalie. So I think those splits are pretty interesting in some of them monitor moving forward. I think ultimately though, the organizational scar tissue, and this is an organization that obviously hasn't been around for long, only a couple of years now, but considering their early investments at the position and what they've gotten as returns, I feel like this is a massive win for them if Joey to court is actually going to provide

some stability long term at the position. So it's cool to kind of put all that together in here that also like he's being rewarded for all of that sort of extracurricular work, not that his peers aren't doing so, but I love hearing those stories of guys that are like embracing all of your new resources available to you to get better at your job. And I'll give you another example. And I wrote about this already at NHL.com as part of my biweekly unmasked goalie column, I wrote one on equipment.

So Joey watches and plays against Jake Ottinger last year, I think a couple times, one of the games against Jake. Ottinger makes, he said, three or four blocker saves on sort of shots off the wing. And Otter, without any effort, just sort of steers it, quick little flick of the wrist of the blocker. And Joey's like, it's 20 rows deep in the stands. I went back and found him, and he was right. There was a bunch where just like out of play, get your team of whistle reset. And Joey's like, whoa, I got to like, what's going on here?

So it's a bower blocker. Joey's a true goalie. His equipment is made by true. And so he tried, again, this is it, Jay Gallen did this this summer as well. If you're not looking for ways to get better. And so if these new pads and new technologies and the equipment are going to produce super active rebounds that allow me to steer a puck into the stands quite easily and get my team a whistle or have a rebound off the pads that shoots past faster past that first wave of four,

you know, guys looking for rebounds at the top of the crease and shoots out 25 feet instead of 10 feet and gives me more time to recover than I'm going to try these things. Joey loved the blocker, still wanted his more old school traditional feel on his pads, True didn't have the materials to make a blocker with as much pop. So he's like, I'm going to make the switch. So he is wearing true gear pads glove but he's in a Bauer blocker which is this is kind of rare like a lot of always want to be head to toe the same equipment sometimes for branding purposes and and it's contract money you get out you can get money sponsorship deals if you're head to toe and he's like no like this is a performance benefit that I can't ignore and so he's wearing the Bauer blocker and

of course the beauty is Bauer actually digitally prints the graphics on their equipment now and so in Joey's case he had the Bauer blocker digital printed in the graphic design of his old true blocker and other than the brand label on the side, you can't even tell. So goalie geek central, that's what I love talking to Joey about these things. And one more real quick note on Seattle's goaltending investment. I'm putting myself on the spot here because I haven't checked to see how it's going in the American League, but I still believe, and we talked about this going into the summer, that Chris Dreger is absolutely, that devastating injury, still believe he is absolutely capable and is an NHL goaltender, and I think that was just

a freak thing that got in the way of that for him. I love it. You can't get this stuff anywhere else. Just a big deep dive of Joey DeCord's blocker and his fashion in that. I love that. This is why I like, because you bring up things that I, you let me geek out a little bit. So thanks, Dimitri. Oh, no, it's great. It makes my job easy. All right. Second question here from Corbox, and I think this provides us with a nice segue because Joey DeCord is a player who obviously at Arizona estate found great success on his way towards the NHL. And the question goes, what's Woodley's take on the new NCAA-CHL development path changes and how it could benefit or hamper goalie development?

Now, I think generally if you're probably listening to a show, if you're a big fan of the sport and the product, you're probably familiar with this story now. But essentially, the TLDR of it is they've lifted the previously held ban on players with major junior experience, not being able to play eventually in NCAA, right? if you have any sort of experience there, you're essentially ruled ineligible. So now I think that opens certainly some interesting sort of routes or paths for young players and prospects to take and more opportunities for them, as opposed to just kind of limiting them or making them decide where they're going to play when they're a 15, 16 year old for however many years. So I think there's that side of it for goalies, though, obviously I think it's an even more interesting conversation because just by the nature of the position, there's fewer jobs available, right?

Like you have what the one starter backup, maybe carrying a third string goalie, but for the most part, there's fewer jobs simply available than a typical skater. What are your thoughts on this in terms of like, I think it's generally much more positive than negative for potential development, just providing more opportunities and roles. And maybe if you're stuck on a certain team and there's either a better prospect

ahead of you or someone who's more in transfer than the organization, it gives you a chance to go somewhere else in play, I think, more viably. Do you have any sort of interesting things that you at least like to track or think about with the progress of this? The need-jerk reaction, I think it's important to note that that's all it is at this point

because we don't know how it's going to work is that it will give more goalies more time to get those opportunities to play games, to find their game if they haven't already in the CHL. I've been critical of the CHL in terms of what it offers goalies because their window is often so small, right?

Like you're not typically trust. You're not trusting a 16-year-old net. Like those are the exceptions. 17s barely play, and I think sometimes, you know, to their detriment, they may even be in a roster at 17, but barely play. And that's not ideal. That's a year where you need to be playing a ton. And there's no system for them to go down to a junior B team or a junior A team

and get reps in between games like you would, an NHL team and a farm club for a young goal. and then by 20, like unless they're a star, they're not in the league because you've only got 320-year-old spots and you don't want to have it on your goalie because your goalie doesn't play every night. So like you're basically got what, like two years, 18, 19 to sort of show yourself and one of them is your draft year.

And so like in general, there's going to be most guys end up taking those opportunities in the CIS. And I still think there's a, or CIS, sorry, Danny myself, U-Sports, Canadian University. I think there's a lot of really good goal. still in U-sports, but tended to be the smaller ones that ended up there, and then the bigger ones would get minor pro contracts. I think you're going to have more guys come out of the CHL

and have opportunities to sort of extend their window. And the window in which they're being looked at as potentially serious prospects for a number of years and get more starts and get more experience and maybe find that one thing that they didn't have that changes everything for them and how they play the game. So that's a positive. What I don't know yet is, where how much influence NHL teams will have on kids that have been drafted

because in the past they also had to make a decision on these kids by the time they were 20. And so there's a contract and there's financial incentive that comes at that. Will they be able to say, no, we want you to go to school so we can buy ourselves more time? Now you can't have them in school under contract. That hasn't changed, right? Yeah. Like once they sign an NHL contract, they can't go to the NCAA. So teams want more time to watch these kids,

but if there's no guarantee there's a contract at the end of it, extending it, and that's where I don't know the CBA will come in and we'll see. Because you could, in theory, just use, we want to see you in college for a few years and sort of push that decision down the road, and it'll be interesting to see how that plays. I think guys at a certain level and a certain draft status will have the ability to say, no, I want to turn pro now, I want to sign now. even if in their mind it might be the best to go get a few more years of experience

in college versus in pros. There's a lot of pros and cons. If you're ready, you're ready. I mean, look locally at Ty Young or the Vancouver Canucks. 20 years old, couldn't play in the Western hockey league because nobody wanted a 20-year-old who last year had lost his starting job. He's only played two games, but in the ECHL, and that's a tough jump from junior to pro. Every goal he's told me, hardest jump is college or junior to pro,

It's a harder jump than AHL to NHL, that first year pro. He's in the ECHL, gets a couple starts. He was with the Vancouver Canucks practicing just this week as a fill-in. Like, think of the absurdity, right? Like, not good enough to play in the WHL as a 20-year-old, but ready to turn pro. I think he's got a 9-7 and his two starts in the ECHL.

He's in the American Hockey League now, and he's practicing with the Vancouver Canucks. Like, it's something's missing in between those two. Yeah. I think it's a, I mean, I think it's ultimately, maybe this is just blind optimism, but I think it will be a bit of a rising tide situation because everything I've read on it is like, I think it makes sense that for the CHL's perspective, there's going to be a pressure to keep up in terms of like you don't want to necessarily be losing

a lot of your tall players to the NCAA path now. And so I think just like investing more resources into the developmental side of like facilities and off-ice stuff and everything I think is going to be their coaching. Certainly. Listen, like it's not. not the goalie coaching. Yeah. There are a lot of guys and I'm not going to say what organizations. There are guys in the CHL that are basically doing it for a track suit and a stipend. Yeah.

Like it's come a long way, but, you know, like they, again, I think there are still spots in the CHL where kids are kind of let down in terms of the resources and the coaching that they have at that level. Not everywhere and it's gotten way better than it used to be. But just because there's a goaltending coach on a roster doesn't mean it's full time. When I read this question, the thing that I thought about and what I wanted to talk to you about specifically, though, was comparing the NCAA from a goalie perspective to like preparing you as a proxy for pro hockey compared to major junior. Obviously, there's going to be individual. It's on a case by case basis. I would argue, though, that having watched my fair share of both products, the NCAA is typically more low scoring, more structured. I think there's still a bit of a talent imbalance from the top teams to the bottom ones.

and so you're going to get games where there's just sort of like the ice is lopsided and tilted and it's not a fair fight. I will say though, maybe not as much into WHL compared to like the Q for example, but there's certain situations and environments in those leagues where you watch it. And it's like this isn't really, it's great because these are 17, 18, 19 year olds. They shouldn't necessarily be playing pro hockey. It's good to just get reps and build skills and everything.

But if you're from a goalie's perspective, do they translate? It's like, all right, facing all of these shots and having to be playing this type of game, not to mention the trickle-down effect of being exposed to that and then having it ruin your confidence or your own development because all of a sudden you're just scrambling and fighting for your life, I do wonder whether more NCAA maturity for goalies would ultimately be a good thing

because I think the track record certainly recently, I mean, we talk all the time about Canada's sort of goalie development program and especially it's going to be a big topic this year with the four nations and the options available to them and how long it's been since Canada's really churned out of top goalie. I think that short window in the CHL plays a role in it, and so the NCAA giving you an opportunity to expand that window to develop before you either can keep playing or not

absolutely will help. I should say, as critical as I was of the limitations on goalie coaching sometimes, again, not ever. There's some excellent ones and some excellent organizations that treat it seriously. in the CHL, it applies to the NCAA, where it's still in a lot of places of volunteer position, not even a full-time paid position.

So the grass is not always greener, but from a general standpoint of more time to develop and more reps, and ironically, more time to mature physically too and more time within a week, right, because you only play on the weekends to mature physically. Like, those would all seem to be positive. At the end of the day, there's still only one net. And in the NCAA, quite often, one guy keeps it because it's too. games on the weekend. You don't split starts. And so I'm with you on Rising Tide floats all boats. For the most part, there's still a few questions I have in terms of how this actually all plays out.

And we'll have to wait and see a little bit. But more time for goalies is obviously a good thing in a general sense. This might be an anecdotal thing, but I was thinking about. And then I was playing around in preparation for this, like looking at the Canadian goalies this year and what they've mustered in the NHL. And I believe there's been 19. Canadian goalies that have appeared in NHL games this year, and they have a combined 890 save percentage. And I was looking at the US guys, for example, and it's like, Helibuck, Swayman, Audinger,

Democ, obvious he hasn't played yet, but we saw what he did last year, Charlie Langren, Joseph Wohl, Joey DeCourt, as I mentioned, all these guys with multiple years of NCAA experience and the success they're having and the sort of imbalance between those two sides of the ledger, not necessarily saying that it's a pure NCAA versus CHL

preparation thing. There's obviously on much earlier stages where it begins, um, that feeds into this, but I do think it's raises like an interesting conversation for us based on the success we've seen the two separate developmental programs have. Yeah. And I, sorry, like just, it's one of many points of conversation around this. I think it's an important one though. Like I said, like I mean, you're essentially two years and some kids don't even get two years to sort of establish themselves and prove themselves in the CHL. And I, I think that window being so sure, you know, is inherently problematic. And so extending it in the NCAA would, you know, appear to be a good thing.

But that bigger conversation is one we might have to save till rosters are named because it's one that cuts pretty deep and goes, starts, frankly, long before they get to college or the CHL. All right. Well, we're certainly going to do that next time I have you on. Kevin, let's take our break here. And then we come back. We'll jump right back into it and finish up today's show. You're listening to the Hockey, Ocas streaming on the Sportsnet Radio. network. All right, we are back here in the Hockey PDO cast, joined by Kevin Woodley. Kevin, let's

keep it going. I really like part one. I feel like we've gotten some fun stuff there. I want to talk to you a little bit about McKenzie Blackwood. We're going to get into a rapid fire here because I think there's a handful of goalies that I want to discuss their early season performance with you. Blackwood is an interesting one because we had Kevin on the show last year. Probably was around this time because I remember he started off last year really well for the sharks as well, and we were just kind of talking about his performance amidst the chaos in front of him. And you did a, I'd say a harrowing job of documenting the injuries that plagued him or the injury specifically towards the end of his tenure in New Jersey. I say this lovingly, but I think it was

such a vivid description of his injury that people should go back and listen to. And it was probably the most nauseating segment in Pediocast history. Some people might argue we've had more nauseating ones, but that one I was just sitting in the office and I could just like feel my skin crawling, just listening to you describe what was going on with his. I don't want to cause, like, we'll let people, you know, this is good, right? Go check out the last one. Boost those numbers. But any time you have to actually physically cut open a skate and play with it open to the air because of something that's been added to one of your appendages, that's tough.

That's tough. It's tough. So he's hit nine games this year. He's got a 914 save percentage plus four goals able to have expected. He just most recently pitched a 44 save shutout in New Jersey, which I'm sure for him personally must have felt. quite good. He turns 28 in a couple weeks here. He's got a very manageable 2.35 million expiring deal. And in the Discord, I've seen people talking about sort of his potential fit with a team like the avalanche, for example. I know that Georgia has sort of salvages

a season a little bit here with a couple good performances, particularly the one he had in Winnipeg the other day, but I still think you look in the abs are, I believe, still 32nd in the league and say percentage, I think as they get healthier here with their skaters, particularly up front, they're going to be sort of reluctant to toy with the idea of wasting another season of the primes of Kail McCar, McKinnon, and Randinen with the level they're playing at. And so regardless, I think they're going to be in the market or at least kind of fishing around to see whether there's any upgrades. What do you think about the idea of Blackwood being one of the more intriguing names on this market

over the next couple months as we head toward the trade deadline? because typically we've talked about we don't see goalies moved in season that often, and especially moves of substance. They really pay out dividends quickly because of the adjustment and all of that. It's much more difficult than you'd certainly think at first blush. But I do think because of his age, because of his pedigree in the recent past, and because of the fact that he looks healthy and has these games that sort of remind you of that, he is an interesting name.

And so I wanted to pitch you on him and kind of hear your talk. Thoughts on Blackwood and the way he's played this year and kind of whether he'd be a goalie of intrigue for you. Mackenzie Blackwood's always going to be a goalie of intrigue for me because the tools are so tantalizing. And I know in San Jose that they've seen those tools, they've worked with, and they see the like legit unquestioned number one upside. He is huge. He's built like a linebacker and he moves like a running back. Like he's just everything is there. The biggest question so far

has been an ability to stay healthy and consistent, right? And I think they go hand in hand because as we painted that picture nauseatingly so evidently last time when you're playing through stuff you're not playing at your best and this is a guy who's played through stuff.

Numbers are good. Like the goalies that have seen 200 chances at least this season, he's 15th with a positive, you know, save percentage differential, you know, well above expected. You know, ahead of some

names that are getting, you know, a lot more sort of recognition. Like Kevin Lankinan here in Vancouver is right at the same number, right? And I'm here and talk of him on the finished roster along with his old playing partner, UC Soros and Ouka Pekulukinan, who, by the way, again, I said it last time, looks like the numbers and me got wrong

because last season was great and he started pretty well this season up until this injury. So, you know, I don't know if your average fan sees Blackwood as having that type of season. But, like, here in Vancouver, they're like ready to build the statue of Lincoln. And so the fact they have the same numbers, to me, is kind of telling. And, I mean, Team Canada, right? We talked about that before the break. Like, I'd be curious to see what type of decision they make and whether he might be an option there because the package is there.

And we saw success early. Like McKen, and I don't know if a lot of people realize, like McKenzie Blackwood was one of the reasons that we saw a rush of goalies get opportunities in the NHL from the AHL a little earlier than we had been seeing. Like, goalies were left to bake down there longer. Like, but Blackwood got up early with the devils, and I know for a fact, like here in Vancouver,

Demko's people notice that and push saying, hey, like our guy's ready too. I think Carter Hart in Philadelphia played a role in that as well. But like Blackwood had that early success and a lot of other young goalies and their camps were able to push for earlier opportunities in the NHL as a result. So I think it's easy to forget

the pedigree and the upside that people saw and I know in San Jose they see it now. So that's why his future is interesting to me because I think internally they also realize that this might be the guy once we get over the hump as a team. There's that much potential here. And, you know, there have been ups and downs. They're not all injury-related.

So, you know, I'm kind of curious when I break down his game, like, why he gets exposed sometimes for such a big body can get caught a little out of position at times, has learned over time to sort of play within his lines. But there's, yeah, there's a lot to like in McKenzie Blackwood. And I, it's one of those guys, like, different reasons, but kind of like Gibson, like I want to see him back on a good team. Like, the devils weren't really that when he was there. And I'd be curious to see how he does. I don't pretend to have the answers on it, but I really like to see it.

Yeah, I think based on for the upside and the. presumably what the acquisition costs would be, and the fact that there's no real future money involved as well. It gives you a bit of a free look. And I think that would be appealing to the avalanche. I will say selfishly, it would also clear the deck, I think, to get Yaroslav Ascarov up to the NHL

in eight games so far with the Barakuta. He's got a 949 save percentage. And we often lament the fact that, cover your ears, Kevin. Goleys are boring these days because they all look the same and play the same. I feel like just the league would be in a better play. just to get Askerov's flare.

I'm with you on his flare. I want to see him in the league, but come on, they don't all look the same. I guess to the untrained eye, they all look the same and play the same. There's a lot of differences. That's the perfect segue. Tied you up here to talk about Dustin Wolf.

I know he was on your list of guys you want to cover. I've obviously people that have been listening. I've been talking him up as well, not only because this Flames team has been much more competitive and feisty than I think anyone, including myself, gave them credit for to start the year, but I think also the fact that, regardless of who's been in net for them, they've gotten a pretty high baseline of performance so far.

And Wolf is part of that tandem in his eight games. He's got a 9-16 save percentage, a positive goal save above expected. You also look at his workload. I think he's averaging something like 33 shots against per game or something like that. And this is during a time where shots are actually down across the league. And he's holding up his end of the bargain. And I just said every goalie looks the same. He certainly does not fit that trend.

And that's why I've got my eyes on him. I really enjoy watching him play. And it's awesome to see that he's having immediate success. Okay, so his patience on his edges, his ability to hold edges, to not retreat in the face of pressure, although there were some big moments early this year. The Utah game in particular where he sort of dip back behind traffic a little bit and got beat clean. But as he learns, like his patience on his edges and ability to sort of outweigh people and then not commit and then move off those. Like he's so powerful. He's got so much control.

There's so much to like. I will say this. So two things. What I love, if you really pay attention, is he destroys the myths about smaller goalies having to be more aggressive. UC Soros does too. And yet every time I tune into a broadcast where one of these guys is, except the local broad.

Like when you get a national and it's like, oh, he's a smaller goalie, so he's got to be outside of the blue paint. Dustin Wolf was the American Hockey League goalie of the year. in his first year. In his second year, he was the American Hockey League goalie of the year and the MVP. There was a coaching change in the American League, goalie coaching change that year. And one of the things, so he was obviously already good, but he took another stride in his game by playing less aggressively. Like he is very rarely outside of breakaway chances or open

looks off the rush outside of the blue paint. UC Saros was the same way. It was Pecoran, it looked at UC Saras and thought, wow, this guy's like six inches shorter than me and he plays deeper than me. I maybe should back up. Like, this with Wolf, like that stereotype, should be totally destroyed. He stays in his lines. His inside leg is almost never outside

of his post. Like if you were to draw a line from post to post up the ice, Wolf has almost always got part of his body inside that. Even though he has to play outside his post from dead angles, whereas bigger goal is we'll tuck inside and play a reverse, he's got to use a lot more overlap. So he's kind of destroying that myth.

I love the way he's skates. I love the way. I talked about his edge work and all those things. I do have to give credit here as well to the coaching staff because I was pretty critical last year. We talked about Jacob Markstrom and stopping bullets in his teeth because the environment defensively was not good. It is a lot better in Calgary right now. And I think that Ryan Husk and his staff deserve a lot of credit. I'm not sure they're getting. As a matter of fact, I think some of the public metrics, and this may tie into the shot volume we're talking about. I saw something saying that basically Wolf is saving them.

This environment is not terrible. Like Wolf's expected is 900 right now, which is really high. Vladar is 892. Those are both well above the league average. They're outperforming them, both of them, and good for them, in new roles for both of them. But again, I was critical of what that environment was like, so I feel like I really need to give credit to Ryan Huskin, his staff,

for the environment they've created this year. I'm not sure they're getting enough credit for it. I agree with you. It's interesting hearing you talk about technique, because obviously you're much more qualified to get into that realm than I am. One of my sort of general rules for evaluating goalies years ago, not knowing what I was looking at when I'd actually watch them other than whether they made the save or not,

was I generally was of the belief that if you've been successful at previous stops and lower levels, I would believe that you're probably going to have a chance to do the same in the NHS. and we sort of saw that trend bucked a little bit because teams started prioritizing sort of moldable physical tools more so than performance, right? It was like, all right, I don't really care what your save percentage was like overseas or a major junior. If you're 6'5 and athletic, I prefer that because we can bring you in here and work around that and get you towards stopping pucks at the NHL level.

And Wolf is a bit of a throwback for me like that. Similar to Soros as well, because I remember looking at his numbers in pro hockey. he oversees before he came over and then the HL and then once he was backing up Rene in small samples it's like all right every time this guy plays regardless of where he plays he stops and above average number of pucks I want to see him get more starts because I feel like

he's going to keep doing that and we'll similarly WHL then HL now doing this for the flames it's like every step along the way he keeps reminding you that he's a good goalie and he has to do so I think because he doesn't have the size or those other tools physically to fall back on

and no sort of safety net there right like if he wasn't stopping Pucks at this frequency, he probably wouldn't get this opportunity. Well, and that's the thing that we've talked about, you know, I think I've shared this anecdote with your audience before, but I had a goalie coach, well, it was Ian Clark, formerly with the Vancouver Canucks, as a goalie coach now doing scouting for them that said, like, if there's a perfect size, and he didn't tell me what it was, he said, whether you're of the belief at 6-2 or 6-3, if there is an ideal size, then goalies on either end of the spectrum away from that size have to overcome size, whether it's dust and,

both listed at six foot, probably a little below, or a goalie who's listed at six foot five. You have to overcome your size on either side. Smaller goalies, you know, have to basically make sure they are faster and in position and more efficient than anyone else because they don't have the bulk to just get hit. Bigger goalies when they move, open up holes. So at some point, the difference is when you're six five, you get every opportunity, when you're six foot or less, you, you cannot miss. You have to keep proving it.

You absolutely do. that's a great point and he's he's doing it again and again the system is so they're playing so much better defensively in front of them and that's what I was worried about I have all the belief in the world that us and wolf is going to be an NHL goal I also happen to be of the belief that like quietly maybe people didn't see it but like Dan Vlodar has given them a lot of good minutes when he was healthy over the past couple of years when he's had stretches where it looks really good so we know what is what he's capable of I was worried about both

of those guys getting thrown to the part in the pun wolves a little bit behind a team that was not great defensively last year, but did take strides down the stretch, and again, full credit, they've sort of carried that over, despite being overlooked by most of this season. Let's end on this. We've got time for one more topic.

Well, someone for the rapid fire, right? Well, I think we've gone through quite a bit here, and we're going to end with Connor Hellebuck, end on the strong note as well. I know you wanted to talk about him, and how could you not? He's the favorite, once again,

on the betting market to repeat for the Vesna, slightly ahead of Egos Chirkin, who he happened to beat in their duel the other night at MSG. 9.38 percentage of the season plus 10 goals he above expected. He's given up 25 goals against in 13 games. Six of those 13 games. He's either had a shutout or given up just the one goal against. I want to talk to you about his play specifically, but also projecting ahead then in terms of the workload and sort of the push and pull and managing it because I think we know that he's

proven that he's one of the few goalies still remaining that wants to play pretty much every night. He's been doing that for years at this point, given how successful he is and the team's winning and he's playing and also his reputation, right? And kind of he's afforded himself that luxury of calling his shots a little bit. And I think I wouldn't want to be the guy who has to go in and say, hey, Connor, you're actually sitting tonight. And they don't seem to want to do so that frequently. Yet for years now, and part of this might be a little sort of lazy analysis, but it certainly seems that it's taken its toll a little bit come the postseason where he's not necessarily. playing at the peak of his powers. And so, and as you, as you sort of shake your head here, um, I don't know if it's physical

in the playoffs. I think there's other factors. There's other factors certainly. And obviously, maybe it is a bit. The way that, like that, the way that series last year in particular unfolded against Colorado, you could have put prime Dominic Hachick in there and it wouldn't have mattered. You could have had, like they were getting every single, yes. At the top of the crease and Connor Hellebuck deeper in his crease.

And it still wouldn't have been. And it still would have found a way. Of course. They were dominated. But I do think it's, it's fair to note, especially now with this start they're off to, right? they're building themselves a sizable gap in the West. I believe there's seven points clear of everyone else right now.

And if they keep playing this way, that's only going to grow. And there's a team that, all right, it's great that you're having regular season success. You want to build on that and make a long run here. It would make sense for them to be sort of cognizant of that and manage his workload just to give themselves every opportunity to have that run. We'll see if that happens. But he also hasn't played less than 60 games in a full season in what, seven or eight years now. So I guess it's a fair point. But I'm curious for your take on sort of his play right now.

Obviously, a lot of things are going right for the Jets, and he's one of them. So what are you seeing from him? And kind of do you have any other notes on just the general situation as a whole? Well, he's playing fantastic, obviously. And like you said, he's got two Veznes already, and he'll be in the mix again this year. And, you know, Team USA. So when we're talking about workload, you have to factor in the fact that he's not going to get a break during the Four Nations Cup. And I think that's something that they'll have to consider, you know, when they are.

making those decisions. Quick aside, really nice to see Eric Comrie having success, and not just because he might be the nicest person in the NHL, but because of all the crap he took last year, and a lot of people looked at, and we've had this conversation. It's finally, 868, I think, was his say percentage, and got through waivers, no problem.

And I fully understood why 868 got you through waivers, but his expected was in the 850s. I'd never seen anything like it. And it was 858 was his expected, say, percentage, It's just a brutal defensive environment. It's like the Sabres with UPL and Levi for large chunks of the year. Just like, okay, we have no chance tonight. It's Comrie's turn.

And just got fed to the wolves. And so in a more comfortable environment, a place where he has a great relationship with Wade Flair to the goalie coach and with Connor Hallibuck. I was just talking to Eric the other day for our ring or radio. And he was talking about like how, like these two, like they're geeks. Like that level of decor. And Comrie uses NHL Senserina as well, the virtual reality. deal, but they'll come to the bench and they'll discuss place.

They, they do video in between periods and all that kind of stuff. So, um, really passionate goalie guys and I'm really happy to see Eric Comrie established and having the type of season that should allow them to give Connor more breaks. That said, they've also been exceptional defensively. His expected, say,

percentage by Claricide Analytics is 900. And we talked earlier about Wolf like that's in the top 10 in the national hockey league in terms of good defensive environments. You mentioned that number one in the league in, goals saved above expected. Clearside actually has them seventh at just over six. I think that speaks.

For logic actually has Anthony Stollars. Anthony Stollars is number one on ClearSight analytics as well at 9.67. So almost the 10 goals you talked about, followed closely by Igor Shisterken. And here's one, a guy I'm not sure is getting enough credit for how good. He's been UC Soros. I had people ask me about Soros having a disappointing start.

I think the predators have had a disappointing start, but it hasn't been about their goal-tending. And then to tease, you know, our future discussion on, on, you know, Four Nations Cup. Camp Talbot's fourth right now at 7.79, followed by Lucas Dostal of the Anaheim Duck. So Hellebuck has been great. There's no question.

Plus two and a half percent on your adjusted save percentage. Gets you a Vezna if you keep it up for the year. And there's very few who are as consistent as him. But again, environment matters. He's got a good one there. They're playing, much like Calgary. They're playing really great as a team. And it just seems to be a perfect fit this year

between team and goal tender, and the results are following. Yeah, his workload, so these past seven years, 67, games, 63, 58, and that was the shortened season out of 71, 45 out of 56, 66, 66, 64, 60 last year. So sensing a trend there. It calls himself the big boring. Yeah. Or it's a nickname. I've heard him refer to himself.

I don't know he loves it or not, but, like, there's an efficiency to Conner's game. You've heard me talk about the work he does with Adam Francilia, the trainer up in Colonna, who, you know, that work has attracted, more than a dozen other NHL clients like Andre Vasilevsky called and started working with him this summer sees the elements in these guys' game that allow them not just to have success, but to stay healthy. The way Connor holds his body, holds his shape, and moves leaves him, you know, you talk about big boring, and so you're not extending,

you're not pulling your body in two different directions as you go side to side. Everything moves in one piece. So you're a little less prone to some of those injuries that will knock out. their guys out. But the one part that comes with that is his mind and we've had them do video breakdowns at Ingle magazine for a pro-read segment. Eric Carmey told me years ago you have to get Connor Hellebuck on these segments. His ability.

So you combine that efficiency of movement with an ability to know where the next shot is coming from so that you can get there and not get caught by surprise and pulled in different direction because inherently it will happen. The game is so dynamic now. But Halebuck's anticipation and the way he pulls and processes information that leads to correct anticipation, frankly, it's otherworldly, it's his sort of secret weapon, it's his biggest strength. And I think that combined with the work he does with Adam Francilia is why you see him able to do it. And why I believe him when he says he went into that playoff series feeling great about his game and his body.

And so those totals and the playoffs he's had, absolutely it's fair to ask that question, and maybe they should try getting him under 60. But he's such a unique goaltender and the way those things all combine, I genuinely believe that's why he's able to play so many games. And I know it hasn't gotten well in the playoffs yet, but like his success is not like he starts to fall apart down the stretch. He's good right till the end of the season. So I think it works.

Let's test, let's try to come up with a new most nauseating. moment in PDO cast history. Can you pull up the expected say percentage for Ned and Joel Blumquist? No, but I can off the top of my, well, I probably could, but I don't know how much time we have left. I can tell you on the 700s?

No, I'll tell you, here's Tristan Jari. Because I know this one off top of my head and he hasn't had a chance to play since. Yeah. When I sent him to the American Hockey League, you know what his expected say percentage was? No. 832.

The Eric Comory 858 for a season was the lowest I'd seen. Yeah. So, and listen, I get it. There were moments in there where he wasn't at his best. I actually have talked to a lot of people around Tristan, and I think he did the right work this summer, and I think he's actually not that far off. Yeah, it's a disaster situation.

832 is like, it's untenable. Like, you're not doing anything behind that. Everyone's like, hey, we've got to send him down in the American Hockey League to work on his game, and I'm like, can he take a couple defensemen with him? Yeah, I mean, Spore Logic, which is less, their numbers are less sort of advance and nuance and the ones you're using there, but just for frame of reference, they, like, they've got Ned at an 891 save percentage this season and still at a net neutral goal save above expected. And I can't ever recall seeing a save percentage that low combined with a goal save that wasn't

in the negatives. And that just kind of goes to show you how bleak the environment is where an 891 is him holding up his end of the bargain. I've got his expected save percentage at 870 and he's at 871. And so he's above expected by clear sight. but is expected as 870, which is, you know, 17 points below league average. Blumquist is 876, so not quite as bad, but still 11 points below league expected, and his performance relative to that is plus 1.4% even after the other night,

which is top 13 in the league. And then there is Trisenjari, who, like I said, has the, I have to change a filter here because he hasn't had enough games, but, and the computer just wants, like, the computer's not. You tried to search it up in your computer. I tried to search it up in your computer. I tried to search on fire. computers just like nauseated by the idea of an 832 expected saber percentage it just won't list it um but jari yeah jari 832 is slightly below it but um

i mean again like you just not like it doesn't matter yeah at that point yeah and i listen i know that environment isn't necessarily improving anytime soon i still think tris and jari is not that far off i hope he proves me right i do as well i'm rooting for it i'm not holding my breath but I'm, I'm rooting for it. You know what? I wanted to talk about Anthony Storos as well because we kind of mentioned him in passing there and he does lead the league in goals sale above expected. Yeah.

We're at a time, though. I feel like he deserves a full segment based on the way he's playing and he's doing this now. You know, Wool was out right. He's back now, but he was kind of taking the lion's share of the work. And this is a guy who got a very modest contract in free agency this year, despite the fact that last year we talked about how in the regular season, whenever he got a chance, he was out playing Sergey Bobrovsky, despite the reputations of the two previously in Anaheim.

He had outplayed John Gibson two years ago or whatever in similar circumstances. Yeah, the underlying numbers painted this picture. The only question was health and whether he could do it in a larger workload, and he's showing so far that he can. It's a fascinating story. I know Stephen Valacetz told the story about how when he was in Anaheim, when he first got there because of the previous knee injury, like one leg was just so much further behind the other

in terms of strength and development that they brought him in Anaheim and spent the whole summer trying to sort of stabilize both sides of his body. So he was working on a level playing field from right to left. And so, you know, I think a lot of the credit goes to the work he did with now Ducks goaltending director and former goalie coach at the time in Anaheim, Soudershan Maharaj. And I know Anthony credits a lot of that to him. Some great work with Talas last year and now with Curtis Sanford in Toronto. Like, the only question I had about Stollars and that most people I knew that were close to it had was,

he do this and stay healthy over long? Like, he's a good goalie. Yep. But doing it every night on a more regular basis is a different challenge. And there'll be adaptations as we go, but the potential's always been there. All right. We're going to revisit that next time I have you on. We're going to have you back on December for our monthly appearances with the year on the show.

Everyone go check out in Goal magazine. Check out Kevin is in goal on Twitter as well. Thank you, Kevin. This was a blast. Pop into the Discord, as I said. You can get in questions for the next time we have Woodley on and shout them out in there as well, that's all for today. We've got to get out of here.

We'll be back tomorrow with another show to close out the week. In the meantime, thank you for listening to the HockeyPedioCast streaming on the Sportsnet Radio Network.