The Sheet with Jeff Marek - On the Sheet: Jesse Granger on Vegas, Goaltending, and the Fowler Call-Up

Episode Date: December 11, 2025

Jesse Granger joins Jeff Marek to break down the shifting goaltending landscape across the NHL, starting with Jacob Fowler’s rapid call-up from Laval to the Montreal Canadiens and what it signals about the organization’s confidence — and concerns — in their crease. Jesse digs into Carter Hart’s early play in Vegas, the workload pressures on Adin Hill and Logan Thompson, and why the Golden Knights still haven’t found the rhythm that powered last year’s contender run. The conversation also touches on the Western Conference tightening around Vegas, Mitch Marner’s adjustment to the West, and how emerging teams like Anaheim, San Jose, and Chicago are making life harder on the established elite. A smart, detailed look at the state of NHL goaltending and why Vegas remains one of the league’s biggest question marks.#GoldenKnights #NHL #TheSheet #JesseGranger #DailyFaceoff #VegasBorn #Habs #GoaltendingSHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼Bauer: https://www.bauer.com/👍🏼Uber Eats: https://www.ubereats.com/caReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!If you liked this, check out:🚨 OTT - Coming in Hot Sens | https://www.youtube.com/c/thewallyandmethotshow🚨 TOR - LeafsNation | https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401🚨 EDM - OilersNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Oilersnationdotcom🚨 VAN - CanucksArmy | https://www.youtube.com/@Canucks_Army🚨 CGY - FlamesNation | https://www.youtube.com/@FNBarnBurner🚨 Daily Faceoff Fantasy & Betting | www.youtube.com/@DFOFantasyandBetting____________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with us on ⬇️Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/daily_faceoff💻 Website: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com🐦 Follow on twitter: https://x.com/DailyFaceoff💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailyfaceoffDaily Faceoff Merch:https://nationgear.ca/collections/daily-faceoff Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He's Jesse Granger from The Athletic here to talk to us about a couple of different things. One, goaltenders and two, the Vegas Golden Knights. And with that, Jesse, first of all, I'm going to ask this of everybody today. So I spent about half an hour of my life this morning talking to Lou Nanny, who was a longtime manager, the Minnesota North Star is one of the great storytellers of the game. And it just set me up to feel good all day long. Like, it's going to be impossible for me now to be in a bad mood. because I got to talk to Lou Nanny today.

Do you have a Lou Nanny in your life? So that might be professional, might be personal, someone who, when you get a phone call from them and you talk to them for a while, you're just like set up to be happy for that day. Jesse Granger, do you have a Lou Nanny? Ooh, that's a good question. My wife is the easy answer.

That's the very smart. Oh, bravo. Le Premier etolle, Caméon, Francie, the first star, Jesse Granger. Well done. Yeah. know what I'm doing with that one. But my dad, I, my dad and I have a great relationship.

We talk golf is usually the subject. Oh, yeah. That's kind of the thing that us two bond on. He's played golf most of his life. He finally got me into it late in life for me when I was 30. So I've been playing it. I'm super into it now. That's, that's kind of our thing.

So usually when my dad gets on the phone, we talk about golf and I feel good after that. Is he a hot, was he a hockey fan? Is he a hockey fan? Like, does he ever go? Like, how did my son end up here? Yeah, I mean, he follows the Golden Knights very closely now here in Vegas. He lives here in Vegas with me. Growing up, I was the big hockey fan.

He was more football. I grew up in Colorado, so both huge Broncos fans. I was an Avalanche fan as a kid. My dad wasn't as into the hockey as I was. Now he's more into it now that I kind of do this for a living. Okay, so the marriage of goaltending and Vegas Golden Knights, the intersection there right now is Carter Hearts. I know it isn't a long runway.

that hasn't been a lot that we've had to see. But early returns on Carter Hart, the Netminder. Yeah, he's been a lot better than I expected a goalie to look after nearly two years without playing hockey. He hasn't been amazing, but he has had brilliant moments in these games. He's played three. He just lost his first, suffered his first defeat last night in overtime. He does, one of the things Carter Hart's always been able to do,

dating back to when he first came into the NHL is he makes the 10 bell saves. Like Carter Hart's highlight reel of amazing saves stacks up with most guys around the league. It's the it's the other stuff. It's the how consistent can you be? Can you be in the right spot? Don't give up a softie. And I expected more of those types to happen early on, especially after not playing as long as he did. In his first game back, he did have a mishandle of the puck where he basically gave away a goal.

But outside of that, he's been pretty consistent in there. He's not losing his net. He's not sliding around outside the post. He has looked under control. And then he's made some really big saves for the Golden Knights in big moments. This is a team that has been looking for those types of saves. Ever since Aiden Hill got hurt early in the year, they've been rolling with Akira Schmidt and rookie Carl Lindbaum. And while neither, they didn't hurt the Golden Knights, they didn't make the big saves that you need.

I mean, the Golden Knights have so many overtime and shootout losses this season. And while it's good to pick up those extra. loser points along the way to keep you in the in the standings where they are they it does feel like they've left some points on the table and it's usually because in overtime you're going to have you're going to trade high danger chances and it seems like so far this year the other team had come up with those saves the other goalie on the other side had come up with those saves and vagus's hadn't carter heart has been making those saves in those big moments and and it it certainly feels like it's helped turn the tide for the golden nights here you know one question and it it comes across

like I'm a simpleton, which I am, so I have no problem asking it. I look at Vegas, and this is a team that I said at the beginning of the season. I can see them in the Stanley Cup. I can see them in the Stanley Cup. I can see them in the Stanley Cup. Finally, I can see them winning the Stanley Cup. Here's a question I have of the Vegas Golden Knights. Of course, health is the mitigating factor for every team.

Are they good? Is this a good team? They are. They're a good team. I don't know if they're a great team. I haven't seen anything this year that tells me they can be on the level that obviously Colorado's, I mean, they're kind of in their own universe right now. But even Dallas, Tampa Bay, I haven't seen the Golden Knights hit that gear yet. And I think that there is room for them to

hit that gear. Mitch Marner, it's been a slow start. I mean, the numbers are there. He's got a ton of assists. He's on ice, like in terms of he's not out there for a bunch of goals against. And the Golden Knights score goals when he's out there. But he hasn't taken over games. Like, when you have a player of that caliber, a hundred point player that makes 12 million a year, you expect some shifts where he just jumps over the boards and just goes and gets you a goal. And you haven't seen that yet. I think it's taking him a little bit of time. And this, I mean, covering the Golden Knights, I see star players getting integrated basically every year because that's what this team does. And it typically takes some time until you see them at their peak of their powers. Like I remember

when Petrangelo first came in thinking, well, this doesn't look like the guy that they thought they were getting. And then a couple months later, you're like, there he is. is. It's Alex Petrangelo. So I'm not, I haven't been too hard on Mitch Marner to this point because I think he's still integrating himself. And he's done well for normal player standards, maybe not up to his standards. But I think that can take this team to another level because right now Jack Eichael's driving offense. When Jack Eichael's not on the ice, this team doesn't feel dangerous offensively so far this year. Let me, let me pick up on one point about Mitch Marner and then we'll move on. again a really simple statement just observational not based on anything other than

I watch a lot of hockey games and this is what I see Western Conference is harder he's come from the Eastern Conference and he's gone like there was a time like 15 years ago there was a thing in the NHL where and and because of it I'm convinced managers just stop doing this whenever there was an in-season trade and a defenseman went from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference they struggled because in the Eastern Conference you had like that extra half second

to make a decision in the Western Conference at that time that vanished and then the balance of power shifted back to the Eastern Conference and it became different but it looks right now like hey and it's not just Colorado and Dallas

although those are the obvious ones the better hockey tougher hockey the tighter hockey is being played in the Western Conference and Mitch Marner has played his entire career in the Eastern Conference specifically in the Atlantic.

He's been able to freewheel, and he can't do that in the Western Conference. Now, he's smart enough to figure it out, but there's going to be an adjustment period. At the end of it, you watch all the games too, Jesse. The West is better this year. Agreed? I agree.

The Central's the best division in hockey. I mean, aside from Colorado, I mean, Minnesota, I think, shit belongs right up there with the contenders. I know you just talked about Winnipeg. I think that when Hellebuck gets back, they're still one of the better teams. But to me, the big difference is the Pacific is back a little bit.

I think the Pacific has been down for, I mean, basically since the Golden Knights entered the league nine years ago, the sharks kind of fell off right after they came in. The ducks had been on that run, and they all kind of retired. Kessler and those guys retired. And now we're seeing the ducks are back. We're seeing the sharks play much more competitive hockey. They're not winning every night, but they're a tough out and they're going to score some goals on you.

Calgary and Vancouver are really the only two that aren't. And Seattle's been a lot better this year. So I think the biggest difference in the West and specifically for the Golden Ice is these teams that they've been able to just kind of beat up on, mainly the sharks and ducks, aren't those teams anymore. You've got to fight on your hands every time they come to town where that hasn't been the case for a while. So yeah, I agree with you that the West is stronger.

And I think the biggest difference is those young teams taking that step, not just Anaheim and San Jose, but Chicago, who Vegas has seen already this year. It's the upstart teams in the West have made this. season very exciting. I don't I don't remember a year where things felt like they were changing in the league more than this season. It's been a while since we've seen this kind of a changing of the guard. Let me ask you about a couple of goaltenders here quick. We'll park the Vegas conversation. Jacob Fowler, the Montreal Canadians. So whenever you go from college to any pro level, what's the NHL or the American League? Well, goaltenders always go to the American League. You

don't go right from college to the NHL. The adjustment is tough. And I can recall, you know, last year talking to goalie coaches and just asking like that watch the American Hockey League and watch the goaltenders, what do you see in Fowler? And a couple of them pointed out, and it's understandable, that for pro standards, he looked slow in the crease. He didn't look quick. He didn't look crisp. It's understandable. It's a tough, hard transition. Does this one feel quick to you?

Does this sort of feel as quick as it feels to me to, I mean, is the situation that bad in Montreal that it's got to be like already a Hail Mary pass and going to A.HL. LaValle to bring in Fowler? Especially considering Montembo's history. It's not like this isn't a goalie who hasn't been very successful for multiple years. And yes, it's been bad this year. And obviously Dobish had that hot start. that kind of allowed you to not worry so much. When the other goal, he's going well, it's easier to ignore.

All of a sudden, Dobish falls off. The puck starts fine in the net. And his game, when I watch Dobish, it doesn't look any different than it did when he was stopping everything early in the year. It just feels like the bounces aren't going their way lately. And Montembo doesn't have the best rebound control. And I think that that has led to a lot of the chaos in front of him. But it does feel early.

I agree. I think that I would prefer to let these. two goalies try to find their way. I mean, it's, it's tempting when you've got a goalie with the pedigree of Fowler, but yeah, it's, I agree with you that it does feel a little rushed. It feels a little early. Jeremy Swayman, back like a vertebrae in the conversation for the Vesna, true or false. First of all, I'm thrilled for him.

I'm really, really happy for Jeremy Swayman. You've talked plenty about him written about him. In the conversation for the Vesna, true or false. True. It's going to be tough for him to maintain it unless the Bruins get better defensively. The way I view the Vesna is I think there are some goalies that are playing incredibly well behind bad defenses, and they're going to have a hard time maintaining those numbers over an 82 game schedule, and I think Jeremy Swainman fits into that. And then I've got like the goalies who are playing incredibly well behind good teams, Logan Thompson and Andrei Vasilewski, to me, are the two that that feels more like it's going to last. the season just because they aren't having to do everything. Jeremy Swayman has been phenomenal.

I think he's probably been the best goal in the lead this year. And Boston hasn't been, usually when we think of the Bruins, they've been so buttoned up defensively for so long that it's almost hard to picture them as a bad defensive team. But they have been bad. I think last time I checked, they were given up the most high danger chances per game in the NHL. And Swayman is just so under control.

And like you said, I'm all so happy for him. I spoke with him when they were here in Vegas. and he talked about how good this offseason was for him. He obviously had a really bad year last year in terms of not meeting the expectations of the franchise chooses you over the Vezina winner in Linus-Almark, and they trade him away. They give you the contract, and it just didn't go well. It didn't go well for him. It didn't go well for the team.

And a guy like that that is used to everything, like his whole career, he had won pretty much everywhere. That's a hit to the ego. He goes into the offseason. He told me he didn't take much time off the ice. He worked on a lot of things. He obviously goes over for the world championships. Go 7 and 0 in that tournament. Gets a shutout in the gold medal game, wins for the U.S.

He said shedding those gloves when he won that did him a lot of good in terms of just feeling good about his game. And he just wanted to roll that into the season. And he's done exactly that. When he's on his game, it feels so hard to get a puck past him because he's just so connected. He's not sprawling all over the place. His gloves in his hands, his skates, they all stay together. Everything moves together. There's no holes in his structure when he goes side to side.

And it just feels like it's a backdoor one-timer. Even if he's going to make the save, there should be holes there for me to shoot at as the shooter. And with Swayman, there just aren't. He slides across with everything in front of the puck. And he's got great rebound control, hard to say enough good things about what he's done. It's going to be interesting to see if he can maintain it if Boston doesn't improve defensively. But so far this year, I'd argue he's been the best goal in the league. It's all the ballet training at Maine that he went through when he was a college.

Goaltenders, like study ballet, like your balance, your flexibility, all of it. Like, just swallow your ego and study ballet. Come on, if you want to be a good goalie, follow Jeremy Swyman. Jesse, you're the best. Thanks, as always for stopping by. And listen, I know I sort of ask a goofy question off the top about who's your Lou Nanny, but that's a great one about your dad. I'm happy you to have bonded over golf.

It's a beautiful thing for father and son. Thanks for sharing that. Really appreciate it, Jesse. Thanks so much. Thanks for having me. I sweat 16 hours last night every day this week, every day this month. I can't get out my head, lifestyle, ambitions day to day, because you can call it all right. I went to the dark man, he tried to give me a little medicine.

I'm like, no, man, that's fine. I'm mad against those methods. It's me and myself And how this is going to be Fixed in my mind I do on a bracket I turned on the music I turn it on the music

I turn it on the music It's sitting up I don't get you sometimes losing I've been on the days that went wrong Thank you.