Subj : 2021 Draft Prospect Ben Gaudreau Brings Athletic Ability and Poise to t
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From : The Hockey Writers - Main
Date : Sat Feb 20 2021 04:40 am


With all the uncertainty surrounding the 2021 NHL Draft in terms of ranking
prospects, one thing that is certain is the talented goalies eligible for this
draft. While Jesper Wallstedt has been getting most of the attention and for
good reason, there are still many good goalies that have yet to be talked about
as much.

One of these goalies is Ben Gaudreau. Drafted in the first round, seventh
overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection by the Sarnia Sting, Gaudreau did
not put up the best numbers in his rookie season (he posted a record of 10-13-2
to go along with a 4.34 goals against average and a .890 save percentage) but
that was largely due to the fact that the Sting were one of the worst teams in
the league in 2019-20.

With the addition of players like Max Namestnikov to the team, the Sting should
be better off compared to last season. Gaudreau is going to be a major part of
ensuring that they do well, and I have full confidence that he will continue
to improve as the OHL hopefully gets underway in some shape or form over the
next few months. Here is why Ben Gaudreau is one of the goalies to watch for
the 2021 NHL Draft. Athletic Ability and Positioning

One of Gaudreau';s best features is his athletic ability. Standing at 6-foot-2,
he has good size for an NHL goalie in today';s game, and he moves really well
in his net. His lateral movement is one of the stronger aspects of his game,
and he is able to routinely make highlight-reel saves. When an opponent has the
puck in the defensive zone, Gaudreau is great at reading the play and limiting
the angle at which the opponent can get a shot off. Benjamin Gaudreau, Sarnia
Sting (Terry Wilson / OHL Images)

His positioning is also really solid. He is really good at tracking pucks and
improved his rebound control as the season progressed. One game that stands out
from last season was when the Sting were playing against the Kitchener
Rangers. A Sting defender turned the puck over to Francesco Pinelli. Pinelli
found a teammate in the slot for a great scoring chance, but Gaudreau was right
there to rob him of a goal. It is plays like these that really made him stand
out, albeit on a bad team, and what has made him one of the better goalie
prospects for the 2021 NHL Draft. Poise

Another really strong aspect of Gaudreau';s game is his poise in net. While he
is still really young, his poise in the net was incredible to watch last year.
On multiple occasions last season, his team would fall victim to a bad goal,
but he was never fazed and continued to play a great game. He is so calm in the
net, and that is one thing that coaches and development staff cannot teach.
Benjamin Gaudreau, Sarnia Sting (Terry Wilson / OHL Images)

When the puck goes into the corner, Gaudreau is not afraid to come out and play
the puck. Even under pressure, he does not panic and makes the right play most
of the time. While it is almost certain that Wallstedt will be the first
goalie off the board come the draft, Gaudreau is going to attract a lot of
teams due to his poise.Projection

While Gaudreau might not go in the first round, I can easily see him being a
second-round pick at this point. Although he hasn';t played in almost a year,
many scouts have him ranked near the end of the first round or the beginning of
the second. His style and composure in net remind me of Carey Price. While
this is by no means saying Gaudreau will turn out like Price because that is
impossible to predict, he has a lot of similarities to him. The team that gets
the goaltender will be getting a guy that definitely has the chance to be a
future NHL starting goalie, and I';m excited to see how he fares in the
upcoming months.

The post 2021 Draft Prospect Ben Gaudreau Brings Athletic Ability and Poise to
the Ice appeared first on The Hockey Writers.

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