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Goalies shine at NHL draft combine testing, but does it matter?

BUFFALO – The days of the pudgy goaltender have long been a thing of the past and it was proven true once again.

Netminders were among the strongest testers at the NHL draft combine, which culminated Saturday at Harbor Center in Buffalo. At least one person at the position finished among the top 10 in five different fitness categories –an impressive feat considering there were just eight goalies included in the more than 100 total players.

But will their impressive performance matter when it comes to the NHL draft itself later this month?

“Something like this matters not a lick to us,” said one scout. “It has nothing to do with his flexibility, mental focus or rebound control. We’re not worried about the athleticism. It’s a bonus if you get a real athlete. But these tests for goalies don’t affect us at all.”

Carter Hart has asserted himself as one of the WHL's top goalies as a rookie. (Photo by Christopher Mast/Everett Silvertips)
Carter Hart has asserted himself as one of the WHL's top goalies as a rookie. (Photo by Christopher Mast/Everett Silvertips)

That comment doesn’t bode well for someone like Carter Hart of the WHL’s Everett Silvertips.

Hart, who was named the CHL’s top keeper last Saturday and is the second-ranked North American goalie, was in the top 25 in six physical conditioning categories over the last two days. His output was highlighted by finishing second in the VO2max and tying for the third-best mark at 12 pull-ups.

Hart is trying to become the first Canadian goaltender to be selected in the first round since the Boston Bruins nabbed Malcolm Subban 24th in 2012. He at least felt he put his best foot forward after preparing for the combine outside of Edmonton with Regina Pats centre Sam Steel.

“We did some of these tests in advance to see what they’re like,” Hart said. “That was good to get a sense of it.

“I thought I did well and had fun competing,” he added.

Evan Fitzpatrick, the top-ranked netminder, showed well, too.

Fitzpatrick spent the season with the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix before playing for Canada at the World Under-18 Championship in April. He had the top VO2max score.

“I felt I did fairly well out there,” he said. “There’s obviously a lot of improvement that needs to be made. I’m going to do that. Right now I’m feeling the best that I ever have.

“I did a lot of these tests to be ready for this. But, you know what? A lot of the lower-body stuff is really beneficial for goalies. I’ve been doing cardio every day since I’ve been home. I think my VO2 score really reflected it.”

But not everyone is so sure about the testing – even some of the other netminders.

Moose Jaw Warriors netminder Zach Sawchenko is one of the WHL's top draft eligible goalies. (Stephen Simon)
Moose Jaw Warriors netminder Zach Sawchenko is one of the WHL's top draft eligible goalies. (Stephen Simon)

Zach Sawchenko of the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors tied for seventh in the VO2max. Like Hart and Joseph Raaymakers of the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Sawchenko also had one of the 20-lowest body percentages.

But all that barely matters, he said, if the puck isn’t kept out of the net.

“You can’t look too much into fitness testing. It doesn’t really reflect your on-ice game,” Sawchenko said. “It’s incredibly hard to determine a goalie’s athleticism and a goalie’s weaknesses with eight or nine tests.

“That being said though, I think it is a good test to know how committed the athlete is – coming in in shape or not taking the time to prepare.”

That’s something one NHL executive can agree on. However, he said the tests are more important to players’ status.

That’s good news for Mississauga Steelheads winger and projected top-10 pick Alexander Nylander. Nylander was among the top 25 in the standing long jump, pull-ups, bench press, vertical jump, low body fat, mean Wingate power outage and peak Wingate power outage – the latter of which he finished first.

The executive did admit that perhaps teams should be bringing goalie coaches to the draft combine.

Until then, judgment on puck stoppers will mostly be withheld until they strap on the pads.

“I think a goalie would be valued more if there was ice in here and someone was shooting on him,” he said.