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5 UFA Goalie prospects the Canucks should target
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Mar 18, 2016, 18:30 EDTUpdated:
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Last but not least, we look towards the crease.
The Canucks obviously have a good one in Thatcher Demko and if everything goes according to plan, they have their goalie of the future already in the system. But as we all know there is so much uncertainty with prospects, and even more so with goalies, that it’s best to not put all your eggs in one basket.
At this moment, the argument could be made that the Canucks have done that with Demko. However, based on some of Benning’s scouting trips this season, it’s fair to assume he will be looking to address that at this upcoming draft. As I’ve been suggesting this week, another great way to supplement your prospect pool is through the UFA pool and doing this for goaltending is a very prudent way to do things, because when you select them in the draft they are usually quite a raw player at 18 years old. 
As we’ve seen, so many ‘can’t miss’ goaltending prospects flop before ever seeing the NHL. By going the UFA route, although the high end options will likely not be available anymore, there will still be some serious talent that are closer to their projection.
Unfortunately we are unable to use comparables to look at the goaltenders below, thus I have reached out to some goaltending experts to get their scouting reports.
I had previously profiled Yale goaltender Alex Lyon here – thus he is not included today.
With that, here are two NCAA goalies and three CHL goalies that have caught my eye as possible options.

Kasimir Kaskisuo

Kasimir Kaskisuo is a goaltender that immediately caught my eye as a potential UFA target. The young finn was passed over for third time in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, which was surprising given that he was the 9th ranked North American goaltender available. The main reason he was passed over was because he was playing in the NAHL, thus teams likely couldn’t get a real read of his play. He had already committed to Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA and has been the starter there for the past two seasons. Now, teams appearing to be circling back to him as a UFA, and hoping that he will leave college hockey this summer after his sophomore season.
He is currently ranked 8th in GAA (1.89) in the NCAA and has played an eye-popping 95.6% of Minnesota-Duluth’s minutes. He also has five shutouts, which has him tied for 5th in the country. Other than three games between October 31 and November 7, where he gave up 14 goals, he has been remarkably consistent, only allowing 4 goals against on two other occasions. Like Demko did on two occasions this season, Kaskisuo had a three game shutout streak in November.
When looking at multiple scouting reports, it appears that Finn is extremely calm and collected in net while using his athletic ability and technical game to his advantage. It has been noted a few times that he needs to work on his rebound control.
Kaskisuo appears to be a classic case of being overlooked simply due to the team/league he was playing in during his draft years. He played in Finland for his first two draft years, and then was in the NAHL for his last chance. There was some interest but he ultimately wasn’t taken. Given that he is already 23, I can see why teams are wanting to get him to leave after two years in the NCAA. It would make sense for him to get some pro level coaching to work on his weaknesses. But based on what I’ve seen and read on him, he is definitely worth the gamble of a two year entry level contract (due to his age, that is what he is eligible for).

Cam Johnson 

Cameron Johnson from the University of North Dakota is another late bloomer that has been catching the eyes of NHL scouts this season. The teammate of  Canucks prospect Brock Boeser, Johnson has had a sensational season for the #1 ranked UND. Last year he was the backup to Boston Bruins goaltender Zane McIntyre but was given the crease when McIntyre turned pro this season.
Johnson was named the NCHC goaltender of the week on six separate occasions and is a finalist for the Mike Richter award this season. He is currently first in the NCAA in GAA (1.58) and winning percentage (0.854) while being tied with Canucks prospect Thacther Demko for first in save percentage (0.938).
Given that it is Johnson’s first full season as a starter and he is playing behind such a powerhouse offence, there may be some concerns. But watching Johnson, you can see his calm and technical play in the crease very well, and if placed in the right situation should flourish at the next level.
Since it is his first year as a full time starter in the NCAA, I would expect him to return to UND next season, but the Canucks definitely need to keep an eye on him.

Jackson Whistle

Invited to the last two Young Stars tournaments in Penticton and the Canucks development camp last summer, it’s clear the Canucks are at the very least keeping tabs on the West Kelowna native. Originally starting his WHL career with the Vancouver Giants, Whistle was moved to Kelowna prior to the 2012-13 season and has seen steady growth since then, which included taking the Kelowna Rockets to the 2015 Memorial Cup where they lost 2-1 in OT to the Oshawa Generals. I reached out to Greg Balloch from InGoal magazine for a scouting report on Whistle:
Jackson Whistle is one of the most dynamic goaltenders that will be available as a post-junior free agent this offseason. He plays more of a rhythm-based style that attacks shooters, and forces them to make the first move. Due to his aggressive positioning, he does put himself in some difficult situations, but is athletic enough to recover – usually in grand fashion. The main concern for Whistle will be his ability to recover from his latest surgery. Coming back from a torn ACL and double hip surgery will not be an easy task, especially because he will be embarking on a pro career. His injuries may force him to reel his game back, slightly. This could prove to be a challenge because of his aggressive nature and 6-foot-1 frame. Staying deeper in his crease will enable him to take shorter routes on passes across, but it puts a higher emphasis on play-reading, which may not be his strong suit.
Given the Canucks familiarity with Whistle, and the fact that he has missed the second half of the season, which may result in other teams being leery. I won’t be surprised to see Whistle invited to Young Stars again this year and then heading to Utica’s training camp. I think he has the tools to be a professional goalie, and the Canucks would be wise to get him into their organization.

Landon Bow

Landon Bow had improved year over year in the WHL for the Swift Current Broncos but ultimately was never selected in the NHL draft. He was moved to the Seattle Thunderbirds this season and has been fantastic for them, posting a 15-6-0 record with a 1.71 GAA, 0.939 SV% and 5 shutouts in 22 appearances. That means that 22% of the time he has taken the crease for Seattle, he has posted a shutout. Greg Balloch gives a fairly glowing review of him:
Landon Bow has an excellent chance of being signed when his junior career finishes. He is an extremely mature product for a junior goaltender. He holds his edges extremely well, stays patient, and rarely beats himself by making the first move. There is still a tendency to reach built into his foundation, but he makes up for it with his excellent hands. His improvement in that area is likely what has led to his excellent numbers in recent years. The best part of Bow’s game? He is an excellent play-reader, and his deep positional game is very compatible with his 6-foot-5 frame. There is still work to do, but he is surprisingly polished for a goaltender his age.
He attended Anaheim Ducks camp this past summer.
Based on that report and his stellar numbers, I would think that Landon Bow is a great target for the Canucks.   Given his size and technical skills, add some coaching from the Canucks goaltending team, and he could develop into something.

Brendan Burke

Another goaltender about to the UFA market is current London Knights goaltender Brendan Burke. Originally drafted out of the WHL by Arizona, they chose not to sign him and he became a UFA. He attended Anaheim Ducks camp this past summer before moving from the WHL to the OHL to try his hand there. Once again, I reached out to Greg Balloch for more insight:
Brendan Burke is a goaltender with an outside chance at receiving a pro contract when his junior career finishes up at the end of this season. His occasional flashes of brilliance have been marred by inconsistent play, which has followed him to London in the OHL. The root cause of a lot of his issues is the fact that he is only an adequate puck tracker. He pulls off the puck quite often, which renders his fantastic size useless a lot of the time. His technical foundation is solid, but his aggressive positioning causes him to reach for a lot of shots, which opens holes. If a team likes his size, they could see him as a wildcard and take a shot.
Given this report, I don’t feel that Burke is a very good target, but as Greg suggested maybe a team likes his size and will be able to coach him through his deficiencies. Not suggesting that the Canucks should target him, but look at the work that Rollie Melanson has done with Markstrom as an example of what some good coaching can do. So although this was an exercise to see targets for the Canucks, in Burke’s case, it may just be someone to watch in the future.
One goalie who didn’t make the cut is Erie Otters goaltender Devin Williams. He has been very good this season for the powerhouse Otters, but prior to that put up rather average numbers and there doesn’t seem to be major interest in him from the NHL. This could all change with a run to the Memorial Cup, but at this time, the options outlined above are better long term choices.
As suggested off the top, going the UFA route for goaltending prospects is a very prudent thing to do. Unless it is a sure fire bet like Carey Price or Cory Schneider, using a first round pick on a goaltender is a huge risk. Arguably Demko would’ve been part of that same group of ‘sure bets’ but fell due to lingering hip issues and the Canucks appear to have reaped those rewards.
As we’ve done all week – this was just an exercise to see what is out there, and figure out if there are any opportunities for the Canucks to improve their prospect pool. It’s clear that there are some very good options in net.

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