Best Goaltending of the 07 WJC?

Here are all the goalies as per the rosters on IIHF.com. Which team is the strongest? Which goalies will suprise us? Who will disappoint?

Belarus:
Valery Pronin - HC Keramin Minsk
Vitali Trus - Khimik SKA Novopolotsk
Dzmitry Zhurauski - Dynamo Minsk

Canada:
Leland Irving - Everett Silvertips (WHL)
Jonathon Bernier - Lewiston MAINEiacs (QMJHL)
Carey Price - Tri-City Americans (WHL)

Czech Republic:
Jakub Kovar - HC Ceske Budjovice
Michal Nedvidek - HC Liberec Bili Tygri
Ondrej Pavelec - Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)

Finland:
Antii Harma - Blues Espoo
Tuuka Rask - Ilves Tampere

Germany:
Danijel Kovacic - SB Rosenheim
Timo Pielmeier - Kolner Haie
Sebastian Stefaniszin - Eisbaren Berlin

Russia:
Nikita Bespolov - CSKA Moscow
Ilya Proskuryakov - Metallurg Magnitigorsk
Semen Varlamov - Lokomotiv Yaroslav

Switzerland:
Reto Berra - GSK Lions Zurich
Lukas Flueller - Ottawa 67s
Raffael Walter - EHC Visp


Slovakia:
Tomas Hiadlovsky - Dukla Trencin
Branislav Konrad - HKm Nitra
Jakub Macek - Slovan Bratislava
Ondrej Mikula - HC Voctovice Ostrava

Sweden:
Jhonas Enroth - Sodertalje SK
Joel Gistedt - Frolunda HC Gothenburg
Johan Thalburg - Vasteras IK-U

USA:
Jeff Frazee - Minnesota
Jeff Zatkoff - Miami Ohio

Best depth - Canada, perhaps Sweden
Best starter - Finland

I'd say Price for Canada and Rask for the Finns are probably the best goalies in the tournament. The best of the rest are Pavelec, Enroth, and Frazee.

Best Money Goalie: Switzerland.

The tourney features a whopping 6 goalies drafted in the 1st or 2nd round of the NHL draft.

This being his 3rd WJHC, I'd expect Rask to steal the show. Major Junior goalies Price, Irving, and Pavelec should make some noise too. Another guy to keep an eye on is Berra from Swizterland. IMO he's a future NHL goalie.

Hows Varlamov been playing? I haven't heard all that much about him since the draft.

Do we know the starter for the US yet?

Hows Varlamov been playing? I haven't heard all that much about him since the draft.
He's stolen the starter spot for Yaroslavl in the RSL and playing quite well based on the numbers & reports. A Russian hockey journalist said recently that he might be the best post-Soviet Russian goaltender.

We will know alot more after the tourney

as of right now

Berra, Varlamov and Enroth are probably the most intruging goalies. Should be fun to see how they do

Talentwise, I'd definitely say Canada is the best of the bunch.

Hows Varlamov been playing? I haven't heard all that much about him since the draft.

Do we know the starter for the US yet?


I would think Frazee will be given every opportunity to be the starter. He doesn't always put up the best numbers, but tends to get the "W". He also has a pretty outstanding international pedigree. Zatkoff is certainly very capable, but unproven at this level.

Rask likes to play as much as possible, so Finland should be at the top of this category. I have no doubt that Tuukka could not handle the pressure, but I am more concerned that are the other members of Team Finland giving him enough support?

Sweden looks also quite good in this department. Modig is quite underrated IMO.

Best depth - Canada, perhaps Sweden
Best starter - Finland

just because they're "the best", it doesn't mean they're the best in the clutch.that said, I nominate reto berra for that title.

Sweden looks also quite good in this department. Modig is quite underrated IMO.

He is not on the team. That is how deep the Swedish goaltending is this year :)
Jhonas Enroth and Joel Gistedt will be fighting for the job as starter. Gistedt a starter in the SEL and Enroth having superb stats from the second tier league. Personally, I prefer Enroth.

He is not on the team. That is how deep the Swedish goaltending is this year :)
Jhonas Enroth and Joel Gistedt will be fighting for the job as starter. Gistedt a starter in the SEL and Enroth having superb stats from the second tier league. Personally, I prefer Enroth.

I belive Modig is the third stringer and he would not be so bad even as a starter. That is why I think Sweden is astonishingly strong in their traditional weakness area this year.

Rask VS Price

I belive Modig is the third stringer and he would not be so bad even as a starter. That is why I think Sweden is astonishingly strong in their traditional weakness area this year.

Sweden does not have a third goalie in this championship. They go with 2 goalies, 7 defenseman and 13 forwards.

He's stolen the starter spot for Yaroslavl in the RSL and playing quite well based on the numbers & reports. A Russian hockey journalist said recently that he might be the best post-Soviet Russian goaltender.

You absolutely right!National senior team coach Bykov said,that Varlamov soon can be in national team!He is only 18 but is № 1 in Lokomotiv!(You have to know that the second goalkeeper Podomatcky was third goalie at the Olympics 2002 in Salt Lake and he is very strong in the net)

I'd say Price for Canada and Rask for the Finns are probably the best goalies in the tournament. The best of the rest are Pavelec, Enroth, and Frazee.

Varlamov and Berra are both a fair bit better than Frazee, IMO. Reto is highly underrated and Varlamov is an insanely talented 1st round pick.

Don't jinx Rask.

Sweden does not have a third goalie in this championship.

Sorry. My bad. I made earlier a wrong conclusion from this news (Swedish is not one of my strengths): http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/norrbotten/nyheter/artikel.asp?Artikel=1068857

Now there seems to be a updated article about him being dropped.

Varlamov and Berra are both a fair bit better than Frazee, IMO. Reto is highly underrated and Varlamov is an insanely talented 1st round pick.

Well, we don't see eye to eye on Frazee, and that's fine. Frazee's a winner and I think that will come through at this event.

Here's my top 5

Rask
Price
Varlamov
Berra
Pavelec

Edit: Though I person think that Irving is better then Price and If he weren't a backup, I would put him second and Price third.

Well, we don't see eye to eye on Frazee, and that's fine. Frazee's a winner and I think that will come through at this event.


C'mon! Just admit it!!

It's going to be...

Rask VS Price;):p:;)

C'mon! Just admit it!!

It's going to be...

Rask VS Price;):p:;)


Never! I do think that Price and Rask are the best goaltenders, but I don't think Finland will make the gold medal game.

Price
Pavelec
Rask
Varlamov

It's strange to think that in the entire US system there isn't a better goaltender than Frazee. If the US makes noise in this tournament it will be in spite of their goaltending, not because of it.

Price
Pavelec
Rask
Varlamov

It's strange to think that in the entire US system there isn't a better goaltender than Frazee. If the US makes noise in this tournament it will be in spite of their goaltending, not because of it.

Disagree. Frazee doesn't put up eye-popping numbers with the Gophers, but he wins. He's also been exceptional for the U.S. in international play (with the U18 team). I think he'll be fine. There's also the Zatkoff factor who, while unknown, is a great goaltender in his own right.

Never! I do think that Price and Rask are the best goaltenders, but I don't think Finland will make the gold medal game.


I don't think that's what he meant anywayl. I just thought he meant that Rask vs. Price is the battle of the best goaltenders, not which goalies will face eachother in the final.

If he did mean that final thing, I don't agree either. There's no chance Finland makes the final.

Disagree. Frazee doesn't put up eye-popping numbers with the Gophers, but he wins. He's also been exceptional for the U.S. in international play (with the U18 team). I think he'll be fine. There's also the Zatkoff factor who, while unknown, is a great goaltender in his own right.

Rabid -- Look at the damn team he's on, though. Minny is S-T-A-C-K-E-D. You could have a middle of the road college goaltender like a Frazee on the team and win games without having to do much. He's not getting tested, really, at all during their games.

Rabid -- Look at the damn team he's on, though. Minny is S-T-A-C-K-E-D. You could have a middle of the road college goaltender like a Frazee on the team and win games without having to do much. He's not getting tested, really, at all during their games.

That's my point. I'm not saying Frazee is Grant Fuhr, but it's not uncommon for a goalie on a "stacked" team to put up underwhelming numbers because of the run and gun style typically used. I think that's the case with Frazee, and yes I've watched all of the Gopher games this year and have seen Frazee in action on other teams. Ron Rolston is comfortable with the goaltending and I am too.

Enroth will be one of the stars of the tournament.

its got to be irving and price
irving has been amazing for his whl team

its got to be irving and price
irving has been amazing for his whl team

How does it have to be Irving? Don't get me wrong he is playing great, but the WHL is a junior league. Varmalov has been amazing for his RSL team. I know the Russian league is more goalie friendly, but Varlamov is already playing against the big boys.

Pavalec is one hell of a goalie

I didn't thought of any better place to post this, apperently Price during practice kept shooting the puck from his net on top corner on the other side of the ice, now that's mad skills! (posted by Montreal on the Habs board)

One of the strongest WJCs when it comes to goalies?

Don't jinx Rask.

Rask will be the best goalie in the history of the universe :teach:

One of the strongest WJCs when it comes to goalies?

Agreed... with Rask, Pavelec, Price/Irving that's three teams with top noth goaltenders (not saying they'll all perform like that but). I might even be forgetting some and Berra had a real good tourney last year for the Swiss.

If Mattias Modig had been picked, he'd been the best in the tourney.

He leads the SEL in SV%. I can't see why Enroth was picked ahead of him.

I can't see why Enroth was picked ahead of him.

Neither can Modig, apparently. Link (http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/sport/story/0,2789,958740,00.html) (in Swedish).

Neither can Modig, apparently. Link (http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/sport/story/0,2789,958740,00.html) (in Swedish).

Care to translate some of the good parts?

Care to translate some of the good parts?

I'll (very roughly) translate all of his quotes. :)

- I'm still very pissed and disappointed. The frustration isn't gone yet.

- This was my last chance to play in the WJC, so sure, it feels bad. But I can't do a whole lot more than just play.

- I still think that it's the goalie coach (Thomas Magnusson) who had the last word.

- Yes, it (the explanation he got) was that I play with too small margins, but I don't really know what it means. It's all about saving as many pucks as possible. I don't buy it.

- As a goalie you always want to get the shutout and I didn't today. I think I should've had both goals, actually.

- Ok, the first (goal) wasn't too good, but the second.. Had I been hotter I would've gotten it.

- I guess I'll have to play in the real WC instead. When that is, I don't know, but that's my goal.


It's about him being dissappointed and not knowing really why he was cut. He's got the highest SV% in the league.

How does it have to be Irving? Don't get me wrong he is playing great, but the WHL is a junior league. Varmalov has been amazing for his RSL team. I know the Russian league is more goalie friendly, but Varlamov is already playing against the big boys.



very true varmalov is an amazing goalie as well
ive just seen irving play a couple times this year and hes quite a goalie.

I'll (very roughly) translate all of his quotes. :)



It's about him being dissappointed and not knowing really why he was cut. He's got the highest SV% in the league.

Sounds like he's got a real, legit gripe then!

Rask VS Price

Kind of like a pre-quel to what we can expect in the future eh.

Rask (BOS) vs. Price (MTL)

and so the sega continues...chapter 98

Kind of like a pre-quel to what we can expect in the future eh.

Rask (BOS) vs. Price (MTL)

and so the sega continues...chapter 98

Yup!!:):amazed::)

That should/will be a great goaltending DUEL...

It should/will improve the rivalry between Montreal VS Boston for many, many years...

---------------- ------------------- ------------------ ----------------------

I don't think that's what he meant anywayl. I just thought he meant that Rask vs. Price is the battle of the best goaltenders, not which goalies will face eachother in the final.

If he did mean that final thing, I don't agree either. There's no chance Finland makes the final.

I meant MORE Price VS Rask as "in" the best goalies (of the tournament) facing each other, not necessarily the best teams facing each other for FINALS...

Kind of like a pre-quel to what we can expect in the future eh.

Rask (BOS) vs. Price (MTL)

and so the sega continues...chapter 98

What was chapter 97?:dunno: ;) :p:

What was chapter 97?:dunno: ;) :p:

That was the Habs coming back from a 3-1 defecet to win the series:D