Scout
05-17-2007, 06:57 AM
Courtesy Hockey Futures:
Flames CHL prospects season review
Written by Jared Ramsden on 05/15/2007
Matt Keetley, G -- Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
HT: 6’2 WT: 189 lbs
DOB: 04-27-1986
Draft: 2005 (5th round, 158th overall)
Like fellow prospect and WHL’er Irving, Keetley was at or near the top of many of the WHL’s major goaltending statistical categories. Keetley appeared in a league-high 55 games and also won a league best 42 games for the Medicine Hat Tigers, one of the top teams in the league. He recorded six shutouts, a 2.19 goals against average and .913 save percentage. The right-catching netminder is currently leading the Tigers in battle against the Vancouver Giants in the playoffs for the WHL Championship, where he has won 14 of his 21 appearances, and posted four shutouts. Since the Giants are hosting the Memorial Cup, the Tigers have an automatic berth into the tournament where they will look to win it all after last appearing at the tourney in 2004.
A workhorse and big, daunting figure in between the pipes, the Flames have to be thrilled with Keetley’s overage season thus far. The option of him turning pro was a possibility this year, but the Flames chose the junior route for Keetley instead of the minor pro ranks where he likely would have been toiling in the ECHL. He has yet to sign a contract with the Calgary and will need to do so by June 1, otherwise he will become a UFA. The Flames have a deep goaltending pipeline, so there does remain the possibility that Keetley could be the odd man out and be left unsigned. However it’s hard to ignore the success he has had in the WHL, and if the Flames don’t sign him, he shouldn’t have much difficulty finding an NHL team that would like to bring him aboard.
Gord Baldwin, D -- Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
HT: 6’5 WT: 210 lbs
DOB: 03-01-1987
Draft: 2005 (3rd round, 69th overall)
Baldwin had another solid, yet unspectacular season with Medicine Hat, his third with the Tigers. Like Keetley, he will continue to play into the month of May as the Tigers hope to win it all at the Memorial Cup tournament. In 53 regular season games, Baldwin scored 7 goals and 19 assists, modest totals, but career highs for the stay at home defenseman. He was a +12 and had 70 PIM’s. In 21 playoff games thus far, he has two goals and six assists.
Baldwin recently put pen to paper in signing his first professional contract and will likely turn pro next season. The Flames aren’t deep in defensive prospects, so there is a good chance Baldwin will start next season in the AHL, but if he has growing pains that many first-year pro players have, he may see some time with the Flames ECHL affiliate in Las Vegas. He has size that you can’t teach and is more than competent defensively, but his foot speed is still fairly sub-par and will need to improve in that area of his game before garnering serious attention for NHL employment. With the way the NHL game is played now, players of Baldwin’s physique must be able to be quick enough to not get caught flat footed and be forced to hook and hold and get called for obstruction fouls that you can’t get away with as easily anymore. Baldwin will likely be brought along slowly, but if he shows improvement in his foot speed, that would greatly speed up his development timetable.
Flames CHL prospects season review
Written by Jared Ramsden on 05/15/2007
Matt Keetley, G -- Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
HT: 6’2 WT: 189 lbs
DOB: 04-27-1986
Draft: 2005 (5th round, 158th overall)
Like fellow prospect and WHL’er Irving, Keetley was at or near the top of many of the WHL’s major goaltending statistical categories. Keetley appeared in a league-high 55 games and also won a league best 42 games for the Medicine Hat Tigers, one of the top teams in the league. He recorded six shutouts, a 2.19 goals against average and .913 save percentage. The right-catching netminder is currently leading the Tigers in battle against the Vancouver Giants in the playoffs for the WHL Championship, where he has won 14 of his 21 appearances, and posted four shutouts. Since the Giants are hosting the Memorial Cup, the Tigers have an automatic berth into the tournament where they will look to win it all after last appearing at the tourney in 2004.
A workhorse and big, daunting figure in between the pipes, the Flames have to be thrilled with Keetley’s overage season thus far. The option of him turning pro was a possibility this year, but the Flames chose the junior route for Keetley instead of the minor pro ranks where he likely would have been toiling in the ECHL. He has yet to sign a contract with the Calgary and will need to do so by June 1, otherwise he will become a UFA. The Flames have a deep goaltending pipeline, so there does remain the possibility that Keetley could be the odd man out and be left unsigned. However it’s hard to ignore the success he has had in the WHL, and if the Flames don’t sign him, he shouldn’t have much difficulty finding an NHL team that would like to bring him aboard.
Gord Baldwin, D -- Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
HT: 6’5 WT: 210 lbs
DOB: 03-01-1987
Draft: 2005 (3rd round, 69th overall)
Baldwin had another solid, yet unspectacular season with Medicine Hat, his third with the Tigers. Like Keetley, he will continue to play into the month of May as the Tigers hope to win it all at the Memorial Cup tournament. In 53 regular season games, Baldwin scored 7 goals and 19 assists, modest totals, but career highs for the stay at home defenseman. He was a +12 and had 70 PIM’s. In 21 playoff games thus far, he has two goals and six assists.
Baldwin recently put pen to paper in signing his first professional contract and will likely turn pro next season. The Flames aren’t deep in defensive prospects, so there is a good chance Baldwin will start next season in the AHL, but if he has growing pains that many first-year pro players have, he may see some time with the Flames ECHL affiliate in Las Vegas. He has size that you can’t teach and is more than competent defensively, but his foot speed is still fairly sub-par and will need to improve in that area of his game before garnering serious attention for NHL employment. With the way the NHL game is played now, players of Baldwin’s physique must be able to be quick enough to not get caught flat footed and be forced to hook and hold and get called for obstruction fouls that you can’t get away with as easily anymore. Baldwin will likely be brought along slowly, but if he shows improvement in his foot speed, that would greatly speed up his development timetable.