The Devils have selected a huge (huge!) goalie. Read on to see how he has done in limited OHL action.
After selecting three forwards to begin the NHL Draft, the New Jersey Devils switched gears and took Trenten Bennett, a 6’8” overager (19 years old) goalie who split time between the Kemptville 73s of the CCHL and the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL. If you are concerned that Bennett faced bad competition last year, don’t be. He had great statistics across all leagues he has ever played in, and there does not seem to be a reason to hate this pick. See his stats from Elite Prospects below.
Elite Prospects
Without much time in Major Juniors under his belt, Bennett does not even have a profile on Hockey Prospecting. So, I will trust the scouts here. He had a shutout in his second OHL start and his third appearance. In the video of said shutout below, Bennett combines solid positioning with some occasional desperation — but he is visibly raw in net. He will be attending St. Lawrence University this year, where more seasoned players will test him. I know there haven’t been a ton of truly huge goalies (i.e. over 6’6”) that have had success in the NHL, but there is never anything bad about trying. And more than anything, it is essential to ensure the goalie pipeline remains stacked to preserve the team’s contention window.
Now that you know what I think about the pick, please feel free to give your reaction to the pick in the comments. Please also vote in our flash poll (ends at 7:00 PM tomorrow), that will lead to a later post describing what you, the People Who Matter, thought of the pick. Thank you for reading.