Petes have tough decisions to make between the pipes for next season
Today, The Examiner introduces a new weekly column on hockey by former OHL goaltender and Peterborough native Chris Hardill. A colour commentator on Peterborough Petes radio broadcasts and a confessed hockey nerd, Hardill will offer his thoughts on anything hockey from the Petes to the OHL, NHL and anything puck related. In his inaugural effort, Hardill looks at the potentially crowded Petes goalie crease next season.
How the Peterborough Petes move forward with their goaltending situation for the 2024-25 season remains to be seen.
GM Mike Oke has to decide whether he believes Kanata native Zach Bowen can handle the rigours of being a No. 1 goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League.
Bowen, acquired via a trade from the London Knights at the start of the season, has shown flashes of strong play, however, has been limited to 22 games. He’s compiled an 8-9-3 record with a 3.60 goalagainst average and .902 save percentage.
Bowen is your prototypical goaltender in today’s era standing sixfoot-two, 180 pounds.
It’s no secret big goaltenders are highly coveted in today’s game. Just look at the National Hockey League and you will see a plethora of goaltenders with great size and mobility such as Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars, Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders, Joseph Woll of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Jacob Markstrom of the Calgary Flames. Sorokin is the smallest out of the group even though he stands sixfoot-three.
When you look into the top prospects playing goal in the American Hockey League the story is the same. There is Nashville Predators first rounder Yaroslav Askarov playing with the Milwaukee Admirals, Toronto Marlies goaltender Dennis (Hildabeast) Hildeby, Grand Rapids Griffins Sebastian Cossa, who was a first rounder to the Detroit Red Wings, and Erik Portillo of the Ontario Reign.
All of the aforementioned goaltenders have one thing in common and that is size and mobility.
Bowen has a nice combination of size and quickness and has the potential to be an effective No. 1 goalie in the league. Bowen could be the beneficiary of more playing time next season if Liam Sztuska does not return as one of the Petes’ overage players.
If Bowen is handed the reigns as the starting goaltender for the Petes next season, it will more than likely be Peterborough native Easton Rye who will get an opportunity to back him up.
Also waiting in the wings is U18 AAA Petes goalie Mason Johnston.
Rye has been introduced to the league very sparingly this season, as he has suited up for the Petes for six games posting a 5.73 GAA and .864 save percentage. Rye also appeared in one game with the Erie Otters, giving up five goals when he was loaned to the club for a weekend.
Rye was put into a tough spot at the Budweiser Gardens in London in January and the result was a brilliant 46-save performance for the
Petes, snapping the Knights’ 14game win streak. This included a fantastic cross crease save on Toronto Maple Leafs first rounder Easton Cowan.
With only three overage positions available, who will the Petes elect to bring back next season. Will this include Sztuska? They may elect to move forward with Bowen and Rye. Oke should field phone calls from other GM’s across the league looking for a veteran goaltender to provide stability in their crease.
Sztuska has had a solid season for the Petes posting a 3.90 GAA, .906 save percentage and 11-24-4-1 record, a stat more indicative of team play. He can’t be discredited for his 24 losses.
In his last 17 starts, he’s only faced less than 40 shots once, back in January against the Windsor Spitfires.
Some critics might state a 3.90 GAA is high in today’s game, however, when you consider how many high-danger shots the Petes give up on a nightly basis, this number is very respectable.
Sztuska has shown that he can handle a heavy workload and his great reflexes have been on display throughout the season. He possesses excellent footwork in his crease and has to rely on his speed and reflexes as he does not have the luxury of being six-foot-four.
If Sztuska isn’t part of the 2024-25 plans, he should get interest from other GMs across the league looking for a viable No. 1 goaltender next season.
Hockey quite often comes down to special teams and goaltending. If you do not have strong goaltending, you are going up the river without a paddle. Provided the right opportunity on a team with championship aspirations, Sztuska should provide reliable, consistent and dependable play.
CHRIS HARDILL IS A PETERBOROUGH NATIVE WHO PLAYED GOAL FOR THE OHL’S BARRIE COLTS, KINGSTON FRONTENACS AND OTTAWA 67’S FROM 2000 TO 2003 AND DOES COLOUR COMMENTARY ON PETERBOROUGH PETES RADIO BROADCASTS.
HIS COLUMN WILL APPEAR WEEKLY IN THE EXAMINER DURING THE HOCKEY SEASON.