When the Ottawa Senators used their 37th overall selection in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft on Mads Søgaard, it was understood that it would almost certainly be several years before he ever made an impact in the league. Firstly, it’s extremely rare for goalies to grab a foothold in the NHL without first spending time in the minors. But in Søgaard’s case, there were also some concerns about his positioning at the time of his drafting. It wouldn’t have been unfair to label him something of a project.
At the same time, it doesn’t take a goalie whisperer to see the potential in Søgaard: he’s 6’7 and an exceptional athlete.