Judging goalies is really hard, and my suggestion is you don’t try unless you’re willing to look foolish a lot. I was not a believer in John Gibson at the time Frederik Andersen was traded to the Leafs. I thought he was AHL-ish in the World Cup of Hockey, and I continued to doubt him for a time.
I was really wrong on that.
I did totally believe in Andersen, which is a consolation. The Ducks made the right choice for them, and the Leafs made an excellent trade. When does that ever happen?
One reason it’s hard to judge goalies is that the information from the AHL or junior leagues is terrible.