The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan profiles Red Wings prospect goaltender Jan Bednar today:
At 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, he has the long body and athleticism teams covet. Scouts raved about Bednar’s ability to make outlandish, acrobatic saves – but are troubled by his tendency to get into funks where stoppable shots are missed. Still, what Bednar thinks is the strength of his game is his calmness.
“I’m a really calm goalie,” Bednar said. “I like puckhandling (and make) plays with the puck. I’m a big goalie and I like big goalies, and yes, I’m a little athletic. But it’s not the most important thing for me. I just think I’m calm in the net. (Because) I’m a big goalie, I need speed and agility and I (am) working on that this summer. I will be prepared for this season.”
Bednar’s favorites among current NHL goalies are Commerce’s Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg) and Braden Holtby (Vancouver).
Bednar played against men the last two years in the Czech pro league, competing against future and former NHL players. For a young, inexperienced goaltender, the opportunity was invaluable.
“It was a great experience,” Bednar said. “I played my first game as a 16-year-old so it was great experience for me. I would like thank Karlovy Vary (Bednar’s Czech team) for this chance and great experience.”
