By Jean-François Rioux Draft Prospects Hockeys Head Goalie Scout
Vladimir Selivanov
2025-19-09 Dynamo Moscow 1 @ MHK Spartak 3 (MHL)
Selivanov is a goalie who blends strong technique with athleticism. He generates excellent
power on his pushes, allowing him to arrive on angle and challenge shooters effectively. He
rarely sets up late or off-balance. His positioning and puck tracking are both excellent, and
he follows pucks into his body closely, making him very difficult to beat without a screen or
lateral movement. However, I noticed a decline in focus and consistency when defensive-
zone sequences dragged on and fatigue set in. At that point, Selivanov began giving up
more dangerous rebounds and looked less sharp on recoveries. That being said, his overall
skill set is nearly complete, and he should be considered among the early favorites to top
preliminary goalie lists for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Danai Shaiikov
2025-19-09 Gatineau 5 @ Val-d’Or 3 (QMJHL)
Shaiikov, a DY+1 goalie prospect, was a player I was eager to watch since his arrival in
North America, and he did not disappoint. His speed immediately stood out. Quick on his
feet, he covers ground well within his crease, and in this viewing his recovery skills looked
elite. His quickness allowed him to reset his angles after the first shot with ease. Shaiikov is
also a very active goalie who likes to challenge shooters. His feet and hands are constantly
moving, whether he is upright or in the butterfly. However, that aggressiveness and constant
activity sometimes left him vulnerable, as he occasionally lost control of his angles and
seals, leading to goals against. In my opinion, with consistency this year, he could generate
interest from NHL scouts. With his speed and quickness, he has the tools to be a candidate
as an overager for the 2026 draft.
Frantisek Poletin
2025-12-09 Pelicans 5 @ Ilves U20 4 SO (U20 Finland)
Poletin is a technically sound goalie who relies on positioning more than raw speed. He
consistently stays on angle when tracking plays in the defensive zone and on rushes. He
manages rebounds effectively, which limits the need for difficult recoveries. While his post-
shot recoveries are technically well-executed, he lacks the explosiveness that could elevate
his overall game. One area of concern is his upper-body work. His butterfly is tight and his
low-shot tracking is strong, but he struggles more on high shots, especially glove side. His
left hand tends to sit low and away from his body at knee height, which slows his reaction
time. Poletin has many of the technical strengths to make him an intriguing 2026 draft option,
but to rise in the rankings he will need to show more quickness and refine his tracking on
higher shots.
Marek Skenlicka
2025-20-09 Tri-City 3 @ Seattle 6 (WHL)
Skenlicka is a goalie with a strong combination of size and speed. Using his 6-foot-4 frame
to his advantage, he positions himself well and stays on angle with the puck. His speed is
impressive for a goalie of his size. His pushes are crisp, and he transitions smoothly from
RVH or butterfly into set positioning. That skill allows him to recover quickly after shots or
broken plays in front of him. While his crease work was impressive overall, two concerns
stood out. First, I felt he could have been more aggressive in his positioning. At times, he
stayed too deep in the blue paint rather than challenging shooters. Given his size,
squareness, and recovery ability, he has the tools to play more assertively. Second, he
struggled with rebound control on low shots, leaving too many loose pucks in dangerous
areas. To his credit, his strong tracking often allowed him to cover those rebounds quickly.
With his size, technique, and speed, Skenlicka is one of the most intriguing goalie prospects
for the 2026 draft.
Dmitri Borichev
2025-26-09 Yaroslavl 1 @ Mamonty 2 (MHL)
Borichev is a powerful goalie with a commanding presence in the crease. His lower-body
strength makes him one of the most explosive goalies in this draft class. His first
pushes,whether standing or from the butterfly, are extremely strong, allowing him to set
quickly for shooters. His puck tracking projects as potentially elite, as he rarely lost sight of
the puck. In this viewing, he handled rebounds and loose pucks cleanly, avoiding chaotic or
desperate movements. However, his mechanics on recoveries and post-save movements
need refinement. His speed to regain square positioning, upper-body structure, and hand
placement while moving or sliding were inconsistent. These mechanical issues can be
addressed with development and shouldn’t hold him back too much, especially if his tracking
and rebound control remain in the elite tier.
Ryder Fetterolf
2025-26-09 Ottawa 2 @ North Bay 1 (OHL)
Fetterolf is a smaller goalie, but one who makes up for it with his overall fluidity while
moving. His movements are crisp and decisive, whether skating on his feet or sliding in the
butterfly. His speed in this viewing was above average, but he struggled with rebound
control. Pucks often hit him hard, and he had difficulty absorbing them cleanly. He also
tended to lose edge early and rely heavily on his butterfly. While this approach allowed him
to seal the lower net effectively, it left him vulnerable on higher shots which is a particular
concern given his smaller frame. Fetterolf will remain on my radar, but I’ll be looking for
growth in his overall game to justify a mid-round projection in the 2026 draft.
Vladislav Yermolenko
2025-19-09 Niagara 1 @ Brampton 4 (OHL)
Yermolenko’s defining trait is his hockey IQ. Every paths he takes in the crease seemed
calculated and based on his reads. He consistently performed shoulder checks to identify
threats in the zone, allowing him to plan his movements and arrive on angle without relying
excessively on raw explosiveness. His glove hand was also impressive, catching pucks
cleanly and without hesitation. That said, there are technical flaws in his game. His RVH
seals are inconsistent, leaving gaps that shooters can exploit, which cost him a goal in this
game. His T-pushes were also inefficient; rather than a clean, single push across the crease,
he often used two smaller pushes, which slowed him down. Yermolenko’s intelligence will
generate interest, but some of his mechanics could hold him back, as NHL teams place a
premium on those skills. I’ll be following his development closely, as improvement in those
areas could make him a more complete prospect.