Author: Jean Rioux

The CHL continues to be one of the richest pipelines for goaltending talent, and the 2026 NHL
Draft class is shaping up to be no exception. Across the three leagues, a variety of promising
netminders are emerging some refining already polished skillsets, others showcasing raw tools
that could translate exceptionally well at the next level.This second part of the series highlights
another group of compelling CHL goaltending prospects, several of whom have the potential to
hear their names called as early as the end of the second round. From technically refined
movers to athletic upside swings, this collection underscores just how deep and diverse the
CHL’s goalie landscape remains for the upcoming draft.

William Lacelle
2025/21/11 Gatineau 1 @ Rimouski 2 OT (QMJHL)

Lacelle delivered a great performance, playing with noticeable confidence and presence in his
crease. His aggressiveness stood out right away—he consistently challenged shooters above
the blue paint without sacrificing angle coverage. His speed and fluidity in movement were again
evident, reinforcing what previous viewings hinted at. In previous viewings, I noted that Lacelle
could sometimes be too active, leading him to overplay certain situations. In this game,
however, he maintained that same high activity level but with far more precision. Every
movement was calculated, and he avoided overcommitting on developing plays. His edgework
was the elite element of this viewing. He stayed patient on his feet even when working on
aggressive edges, and when he did drop into the butterfly, his recoveries were immediate and
explosive. He consistently popped back up with purpose, regaining angle coverage on rebounds
and giving himself the tools to react to lateral options or secondary threats. Those recovery
mechanics significantly contributed to his control of the game.The main concern remains his
size. While he does an excellent job cutting angles with aggressive depth, there’s always the
question of whether this element will scale effectively at the pro level. On the other hand, his
athleticism and skating ability are clearly high-end—and those traits do tend to translate
well.Considering all these factors, I could realistically see Lacelle being selected within the first
three rounds of the draft.
2025/16/11 Cape Breton 3 @ Rimouski 4 SO (QMJHL)

Lacelle continued to impress with how effectively he managed his depth, staying just aggressive
enough above the blue paint without overcommitting on developing plays. He maintained strong
angle coverage through his progressions and flashed high-end lateral speed when needed to
cut off dangerous lanes. His puck tracking remained a standout element, especially to the glove
side and on low pucks, where he consistently kept his eyes locked on the play, even in heavy
traffic or scramble situations. That sharp tracking also benefited him on cross-crease sequences
and plays originating from behind the net, allowing him to move his body across quickly and in

control to make the save. However, his tracking wasn’t as sharp when facing screens. He often
tried to look over traffic despite not having an ideal size for that approach, or he would lean his
torso in the direction of his head tilt when searching for sightlines. That led to delayed reactions,
resulting in goals against or uncontrolled rebounds. Lacelle remains a prospect with a strong
toolkit and meaningful upside, but these recurring question marks—particularly around his
handling of screens—hold him back slightly from climbing even higher on draft boards.

Jacoby Weiner
2025/07/11 Moncton 3 @ Sherbrooke 4 (QMJHL)

Weiner fits the modern goalie prototype scouts tend to gravitate toward. He’s tall, big, and
extremely athletic. His movements are crisp, and he showed impressive mobility, allowing him
to control his body and make saves from a variety of positions. However, this game also
highlighted that he remains quite raw and projects more as a long-term development bet.The
missing element in his profile right now is his hockey IQ. On multiple occasions, he looked more
reactive than proactive. His reflexes are excellent, but his body wasn’t consistently set in optimal
position to receive the puck, which led to compromised angles or pucks slipping through holes.
He didn’t consistently anticipate developing plays or process threats early enough to position
himself with intent—often reacting only once the puck was already headed his way. That said,
the upside is real. With time, coaching, and structured development, he could round out his
game and integrate more deliberate processing into his approach. He projects as a longer-term
project who may require patience, but the payoff could be significant if everything comes
together.
2025/16/11 Québec 4 @ Moncton 1 (QMJHL)

This was another game where Weiner showcased his high-end athletic toolkit. His mobility
stands out, with wide, powerful edges and the ability to move through his crease with notable
speed. His pushes and slides are explosive, and he recovers to his feet quickly and efficiently.
Technically, Weiner demonstrated that he can maintain consistent positioning when the puck is
between the dots, staying square and aligned to the shot. However, his positioning and save
selection on perimeter and broken plays remained questionable. These situations led to some
awkward saves and uncontrolled rebounds. His puck tracking also needs refinement, as he
occasionally struggled to follow pucks cleanly into his body or to locate rebounds after the first
shot. One recurring concern was his tendency to lean his torso forward in aggressive situations,
which caused his glove to tilt downward and opened space over his shoulder. Overall, while
Weiner’s athletic tools are undeniable, he still needs to clean up several elements of his game
to solidify his position in this draft class. Even so, his upside is high enough that a team will
almost certainly take a chance on him.

Jason Schaubel
2025/23/11 Kitchener 6 @ Oshawa 2 (OHL)

Schaubel is, by modern standards, not a big goaltender and doesn’t fit the physical profile many
scouts prioritize. However, when you put the size questions aside, it becomes clear that he
brings a polished, well-rounded skill set—and this game was no exception. He once again
displayed strong athleticism and excellent skating ability, but what stood out most was his
positioning. In a matchup where his teammates did a solid job limiting high-danger chances,
Schaubel was primarily tasked with showcasing his angle management and crease control. He
remained tall and composed on point shots and handled screens effectively. On peripheral
plays, he mixed small overlap stances and RVH entries, maintaining a consistent seal both on
the post and along the ice. When pucks reached the slot, he transitioned cleanly into centered,
stable positioning without compromising his structure. His recoveries were also a strength in this
viewing. Schaubel reset to his feet quickly after initial shots, allowing him to face rebounds in a
controlled, upright stance. While he wasn’t perfect in absorbing every puck, he compensated
through efficient resets and calm body control. Size will remain a talking point, but the identity of
his game is clear: Schaubel is a technically sound, positional goaltender who moves extremely
well. His traits are projectable, and in my opinion, he deserves to be firmly in the discussion with
other prospects slated for the middle rounds of the draft.
2025/01/11 Kitchener 4 @ Brampton 0 (OHL)

Schaubel delivered another strong performance, once again showing that his game is more
complete than many of the goalies ranked alongside him. He blends strong positional
fundamentals with excellent skating ability, making him difficult to beat on rebounds or lateral
plays. In this matchup, his edgework and mobility especially stood out—he consistently adapted
his positioning and reacted fluidly to unfolding pressure. His rebound control was solid overall,
and when pucks did escape him, he compensated with quick, efficient recoveries. On several
sequences, he read developing options extremely well, adjusting his angle to stay prepared for
potential cross-crease plays without sacrificing his initial coverage on the puck carrier. Those
reads highlight his strong hockey sense and awareness. As well-rounded as his performance
was, a couple of technical points still need refinement. His depth management on plays
originating from the corners remains an area to watch. In these situations, he often retreats
toward the center of his crease rather than taking a small forward adjustment to protect the
short-side shoulder—something a skilled shooter could exploit with a quick release before the
puck reaches the middle of the ice. Additionally, he could improve his rebound management by
incorporating his stick more frequently on low shots instead of defaulting to glove attempts.
Overall, Schaubel continues to look like a solid and well-rounded prospect with middle-round
draft appeal.

Ryder Fetterolf
2025/21/11 Ottawa 5 @ Kitchener 3 (OHL)

It was a relatively quiet game for Fetterolf, who handled his workload well without particularly
standing out in either direction. Although he’s primarily known for his quick feet and overall
speed, it was his depth and positional management that were most evident in this viewing. He
maintained strong angle coverage by consistently setting up near the top of the blue paint, and
his small, controlled adjustments helped him stay square and balanced throughout.One element
to monitor in future viewings is his save selection and positional awareness on rushes that
extend toward the short side. Fetterolf opted to drop into RVH several times when the puck was
closer to the faceoff dot than the goal line—an approach that, in my opinion, isn’t optimal in
those situations. It limited his ability to influence the shot and control the rebound, leading to a
few awkward impacts and loose pucks in unpredictable areas.My projection for Fetterolf
remains unchanged: he’s a solid prospect with a good foundation. However, he’ll need to show
a bit more upside and refinement if he hopes to surpass some of the higher-profile goalies in his
class.
2025/19/11 Ottawa 3 @ Kingston 2 (OHL)

It wasn’t a high-volume game for Fetterolf, but he once again showed that he can stay sharp
and compete throughout. He battled for every save without sacrificing structure or losing control
of his technique. An encouraging progression in this viewing was his handling of short-side
situations: he relied more on effective overlap and added depth rather than defaulting too early
to RVH, which noticeably improved his angle coverage.However, even with his smaller frame,
he needs to assert himself more inside his crease. At times he seemed affected by traffic in
front of him, which limited his depth management—usually one of his key strengths. His puck
tracking on long-distance shots also dipped when a body crossed his line of sight, which is an
area that still requires attention. Taking these factors into account, I still expect Fetterolf to be
drafted. But his long-term outlook is less certain, as I question whether he has enough upside
and developmental runway to become a reliable candidate for the next level.

Jan Larys
2025/09/11 Blainville-Boisbriand 2 @ Drummondville 3 (QMJHL)

Larys is a smaller-framed goalie who plays with a noticeably narrower stance than most in his
class, and he uses it effectively to stay efficient in tight-area movements. His feet are quick
enough to allow agile lateral adjustments within that stance, helping him stay aligned and

composed on initial threats. However, while he’s solid in short-distance movements, he didn’t
show high-end lateral speed or athleticism on longer pushes or slides. In fact, he rarely used
traditional cross-crease pushes, yet still managed to arrive in position—square and on angle—to
face shooters. This essentially summarizes the type of game he played: not clean or flashy, but
undeniably efficient. His depth management was one of his stronger assets, as he consistently
made good decisions based on the play unfolding in front of him. His compete level also stood
out, giving him a chance on every shot and allowing him to battle through imperfect situations.
That said, he struggled when faced with screens or scrambles. In those moments, he tended to
lose his structure quickly, forcing him into sprawling, reactive saves. While he is effective and
finds ways to make stops and collect wins, his game isn’t as polished as his stat line might
suggest, and he lacks a standout defining trait that would drive significant upside. For now, I see
Larys projecting in the back half of the draft, unless he can tighten up his technique and develop
a more distinguishable strength.
2025/06/11 Drummondville 5 @ Victoriaville 1

Good game overall for Larys, result-wise, as he once again showed why he can be so
efficient—while still raising several important question marks. On first shots, he was excellent.
His positioning, depth management, and angle control were intelligent and consistent. He
tracked the puck well and showed strong control on shots received from the waist up. In this
particular matchup, that was enough, as he wasn’t forced to make many high-difficulty saves
and benefited from strong defensive support. However, those strengths didn’t fully mask his
underlying issues. In my opinion, Larys remains vulnerable on secondary plays and scrambles.
He didn’t display much power in his pushes or slides when reacting laterally to cross-crease
passes or recovering after rebounds. He also allowed a few loose rebounds on low shots,
leading to scrambles where his technique seemed to break down and he lost control of his
structure. Because of these elements, Larys does not currently project as a guaranteed
draftable prospect for me. Still, his efficiency on initial plays and overall competitiveness make
him worth keeping on a watchlist moving forward.

Gavin Betts
2025/28/11 Brampton 4 @ Kingston 1 (OHL)

Clean game for Betts in this one. I’ve long tried to identify what his defining trait is compared to
others in his class, and I think it’s his overall technical soundness and strong fundamentals. In
this game, the list of positive technical elements was long: he was well positioned, stayed
patient on his feet to maintain angle coverage, and his butterfly was clean with a consistent ice
seal. His hands were active yet smooth, allowing him to either catch or redirect pucks efficiently.
However, I’m still unsure about how well he blends these technical tools with the tactical side of
the game. At times, he appeared a step late on certain play designs—sometimes due to a lack

of top-end speed, and other times because he processed developing plays a bit slowly. He also
struggled to track pucks on unscreened shots, giving up two goals that way.That could
significantly hurt his draft stock, especially considering he hasn’t cleared the 6-foot
threshold.While his fundamentals are very strong, they may not be enough on their own to
guarantee a draft spot.
2025/21/11 Peterborough 3 @ Kingston 2 OT (OHL)

Betts continued to display his full arsenal of technical skills. In this viewing, what stood out most
was his discipline and patience. He looked calm and relaxed in most of his movements, staying
on his feet as long as possible before shifting into a more aggressive and crisp approach when
the shooter committed to a release. He also did a good job identifying threats in front of him,
and I even saw him loudly communicating those threats to his defensemen. That said, his
overall tactical approach still needs refinement. One sequence, in particular, highlighted this: a
shooter approached from the top of the circle on Betts’ short side, with no dangerous passing
options aside from one player deep near the far-post goal line. Instead of stepping off his post to
cut the shooting angle and eliminate the passing lane, Betts stayed anchored to the post. This
opened the seam the shooter needed to send a pass across for a goal. By leaving his post
earlier, he could have neutralized both threats at once. Betts also showed moments of
inconsistency or slight nonchalance—similar to previous viewings—where he lost sharpness in
his puck tracking and positioning, leading to two goals against that should have been handled
cleaner. Even with such a strong base of fundamentals, these recurring question marks make it
difficult for him to clearly separate himself from other similarly sized and similarly skilled goalies
in his class.