He was put in a situation that wasnвЂ™t ideal for him to start. His demeanor is pretty even keeled especially in a game and especially for a young goaltender. In practices heвЂ™s really competitive with goals that go in he thought he should have had he gets really upset about them. In a game where he sees something go behind him, he doesnвЂ™t show that heвЂ™s upset. вЂњ(Lalonde) is a competitive person but he has a calm demeanor about him.

Nolan has adapted to the return to the classroom, his new home in Erie, and the pressures of his first OHL season while being a role model for his teammates.вЂќ -Jaime Cieszynski, Erie OttersвЂ™ Director of Administration вЂњNolan has a tremendous work ethic and has committed himself to being a true leader both in the classroom and on the ice. Given the buzz Lalonde had amongst scouts last June, donвЂ™t be surprised to hear his name called. Landing an upside goalie with a sixth or seventh rounder is a good piece of business for any NHL team. But savvy and patient teams will use a late-round pick on Lalonde given his potential usage and his upside. There just isnвЂ™t much in the way of high-end goalies available early in the draft. Other THW Draft Profiles Nolan Lalonde - NHL Draft Projection Although heвЂ™s somewhat undersized, his athleticism makes up for that and has him in position to be one of the best goalies in the OHL upcoming. Overall, anyone who drafts Lalonde is getting someone who is highly competitive but can also calm things down on the ice when necessary. He could have prevented some goals had he been more ready for the shot. He can also stand to improve on his positional play. While the calmness is there, he is improving in his ability to rebound quickly after a tough stretch. In particular, there were times the Otters needed a timely save and werenвЂ™t able to get it especially if the opposition scored in bunches. His anticipation really shines in these moments.ДЄs with any young goalie, Lalonde has plenty of room for improvement. He is able to go post-to-post and is good at challenging shooters and cutting down their angles. He uses his athleticism and skating to his advantage. On the ice, Lalonde is able to cover a lot of ground despite being slightly undersized at 6-foot-1. For someone who just turned 18 in February, this was impressive to watch. He has a good sense of knowing when to keep the play going or when to put a stop to things. He brings a level of calmness that resonates with his teammates. He is extraordinary collected when circumstances are tough. So what stands out about Lalonde? The first thing youвЂ™ll notice is his demeanor. In addition to being a popular name, he played on Team Canada at the recently completed U-18 tournament. They also think his game will translate at the next level. Why? ThatвЂ™s because many think he will be one of the best goalies in the OHL over the next couple of seasons.

Which player was the most asked about? It was Lalonde. Need evidence of just how hot a commodity Lalonde is? At the Erie Junior Showcase that took place in June 2021, scouts from 30 NHL teams were present at some point. But yet Lalonde still won 24 games despite all these things working against him. They were a very young team with little experience compared to their competition. The Otters went through a mid-season coaching change. But then when you consider his workload and the team that played in front of him, it puts these numbers in a different perspective. On the surface, these numbers look concerning. Lalonde finished the 2021-22 season with a 24-25-3 record with a 3.62 goals-against and an. Nolan Lalonde played his draft season as the OttersвЂ™ number-one goaltender. This is where you have to be careful judging his season just based on his numbers.

This made Lalonde the OttersвЂ™ number-one starter for the balance of the season. The initial thought was that he would miss the entire season while rehabbing and recovering. All I could think about after that game was вЂњthis kid is going to be a good one.вЂќДЄs it turned out, Campbell suffered a hip injury in which surgery was needed. But for Lalonde to jump in and start on opening night said volumes. ItвЂ™s difficult enough for any 17-year old to start in the OHL. He stopped 30/33 on opening night while not allowing a goal until very late in the second period. Despite losing 3-0 that night, it was clear why many folks around the Otters and the NHL were excited for the future of this goaltender. 17-year old Nolan Lalonde got the call on opening night against the Flint Firebirds. Then game one came and it wasnвЂ™t Campbell who was starting. Although they were a young team, they were skilled and had an experienced goalie in Aidan Campbell ready to lead them. On paper, that appeared to be a likely outcome. The Erie Otters were ready to use the 2021-22 season to finally turn the page on their last few losing seasons. NHL Draft Eligibility: 2022 first-year eligible Rankings

D b sports u18