Spencer Knight: Worth 13th Overall?

The Beginning of a New Era of Potential Elite Goaltenders

Heading into the 2019 draft, Spencer Knight was expected to get drafted the earliest, out of all the goalies. On June 22nd, the Florida Panthers decided to use their 13th overall selection to strengthen their goalie prospects by selecting Spencer Knight. Knight spent his past 2 seasons with the USNTDP where he developed his game. In his first season, he posted a .915 SV% in 25 games played for the U17 team, with a 2.55 GAA. After an offseason of training, he improved his numbers to a .913 SV% and a 2.36 GAA in his 33 games played for the U18 squad. In the 2019 U18 WJC, Knight managed to score the best save percentage (.936%) and best goals against average (1.51 GAA) in the tournament to help USA to a bronze medal finish. He also won silver after a devastating loss to Finland in the finals of the U20 WJC. Spencer has committed to Boston College for the 2019-20 season. 

Now into his game style. Spencer Knight plays very similar to Montreal Canadiens’ netminder Carey Price. He plays a very collective game with poise that allows him to thrive through moments of pressure. He preserves his energy effectively, as he only does what he needs to, and nothing more. For example, you won’t find Spencer scrambling around his net to cover or find the puck, and he doesn’t overreact to saves. Despite his tranquil play, he doesn’t have work ethic problems. This combination of poise and work ethic maximizes his potential. His calmness also seems to lead to a high confidence level. Knight is confident enough to skate out of his crease to play the puck. In one case, Knight actually deked out an opponent to buy himself more time. He also uses his frame and positioning to effectively cut down the shooting lanes and challenge the shooter. When facing a shot, Knight tends to straighten his back to take up more space and increase mobility. On top of this, he has elite rebound control. Especially for young goalies in their draft year, they tend to have poor rebound control, however Knight’s control is exceptional as he angles himself better to control the rebound. Standing at 6’3 and 192 pounds, Knight has surprisingly great lateral swiftness and explosiveness, allowing him to make the big cross-crease save. His elite level anticipation also gives him the edge against shooters as he can read the play, and predict where the opponent will pass or shoot. He can move well in his crease without losing sight of the puck. Compared to other draft year goaltenders, Knight’s vision seems flawless as he rarely loses sight of the puck. With a quick glove hand and angling, left handed shooters struggle to score on Knight in close. On the ice, it is clear that Knight effectively uses his communication skills to notify defenders about open men on the other team. Spencer has good leadership skills along with outstanding technique with loads of potential. 

Written August 1, 2019.