By Jamie Neugebauer
Sportsnet.ca
The last time Canadians had a blue chip, sure-fire goaltending prospect to anoint as the ‘next one’ was back in 2007, when Carey Price burst onto the scene.
Disappointing performances from Mark Visentin and Malcolm Subban shattered hearts at the World Junior Hockey Championships, while the likes of Dustin Tokarski and Steve Mason are far from the shining stars that Canadians expect from potential Olympians or National Hockey League all-stars.
Nation, meet Zachary Fucale; the 17-year-old draft-eligible Halifax Moosehead with every tool required to be that guy.
His fantastic lateral mobility and technical maturity display a goaltender able to make any save, and his unique circumstances have prepared him mentally to step in as Canada’s next goaltending hope.
Nine games into last season, Moosehead starter Anthony Terenzio went down with a severe concussion compounded by a neck a neck injury and a fresh-faced 16-year-old Fucale stepped into the spotlight of one of the most junior hockey mad markets in the country.
Not only did the youngster from Rosemere, Que., survive, but he also thrived: starting 75 regular season and playoff games while backstopping his underdog team to the QMJHL semi-finals. He maintained a sub-two goals-against-average for most of the playoffs, until his team collapsed in front of him against Rimouski, but he still managed to finish under three and with a save percentage above nine. His 32 wins on the season broke the Quebec-league record for a rookie goaltender; simply put, he proved from the beginning that he was a winner.
So far this campaign Fucale has been dominant behind a decidedly offensively-minded group in Nova Scotia’s capital. Halifax has given up 10 fewer goals than anyone else in the ‘Q’ with veteran backup Chris Clarke only affording him 10 games of rest to date, proving once again his ability shoulder a very heavy workload.
At 6’1 and 181 pounds, the Mooseheads’ prospect is the rare combination of elite talent, tremendous composure and focus, and is a good bet to be the only goaltender taken in the first round of the offence-heavy 2013 draft.
For a country whose pipelines have not produced a goaltending star since Price, Fucale promises to be much-needed relief.