Get to know your Ottawa Senators prospects: Filip Gustavsson
In the latest edition of the ‘Get to know your Ottawa Senators prospects’, we take a look at a goaltender with really exciting potential.
Still considered the top goalie prospect for the Ottawa Senators, Filip Gustavsson was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2nd round (55th overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Although originally drafted by the Penguins, he was traded to the Senators as part of the three-way trade that saw Derick Brassard bounce from the Vegas Golden Knights before ending up donning the black and gold.
Playing in 31 games in the AHL for the Belleville Senators, he posted a 12-18-1 record with a 3.38 GAA and 0.887 SV%, which is average at best in the AHL, but he has the potential to be the Senators goalie of the future.
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With the Senators goalie situation clearing up a bit with the recent trade of Mike Condon to the Tampa Bay Lightning, there’s a clearer picture now for the Senators net.
The team are likely going to have Craig Anderson and Anders Nilsson splitting time in Ottawa, while Marcus Hogberg, Joey Daccord and Gustavsson will be fighting for the crease in Belleville.
At 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, Gustavsson has the size to compete in the NHL someday. He will likely see a lot more time in Belleville as the Sens management have very high hopes for the 21-year-old goaltender.
According to Dobber Prospects, Gustavsson has a 65% chance of becoming an NHL starter, which is the highest among Senators goaltending prospects.
He certainly has a real opportunity to become a star NHL starter but it won’t be easy since he will have to compete with a plethora of other goalies currently in the Senators system.
But with Anderson presumably retiring after the 2019-20 season and Nilsson only under contract for two more years, the path towards the NHL is certainly growing clearer.
Daccord is likely still a few years away from making the NHL and Hogberg currently projects to be a solid back-up at that level, leaving Gustavsson with a real chance to prove himself, potentially becoming the Ottawa Senators starter by the 2021/22 season.
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What do you think of Gustavsson so far Sens fans? Do you think he will live up to his lofty expectations? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!