Chicago Blackhawks Development Camp: Goalies

A previous weakness may be turning into a strength for the Chicago Blackhawks, as along with the signing of Cristobal Huet the Blackhawks boast solid depth in their system. Corey Crawford may still be the future in goal for the Blackhawks, but he has some competition now. McKeen's correspondent Max Giese was on hand in Chicago for their development camp and looks at his challengers.

Antti Niemi (Chi), G, Pelicans FIN

This 24-year-old-seasoned goaltender from Finland was signed by the Chicago Blackhawks this summer to improve their depth in goal and challenge prospect Corey Crawford .. difficult to beat down low thanks to his airtight butterfly and wide-V, which covers the majority of the lower portion of the net .. athletic and confident between the pipes, Niemi will utilize unorthodox methods in stopping the puck, such as stacking the pads during a goalmouth scrum .. uses his stick well to defend against backdoor plays, but he does cheat off the post at times and will need coaching on the small ice surfaces of North America .. his skating ability outside of the crease and puck-handling skills both require further improvement .. displays strong lateral movement from the butterfly and his flexible legs allow him to take away the bottom half of the net quickly .. handles the puck well in both of his gloves and his calm and confident demeanor allow him to make the big save when called upon .. has good size at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds and is primed for a heavy workload and goaltending battle in the AHL this season alongside Corey Crawford.

Joe Fallon (Chi), G, Vermont NCAA

Signed his first professional contract this summer after completing a decorated collegiate career with the Vermont Catamounts where he set a school record for career shutouts with 20 .. a big butterfly goaltender that stands at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Fallon is an effective first-save goaltender that is difficult to beat from the outside if he is squared to the shooter .. plays big and maintains a tight butterfly making it difficult for a shooter to find openings to aim for .. Fallon's first move is always down, his technique has improved since last summer, as he's staying more composed and disciplined while not flopping after the play breaks down .. his rebound control is solid, but his skating and lateral mobility remain his glaring weakness .. his limited footwork leaves him chronically prone to being scored on if the opponent successfully gets him moving .. will likely spend some time in the ECHL with the Pensacola Pilots and may receive spot duty in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs.

Joe Palmer (Chi), G, Ohio State NCAA

Smaller compared to other Blackhawks' goaltending prospects at 6-foot-0 and 205 pounds, Palmer relies on his athleticism and fast reflexes to make up for his lack of prototypical size .. a natural athlete in goal that boasts fast twitch, cat-like reflexes in all of his limbs .. displaying an enhanced technique this year, Palmer has minimized his movements some and appears more efficient .. adequately maximizes his net coverage by aggressively challenging outside of his crease, but this leaves him susceptible to the backdoor play .. despite being notably calmer dealing with distractions around him and more compact in his stance, Palmer still needs to improve on his ability to fight through traffic to make the save and control the rebound .. he is a swift skater and is laterally fast with the ability to control the rebound effectively if he gets a good read on the oncoming shot .. will be returning to start at Ohio State University this year for his Junior season.

Josh Unice (Chi), G, Kitchener OHL

Was the most disappointing goaltending prospect at the development camp .. has the glaring and disconcerting weakness of lacking the ability to make the big save at the critical moments of the game .. his technique is poor and he must tighten up his mechanics, not to mention improving on his sub-par rebound control .. he needs to refine his positioning between the crease and maximize his net coverage by compacting his stance, which currently gives the shooter too much net to look at even when he's squared-up to the shooter .. tends to flop a lot and has a lot of work ahead of him .. scheduled to return to the OHL this year with the Kitchener Rangers.