View from the Crease

In this week's "View from the Crease" column, McKeen's correspondent Kevin Hopson looks at Everett Silvertips goalie Kent Simpson. Also, Everett GM and Vice President Doug Soetaert offers some insight on the young netminder.

Doug Soetaert knows a little bit about hockey. The current GM and Vice President of the Everett Silvertips played 12 years in the NHL, including a 1986 Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens. He was also named to the Edmonton Oil Kings all-time team in 1998.

However, what he has been best known for in recent years is his drafting prowess. For example, Everett's 2003 draft is considered by many to be the best bantam draft in the history of the WHL. That year, Soetaert and his scouting staff selected an all-star group of Zach Hamill, Peter Mueller, Taylor Ellington, Brady Calla and Leland Irving. Since 2006, ten Silvertips players have been selected in the NHL Entry Draft, with guys like Peter Mueller, Leland Irving, Zach Hamill and Kyle Beach all being taken in the first round.

Given Soetaert's strong track record, I asked him what he saw in Kent Simpson when the Silvertips took him in the first round of the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft.

"When we drafted Kent, I saw a young goalie that had size, quickness and good lateral movement," Soetaert said. "He was really good in tight and down low using his legs and size. He is very competitive at challenging the shooter and he has a good glove."

Simpson possesses a lot of the physical attributes that are needed to succeed at the pro level - generous frame, quick reflexes, fluid movement, agility, athleticism, etc. - but Soetaert believes the best part of Simpson's game is his determination.

"I believe his greatest asset is his competitiveness and willingness to get better," Soetaert noted.

Simpson has progressed significantly over the course of the past two seasons and, though he continues to be a work-in-progress, he will likely be an early-to-mid round pick in next spring's NHL Entry Draft.

"To me, he had the best pro potential in that (2007) bantam draft," Soetaert concluded.

It looks like one of Soetaert's premonitions may come true once again.

Scouting Report

Kent Simpson (2010), G, Everett Silvertips

A pure butterfly goalie with good size (6-2, 182) and possesses good range in net .. likes to drop into a compact butterfly to take away the lower half of the net .. keeps his butt up and torso straight in these instances, allowing him to play big .. solid in his positioning and holds his ground the majority of the time .. however, he displays impatience on occasion, which can cause him to commit too early .. for example, during a breakaway, Simpson went down into a half butterfly before the shot was released, leaving space above his shoulder on the blocker side .. he was beat precisely in this spot and gave up a second goal in similar fashion .. in another situation, he went into a full butterfly when an opposing forward had possession of the puck in close from a bad angle .. he left the backdoor play open and got stuck on his knees as the puck made its way cross-crease and eventually into the net .. on the plus side, he owns a quick glove and can rob shooters in close .. Simpson also enjoys swift and fluid lateral movement .. he can drop into a butterfly slide and then maneuver post-to-post with his strong butterfly push .. Simpson's vertical movement is an asset as well, as he is capable of getting back to his feet in an instant .. sees and tracks the rubber effectively through traffic but can experience breakdowns in coverage when the puck is being played from behind the net .. communicates with his teammates, letting them know where pressure is coming from and which outlets are available .. underutilizes his stick and does not look to handle the puck regularly .. plays a similar style to that of Dwayne Roloson.