Utah Mammoth goalie prospect Melker Thelin continues to shine in Sweden’s SHL. The 2023 fifth-round pick stopped all 26 shots he faced on Saturday as Färjestad beat Leksand. Thelin is now riding an impressive shutout streak of 142 minutes and two seconds.
“I think it was a good game. They helped me with the rebounds and by tying up sticks. It’s good teamwork. It starts in practice, we work hard there and keep the game tempo up all the time. You know you’re going to get the chance, and then you want to shut the door,” says Thelin to Aftonbladet after the game.
Melker Thelin has been the backup behind Färjestad’s starter Emil Larmi, but he’s making the most of his opportunities. After allowing two goals in his SHL debut on September 18, he posted a shutout in his next start. Most recently, he came off the bench against Luleå and kept a clean sheet in the one period he played.
“Emil is our number one and starting goalie, he’s going to play the most games. Thelin is right there behind him, pushing, developing, and always wanting to play. We trust both of them,” said Färjestad head coach Jörgen Jönsson to the local paper Värmlands Folkblad on Wednesday.
Färjestad goalie coach Daniel Hansen sees plenty of upside in Melker Thelin and likes the way he learns from veteran SHL netminder Emil Larmi.
“Melker is very analytical, and sometimes he’ll stay after practice studying the details of things Larmi does well. He’s also very curious and asks Emil a lot about different situations, while Emil is really good at sharing how he thinks about certain plays. They have a great partnership, and it’s been really fun to watch because they really work as a team. I think Melker will be able to benefit a lot from Emil,” says Daniel Hansen to Hockeysverige.se.
Hansen continues to praise Thelin’s drive and his potential to take the next step in his career.
“Melker has everything it takes to take the next step. He’s so driven and, as I’ve said, he’s a goalie who’s really strong on his feet, which is a must if you want to make the jump across the Atlantic. His goal is of course to play in the NHL one day, and he’s already been drafted. He’s got the tools both technically and with his skating, which is absolutely crucial in the NHL. The game moves so fast that you need to have those parts in place, and for him that’s his X-factor. If he can round out a few other parts of his game, he has every chance to play in the NHL in the future,” says Hansen to Hockeysverige.se.
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