Feldbergs has a lot of eyes on him currently.
I always say you can never have too many goalies in your system. They take a while to develop and one injury can set your franchise back if you don’t have that depth. On the heels of Latvia beating Canada in the shootout, I decided to take a closer look at Linards Feldbergs.
Stopping 55 of 57 shots in a World Junior game is something. But that’s never enough to put you in a spot where you might get drafted. So I decided to take a deeper look at the netminder.
Last year, he played in one game in the World Juniors. He posted a .774 save percentage and lost. That happens when you play for a country that usually doesn’t have a strong squad.
The 19-year-old plays for Sherbrooke Phoenix. It’s his first season and he’s already played 21 games. He has a record of 11-4-2 with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage.
The 6’2” netminder does do well in breakaway situations. That stands out first and foremost. He has decent post-to-post speed and he has fast reflexes. He has quick covers and his leg pad saves that he directs to the corners is a safe move.
Feldbergs is susceptible to the top-shelf wrister from far out. I do think he drops down too soon and I think he needs to get physically stronger to protect against players in the crease.
I do think he’s worthy of a late-round selection. I think he’s going to have a lot of eyeballs on him for the rest of the season.