Questions swirled around the Saints netminders to begin the 2014-2015 season. SLU returned junior Kyle MacDonald and sophomore Tyler Parks. They also brought in Kyle Hayton, out of Shattuck St. Mary's and Sioux City in the USHL. Hayton quickly established himself as not just the starter for the Saints but as one of the elite goaltenders in the ECAC, and nationally. His stellar play, along with consistent goal production and much improved defense lead the Saints to a second place finish in the ECAC. After losing three important players to graduation, St. Lawrence will need to rely on Hayton through the first 10 games until the new players get their skates under them and adjust to college hockey. Lets look at how Hayton performed last year compared to his career in high school andin juniors, and why he could even be better.
In his first year in the North Country, Hayton started all but one game for SLU. He posted a 20-13-3 record with a .937 save percentage and a 1.94 goals allowed average. He had the third best save percentage in college hockey, edged by Ryan Massa and Alex Lyon by just .002 percent. He ranked 8th in minutes played and sixth in shutouts. The stellar save percentage and goals allowed average statistics are particularly important. A low goals allowed and a low save percentage would indicate that he doesn't face a lot of shots, leading to a low goals allowed. The high goals allowed with a low save percentage means he doesn't face a lot of shots and still allows a lot of goals. But Hayton faced a fair amount of shots, nearly 32 per game, meaning his success was as much due to his talent as it was the improvement of the defense.
Looking at his number while in juniors, they aren't as stellar. In 2012-2013 with Sioux City, he posted a 2.65 GAA and a .911 save percentage and the following year he had a 2.70 GAA and a .914 save percentage. None of those numbers are particularly good, but consider this: in 2012-2013, his 2.65 GAA and .911 save percentage ranked T-4 and 3rd, respectively, in the league. In 2013-2014, Hayton lead the Musketeers to the Western Conference Finals, a playoff run that saw him post a 2.55 GAA and a .929 save percentage.
So, even while his numbers in juniors don't exactly jump off the page, when comparing them to the rest of the league, they are a good deal above average. The trend continues into college. So, while some may consider his incredible success as a rookie nothing more than a fluke, it is unlikely that his numbers will regress much at all entering his second season.
As everyone knows, a good goalie can make a mediocre defense good. But, a good defense can make a good goalie great. And the Saints defense next year looks to be good at the very least. Consider that Chris Martin is the only loss on the blue line, and while he was a consistent starter, he played mostly third pair minutes. Furthermore, the improvements made by defensemen last year, most notably Eric Sweetman and Gavin Bayreuther, who both became much better two way defensemen, the Saints boast one of the best top two defensemen in the ECAC. They're likely to be split up, with Sweetman playing number one minutes with a player like R.J. Gicewicz, who brings a size and grittiness not unlike Martin, or Mitch Eden, who complements Sweetman solid defense with slightly more offensive upside. Bayreuther will likely remain with Nolan Gluchowski, who was very good last year in a second pair role.
The blue line last year, though shaky at times to begin the season, was vastly improved by the end of the year. After a rough weekend at Northeastern to open the 2015 portion of the season, the defense allowed 2 goals or less in the next 12 games, going 10-1-1. In those games, with just a few outliers, they were right around 30 shots per game allowed, not a shabby mark considering the capabilities of the goaltender behind them.
With a European trip under their belts where at least 5 of the top six defensemen will have played a few games prior to the season beginning, the defense should be in much better shape come the first 10 games or so compared to last season. This is important given that three of SLU's top scorers need to be replaced, and the Saints have two very gifted scorers entering the season as freshman. But more importantly, entering the season with a defense that has now spent a full season together and has playing time under their belts already means a smoother transition for Hayton behind them. With no regression, barring injury, expected from Hayton, who has proven he can perform at a high level starting at Shattuck, and a defense that should be improved over the total corps that allowed 2.03 goals per game, it is completely reasonable to theorize that Hayton should have an even better statistical season that last year. This make St. Lawrence very dangerous.
In his first year in the North Country, Hayton started all but one game for SLU. He posted a 20-13-3 record with a .937 save percentage and a 1.94 goals allowed average. He had the third best save percentage in college hockey, edged by Ryan Massa and Alex Lyon by just .002 percent. He ranked 8th in minutes played and sixth in shutouts. The stellar save percentage and goals allowed average statistics are particularly important. A low goals allowed and a low save percentage would indicate that he doesn't face a lot of shots, leading to a low goals allowed. The high goals allowed with a low save percentage means he doesn't face a lot of shots and still allows a lot of goals. But Hayton faced a fair amount of shots, nearly 32 per game, meaning his success was as much due to his talent as it was the improvement of the defense.
Looking at his number while in juniors, they aren't as stellar. In 2012-2013 with Sioux City, he posted a 2.65 GAA and a .911 save percentage and the following year he had a 2.70 GAA and a .914 save percentage. None of those numbers are particularly good, but consider this: in 2012-2013, his 2.65 GAA and .911 save percentage ranked T-4 and 3rd, respectively, in the league. In 2013-2014, Hayton lead the Musketeers to the Western Conference Finals, a playoff run that saw him post a 2.55 GAA and a .929 save percentage.
So, even while his numbers in juniors don't exactly jump off the page, when comparing them to the rest of the league, they are a good deal above average. The trend continues into college. So, while some may consider his incredible success as a rookie nothing more than a fluke, it is unlikely that his numbers will regress much at all entering his second season.
As everyone knows, a good goalie can make a mediocre defense good. But, a good defense can make a good goalie great. And the Saints defense next year looks to be good at the very least. Consider that Chris Martin is the only loss on the blue line, and while he was a consistent starter, he played mostly third pair minutes. Furthermore, the improvements made by defensemen last year, most notably Eric Sweetman and Gavin Bayreuther, who both became much better two way defensemen, the Saints boast one of the best top two defensemen in the ECAC. They're likely to be split up, with Sweetman playing number one minutes with a player like R.J. Gicewicz, who brings a size and grittiness not unlike Martin, or Mitch Eden, who complements Sweetman solid defense with slightly more offensive upside. Bayreuther will likely remain with Nolan Gluchowski, who was very good last year in a second pair role.
The blue line last year, though shaky at times to begin the season, was vastly improved by the end of the year. After a rough weekend at Northeastern to open the 2015 portion of the season, the defense allowed 2 goals or less in the next 12 games, going 10-1-1. In those games, with just a few outliers, they were right around 30 shots per game allowed, not a shabby mark considering the capabilities of the goaltender behind them.
With a European trip under their belts where at least 5 of the top six defensemen will have played a few games prior to the season beginning, the defense should be in much better shape come the first 10 games or so compared to last season. This is important given that three of SLU's top scorers need to be replaced, and the Saints have two very gifted scorers entering the season as freshman. But more importantly, entering the season with a defense that has now spent a full season together and has playing time under their belts already means a smoother transition for Hayton behind them. With no regression, barring injury, expected from Hayton, who has proven he can perform at a high level starting at Shattuck, and a defense that should be improved over the total corps that allowed 2.03 goals per game, it is completely reasonable to theorize that Hayton should have an even better statistical season that last year. This make St. Lawrence very dangerous.
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