The mostly-unanimous choice for top-ranked goaltender in the 2017 NHL draft is Boston University’s Jake Oettinger. With excellent size, and a mature positional game – it’s easy to see why he stands at the top of the list.

At 6-foot-4, he possesses the frame that NHL teams crave. What’s even more promising is his grasp of the position, and how he utilizes his size effectively. He plays a modern conservative style, staying deep in the crease, and relies heavily on his puck-tracking ability and hand placement to cut pucks off. When he is locked in he plays a very simple “NHL-style” game, which means he very rarely ends up sprawled out in desperation. He relied on this maturity to start for one of the premier schools in NCAA Division I hockey at the age of 17 – a feat that hasn’t occurred since Thatcher Demko’s days at Boston College.

Two areas of weakness for Oettinger are his skating and puck handling. Through his positioning he stays within his limits when moving around the crease, but still needs to work on his patience holding his edges. Building trust that he can beat passes on his feet rather than sliding across will be crucial to his development. The good news is that when he is caught down early, his edgework is superb. He is able to bail himself out of a lot of tough situations with his mobility in the butterfly.

Oettinger is one of the most exciting goaltending prospects in recent years. What he has accomplished at his age with Boston University and Team USA is nothing short of astounding. Any team that is looking for an immediate boost to their goaltending talent pool should consider taking him with a high pick. While he won’t make an NHL impact immediately, he plays a style that is very conducive to him getting there quickly.