Canadiens goaltending prospect is dealing with sturdy competition
Mikus Vecvanags was the Montreal Canadiens' 134th overall selection in the 2024 NHL draft. The 18-year-old Latvian netminder has some sturdy competition ahead of him.
Vecvanags resume is solid. He has played for Latvia's U-16, U-17 and U-18 teams, most recently competing at the World Juniors where he went 1-3-0 with a .894 save percentage. His stats from the Finnish U-18 league he plays in are more impressive, a 6-1-0 record with a .929 save percentage.
He was recently featured as a participant at the Montreal Canadiens Development Camp, wherein he had a solid opening frame, only to let in six goals within the first ten minutes of the second. While many of these goals were due to blueliners missing their man and leaving plenty of ice for attackers to fire at will, Vecvanags had to wear the barrage. Nonetheless, he also displays sharp reflexes and an elite puck-tracking ability.
There are still plenty of years of development before Vecvanags is granted his shot at the highest professional level, but what doesn’t help is the backstops who currently take up the depth chart for the Canadiens. This isn’t exclusive to Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau, but a goalie in Jacob Fowler whose impressive 2023-24 season with Boston College has Habs fans salivating at the thought of him taking the crease in future years.
He will spend next season with the Titan d’Acadie-Bathurst. The acclimation to North American play will help his development.
His six-foot-three frame is a good upside for the young Latvian. Weighing 159 pounds is less so. He still has ample time to fill out, and seeing how he performs in the QMJHL will be interesting.
