Between the Pipes: How Important is Good Goaltending in the Royals' Quest for Playoff Success?

The short answer is that it's very important. No team can be a competitive force without at least one good goalie. However, we don't do short answers here at Royals Rebound, so let's get statistical.

Being a goalie for the Victoria Royals isn't easy. Despite being division leaders and second in the Western Conference, the Royals have been outshot in more than half of their games this season, meaning they have had to rely on their backstops more than usual. Luckily, Victoria boasts the best goaltending duo in the league that have proven their ability to stand up to any challenge time and again.

Jayden Kraus, the Royals' starter for this year, is a frontrunner for the most improved player since last season. As an understudy for Braden Holt in 2023-24, Jayden put up a suboptimal .870 save percentage and 4.29 GAA over 26 games, along with a record of eight wins and 13 losses. While he displayed exceptional athleticism and speed, his potential was not fully ignited. This season, free from the role of backup, Kraus has really caught fire. Maintaining a consistent save percentage hovering around .910 (currently second among WHL goalies), and a GAA of 2.72 (third lowest in the WHL), Jayden is undoubtedly among the league's best in the blue paint, and has shown greater consistency throughout the campaign so far than just about any other goaltender.

Kraus was also ranked 11th in early January in terms of draft eligible North American goalies for the upcoming NHL draft, and I expect his ranking to climb in the next release, especially considering that the #1 ranking, the Cougars' Joshua Ravensbergen, has been struggling as of late.

While he continues to dazzle with a fast glove, efficient movement, and a sharp eye through traffic, Jayden Kraus has unlocked a new level of consistency this season, and watching a game where Kraus had little impact is as rare a sight as any.

Johnny Hicks is a player that came out of the blue and immediately got right to work proving himself at the WHL level. Johnny began the season with the Brooks Bandits of the BCHL, and won 18 of his 21 games with an epic .943 save percentage and a 1.37 goals against average to boot. When he was picked up by the Royals to replace Spencer Michnik, it was simply a question of whether or not Hicks could acclimate to the WHL. This question was swiftly answered, as the new netminder stopped 24 of 25 shots in his Royals debut in January to beat his hometown Kamloops Blazers 7-1. If Johnny continues to B. Goode, the Royals have an outstanding one-two punch in terms of goaltending to finish off the year.

A team that relies so heavily on solid goaltending as the Victoria Royals need at least one trustworthy goalie to get deep into playoffs. So far, it looks like they have two. As the only duo in the league who both have a save percentage of .910 or higher, Jayden and Johnny will surely be a problem for any team that the Royals could come across, regular season and beyond.