Heading into the 2018-19 season, the Ottawa Senators’ goalie of the long run seemed to be Filip Gustavsson. Oh, what a season can change. Taking part in with the Belleville Senators, the Swedish goaltender misplaced the beginning job to Marcus Hogberg, who ran away with the job. Kevin Mandolese put collectively a stellar marketing campaign within the QMJHL. However, probably the most stunning and spectacular season goes to Joey Daccord. The “Goaltender of the Future” title seems to be up for debate now.
Taking part in with the Arizona State College (ASU) Solar Devils, Daccord had a sensational season, making historical past on quite a few events within the NCAA. His efficiency earned a go to from Senators’ common supervisor Pierre Dorion, leading to a two-year contract for the goaltender. With historical past made and Daccord’s inventory on the rise, let’s have a look again at how he bought up to now in his profession.
Daccord’s Journey: Seventh-Spherical Choose to Elite NCAA Goaltender
Daccord was the Senators; 199th choice total within the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Previous to being drafted, the North Handover, Massachusetts native put collectively a formidable file with Cushing Academy in the USA Excessive College Preparatory league, spending three seasons there and was even named captain in his last 12 months. His stats over that point communicate for themselves:
SeasonGamesGoals In opposition to Common (GAA)Save Share (SV%)2012-13121.96.9262013-14322.57.9232014-15161.80.933His save share, particularly, stands out. That last season additionally noticed Daccord play in the USA Premier Hockey League with the Boston Jr. Bruins, placing up a formidable 1.51 GAA in 11 video games. He spent the 2015-16 season in the USA Hockey League with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, taking part in in 48 video games. In probably the most video games he had performed in a season, Daccord recorded a three.10 GAA and a .904 SV% earlier than heading to Arizona State in 2016-17.
Taking a look at Daccord’s numbers with the Solar Devils, he did precisely what the Senators hoped he would do, enhance. In his three seasons, his numbers improved 12 months after 12 months, regardless of taking part in in additional video games every season.
SeasonGamesGAASV%2016-17154.03.8922017-18323.51.9092018-19352.35.926In 2018-19, Daccord propelled himself into an elite goaltender for the Solar Devils, receiving nationwide consideration. What’s most spectacular for the younger goaltender is that he did it on a workforce that has been taking part in in Division I hockey for simply three seasons, by no means making the playoffs.
“This 12 months, Joey has put all the things collectively,” head coach Greg Powers says. “He’s mentally robust. He’s a frontrunner, a man gamers look as much as, particularly the freshmen. Most significantly, to match his character, he has enjoyable day by day, he’s unfastened – and that strategy and angle has resonated all through our whole group.”
Prospect Joey Daccord appears to be like promising for the Ottawa Senators (Picture by Solar Satan Athletics)
His work this season earned him a nomination for the 2019 Hobey Baker Award and he was a finalist for the Mike Richter Award as the most effective goaltender within the NCAA. He was additionally awarded Second Staff All-American, the primary time a participant from ASU obtained the honour. To high off Daccord’s spectacular season, he was rewarded by a go to from Dorion and an NHL contract.
Daccord Indicators ASU’s First NHL Contract, Will get Name-Up
Daccord’s contract provides to his historic legacy with ASU, as he’s the primary participant to signal an NHL contract from the college. He didn’t get a lot time to have fun although as he was introduced as much as face the Buffalo Sabres only a few days after signing the deal.
Whereas he didn’t get a win in his first sport, he confirmed glimpses of what he’s able to within the 5-2 loss to the Sabres. He performed the complete video games, going through 40 photographs behind the Senators sub-par defence, incomes an .875 SV%. Whereas these numbers don’t stand out, contemplating the workforce taking part in in entrance of him, it might have been loads worse.
“I believed I performed very well, particularly below the circumstances, all of the travelling. I believe in seven days, I used to be on 10 completely different flights, cross nation a number of instances,” Daccord mentioned after his debut. ” On high of that, being a university child and taking part in my first NHL sport — actually, I had one follow and one morning skate. So, in two brief skates with the workforce, it was like, you simply get dropped in a bucket, and it’s like, Hey, let’s see what you are able to do, child.
“All the fellows on the workforce and the workers have been supportive of me and actually comfortable for me. They only instructed me to play my sport, so as soon as I bought on the market, I attempted to do this, and I believed I performed fairly nicely.”
Trying again on his first NHL sport, Daccord had a tough time taking all of it in, “I nearly don’t even really feel prefer it occurred, it was so surreal. Within the blink of a watch, I’m going from being a university child to being within the public eye. All of it nearly occurred so quick that I haven’t actually been in a position to course of it but.”
The most effective a part of the call-up is how nicely Daccord slot in with the workforce. Whereas the workforce continues to be very a lot in rebuild mode and a few could also be gone earlier than Daccord will get his subsequent likelihood, it’s signal to see him slide proper into the group so nicely.
Daccord made his Ottawa Senators debut on April four, 2019 (Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports activities)
“It was actually cool. My first morning, Bobby Ryan drove me to follow. You go from ASU and hastily you’re within the automotive with an NHL All Star selecting his mind. It’s fairly cool. They have been all so welcoming and so good to me. They actually made me really feel snug after I was there. It was expertise. They have been all very nice, and I can’t thank them sufficient for the way nicely they took me in and handled me.”
In the course of the first sport, Daccord by chance fell, giving the workforce some gasoline to heckle the rookie.
“Final time I checked, ice continues to be slippery in any rink. Everybody falls, it’s just a bit unlucky it occurred in my first sport. After I fell and I bought up, a few guys on the bench hopped up over the boards and have been banging their stick and laughing. I simply gave them a head nod and fun. Christian Wolanin came visiting and mentioned, ‘Hey man, I wasn’t forechecking you, I’m in your workforce.’ We had chuckle. It didn’t actually have an effect on me a lot.”
What to Count on From Daccord
By means of his goaltending profession, Daccord has proven robust technical expertise, fast reflexes, nice mobility and a stellar character. If he works his means onto the NHL lineup, he must be a fan favorite. That’s even with out speaking about his puck dealing with, which the Senators haven’t actually had in a goaltender of their historical past.
Daccord ought to play for the Belleville Senators in 2019-20 (Picture by Solar Satan Athletics)
Senators followers ought to positively be excited concerning the teen, however they’ll most likely want to attend for him to earn a full-time NHL function. With Craig Anderson, Mike Condon and Gustavsson within the system, in addition to pending free brokers Anders Nilsson and Hogberg, Daccord will almost definitely discover himself with Belleville subsequent season in a backup function. It could nonetheless be a few seasons earlier than he’s taking part in in Ottawa.
For now, Daccord might be ending his diploma in Sports activities Enterprise at ASU on-line, and preparing for his first season of professional hockey in 2019-20.
