Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Surprise NHL Stars
Two of the NHL’s best stories belong to undrafted free agent goalies from Bowling Green and Alabama-Huntsville.
By Nate Ewell
The biggest story in college hockey today may be Boston University freshman Jack Eichel, the likely No. 2 pick in June’s NHL Draft.
And while most forecast a long and successful NHL career for Eichel, the players crafting some of the NHL’s best stories as the season hits its final weeks were never pegged for such headlines while on campus.
Andrew Hammond and Cam Talbot were undrafted free agents when the goaltenders left Bowling Green and Alabama Huntsville, respectively, with their degrees. And their similarities run deeper than that.
Now, of course, they are two of the biggest names in the sport. Monday they were named the NHL’s No. 2 (Talbot) and 3 (Hammond) Stars of the Week. Talbot is 12-1-3 in his last 16 appearances, leading the New York Rangers to the top of the league standings. Hammond – famously nicknamed “The Hamburglar” at Bowling Green – is 10-0-1 for the Ottawa Senators, who have snuck back into playoff contention.
Neither Hammond nor Talbot were heralded recruits. They entered college after their 20th birthdays (Hammond was 21), both at schools that were struggling at the time. In fact, questions rose about the future of both programs.
In a sense, those struggles could have been a blessing. Both Hammond and Talbot saw playing time right away and were their teams’ No. 1 goaltenders by sophomore year. They were relied on heavily. As a junior, Hammond faced 1,233 shots; only one goaltender in the country faced more. Two years prior, when Talbot was a junior, the UAH goalie ranked fourth in shots faced (1,127).
Meanwhile, they faced countless shots in practice and spent time in the gym.
How They Improved
Craig Custance of ESPN.com, writing about another NHL free agent goaltender, Eichel’s BU teammate Matt O’Connor, could just as well been describing Talbot or Hammond a few years ago.
“One of the benefits to playing college hockey is the time it gives these players to add physical strength and practice time,” Custance wrote. “Scouts have noticed that [Occonor’s] game has sharpened during his time in Boston.
“[OConnor has] gotten stronger. He can own the area at the top of the crease. He’s able to compete for space better against forwards. His physical game is starting to catch up to a goalie everyone describes as very mature and focused.”
Talbot carried Alabama-Huntsville to a College Hockey America tournament title and NCAA berth that year, 2009-10. Hammond led steady growth in his tenure (2009-13) that has helped propel Bowling Green to a likely NCAA bid this year.
Playing college hockey allowed the two Canadians to extend their amateur careers and develop three or four more years. While they were passed over in three NHL Drafts, both had multiple suitors as NHL free agents following their college careers.
In the Headlines
Talbot and Hammond both required AHL work, but once they were summoned in relief of injured goaltenders, they proved ready. And they are shining in two different, but strong hockey media markets.
The New York Post heralds Talbot as “Cam the Man,” while some call for him to claim Henrik Lundqvist’s starting job.
Hammond has Canada abuzz, with the National Post tracking down BGSU teammate Wade Finegan – originator of the “Hamburglar” nickname – while fans salute him by throwing hamburgers on the ice.
On a national level, every hockey media outlet has taken notice, including this piece by Chris Peters on CBSSports.com that looks at their background, and the potential of future undrafted free agents like O’Connor.
It’s success that not many may have predicted just a few years ago, but it the product of hours of hard work at Alabama-Hunstville and Bowling Green.
Hammond’s Historic Run
Andrew Hammond’s 10-0-1 start has seen him allow two or fewer goals in each game. Only one other goaltender in NHL history can say the same – another former NCAA goalie, Frank Brimsek (St. Cloud State), who did so in his first 12 games with the 1938-39 Bruins.
Hammond hasn’t always started his career with such good fortune. He was 0-13-2 in his first 15 college decisions before posting a win in his second game of his sophomore year.