To be honest, I possess a lot of bias on this subject.
There was no particular moment, but it was clear, very early on, that Joe Cannata was going to be a very good goalie. We both made the varsity roster at Buckingham Browne and Nichols School in the same year. He, though, was a freshman while I was a senior (and not a goalie). It was pretty evident early on who would be more important to the team.
Even with a dependable junior between the pipes, there was no way you couldn’t put Joe out there on a semi-regular basis. I remember approaching every shooting drill against him with a little extra zeal to try to score, because I could sense that one day it might be something to brag about. I’m not sure if I ever actually did (not a major surprise).
Thankfully, similar can be said for many who have made attempts to put a puck past the Wakefield, Mass., native.
You might be familiar with his story by now. Cannata transferred to Boston College High School, where he was virtually impenetrable. After some time with the USA program, he opted to return close to home.
At Merrimack College, he played a major part in turning a perennial pushover into a legitimate Hockey East threat. Merrimack has had only two winning seasons (as a full-time Division 1 program), and Cannata tended net for both. He backstopped the Warriors to their only Hockey East final and only NCAA tournament appearance.
Thus, it should be little surprise that he was able to parlay that success into a professional career. Granted, it has been a journey that has put him to the test. He usually has split time in whichever crease, and often has oscillated between the East Coast Hockey League and American Hockey League.
Yet, whichever blue paint he dug his blades into, opponents had to dig in even harder to beat him. No matter where he ended up, he thrived. Only in one anomalous season did he post a save percentage below .900.
However, a newly married man this summer, Cannata began to realize that the nomadic, minor league life might no longer suit his ambitions. In fact, it was his wife, Jillian, who steered him in his new direction.
“I just felt it was time for a change from North America,” Cannata said. “I was up and down between the Coast and AHL, and just wanted some stability in my life. (My wife) is probably the reason why I decided to. (She was) very supportive and said, ‘Why not?’ ”
With her blessing, Cannata set his sights on Europe.
North American skaters might be relatively abundant in Europe, but goalies are harder to come by. With less room for error and a valuable roster space on the line, teams must really consider a netminder a worthy investment. Looking at his track record, Björklöven, in Sweden’s second-tier Hockey Allsvenskan league, felt that way about Cannata.
“As you said, 'a gamble,'” general manager Per Kenttä said. “You are more comfortable to take the goalie you (have) actually seen in the league, system and on bigger rinks.”
Still, the Björklöven brass decided Cannata was worth the risk.
That "bigger rinks" comment is worthy of note. Plenty of skaters talk about the adjustment that comes with the larger ice surface, but goalies are not immune, either. The play often comes at them differently abroad, and tried and tested habits don’t necessarily apply. Even for a proven tender like Cannata, this new dynamic had the potential to throw him off his game.
Luckily, he had a couple months of practice and exhibition to find his new comfort zone.
“Angles for sure (have been an adjustment), whether to have your foot in or outside the post,” he said, referencing whether he will cheat a little short or far side to accommodate for the attacking angle. “(I have) a spot on the ice where I step outside the post. Then, when they get below that, I’m back inside the post.”
It sounds like a simple tweak. Perhaps it has been, but it has led to magnificent results. Thirty-eight games into this season, Björklöven sat atop the standings with 28 (regulation) wins and 92 points. The club has given up the fewest goals in the league, 59. The second-place team in that category trailed by 33 goals.
It hasn’t just been Cannata brickwalling opponents. Backup Mattias Pettersson carried a 0.84 goals-against average and a .965 save percentage (compared to 1.55 and .941) through that same timeframe. Nevertheless, Cannata has started the vast majority of games. He dispelled the notion that it could create any animosity.
“I’ve played eight seasons, professionally now, and never has someone been given the starting job,” he said.
Cannata is living proof of that. Even with his strong numbers, he often would have to battle with his batterymates to earn the starting nod. While the Björklöven staff knows it can rely on two goaltenders, one obviously has made the bigger impression.
“Both goalies have been playing very good in a very good defensive system,” Kenttä said. “Joe has won a lot, and (is) playing a big part in our success. We always try to play with the best team, and Joe has been healthy and feeling 100 percent fit, and has played good. That’s why we have played him a lot.”
The challenge now will be for Cannata to keep it up. Surprisingly, the maximum number of games he has strapped on the pads in one season is 52. That includes the playoff games during his Kelly Cup run with the Colorado Eagles two years ago.
With Björklöven establishing itself as the league favorite, it is likely Cannata will be called upon to surpass that number and continue to carry the load down the stretch. Having recently turned 30, Cannata will have to use the wisdom and occasional rest to his advantage.
Any championship drive requires strong team play. Ultimately, Björklöven’s quest to win the Allsvenskan and move up to the prestigious Swedish Hockey League will demand a total team effort, especially as the stakes get higher.
As has been seen plenty of times in hockey, having a reliable goalie as the backbone can never be taken for granted. It certainly hasn’t been by Kenttä.
“You always need a good goalie to be in the top of the league and to win a championship,” he said. “So far, Joe has been one of the best players in our team and in the league. I am very happy that he chose Björklöven.”
