Finding good goaltenders is one of the biggest challenges for college coaches and NHL scouts. There are fewer players at the position than their counterparts on forward and defense, and it's tough to project goaltenders, due to varying levels of competition and teams protecting the final layer of defense.
New England has had its fair share of elite goaltenders over the years, including Boston College sophomore Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.), who was the starter for the gold-medal-winning Americans at the recent World Junior Championship. When USA Hockey tries to defend its top billing in 2022, Boston University freshman Drew Commesso (Norwell, Mass.) almost certainly will get the nod.
Tom Barrasso (Stow, Mass.), Brian Boucher (Woonsocket, R.I.), Jim Carey (Dorchester, Mass.), Garth Snow (Wrentham, Mass.), Rick DiPietro (Winthrop, Mass.), Jonathan Quick (Milford, Conn.) and Cory Schneider (Marblehead, Mass.) are other local products who stand out in my mind as notable goaltenders to make it to the NHL over the past few decades.
