Penguins goaltending prospect Emil Larmi reminds me a lot of Marc-Andre Fleury, both on and off the ice.
Neither goaltender is the most technically sound. But they make up for it with athleticism, quickness, and agility.
A goaltender isn't going to look quite like himself while playing back-to-back 28-minute games of three-on-three hockey, like Larmi did in the Penguins development camp tournament last month. Still, he was able to use his athleticism to make a number of impressive, quick saves amidst a flurry of shots. He showed some of the aggressiveness he plays with, coming far out of his net twice to cut down the angle and challenge shooters. The move paid off the first time and he was able to knock the puck away, but the second time he missed the mark and got stuck far from the crease.
Larmi, 22, is entertaining to watch, but he'll probably get your heart beating a little faster with some of his decisions.
"I think it's part of my game to have fun," he said during camp.
For a better assessment of his game, we have to look at his time with HPK in the top Finnish men's league.
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