Carter Serhyenko
2020-21 Team: Prince Albert Raiders / WHL
Date of Birth: Sep. 24, 2002
Place of Birth: Saskatoon, SK, CAN
Ht: 6-foot-4 Wt: 198 pounds
Catches: Left
Position: G
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2021 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 9th (amongst NA goaltenders)
Sometimes one season can change everything. After the shortened 2019-20 season, Prince Albert Raiders rookie goaltender Carter Serhyenko looked like he could be one of the top goalies of his draft year. At the time, he was just 17-years-old, meaning that he would have 2020-21 to improve his draft stock after posting an impressive 2.21 goals-against average (GAA) and a .916 save percentage (SV%) in 15 starts.
Unfortunately, this isn’t what happened. Perhaps it was the uncertainty of the season or a bit of regression in his game along with the entire team around him, but Serhyenko’s 2020-21 season was rough. In just 10 starts, he posted a 3.99 GAA and a .858 SV%.
With statistics like those, it would be easy to write him off at the 2021 NHL Draft, but this might not be the case. See, Serhyenko has strong goaltending fundamentals, an NHL-caliber frame, and moves incredibly well in the crease. If given the right opportunity, he could prove that this was just a one-off fluke and that he has what it takes to compete for a spot in the NHL.
Other THW Draft Profiles:
Carter Serhyenko – NHL Draft Projection
No, Serhyenko likely won’t be an early-round selection at the draft. Even with so much raw potential, many teams will balk at his relatively poor showing throughout the 2020-21 season.
Related: THW 2021 NHL Draft Guide
Despite this, I do expect him to be selected this year. He strikes me as a goalie that a team will take a chance on in the sixth round, as general managers seem to feel safe taking on an unknown entity like a goaltender around that point in the draft. He could always slide to the seventh-round or be overlooked entirely, but for now, he seems to me to be worth a shot for a team looking for a solid goaltending prospect.
Quotables
Carter is a big, strong capable goaltender… He came into camp and earned this opportunity.
Prince Albert Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt
Serhyenko plays a calm, consistent technical game with the underlying athletic ability to scramble and rely on sense to make a desperation save.
Justin Froese – (From Carter Serhyenko game report, FCHockey Apr. 26th, 2021)
Strengths
- Great puck tracking ability
- Athletic, quick goalie with strong leg movement
- High ceiling, with a lot of room to grow into his full toolkit
- Stays calm in stressful situations
- Played behind a weak defensive team in 2020-21
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
In order for him to make the jump to professional hockey, Serhyenko will need to improve his reactions to the puck. This caused him to misplay shots which allowed for prime rebounds and easy goals against when his opponents have a strong net-front presence.
NHL Potential
Despite being a likely late-round selection, Serhyenko has the ceiling to become a full-time starter in the AHL and could threaten to make some starts in the NHL as well. He still has a lot of room to grow his game, but he has the frame and toolkit to develop into a legitimate prospect for the franchise that selects him.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 1/5, Reward – 4/5
If Serhyenko is selected in Round 6 or 7 of the draft, then there is almost no risk in this pick. He has a high ceiling and is in a position to develop his toolkit in the coming years. If everything goes right and the 2020-21 season was just a fluke, then he could be looked back on as a steal of the draft.