Colorado Avalanche goaltending prospect Justus Annunen is enjoying a phenomenal start with Oulun Kärpät of SM-Liiga, Finland's highest level hockey league.
The 19-year-old Finnish netminder is making waves after setting the record for the longest shutout streak in Liiga history. Annunen is currently riding a 4-consecutive game shutout streak, lasting 302 minutes and 5 seconds.
The 64th pick in 2018 is currently boasts a sizzling .952 save percentage to go with a minuscule 1.12 GAA through 8 starts this season, something that must ignite a bit of excitement in Avs GM Joe Sakic and company.
Goaltenders are the hardest position for which to predict future success, as is evidenced, most recently, by Stanley Cup winner and former 4th-string goalie, Jordan Binnington. Binnington posted mostly pedestrian numbers from 2013 through 2017 before posting back to back seasons of .926 or better save percentage from '17/'18 in the AHL through '18/'19 in the NHL en route to hockey's holy grail.
At this point it's really anyone's guess if Annunen pans out for the Avs, long-term, but the early signs are pointing toward Annunen being an absolute gem.
-
