Nashville Predators Draft Goalie Listed Under 6'0"

Do you know how many NHL goalies are under 6'0" right now? According to the rosters on espn.com, there is exactly one, Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators. Here's the breakdown by height of those listed on esp.com rosters right now: 

6'7"    3
6'6"    3
6'5"    10
6'4"    20
6'3"    18
6'2"    22
6'1"    13
6'0"    6
5'11"  1

Well, the Preds did it again today by drafting Jack Ivankovic (5'11") with the 58th pick in the draft. Ivankovic is the only player among the top 20 North American goalies under 6' according to a story on nhl.com. Committed to play at the University of Michigan starting in 26/27, Ivankovic (18) currently plays for the Brampton Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League. Some of his highlights can be seen here. 

Here's his scouting report from insidetherink.com:

Jack Ivankovic is a 5-foot-11, 178-pound NHL Draft prospect from Mississauga, Ontario. The now 18-year-old netminder has spent the past two seasons with the Brampton, and formerly Mississauga, Steelheads. After a stellar draft-year minus one last season, where he sported an OHL best .915 save percentage in 25 games, his numbers slipped this season as he stepped into the starter’s crease following the departure of Ryerson Leenders (Buffalo 2024 7th-rounder). Through 43 games, Ivankovic posted a 3.05 goals against average and a .903 save percentage, leading to a 25-12-5 record. The young netminder struggled to a degree in the playoffs with a 4.87 goals against average and a .877 save percentage through five games against the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Oshawa Generals. Despite his dismal numbers, Ivankovic still showed flashes in the playoffs, like his stellar game two performance on the road, where he turned away 46 of 47 shots, allowing the Steelheads to steal a game that they were outshot by 23. Jack Ivankovic is a consensus second-round pick, with most hockey evaluators ranking him inside the top 50 prospects of the upcoming NHL Draft, while some scouts regard him as a top-2 goalie in the class. 

As the father of a goalie who is likely to be somewhere south of 6'0", this excites me. Short guys are making a comeback!

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