The puck stops with John Kleinhans - Junior Hockey news
Submitted By Randy Russon on Thursday, February 02, 2012
John Kleinhans is putting the finishing touches on what has been a very good, three-year career in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
The 20-year old puckstopper from Sterling Heights, Mich. is, arguably, the best goalie in the NOJHL at the moment.
To be sure, the 5-foot-8 Kleinhans is a big reason why the Soo Thunderbirds are in first place in the NOJHL. With the 2011-12 regular season heading into its final month before the playoffs, Kleinhans has a win-loss record of 22-7 to go with a .913 save percentage and 2.84 goals against average.
Kleinhans spent his first two NOJHL seasons with the Soo Eagles before requesting -- and receiving -- a trade to the cross-border Thunderbirds last summer. Kleinhans was 19-4 with a .917 save pct. and 3.14 GAA with the Eagles during the 2010-11 season and in his 2009-10 rookie campaign with the Michiganders, was 16-11-1 with a .912 save pct. and 3.83 GAA.
The consistent, over .900 save pct. says a lot.
"If he isn't the best goalie in the league, I am not sure who is," said Thunderbirds general manager Kevin Cain, who gave up a big chunk of owner Albert Giommi's cash to acquire Kleinhans last summer.
So what does the future hold for Kleinhans?
Obviously, he'd like to get the opportunity to play at the Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association level. Failing that, a high-end Division 3 school would serve as a good landing spot for the pint-sized puckstopper.
Whatever the case, Kleinhans has the track record to show that he is a reliable winner. Just add up the numbers through his two-plus NOJHL seasons to date.
Is Kleinhans the best goalie in the NOJHL right now?
I would say he is, just ahead of Eagles rookie tender Chris Truehl.
