Checking in on the fantasy prospects tending goal for Canada.

As the 2015 World Junior Championship gets under way, a lot has been said about the depth of the Canadian team. Future NHL defensemen were cut and the presumptive first pick in the 2015 NHL draft is not even on the top line. Lost in the shuffle, however, are the masked men that should help propel this team to gold. This edition of The Journey will highlight how we expect them to propel our fantasy rosters for years to come.

ZACh FUCALE

Second round pick (36^th overall) of the Montreal Canadians in the 2013 NHL Draft

Heading into the 2013 NHL Draft, Zach Fucale was the number one ranked North American goaltending prospect by Central Scouting after a magical season in Halifax where he was teammates with NHL stars Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin. Many teams took notice and the Montreal Canadians jumped on Fucale in the second round and made him the first goaltender selected in a defensive-heavy draft. He was initially selected by Halifax with the 11^th overall pick in the 2011 QMJHL Entry Draft and made his debut the following season where he appeared in 58 games and led the Mooseheads to the semifinals. He finished his rookie campaign with a 32-18-6 record with two shutouts, a 3.16 GAA and a .892 save percentage while being named to the QMJHL's All-Rookie Team. Following the season, he played in five games for Canada Quebec in the U17 WHC and finished with a 3.25 GAA and a .906 save percentage. The 2012-13 season would cement Fucale as the top goaltending prospect in junior hockey as he posted an incredible 45-7 record for a Halifax team that won 58 of the 68 games they played. He posted two shutouts, a 2.35 GAA and a .909 save percentage. In 17 playoff games, he posted a 2.08 GAA and .913 save percentage en route to backstopping the team to the President's Cup as champions of the QMJHL. He was unsurprisingly named as a First Team All-Star. Adding to his already booming portfolio, Fucale helped lead the Canadian team to gold at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament and solidified his NHL draft status.