One of the two goaltenders who helped the Waxers become one of the top teams in the ETA, Nicolas Belmonte proves that even small goalies have a place on the ice. Belmonte, who finds the most success through his high speed, high agility game, best mirrors a style similar to Juuse Saros, using his athleticism and puck tracking ability to make up for his smaller stature. Belmonte is known for having an incredible work ethic, and thanks to his time at Saint Andrew’s College, he has learned how to manage his time and train consistently. Belmonte is also a multi-sport guy, playing both Lacrosse and Football, which he uses to strengthen his agility and endurance. Belmonte is working on his mental game, and understands that being able to bounce back from a tough slump is huge, and never lets success or failure get to his head. Belmonte is seen as a natural leader on and off the ice, and has been known to be very protective over his teammates when the going gets tough. Belmonte is a tricky case when it comes to ranking goalies for the 2022 OHL draft, as while his skill set and pair of shutouts in 12 games are impressive, teams may shy away due to size. If teams can look past his height though, they could be in for a real treat with this young goalie. It wouldn’t be the first time a smaller guy came up big.