Birdsall isn’t huge but he takes up a lot of space in net by challenging shooters and taking away the angles. He is a bit undersized, but also a proven gamer. He’s got quick re exes down- low in the butter y, and he shows the ability to react quickly on odd-man rush opportunities. Has some rebound control issues from time to time. He moves quickly in the crease, and balances himself well and is centered in the net. He tracks the puck nicely, looks quick to get into and pop out of his butter y. He positions his glove well, and can make some jaw-dropping stops with a quick flick of the wrist. He uses his glove a lot, but sometimes across his body which is a no-no. He doesn’t move around a lot in net and stays center to the shooter while he tracks shots well. Always in good position to make that initial stop. He challenges the shooter aggressively. He shows good poise in net to keep his position until it is necessary to move. He does a good job of holding his ground despite his smaller size. He does need to do a better job at angling the shots to the corner and keeping rebounds out of the slot and crease area, especially on high shots. He competes hard all game long regardless of the score. He also shows the ability to control the puck and slow it down for his defensemen. He communicates well with his blueliners, and shows tremendous awareness between the pipes. He is a few years away still, but looks like a guy to let develop over three years in college and then see where he is at. (May 2015)