By the Numbers Prospects: Kaden Fulcher

By the Numbers will highlight the on-ice accomplishments in the 2019-20 season for the Detroit Red Wings' prospects. Twice a week during the offseason, By the Numbers will profile a different player in the system, focusing on his statistical highs. This week we focus on goaltender Kaden Fulcher.

The 2019-20 season has to be one of the most difficult ones that goaltender Kaden Fulcher can remember and not even because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the season started, Fulcher was with the ECHL's Toledo Walleye but that did not last too long.
Although he had a lower-body injury that kept bothering him, Fulcher tried to fight through it but was not getting the results he wanted.
Eventually, Fulcher opted to have surgery to correct the problem.
Then the pandemic hit and all the work that Fulcher intended to do during his rehabilitation had to be adjusted.
Undaunted, Fulcher got creative and managed to procure a machine that fires pucks at him, kind of like a tennis ball machine does.
The Red Wings originally signed Fulcher as an undrafted free agent in October of 2017.
Goaltenders usually take a little longer to develop than skaters do and the 6-foot-3 netminder only turns 22 on Sept. 23.
Although Fulcher has already made his NHL debut -- in relief of Jimmy Howard on April 6, 2019 -- he is still a work in progress.
Now healthy, Fulcher will look to reestablish his game this coming season, as long as the pandemic permits.
2 - Due to injury, Fulcher was limited to just two games during the 2019-20 season, both for the Walleye.
6 - In his first game of the season, a loss to the Kansas City Mavericks on Oct. 25, Fulcher allowed six goals.
30 - Against the Mavericks, Fulcher had 30 saves.

5 - In a loss to the Indy Fuel on Jan. 4, his final start of the season, Fulcher allowed five goals.
24 - Fulcher had 24 saves against the Fuel.
5.51 - Because of playing in so few games and dealing with an injury, Fulcher finished the season with a 5.51 goals-against average.
.831- Fulcher finished the season with an .831 save percentage.

Quotable: "Kaden, it was a tough year because it was plagued by injury. He ended up having season-ending surgery to repair a lower-body injury. It was a tough year for him. I've been very impressed with his mentality and his dedication and approach throughout the stay-at-home orders. He's been working really, really hard. He's gotten creative with utilizing a puck machine that he bought to work on his puck tracking. He had sent myself and (goaltending development coach) Brian Mahoney-Wilson video of him in full gear outside of his barn watching pucks come flying at him and he was catching them. One of the things that he identified that he really wanted to improve on is tracking with his high shots and he found a way to do it, which I admire that. He's been very good about listening to all the rules and regulations so he hasn't been able to get out very much at all so he found a way, which is something that I admire, that he took those steps. He's eager, he's been following the rehab advice and he's back on the ice. He's able to do very limited things but he's working really hard and he's hoping for a bounce-back year." - Phil Osaer, head of goaltending scouting and development