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Prediction: This will be the playoffs when goalies re-establish their dominance
I have a theory about this year's Stanley Cup playoffs, and if it actually becomes a reality, it would put the Red Wings' Jimmy Howard even more under the spotlight.
I think this is going to be the year of the goalie. In the recent past, goalie, as odd as it may be considering deeper history, has kind of been the forgotten position.
Patrick Roy retired. Martin Brodeur got older and the Devils slid overall as a team. Roy and Brodeur were replaced by a new wave of goalies, led primarily by the Buffalo Sabres Ryan Miller and the Vancouver Canucks' Robert Luongo, who squared off in the gold medal game of the 2010 Olympics.
But Miller and Luongo have not been successful in leading their teams anywhere close to capturing the Stanley Cup.
In the meantime, you had untested Cam Ward take the Carolina Hurricanes to the Cup in '06, a resurgent Chris Osgood - 10 years removed from his most previous Cup title and making just $825,000 at the time - win it in 2008, and another unproven youngster, Antti Niemi, lead the Blackhawks to the championship last spring.
None of the primary goalies in the final four last season were retained by their teams.
But I see this trend as an aberration. Luongo and Miller (the latter bothered by injuries this season) are going to have their year in the playoffs. It's just a matter of when. I view the New York Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist in the same light. He is a great player - and could be very threatening to the Washington Capitals in the opening round.
And another goalie, not too many people talk about, but could very well be the world's next great goalie, is the Los Angeles Kings' Jonathan Quick. The Kings are being dismissed because the San Jose Sharks are being viewed as the chicest pick to emerge from the Western Conference, and LA has an injury to its star, Anze Kopitar. But Quick could steal a series or two. Remember that 51-save shutout of the Red Wings this season at Joe Louis Arena? He is capable of brilliance.
This could also be the year for Tim Thomas, who has displayed resiliency. The Boston Bruins have a solid team in front of him and had a very good regular season.
We'll see how Howard matches up to the field starting tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes, who have a solid goalie in Ilya Bryzgalov.
I think this is going to be the year of the goalie. In the recent past, goalie, as odd as it may be considering deeper history, has kind of been the forgotten position.
Patrick Roy retired. Martin Brodeur got older and the Devils slid overall as a team. Roy and Brodeur were replaced by a new wave of goalies, led primarily by the Buffalo Sabres Ryan Miller and the Vancouver Canucks' Robert Luongo, who squared off in the gold medal game of the 2010 Olympics.
But Miller and Luongo have not been successful in leading their teams anywhere close to capturing the Stanley Cup.
In the meantime, you had untested Cam Ward take the Carolina Hurricanes to the Cup in '06, a resurgent Chris Osgood - 10 years removed from his most previous Cup title and making just $825,000 at the time - win it in 2008, and another unproven youngster, Antti Niemi, lead the Blackhawks to the championship last spring.
None of the primary goalies in the final four last season were retained by their teams.
But I see this trend as an aberration. Luongo and Miller (the latter bothered by injuries this season) are going to have their year in the playoffs. It's just a matter of when. I view the New York Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist in the same light. He is a great player - and could be very threatening to the Washington Capitals in the opening round.
And another goalie, not too many people talk about, but could very well be the world's next great goalie, is the Los Angeles Kings' Jonathan Quick. The Kings are being dismissed because the San Jose Sharks are being viewed as the chicest pick to emerge from the Western Conference, and LA has an injury to its star, Anze Kopitar. But Quick could steal a series or two. Remember that 51-save shutout of the Red Wings this season at Joe Louis Arena? He is capable of brilliance.
This could also be the year for Tim Thomas, who has displayed resiliency. The Boston Bruins have a solid team in front of him and had a very good regular season.
We'll see how Howard matches up to the field starting tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes, who have a solid goalie in Ilya Bryzgalov.
posted by Pat Caputo at
9:05 AM
3 Comments:
Disagree, Book.
Goalies are becoming like relief pitching. You just have to have enough of it. It's very much noticeable in its absence, but goes nearly unnoticed in its manifestation.
Their styles are even all pretty much the same now, most of these goalies.
In today's game, it's just all about the traffic in front of them, and whether the goalie can control rebounds, and/or the defensive forwards stay with their man and keep them from crashing the net on those rebounds.
Not saying goalies are unimportant, just saying we're reaching a maximum level of efficiency at that position. You can't be a "superstar" goalie any more. Every kid is going to do the same things you're doing, fundamentally. And it's all reflected at only one end of the ice... on the defense.
Now, the things Datsyuk does... those can't be duplicated. They stand alone, and occur all over the ice.
Anonymous,
I think you may have a valid point there. Goalies overall are so good now you only notice soft goals. Having said that, I think Miller clearly won Game 1 for the Sabres.
Caputo
One other point of consideration, Book.
I think the shootouts have really helped the goalies' efficiency. It's opened up a whole 'nother technical avenue for them to explore and work on, and it's probably helped them get better as a group overall.
Goalie positioning these days just seems to be superb. You just don't see these guys beaten on the first shot as often as the old days. They square up and are ready, time after time. If they see it, they stop it.
You're right though, that one guy, in that one game, where he's gettin' bombarded and just WON'T LET IT IN... can make all the difference in a game and hence a series. Like Miller.
And on the penalty kill, it's huge. The goalie is your prime penalty killer. That'll never change.
So I guess, yeah, you're making the classic point here, which probably still holds true. So I guess I don't really disagree with you afterall.
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