Rookie invasion in the crease

[saskhab]

You realize that when the NHL does resume, there's a good chance that around 25% (15 of 60), if not more, of the goalies in the NHL will be rookies? I'm not 100% sure on all the goalies' qualifications for rookie status, but for practical purposes, they will be NHL freshmen...

ANA: Bryzgalov. Tough year for him, but he still deserves the backup gig. He can rebound from this past year without going back to the AHL.
ATL: Lehtonen.
BOS: Toivonen.
BUF: Miller... still considered a rookie? Not sure, but essentially it'll be his first full year.
CGY: not likely
CAR: Ward
CHI: both Leighton and Anderson would be sophomores, so no one.
COL: Budaj... even Sauve would technically still be a rookie.
CLB: Leclaire... his injury complicates things, but still has a good shot at the N next year
DAL: Ellis/Smith probably shouldn't be in the N yet, but backing up Turco doesn't require a lot of appearances.
DET: MacDonald could be the backup.
EDM: no one
FLA: no one
LA: no one
MIN: not likely for Harding yet.
MTL: not likely for Danis quite yet.
NSH: Finley might make it a tough decision... no guarantees, that's for sure.
NJ: Ahonen could make it, whether he deserves it or not. Backups in NJ only face about 7 shots all year anyways.
NYI: Dubielewicz came down to earth this past year... not a guarantee for the backup job.
NYR: likely to have a rookie, whether it's Lundqvist, Montoya, or even LaBarbera as a placeholder.
OTT: Emery might make it, no guarantees.
PHI: Niittymaki definitely will make it
PHX: poor LeNeveu down in Utah... not likely to make it yet.
PIT: Fleury
SJ: no one
STL: possible for a Bacashihua/Sanford... not likely, though.
TB: no one
TOR: Tellqvist isn't a rookie, though he is in T.O.
VAN: Auld... is he still a rookie?
WSH: Ouellet.

So what does this mean? Could be a good way to increase scoring, at least temporarily.

Click to read more...

 

[Legionnaire]

I think you're way off. The only one of those guys that has a shot at a starting job is Lehtonen

 

[Thornton97]

I think you're way off. The only one of those guys that has a shot at a starting job is Lehtonen

Where does he mention that those 'tenders will be starters? I missed it, I guess.

Since each team carries two goalies, I think he made a fair assessment of what young, young players could be on these teams.

Good list.

 

[Habsfan 32]

I think you're way off. The only one of those guys that has a shot at a starting job is Lehtonen

Fleury will also get a shot at the starting job.

 

[Legionnaire]

Where does he mention that those 'tenders will be starters? I missed it, I guess.

Since each team carries two goalies, I think he made a fair assessment of what young, young players could be on these teams.

Good list.

First paragraph.

 

[saskhab]

I think you're way off. The only one of those guys that has a shot at a starting job is Lehtonen

Only a handful have a shot at the starting gig, but I was talking about making their NHL teams, not the starting jobs.

I'd say Lehtonen, Fleury, and Miller could be their team's starters next year. Operative word is "could". Niittymaki and Ward would get a lot of starts... maybe as the 1b guys. Auld should get quite a few starts when Cloutier gets injured mid-season again.

 

[saskhab]

First paragraph.

???

In my first paragraph I say 25% of the netminders in the NHL could be rookies/freshmen... and I even say 15 of 60... 60 is 30 teams x 2 goalies per team.

 

[NYRangers]

I think you're way off. The only one of those guys that has a shot at a starting job is Lehtonen

Lundqvist could be the starter in NY as soon as we get back on the ice.

 

[Habsfan 32]

Lundqvist could be the starter in NY as soon as we get back on the ice.

With Weeks signed I think the Rangers will play him. Or is he only signed for 1 year??

 

[NYRangers]

1 year. Dunham's contract is also up.

Theres a bunch of options. Dunham is gone though...

Weekes/Labarbera(or Valliquette)
Labarbera/Valliquette
Lundqvist/Labarbera

In any circumstance, Lundqvist will spend most of the season in NY IMO.

 

[Legionnaire]

???

In my first paragraph I say 25% of the netminders in the NHL could be rookies/freshmen... and I even say 15 of 60... 60 is 30 teams x 2 goalies per team.

Maybe I read it wrong. My bad. The way it came off, it seemed as though you were saying that there were going to be at least 25 percent of rookies.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

Lundqvist could be the starter in NY as soon as we get back on the ice.

I agree. I'm hoping for this.

 

[paxtang]

I think you're way off. The only one of those guys that has a shot at a starting job is Lehtonen

Nitty has a very good shot at the Philly job. Since Esche hasn't played, Flyers brass said Nitty would begin the season as the starter, and then when Esche get's it goign they'll see wehre they go. Nitty has every oppurtunity to win a starting job.

 

[Legionnaire]

Nitty has a very good shot at the Philly job. Since Esche hasn't played, Flyers brass said Nitty would begin the season as the starter, and then when Esche get's it goign they'll see wehre they go. Nitty has every oppurtunity to win a starting job.

Seriously?

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Seriously?

Niitty certainly has a chance to win the starting job, but Esche will be the #1 come the start of the season. When Niitty was being talked about the #1 to begin the season, that was if the NHL started up in January/February ... and the Flyers were concerned about giving away points in a shortened season due to Esche being a bit rusty.

 

[BlueBleeder]

Cash will be given a shot at the #1 job at least.

 

[cneely]

Toivonen has earned his shot in Boston as well.
Many on the Bruins board are of the opinion that we should deal Raycroft and let Hannu run with it. I concur.

 

[saskhab]

Toivonen has earned his shot in Boston as well.
Many on the Bruins board are of the opinion that we should deal Raycroft and let Hannu run with it. I concur.

Before Hannu ever plays a NHL game?

Geez, don't give up on Raycroft that easily. And besides, trading goalies is always a diminished returns market...

 

[PecaFan]

GM's don't like rookie backups. They'd rather have their guys working consistently in the AHL etc, instead of riding the pine day after day.

Some will get a few games to start the year, but I think you'll be lucky if even 5 of these guys get the jobs.

 

[Skroob*]

I agree. I'm hoping for this.

Dont know if i agree. Though i think he can be a star in the NHL, i would feel better seeing him in the AHL first. If at about the 1/2 way mark he's showing his best in HFD, then you can consider bringing him up to NY. I qualify myself with "consider" because it depends on the situation in NY. I would hate to see him called up from playing in HFD on a nightly basis to sit on the bench in NY behind Weekes/Labas/etc/

 

[sunb]

Auld and Cloutier will likely share time next season. Neither will be a full-fledged starter during the regular season but Cloutier will be starting every playoff game come post-season. Cloutier is a decent goalie if you don't overwork him so in the regular season, Auld may see around 40-50 games whereas Cloutier will only play 30-40 to maintain his health and conditioning for the playoffs.

 

[bleedgreen]

even in a backup role, ward could get upward of 15 - 20 starts. if gerber got hurt, he would be the guy all season i suspect. they had no insurance past ward set for this season.

 

[ManuelCalavera]

I could see Miller getting the job. He earned the starting job out of training camp last year, but ended up getting shelled because the rest of the team decided it was too much effort to actually play hockey.

My guess is that one of Biron or Noronen gets traded (if there are any offers) and then Miller gets the starting job.

 

[saskhab]

GM's don't like rookie backups. They'd rather have their guys working consistently in the AHL etc, instead of riding the pine day after day.

Some will get a few games to start the year, but I think you'll be lucky if even 5 of these guys get the jobs.

I disagree... A lot of starters today were apprenticed as backups for a few years. Just to name a few... Jose Theodore, Marc Denis, Tomas Vokoun, Dan Cloutier, Miikka Kiprusoff, Mathieu Garon (still technically a backup, but likely LA's starter), Robert Esche, Mathieu Biron, David Aebischer, Marty Turco, etc.

You get your rookie on your pro team and develop him with your goaltending coach and get him some starts against the top level. Can take up to 3 or 4 years to become the starter, but it's a proven strategy for developing starting goaltenders. Very few rookies step up from the minors, juniors, or Europe to become starters immediately.

 

[PecaFan]

I disagree... A lot of starters today were apprenticed as backups for a few years. Just to name a few... Jose Theodore, Marc Denis, Tomas Vokoun, Dan Cloutier, Miikka Kiprusoff, Mathieu Garon (still technically a backup, but likely LA's starter), Robert Esche, Mathieu Biron, David Aebischer, Marty Turco, etc.

Theodore is the perfect example of what I'm talking about.

Drafted in 94. Played 2 more years in Junior. Played next three years in the AHL before he was actually given the NHL backup job in 99/00. Note that during those three years, he was spotted some games in the NHL, exactly as I said. Vokoun, Kipper, Esche, Garon, Denis all fit that same profile.

Expansion drafts are often the key factor to get these guys NHL jobs as well, a brand new team is far more willing to go with a rookie for the entire year.

The guys on your list that will earn backup spots (IE, on the roster all 82 games), will be guys exactly like that. Guys who've already spent a few years in the AHL, with some prior NHL experience worked in during that time.