What's your Goaltending for next year?

[GoldiFox]

I'd rather Holtby leads them deep and they trade Grubauer. Holtby's seems to have a fragile mental state, to me, and I would be afraid he'd Darling here.

Holtby won a Vezina two years ago. Either way with Washington looking to bring Ilya Samsonov (whose KHL contract is up) over one of the two should be available. Given that there aren't many G options it is a situation to monitor.

 

[Breakdowns]

We would overpay a lot because we are trading in our division. I would love them both. If we trade Faulk to them, maybe we can sign Carlson?

 

[RodTheBawd]

I'd rather Holtby leads them deep and they trade Grubauer. Holtby's seems to have a fragile mental state, to me, and I would be afraid he'd Darling here.

You've posted this a lot, what is your basis?

 

[MinJaBen]

You've posted this a lot, what is your basis?

Nothing firm. But given his exaggerated pregame rituals I've seen discussed by the media, his tics on the ice after giving up goals (always a squirt in the air with the water bottle), and his domination during the regular season then turn to smoke in the playoffs, he seems less likely, again to me, to be one who can stand behind a questionable defensive group and have confidence. Contrast that with Grubauer, who called out the Caps this season when he put up good numbers but the team kept collapsing in front of him leading to losses, and I would prefer that kind of attitude.

 

[AD Skinner]

I'd be tickled pink to be discussing a goalie meltdown in the playoffs and not a month into the regular season

 

[A Star is Burns]

I'm not going to say Holtby hasn't had issues in the playoffs, given some of his performance against the Pens in the last couple of years, but perhaps you should take a look at his overall postseason numbers. Pretty damn good. And most goalies have rituals and tics. That's an incredibly silly argument to me. I'd love to bring Holtby in. Though I'd be just fine with Grubauer too. I watch a ton of them given that my wife is a Caps fan and I live in the area, so I'd be happy to get either.

 

[MinJaBen]

I'm not going to say Holtby hasn't had issues in the playoffs, given some of his performance against the Pens in the last couple of years, but perhaps you should take a look at his overall postseason numbers. Pretty damn good. And most goalies have rituals and tics. That's an incredibly silly argument to me. I'd love to bring Holtby in. Though I'd be just fine with Grubauer too. I watch a ton of them given that my wife is a Caps fan and I live in the area, so I'd be happy to get either.

I get that. And Holtby would be way better than anybody we are likely to really get. But I do think he battles to keep his confidence up, and with our team not having a ton of firepower to cover some mistakes, I think that is risky for this team that seems to chew up goalies. I’d prefer Grubauer because he seems less fragile to me. And given that he hasn’t won a Vezna, should be cheaper to acquire...something that should not be understated.

 

[A Star is Burns]

On the other hand, Grubauer is in no way a proven starter, so while I believe he has the ability to be a good starter, it could end up another Darling situation, or Lack situation, or Khudobin situation. Who would have thought that a guy like Darling that had persevered through as much as he had and saved the Hawks bacon in the playoffs would end up being a mental midget?

 

[bluedevil58]

On the other hand, Grubauer is in no way a proven starter, so while I believe he has the ability to be a good starter, it could end up another Darling situation, or Lack situation, or Khudobin situation. Who would have thought that a guy like Darling that had persevered through as much as he had and saved the Hawks bacon in the playoffs would end up being a mental midget?

This guy did. That's who!

 

[MinJaBen]

On the other hand, Grubauer is in no way a proven starter, so while I believe he has the ability to be a good starter, it could end up another Darling situation, or Lack situation, or Khudobin situation. Who would have thought that a guy like Darling that had persevered through as much as he had and saved the Hawks bacon in the playoffs would end up being a mental midget?

True. Grubauer could shit the bed in the transition from good backup to starter like Darling did. But I refuse to believe that every backup to starter transition won’t work for the Canes while working for other teams. Should we avoid using 5th overall picks because our last two haven’t lived up to their hype compared to guys behind them?

 

[Buenos Necas]

I'd be all over either Caps goalie if we could pull that off. Would be great if Grubauer plays well in the playoffs and we can snag Holtby.

 

[bluedevil58]

True. Grubauer could **** the bed in the transition from good backup to starter like Darling did. But I refuse to believe that every backup to starter transition won’t work for the Canes while working for other teams. Should we avoid using 5th overall picks because our last two haven’t lived up to their hype compared to guys behind them?

Absolutely.

 

[A Star is Burns]

True. Grubauer could **** the bed in the transition from good backup to starter like Darling did. But I refuse to believe that every backup to starter transition won’t work for the Canes while working for other teams. Should we avoid using 5th overall picks because our last two haven’t lived up to their hype compared to guys behind them?

I never said we shouldn't get Grubauer or another backup. Quite the opposite, I said I'd be plenty happy with either. I just made a counterpoint to your ridiculous, in my opinion, assertions about Holtby, and the fact that you seem so sure about Grubauer when there are certainly question marks there too.

 

[MinJaBen]

I never said we shouldn't get Grubauer or another backup. Quite the opposite, I said I'd be plenty happy with either. I just made a counterpoint to your ridiculous, in my opinion, assertions about Holtby, and the fact that you seem so sure about Grubauer when there are certainly question marks there too.

Well, I don't think I'd say my opinions about Holtby are assertions. I've said each time that they are just my opinions. And I'm very aware that Holtby could indeed fail spectacularly as the #1, either here or in Washington. You did ask why I thought what I thought....

 

[SaskCanesFan]

Should we avoid using 5th overall picks because our last two haven’t lived up to their hype compared to guys behind them?

Probably

 

[geehaad]

What's the difference between an expressed opinion and an assertion?

 

[MinJaBen]

What's the difference between an expressed opinion and an assertion?

Well, in my understanding, an assertion is a stronger statement than an expression.

 

[Sens1Canes2]

What’s everyone’s opinion of how Ward played this year? I’m reading this weird dude’s twitter feed and he’s having a heart attack about Ward being the worse goalie in the league. Granted, I did not watch every game.....but.....I thought he was alright? Pretty good at times?

 

[Breakdowns]

What’s everyone’s opinion of how Ward played this year? I’m reading this weird dude’s twitter feed and he’s having a heart attack about Ward being the worse goalie in the league. Granted, I did not watch every game.....but.....I thought he was alright? Pretty good at times?

Started out well as a backup, his stats were not the best, but they were not bad, and they won most of the games with him in the net. When he took over as #1, he was fine for some time, but then there was a bad spell like almost always, yet he got some good saves anyway, but there were some glove side high goals. I would rate his season 6/10.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

performed about as you would expect him to, good backup, serviceable starter if forced to be, but really shouldn't be.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

He wasn’t the problem. He came in expecting to be the backup and excelled in that role. He finished the season at 23-14-4. That’s a ~95 point pace. If we had an identical clone of ward instead of Darling we would have been right there in the playoff hunt.

 

[geehaad]

I thought Ward had a pretty good season. I think the reduced workload and challenge to his #1 status was good for him. Would've been nice if Darling's play allowed Ward to remain slotted as the backup...

 

[Wolfpuck]

Ward was fine. I think with even less games, his numbers would have been better. I wouldn't mind bringing him back as a backup, assuming we actually go out and get a starter this offseason.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Like I said in the other thread, he wasn't very good the last couple of months. Same story as it's been for years. He had some highs. He had a lot of lows. We were just able to stave them off by waiting so long to give him playing time. He's okay as a backup, but they'll overpay him for that, and if we have to rely on him as a starter again at any point, he'll implode. I'd still rather move on.

 

[MinJaBen]

Started out well as a backup, his stats were not the best, but they were not bad, and they won most of the games with him in the net. When he took over as #1, he was fine for some time, but then there was a bad spell like almost always, yet he got some good saves anyway, but there were some glove side high goals. I would rate his season 6/10.

performed about as you would expect him to, good backup, serviceable starter if forced to be, but really shouldn't be.

He wasn’t the problem. He came in expecting to be the backup and excelled in that role. He finished the season at 23-14-4. That’s a ~95 point pace. If we had an identical clone of ward instead of Darling we would have been right there in the playoff hunt.

I thought Ward had a pretty good season. I think the reduced workload and challenge to his #1 status was good for him. Would've been nice if Darling's play allowed Ward to remain slotted as the backup...

Ward was fine. I think with even less games, his numbers would have been better. I wouldn't mind bringing him back as a backup, assuming we actually go out and get a starter this offseason.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.

I'll have what they are having.