World Championships

[Guttersniped]

I don't think Detroit is tanking, but I also don't think they're trying super hard - Arizona just hired a new coach and then dismantled the whole team. That said, I didn't mean to give the impression that this guy is going to be the backup, because there's obviously a very strong possibility he won't be. I just think they are reserving the possibility for this guy beating out whoever else they get as a backup. Obviously that might not happen, there's lots of guys they could sign or acquire where I would say okay, Detroit thinks they've got 2 NHL goalies and Jussi's going to Grand Rapids to start the year.



I believe Brodeur was serious about looking at the European market, but I just can't see them going in that sort of direction. If they did, I think it would be someone who had more success stateside (like e.g. Sateri). I thought this was Brodeur talking about Europe at or around the trade deadline when the Devils needed someone to finish out the year. I don't know why a European veteran would come here, assuming the Devils get a real goalie to go with Blackwood, but money talks, I suppose.

The European goalie market got a lot tighter for European goalies because 1) the Finnish & Latvian KHL teams ceased to exist 2) if you are a Swedish, Finnish, Latvian, etc goalie you can no longer play in the KHL unless you never want to play for your home national teams or leagues, and take a ton of shit in the press, etc (I don’t no what all the ramifications are exactly but they ain’t good.)

He played great for Finland in the WCs and well in the KHL. He has to play somewhere and even the biggest stars in Liiga don’t make the equivalent of 425k. (Players in the AHL are unaffected by escrow.)

Could we make an even better depth goalie signing? Theoretically, sure. It’s not like I’m choking on envy here. This is a fine depth signing though, I like the move.

But I also won’t pretend I definitely know for sure what Detroit’s plans for goalies are. Maybe they’re having a competition between older prospects and this dude, with the loser playing with Cossa in Grand Rapids. I don’t see goalie in their system that is in the position to pull that off.

This is way more than I ever wanted to think or discuss the Wings goaltending, if you want to respond to this post for some reason I promise you can have the last word so we can put this out of it’s misery.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Olkinuora is gonna make a lot of you look stupid. The fact that you are looking stats from a decade ago shows you have no idea what you are talking about. He's the definition of late bloomer, he has elevated his game by a lot. His buddy Harri Säteri has had a similar road and is now a NHL goalie, Olkinuora has out played him by a large margin everywhere.

Yeah sure he can fail, everyone can. But if you're paying him less than million he's a true low risk high reward guy. I'm gonna take a bold prediction and say he's detroit's starter goalie before next year.

And all of you guys saying you'd rather just get a legit starter. Do you have any idea how any of this works? You don't just get a starter like that, the UFA offering is pretty slim and there are tons of other teams looking to sign a goalie. Every team needs a legit starter goalie, they aren't just going to trade their starter for nothing. It will cost a lot and there's tons of risks when you are buying high, how does he adapt to the new environment? How much of his success was because of the team in front of him?

If the Devils don't get a goalie this offseason and we're back with the two injured wrecks, Daws and Gillies, how will all of you feel about this?

I don’t know enough about this guy to have an opinion but that isn’t your typical example of a late bloomer.

Late bloomers are typically guys that start blooming in there early and mid 20s and it’s typically associated with some physical growth and improvement. Basically guys who weren’t highly touted prospects thought to have a solid chance of being something who unexpectedly became such in their early and/or mid 20s.

No usually someone who’s had chances and been around and then figures something out and finds another level to his game in his 30s.


Blake Coleman is a late bloomer. Nico Daws is somewhat of a late bloomer.