Prospect Info: 17-18 Blues Top Prospect #12

[Oberyn]

Samuel ****i g Blais getti g more votes then Mikkola. Dear God its gonna be laugh when I arrive here in two years and bump up this year prospect polls. People are gonna be so suprised that we had such a good defender prospect in the pipe and no hype.

#12 pfff... I do understand that people haven't seem him that much, but really?

I feel like you said the same things about Lindbohm and look where he is now

 

[Majorityof1]

I feel like you said the same things about Lindbohm and look where he is now

That is Hitch and Armstrong's fault for holding him back. Sheesh, don't you non-finnish people know anything?

 

[MissouriMook]

Samuel ****i g Blais getti g more votes then Mikkola. Dear God its gonna be laugh when I arrive here in two years and bump up this year prospect polls. People are gonna be so suprised that we had such a good defender prospect in the pipe and no hype.

#12 pfff... I do understand that people haven't seem him that much, but really?

Because if you can't get mad about people on the internet having different opinions than you do, what can you get mad about?

 

[2 Minute Minor]

This year's rankings are really underscoring how much Binnington's star has faded. Remember when he was rated as a better prospect than Allen (by the HF writer)?

 

[Majorityof1]

This year's rankings are really underscoring how much Binnington's star has faded. Remember when he was rated as a better prospect than Allen (by the HF writer)?

I was a Binnington fan based on his potential, and voted him highly in a few polls. But he stopped improving, and if anything, has regressed. I think he had some sort of mental issue with competition. As soon as we brought in Copley to compete with him (and then Husso), he devolved as a goalie. Binnie was never physically impressive. He wasn't big (decent height, super skinny) or particularly quick or agile. He just had really good positioning and excellent instincts. Now from what I have seen, it seems like he is second guessing himself, and is more indecisive. And that killed everything he had going for him. He may turn it around, but at 24 with a lot left to prove at the lower levels, its doubtful he ever will.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Binnington got benched almost out of necessity last year more than anything, so that Husso could get steady playing time. Husso is by all accounts the better of the two, and Binnington really had a rough start to the season (not that Husso was passing with flying colors either). But when Copley was traded and Binnington got back into the action, he did a lot better than I think most people realize.

He was effectively benched for the 5 weeks after the World Juniors last year, starting in only 1 game during that time, where he allowed only 1 goal on 27 shots (1.00/.963).

Prior to the WJCs: 17 games (7-6-3), 3.02 GAA, .905sv%
After the benching: 15 games (10-1-4), 2.40 GAA, .918sv%

That's a pretty sizeable improvement, and much more in line with what his expectations are. I don't think he's a bad goalie by any means, but with Fitzpatrick and Opilka on their way up, Binnington might just be a casualty of the numbers game. It's entirely possible that we give Binnington the backup reigns next year when Hutton's contract is up, and keep Husso and Fitzpatrick in the AHL and Opilka... somewhere. More likely though, Husso gets the backup role, and Fitzpatrick and Opilka go to work in the AHL.

It isn't that Binnington is bad, our other goalies just seem to be better. I will be especially interested to see how Opilka fares this year, and what he can do if he stays healthy. Last year was brutal for him, but hopefully with a strong summer and some luck in the injury department, he can get back to being what he was in his draft year.

 

[Majorityof1]

Binnington got benched almost out of necessity last year more than anything, so that Husso could get steady playing time. Husso is by all accounts the better of the two, and Binnington really had a rough start to the season (not that Husso was passing with flying colors either). But when Copley was traded and Binnington got back into the action, he did a lot better than I think most people realize.

He was effectively benched for the 5 weeks after the World Juniors last year, starting in only 1 game during that time, where he allowed only 1 goal on 27 shots (1.00/.963).

Prior to the WJCs: 17 games (7-6-3), 3.02 GAA, .905sv%
After the benching: 15 games (10-1-4), 2.40 GAA, .918sv%

That's a pretty sizeable improvement, and much more in line with what his expectations are. I don't think he's a bad goalie by any means, but with Fitzpatrick and Opilka on their way up, Binnington might just be a casualty of the numbers game. It's entirely possible that we give Binnington the backup reigns next year when Hutton's contract is up, and keep Husso and Fitzpatrick in the AHL and Opilka... somewhere. More likely though, Husso gets the backup role, and Fitzpatrick and Opilka go to work in the AHL.

It isn't that Binnington is bad, our other goalies just seem to be better. I will be especially interested to see how Opilka fares this year, and what he can do if he stays healthy. Last year was brutal for him, but hopefully with a strong summer and some luck in the injury department, he can get back to being what he was in his draft year.

That is much better and more in line with what he is capable of. But that is just back to what he did 2 years ago ('14-15: 2.35 GAA, .916). A young goalie should improve over that time, at least marginally, not struggle to regain that level. I highly doubt we will feel comfortable going with him as a back-up unless he shows something more. We weren't before when he was putting up those numbers.

I still think it has something to do with the pressure Copley placed on him. If that spark in play coincides with Copley leaving, that would support my theory. He came back as the presumptive back-up with no pressure to compete for a spot. But that is totally based on timing, and watching him in highlights and for a couple games a year over the past several years. It could very well be a lame attempt to justify being wrong about his potential.