IMO- the top 5 was fairly easy. After that you have Menell, Addison, the 2 goalies and the 2 new 2nd rounders. I have no idea how you differentiate that group. Sturm and Firstov might belong in that group as well
So when Kahkonen starts in the AHL can we agree that maybe people in NHL don’t think he’s got the toolkit to be an NHL starter. He’s got nothing left to prove and we still don’t think he’s ready.
He was the best goaltender on the roster last year. How many games did those "people in the NHL" give him last year?
Catchphrases from Pronman and Wheeler? Neither of those guys have Jones rated as highly as Kahkonen. I’m just going off of two things: 1. My opinion, which I don’t expect would be enough to sway anyone and I don’t believe that it should sway anyone, 2. And what seems to be the Wild’s opinion that Jones is the goalie of the future. Kahkonen has nothing left to prove in the AHL and he still doesn’t have the belief of the Wild staff to put him in a backup role.
No way anyone can definitely say that he was better than Stalock last year. Kahk played 5 games and played ~fine. Stalock actually put up pretty good numbers down the stretch. I don’t blame them for not putting the playoff life on the shoulders of a kid that was just fine in his stint in the NHL.
Anyone who has ever watched both play can certainly make that statement. Easily.
The fact that they signed Talbot and kept Stalock. There’s no way they’re going to send Stalock to the AHL after he had a good year as their starter. He played very well down the stretch.
Signing a stop gap like Talbot is actually a sign that they do have confidence in Kahkonen. If Guerin didn't think that Kahkonen could be a starter in the NHL, then he's a moron for not going after Markstrom. Keeping Stalock around signifies nothing. He's a 3rd goalie at pretty much league minimum salary.
Well the way they set up Kahn’s contract pretty much looks like he will be in the next in two seasons.
I think signing Talbot to a 3 year deal more says they’re trying to buy time for Jones not Kahkonen. Kahk is going to start in the AHL. Kahkonen has nothing left to prove there; if they thought he was the guy, why wouldn’t they give him a shot in what seems like is likely to be a transition year?
He’ll be in the NHL in 21-22, but likely not in a starter role. I think they’re very much still in evaluation/rebuild mode woth this team and I don’t see why they send a guy who has nothing left to prove in the minors back to the minors if they think he’s going to be “the guy”
Talbot will be exposed next year in the expansion draft while Kahkonen gets protected. The 3 year deal was to ensure Talbot has 2 years left on his deal should he get taken in the ED. Simple as that.
I respect the hope I just don’t see it. I don’t have confidence in my Goalie evaluation skills, but I haven’t talked to anyone who says Kahkonen is a starter and I’ve talked to people who think Jones can be a good starter.
