Nikishin Go Boom
Russian Bulldozer Consultent
- Jul 31, 2017
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Lafontaine probably isn’t retained. Chicago is Makiniemi’s and Kochetkov’s. Really we don’t have a problem right now until Makiniemi comes back from injury.
Prospect Info: #36OA - Hurricanes Select G Pyotr Kochetkov
- Thread starter DaveG
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Agreed on AHL next year. I kind of hope LaFontaine stays in an ECHL capacity but he might get a better offer somewhere else.
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Don't worry we've got our boy Beck keeping it Warm down in the ECHL.
Nikishin Go Boom
Russian Bulldozer Consultent
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i doubt Lafontaine accepts a QO if our angle is you are going to the ECHL
- Aug 24, 2006
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Seeing his play from this year so far, I doubt he gets a better option.
Nikishin Go Boom
Russian Bulldozer Consultent
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maybe, but with enough goalie starved teams I bet one would be willing to offer him a 3G/4G AHL spot. I have an odd feeling we will move him for a 5th or 6th round pick on draft day.
Navin R Slavin
Fifth line center
Svechhammer
THIS is hockey?
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I think if Laf really has professional aspirations, he's in the best place to get that going. Obviously, he's majorly struggling right now having been thrown to the Wolves (lolz) but the coaching he's getting is far better than anything he's gotten before in his career. I could see him sticking as a backup in the AHL next year on the offhand chance that Kotch just shows he's ready for the NHL (which... I mean with the way he's playing, there's a non-zero chance he forces his way into being Freddie's backup next year, to be honest).
I think if he is good enough to force his way over Raanta to be the backup next year to Freddy, then they will keep Raanta as the backup and get Kotch as many starts as possible in Chicago. A good kid his age needs to be playing a lot, not riding the pine behind another starter. Look at what they did with Shesty in New York; they didn't bring him in to be Hanks backup when he was probably good enough to be, they let him play somewhere else as the starter, then basically brought him in to take Hank's place.
WreckingCrew
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- Feb 4, 2015
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...Phrasing...
But for the rest, I definitely think Koch / Maki will be put on rotation with the Wolves next year competing to be first man up during injuries (unless Koch wants to do KHL instead of AHL). Lafontaine honestly has struggled so much even at the AHL level he's probably going to have to sign an ECHL/AHL contract next year and play his way back to an NHL contract...UNLESS the GMBC really see something in him and want to give him a 1 yr contract to try again
The world can change fast, so who knows, but does anyone think that a kid who has the opportunity to not get paid in Rubles will choose to get paid in Rubles next year? I can't imagine that he chooses the KHL next year unless he just ends up being incredibly homesick. And if he has any leanings that way, he is probably in one of the best cities in the US for finding a Russian community to lean on to mitigate those feelings.
NotOpie
"Puck don't lie"
So if you look at Lafontaine's history, he is the epitome of a goalie who has to see a lot of action to get in his groove. Even at Michigan, when he played "games in a row" he was better. At Minnesota he just re-proved that. The point is, I believe we qualify Lafontaine, maybe give him a bump in AHL salary (if the CBA allows), and let him get as many games consistently as we are able. If that's in the ECHL, that benefits him by seeing those games. If he proves his mettle, then he moves up to the AHL. Should Kochetkov prove ready, then a potential mid-season Raanta trade could be in the offing. I believe Makiniemi is going to make it difficult to not give him a look, certainly at least at the back up role in 2023. The big challenge is going to be whether GMBC is willing to go with 2 younger goalies or if they feel they need one vet in the fold on the big club.
Vagrant
The Czech Condor
it seems to me that teams have changed their approach to developing goaltenders to the extent that a lot of the growth they make happens in training and technique refinement. that isn't to say that they don't need game time to sharpen those skills, but perhaps it's not as vital to play 50 games in a season and spend more time playing than training where 30 games on a measured schedule with another prospect getting about the same treatment would do more to prevent burnout. something that struck me and changed the way I thought about goaltending is when Cam Ward was here and he talked about how it's possible for a goalie to lose 10-15 lbs. in a game. that has to be hell on a young body that's trying to keep calories and grow to play 3 games in 5 nights. you're probably not as sharp as you could be in coaching sessions with that level of exhaustion.
if you look around the league, most teams expect to have 2 goalies. it's a complete shift from the concept that teams with a good goalie could limit their tandem partner to 10 starts. mental sharpness withers with fatigue and even the most well conditioned goalies need recovery and when the schedule doesn't allow it, they simply don't start those games. it seems like developmentally that's where they're trying to go as well. pitching in baseball is moving in the same direction. better to throw 60-80 pitches every 6-7 days than 110 every 5th. it's just too much mileage.
if you look around the league, most teams expect to have 2 goalies. it's a complete shift from the concept that teams with a good goalie could limit their tandem partner to 10 starts. mental sharpness withers with fatigue and even the most well conditioned goalies need recovery and when the schedule doesn't allow it, they simply don't start those games. it seems like developmentally that's where they're trying to go as well. pitching in baseball is moving in the same direction. better to throw 60-80 pitches every 6-7 days than 110 every 5th. it's just too much mileage.
Canes
Registered User
I'd make one or two of them skaters when they're not starting or backing up in the hopes of finding of hockey's version of Shohei Ohtani. Then if it didn't work or they refused, I'd send them to a farm upstate. Easy question. Next.
CandyCanes
Caniac turned Jerkiac
- Jan 8, 2015
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Niiiiice
would love for him to stay over here next season and not go back to the KHL…. I think he has a very good shot of seeing games next year and could easily slide into a full time spot when Raantas deal expires… hopefully Chicago goes far in the playoffs and so do we… but if the timing works even letting him be a black ace to come up and see the big club…
he bounced around so much the last few years it’s nice to see he finally had a more stable spot before the KHL season stoppage and dropping the rest of the regular season and then the cancellation of His contract… now I hope he also gets the full package of help and review and video sessions and guidance and coaching from our entire org on how to be a pro while he is playing in Chicago.
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Still a long way to go, but it was easy to feel the hope draining away a bit when he couldn't get steady playing time in recent years. It's nice to see him have some success.
He's in a good situation right now in that the Wolves are the second best team in the AHL (Pts %) and don't give up a lot of goals period. That's a good place to develop some confidence.
He's in a good situation right now in that the Wolves are the second best team in the AHL (Pts %) and don't give up a lot of goals period. That's a good place to develop some confidence.
I don't see any reason to send him back to Russia at this point. Off-season for goalie seems pretty straight-forward to me:Niiiiice
would love for him to stay over here next season and not go back to the KHL…. I think he has a very good shot of seeing games next year and could easily slide into a full time spot when Raantas deal expires… hopefully Chicago goes far in the playoffs and so do we… but if the timing works even letting him be a black ace to come up and see the big club…
he bounced around so much the last few years it’s nice to see he finally had a more stable spot before the KHL season stoppage and dropping the rest of the regular season and then the cancellation of His contract… now I hope he also gets the full package of help and review and video sessions and guidance and coaching from our entire org on how to be a pro while he is playing in Chicago.
Kochetkov and Makiniemi are the tandem in Chicago next year with Kochetkov getting first dibs on call-ups for random NHL games.
Lyon walks as a UFA.
LaFontaine is re-signed and assigned to the ECHL.
Warm is likely not re-signed.
With Raanta only a $2M cap hit I don't see them moving on from him this off-season; more likely they play out next year with the same goalie tandem and then transition to Kochetkov as backup.
AhosDatsyukian
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I’m not so sure Koch will be open to staying here next year if he’s stuck in the A... The war (and subsequent KHL instability) made it more likely he’ll stay but still not convinced of it. Came to the A this year because his season was over and he needed somewhere to play but given the choice next year I can easily see him going back to the K. And he has a European Assignment Clause so it is his choice unless we keep him on the roster with the Canes.
Svechhammer
THIS is hockey?
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He's quickly proving himself capable in the AHL. At a certain point, there isn't much more for him to prove and we should be open to giving him a legit chance next year. We shouldn't be scared of giving him the chance to make the main roster if he's capable of grabbing it.
WreckingCrew
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Very small sample size in the AHL though so far. Even if he continues this play the rest of the year and playoffs I still think you let him play another year in the KHL if he doesn't want to be AHL starter and potential call-up. The year after he could potentially step into backup duties, but I don't see that while we have Rants/Freddie
AhosDatsyukian
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I’m maybe the biggest Koch fan on these boards, watched most of his KHL games. So I’m fully behind shipping Raanta out and just handing Koch the 2 spot in the NHL as soon as next year and I’m sure he’d be thrilled with that opportunity.
That being said, I doubt the team sees it that way. They likely see him slotting in starting the 2023-24 season.
Svechhammer
THIS is hockey?
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As long as the ruble stays in the garbage, and I don't see that bouncing back anytime soon, he probably stands to make more money even if he's in the AHL. So unless he desperately misses home, I'm not sure why he would prefer another year of KHL duties if the alternate is full time AHL starter with primary call-up duties.
AhosDatsyukian
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There’s a decent argument to be made that the KHL is a better developmental path for goalies than the AHL.
