Player Discussion Antti Niemi (Signed in the KHL)

[Adam Michaels]

Time to update the title to "NHL Starter" until his next game and we see how he performs then and we can update it again.

This would be the only thread where by reading the title, you know how performed his previous game.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Not sure why some of you guys bother replying in this manner. You can be right or wrong but comments like these are a big waste of time for everyone and no one benefits from it.

If you’re tired or have nothing to add just don’t reply.

You need to take your own advice. You’ve been wasting your time since Halak got traded 8+ years ago.

 

[Habaneros]

Time to update the title to "NHL Starter" until his next game and we see how he performs then and we can update it again.

This would be the only thread where by reading the title, you know how performed his previous game.

Nemei 12-4-5 career vs Dallas..if we meet them in the playoffs i would play Nemei..lol

 

[Genesis76]

You need to take your own advice. You’ve been wasting your time since Halak got traded 8+ years ago.

Happy new year.

So you're telling me I should force my self to like something that I don't like? Nah.

 

[Rafafouille]

Oh, stat-watching, got it.

That's the only thing that matters at the end of the day.

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

nice bounce-back game tonight for him, he deserves that credit

 

[Treb]

That's the only thing that matters at the end of the day.

So what you're telling me is that Halak is the best goalie in the NHL (or maybe Laurent Brossoit is better but needs more game)?

Jacob Markstrom is better than Connor Hellebuyck?
Howard is better than Vasilevsky, Lundqvist, Holtby and Bobrovski?

 

[nhlfan9191]

So what you're telling me is that Halak is the best goalie in the NHL (or maybe Laurent Brossoit is better but needs more game)?

Jacob Markstrom is better than Connor Hellebuyck?
Howard is better than Vasilevsky, Lundqvist, Holtby and Bobrovski?

Who needs to use their eyes anymore to watch games when you can use the NHL app or Corsica. Context isn’t important. It’s 2019.

 

[Scintillating10]

Sounds like one of those guys who needs to play often to be affective.

 

[Genesis76]

So what you're telling me is that Halak is the best goalie in the NHL (or maybe Laurent Brossoit is better but needs more game)?

Jacob Markstrom is better than Connor Hellebuyck?
Howard is better than Vasilevsky, Lundqvist, Holtby and Bobrovski?

First of all you should try and avoid shitting on Halak for no reason. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s at the top of the league stats wise. Halak is a good goalie, amongs the best in the NHL. It absolutly means nothing if nyi sent him down to the minors at some point. He was drafted 271st overall.

The rest of the guys you mentioned... Who watches that much hockey here to know who is better than who? And how would you rate the goalies any way? Theres so many factors to consider.

 

[Treb]

First of all you should try and avoid ****ting on Halak for no reason. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s at the top of the league stats wise. Halak is a good goalie, amongs the best in the NHL. It absolutly means nothing if nyi sent him down to the minors at some point. He was drafted 271st overall.

I am not shitting on Halak, but he is most definitely not the top goalie (or even a top 5 goalie) in the league. I only named him since he's at the top of the stats column right now. Since entering the league 12 years ago, he got a 10th place and a 6th place (his teammate Elliott was 5th) in Vezina voting.

The rest of the guys you mentioned... Who watches that much hockey here to know who is better than who? And how would you rate the goalies any way? Theres so many factors to consider.

That's exactly my point. You can't judge a goalie solely on his stats like the poster I quoted was doing with Lindgren. It's pretty hard to make a 100% accurate ranking of the goalies, but you can obviously see Lindgren is better than his AHL stats when you watch him play.

 

[Genesis76]

I am not ****ting on Halak, but he is most definitely not the top goalie (or even a top 5 goalie) in the league. I only named him since he's at the top of the stats column right now. Since entering the league 12 years ago, he got a 10th place and a 6th place (his teammate Elliott was 5th) in Vezina voting.



That's exactly my point. You can't judge a goalie solely on his stats like the poster I quoted was doing with Lindgren. It's pretty hard to make a 100% accurate ranking of the goalies, but you can obviously see Lindgren is better than his AHL stats when you watch him play.

Unless you’re a winner by a big margin Vezina votes are meaningless... Most of those guys dont even watch the goalies play, they go by what people are saying they watch 2-3 highlights and call it a day.

Yes Halak is a top goalie and its not an opinion.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

He played better this game.

However his saves looked difficult and the first goal he slide too far.

If Dallas didn't suck, that game could be been another 4, or 5.

 

[Treb]

Unless you’re a winner by a big margin Vezina votes are meaningless... Most of those guys dont even watch the goalies play, they go by what people are saying they watch 2-3 highlights and call it a day.

Yes Halak is a top goalie and its not an opinion.

Top 1? Top 5? Top 10? Top 15?

 

[Genesis76]

Top 1? Top 5? Top 10? Top 15?

from when?

And what criterias are we using?

 

[Treb]

from when?

And what criterias are we using?

In what tier of goalies (top 5,10,15,20,25,30) would you rank Halak right now and for the next few years?

Whatever criteria you want.

I have him as a top20 goalie.

 

[the]

If the season had to end today, I think Jaroslav Halak would be a finalist for the vezina.

Still a long way to go but I’m very happy for his recent success, underated goalie imo.

Awesome game by Niemi yesterday, I could understand that fans were frustrated with him but he barely played for the past month so it wasn’t easy for him. We can’t just sit him on the bench and expect a miracle from him.

 

[scrubadam]

If the season had to end today, I think Jaroslav Halak would be a finalist for the vezina.

Still a long way to go but I’m very happy for his recent success, underated goalie imo.

Awesome game by Niemi yesterday, I could understand that fans were frustrated with him but he barely played for the past month so it wasn’t easy for him. We can’t just sit him on the bench and expect a miracle from him.

He had a bad game against the best team in the league with the best offense.

Meanwhile in FLA he had some great saves and helped the team win the game and in DALLAS he stole it for us with huge saves all night.

His stats have not been great this year but he has gotten us wins. I will say that he did cost us a few points too with BUF/TB games, but in the end he is a back up.

Asking your back up to go on the road for 3 games and you come up with 4 points, not sure what more you can ask from the guy. He wanted it last night for his teammates and he came up huge for them. Shows to me that these guys are willing to play for each other and respect each other tremendously.

 

[nhlfan9191]

He had a bad game against the best team in the league with the best offense.

Meanwhile in FLA he had some great saves and helped the team win the game and in DALLAS he stole it for us with huge saves all night.

His stats have not been great this year but he has gotten us wins. I will say that he did cost us a few points too with BUF/TB games, but in the end he is a back up.

Asking your back up to go on the road for 3 games and you come up with 4 points, not sure what more you can ask from the guy. He wanted it last night for his teammates and he came up huge for them. Shows to me that these guys are willing to play for each other and respect each other tremendously.

It seems when his career is up against the wall, he delivers. Happened when we picked him up off waivers and I’m willing to bet if he plays like a sieve against Dallas, Lindgren would be up the moment he was healthy. Have to give him credit for battling. Last night was not an easy game. He faced about 25 shots in just a little over a 20 minute span and he gave us a chance to come back.

 

[scrubadam]

It seems when his career is up against the wall, he delivers. Happened when we picked him up off waivers and I’m willing to bet if he plays like a sieve against Dallas, Lindgren would be up the moment he was healthy. Have to give him credit for battling. Last night was not an easy game. He faced about 25 shots in just a little over a 20 minute span and he gave us a chance to come back.

I think pride kicked in, he knew he let his teammates down the night before. He was also pretty good in the FLA win.

His numbers haven't been great and Lindgren when healthy is someone we should take a look at, but Nieme has gotten the team points and has bounced back often. At least he goes out there and fights each game. Getting the team 4 points after Xmas on the road gotta give him his props.

Lets hope Price is back Thursday.

 

[nhlfan9191]

I think pride kicked in, he knew he let his teammates down the night before. He was also pretty good in the FLA win.

His numbers haven't been great and Lindgren when healthy is someone we should take a look at, but Nieme has gotten the team points and has bounced back often. At least he goes out there and fights each game. Getting the team 4 points after Xmas on the road gotta give him his props.

Lets hope Price is back Thursday.

We’re going to need Price to start 60+ games if we want to make the playoffs, which is unfortunate because the analytics point to starting your goalie that much usually doesn’t work in your favour but we need to know we can rely on our back up in the games he doesn’t play as well as this isn’t a first place team. We’ll be scraping for the final 3 playoff spots against teams who are as good or better then we are in Boston, Buffalo, Islanders. Not to mention there’s always a surprise team or two who gets hot in the second half. It won’t be easy, especially with our schedule getting harder.

 

[Lshap]

He had a bad game against the best team in the league with the best offense.

Meanwhile in FLA he had some great saves and helped the team win the game and in DALLAS he stole it for us with huge saves all night.

His stats have not been great this year but he has gotten us wins. I will say that he did cost us a few points too with BUF/TB games, but in the end he is a back up.

Asking your back up to go on the road for 3 games and you come up with 4 points, not sure what more you can ask from the guy. He wanted it last night for his teammates and he came up huge for them. Shows to me that these guys are willing to play for each other and respect each other tremendously.

Fair enough. The infuriating thing about the Tampa game wasn't simply that we lost, but how we lost. Giving up a weak goal in the last minute was heartbreaking and points the spotlight directly at Niemi.

 

[scrubadam]

We’re going to need Price to start 60+ games if we want to make the playoffs, which is unfortunate because the analytics point to starting your goalie that much usually doesn’t work in your favour but we need to know we can rely on our back up in the games he doesn’t play as well as this isn’t a first place team. We’ll be scraping for the final 3 playoff spots against teams who are as good or better then we are in Boston, Buffalo, Islanders. Not to mention there’s always a surprise team or two who gets hot in the second half. It won’t be easy, especially with our schedule getting harder.

I think of the next 42 games, Price probably gets at minimum 30, but closer to 35 especially depending on the playoff race (the tighter it is the more starts Price gets).

For now Nieme's record is 6-4-1, thats 13 points out of a possible 22. Just a bit above .500 point %. Thats middle of the pack for a back up which jives with our team being middle of the pack right now. If Nieme can get us 11 out of 20 points and Price doesn't have a melt down I think we stay where we are right now.

BTW keep an eye on BUF. They had that 10 or so game winning streak and have been falling ever since. Wouldn't shock me if they were a reverse surprise team and tumbled down the standings.

 

[scrubadam]

Fair enough. The infuriating thing about the Tampa game wasn't simply that we lost, but how we lost. Giving up a weak goal in the last minute was heartbreaking and points the spotlight directly at Niemi.

I agree thats why it hurts so much. Would of been easier to swallow the loss if it was the 5-2 score line we all expected Friday night after the FLA game. When you have the lead 3 times and not mention battle back twice it stings a lot more to lose. And yes Nieme did not have a good game, but he is the back up playing against the best team in the league with the best offense on back to back nights. It was to much to ask from him and would be from any back up. Heck most starters would not go back 2 back against the best offense in the league.

He had a bad game in TB and let his teammates down. He put on his big boy pants the next game and stole the game for his teammates, to me he more than made up for his blunder on Saturday.

Next game its new start but lets hope he can get his GAA down to under 4 goals each match. 2 against Dallas and 3 against FLA thats the trend he needs to continue with.

 

[le_sean]

He still looked like shit against Dallas. The Stars missed the net a couple of times that would have put the game away. Every save is a complete struggle.