Confirmed with Link: Avs sign Justus Annunen to 3-year ELC

TruePowerSlave

Registered User
Jun 27, 2015
6,961
8,374
Annunen has a .884 sv% in Finland.

Lets get real. He will not have any part in the Avs season.
 

The Abusement Park

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Jan 18, 2016
33,916
25,016
I don't know, Dubnyk and JJ have looked quite poor. If something happens to Grubauer (knock on wood it doesn't happen) in the playoffs and one of them gets an opportunity and craps the bed, they could make a change. I don't think their leash is very long.

If Justus plays well for the Eagles, I could see the Avs trying him before Werner in that scenario, because as you allude to they don't seem to have much faith in Werner.
What has Annunen done to earn a chance this year? He's been bad in Finland. I don't see any reason he'd start in the playoffs outside of everyone getting hurt.
 

McMetal

Writer of Wrongs
Sep 29, 2015
14,052
11,946
Yeah, Annunen would probably be below Miska on the depth chart for goalies if we're being honest. He's just here to get his feet wet in North American hockey and to get some time with our goalie coaches, I would be beyond shocked if we used him in the NHL as a black ace.

Frankly, if we even get down to JJ on our goalie depth in the playoffs, our season is going to be over way too quick to make it down to Justus.
 

Foppa2118

Registered User
Oct 3, 2003
52,145
31,153
I highly doubt they'd throw an unproven prospect goalie into the playoffs as a contender when they have Dubnyk and Johansson available.

What has Annunen done to earn a chance this year? He's been bad in Finland. I don't see any reason he'd start in the playoffs outside of everyone getting hurt.

That doesn't fully describe the scenario I laid out though.

In the scenario I mentioned where Grubauer isn't an option, and one or both of Dubnyk and JJ, who have both been bad already, played terrible again in the playoffs, while Annunen hypothetically played well for the Eagles, you don't think they'd consider Annunen? They'd just keep going with the guys playing terrible?

What would they have to lose at that point taking a flyer on Annunen? Look at their other options. Dubnyk and JJ who have played pretty bad, and hypothetically played bad again. Plus Miska who unfortunately showed he's not an NHL goalie. Plus Werner who also doesn't look NHL caliber and the team doesn't seem that high on.

That's four goalies who you would be hard pressed to call NHL caliber at that point, and one prospect who's played pro full time the last two years in Finland, plus has loads of international experience in pressure situations. One of which being the WJC where he was one of the best goalies, and showed he's capable of standing on his head and stealing games for his team.

If it's me making that call, and I see four goaltenders that have pretty much proven to me they're not the answer, and one guy who is promising, but hasn't had a chance yet to prove whether he's the answer, I think I'd go with the guy who might be, as opposed to the guys I'm pretty sure aren't.

He'd be the only guy that might get hot and win some games. Everyone else would be cold as ice at that point, and no offense to Miska but he wouldn't be ahead of anyone in my book. There's no way I'd try him in the playoffs.
 

NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS

Registered User
Feb 28, 2006
13,542
5,771
Miska has in a limited sample size shown he's not too hot in the NHL. Annunen in a limited sample size has shown he's not too hot in the Finnish league.

Not sure how you can even think of playing him. The Leafs zamboni driver is a better bet.
 

Foppa2118

Registered User
Oct 3, 2003
52,145
31,153
Miska has in a limited sample size shown he's not too hot in the NHL. Annunen in a limited sample size has shown he's not too hot in the Finnish league.

Not sure how you can even think of playing him. The Leafs zamboni driver is a better bet.

One of those guys has shown he's not an NHL goaltender and it's not Annunen.

Only a masochist would go back to Miska in the playoffs. What's the worst that could happen if they put Annunen in net? He'd play like Miska.

Annunen also had a stellar season in the Finish league last year. 1.77 GAA and .929% in 23 games and lead Karpat to 1st in the league. They didn't play the playoffs because of COVID.

Miska, Werner, and JJ never had a season like that in a pro league. Neither has Dubnyk, though he's proven himself as a good NHL goaltender in the past. Just not the last couple years.
 
Last edited:

Foppa2118

Registered User
Oct 3, 2003
52,145
31,153
Of the 5 options I mentioned the Leafs zamboni driver is your guy. Annunen has shown he's not a finnish elite league goaltender so he's below my boy Miska.

Maybe you didn't see the point I added about Annunen, but he had a 1.77 GAA and .929% in 23 games and lead Karpat to 1st in the entire Finish league last year. That's a pretty great season.
 

Avs_19

Registered User
Jun 28, 2007
84,508
32,087
I'm glad he's coming over and hopefully he can get in one or two of these remaining games with the Eagles. It's not much but any type of action to get adjusted to his new team/league and the NA game will be good heading into next season.
 

Foppa2118

Registered User
Oct 3, 2003
52,145
31,153
Miska fails, if you need a goalie at least try something else

That's my exact point. We pretty much know Miska, JJ, and Werner won't win us a round in the playoffs, and might not even win us a game.

The only guy who might is Dubnyk, and he's played pretty bad the last couple seasons, and hasn't played any better after being traded to the Avs. He looks very disinterested to me and is moving slow as molasses in net.

At least with Dubnyk he has some history of success. Miska, JJ, and Werner don't have a good history to make up for their poor play, and give you hope they could turn it around.
 

The Abusement Park

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Jan 18, 2016
33,916
25,016
Maybe you didn't see the point I added about Annunen, but he had a 1.77 GAA and .929% in 23 games and lead Karpat to 1st in the entire Finish league last year. That's a pretty great season.
And then he had an .884 this season. I just don’t see a way they put Annunen in at all this season unless somehow every other goalie gets hurt. It just seems really unlikely to put a 21 year old in playoffs games when he’s never played a game in NA before.
 

Foppa2118

Registered User
Oct 3, 2003
52,145
31,153
And then he had an .884 this season. I just don’t see a way they put Annunen in at all this season unless somehow every other goalie gets hurt. It just seems really unlikely to put a 21 year old in playoffs games when he’s never played a game in NA before.

I don't know, maybe I'd give JJ one game, but trying Miska, JJ, or Werner just seems like waiving the white flag and accepting defeat to me.

It's like being too scared to pull the goaltender at the end of the game, because you're scared of making the score ugly. You have to take the chance, and personally I don't see how it makes sense to take a chance on guys that you've given a chance to already, and they've failed.

Though technically I guess they haven't given Werner much of a chance. Like has been mentioned though, the Avs just don't seem interested.
 

The Abusement Park

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Jan 18, 2016
33,916
25,016
I don't know, maybe I'd give JJ one game, but trying Miska, JJ, or Werner just seems like waiving the white flag and accepting defeat to me.

It's like being too scared to pull the goaltender at the end of the game, because you're scared of making the score ugly. You have to take the chance, and personally I don't see how it makes sense to take a chance on guys that you've given a chance to already, and they've failed.

Though technically I guess they haven't given Werner much of a chance. Like has been mentioned though, the Avs just don't seem interested.
I mean I don’t think it really matters. Once Gru goes down it’s over regardless. Literally everyone of our goalies is useless and I think the chance of Annunen coming in and making a positive impact are just as high as JJ or Miska being effective in net.
 

Foppa2118

Registered User
Oct 3, 2003
52,145
31,153
I mean I don’t think it really matters. Once Gru goes down it’s over regardless. Literally everyone of our goalies is useless and I think the chance of Annunen coming in and making a positive impact are just as high as JJ or Miska being effective in net.

Maybe, but not if you just need to win a round to get Grubauer back.

Also, I think you have to make the right decisions, regardless of how unlikely your chances of winning are.
 

McMetal

Writer of Wrongs
Sep 29, 2015
14,052
11,946
That's my exact point. We pretty much know Miska, JJ, and Werner won't win us a round in the playoffs, and might not even win us a game.

The only guy who might is Dubnyk, and he's played pretty bad the last couple seasons, and hasn't played any better after being traded to the Avs. He looks very disinterested to me and is moving slow as molasses in net.

At least with Dubnyk he has some history of success. Miska, JJ, and Werner don't have a good history to make up for their poor play, and give you hope they could turn it around.
The main bone I would have to pick with this is you do not want to destroy Annunen's confidence by throwing him into a high pressure playoffs situation when he's not ready. The Avs have hopes for this kid, unlike JoJo or Dubnyk there *is* something to lose by playing Annunen and having him take a fall.

Frankly, it wouldn't make the slightest bit of difference who we play if it's not Grubauer. If he goes down, we're hosed no matter what, the season will be over shortly after that. Shattering Annunen's confidence just so you can lose anyway is really shortsighted.
 

Foppa2118

Registered User
Oct 3, 2003
52,145
31,153
The main bone I would have to pick with this is you do not want to destroy Annunen's confidence by throwing him into a high pressure playoffs situation when he's not ready. The Avs have hopes for this kid, unlike JoJo or Dubnyk there *is* something to lose by playing Annunen and having him take a fall.

Frankly, it wouldn't make the slightest bit of difference who we play if it's not Grubauer. If he goes down, we're hosed no matter what, the season will be over shortly after that. Shattering Annunen's confidence just so you can lose anyway is really shortsighted.

That's a fair point, and the only reason I would have to not play Annunen in the situation I mentioned.

In the end though, winning the Cup is the only thing that matters. If they need to win 2-3 more games to advance to the next round when Grubauer might be healthy again, and one or both of JJ and Dubnyk have already been given a chance and failed again, I think I'd risk hurting Annunen's confidence.

He didn't have a great season this year anyway, so if he didn't play well in the playoffs this year, that would just be an extension of his season, and he could reset mentally next year. Also helps that all the other goalies would have played poorly too, not just him.
 

flyfysher

Registered User
Mar 21, 2012
6,527
5,161
I've found during this pandemic that hockey is so far removed from my brain in terms of importance, that I'm lucky if I remember who's playing for them this season versus last season.

Like I know someone used to wear #22 recently for the Avs, but I don't remember who it is. :huh:

My guess is Zach Redmond!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Foppa2118

McMetal

Writer of Wrongs
Sep 29, 2015
14,052
11,946
That's a fair point, and the only reason I would have to not play Annunen in the situation I mentioned.

In the end though, winning the Cup is the only thing that matters. If they need to win 2-3 more games to advance to the next round when Grubauer might be healthy again, and one or both of JJ and Dubnyk have already been given a chance and failed again, I think I'd risk hurting Annunen's confidence.

He didn't have a great season this year anyway, so if he didn't play well in the playoffs this year, that would just be an extension of his season, and he could reset mentally next year. Also helps that all the other goalies would have played poorly too, not just him.
Again though, the second point is still there: with or without Annunen, the Avs lose without Grubauer. It's not worth gambling Annunen's future when you know full well YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE NO MATTER WHAT. Why gamble your kid's college fund on impossible odds? You won't win a single game in the West with Annunen in net, this division is shaping up to have a brutal first two rounds for us, and if Grubauer goes down, the game is over. Insert coin to continue next season.

As you said, if Dubnyk and JJ have already been tried and failed, that means the Avs are already down at least two games in a series when the Avs only need to lose four to be eliminated. That's near impossible odds, what could possibly be gained by setting Annunen up to fail?
 

Foppa2118

Registered User
Oct 3, 2003
52,145
31,153
Again though, the second point is still there: with or without Annunen, the Avs lose without Grubauer. It's not worth gambling Annunen's future when you know full well YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE NO MATTER WHAT. Why gamble your kid's college fund on impossible odds? You won't win a single game in the West with Annunen in net, this division is shaping up to have a brutal first two rounds for us, and if Grubauer goes down, the game is over. Insert coin to continue next season.

Yeah I don't agree with that though.

I think this team is good enough to win without a high end goalie, and like I said, they could hypothetical only need to win a few games to advance to the next round and get Grubauer back. We're not necessarily talking about winning 16 games and four rounds here.

And we don't know if they can win with Annunen or not. That's why he's unproven in the NHL. The only thing JJ and Miska have proven is that the Avs can't win with THEM in net. Same with Dubnyk for me. I have no faith in him after watching him attempt to make saves.

You have one option that has proven the Avs shouldn't expect to win with them in the playoffs. And another option that hasn't been given a chance to prove himself. It just doesn't make sense to me logically to go with the option that has proven not to work. Especially if you're resigned to losing anyway.
 

McMetal

Writer of Wrongs
Sep 29, 2015
14,052
11,946
Yeah I don't agree with that though.

I think this team is good enough to win without a high end goalie, and like I said, they could hypothetical only need to win a few games to advance to the next round and get Grubauer back.

And we don't know if they can win with Annunen or not. That's why he's unproven in the NHL. The only thing JJ and Miska have proven is that the Avs can't win with THEM in net.

You have one option that has proven the Avs shouldn't expect to win with them in the playoffs. And another option that hasn't been given a chance to prove himself. It just doesn't make sense to me logically to go with the option that has proven not to work. Especially if you're resigned to losing anyway.
I just have way less faith in Annunen than you do. He isn't ready yet, plain and simple, and he wouldn't help the Avs win. Maybe someday, he will be, but not this year. Putting Annunen in would be a disaster for both the Avs and the kid. Go ahead and ruin JoJo's mojo if you want, because he doesn't have an NHL future anyway, but don't risk hurting your best goalie prospect in years when you know he isn't ready yet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: klozge

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->