OT: Blues #1 goaltender Allen vs. Hutton?

[Majorityof1]

There are plenty of options available that don't include keeping Jake Allen as the for sure starter.

1. Re-sign competent backup Carter Hutton and pair him with Husso. Let it be an open competition between the 2 for starts.

2. Let Hutton walk and have Allen and Husso compete for starts.

3. Trade Allen, sign new starter and Husso backs him up.

The first two are banking an awful lot on a kid who has never played a single minute of hockey in the NHL. For #3, who is the competent starter we sign if Raanta signs with Arizona? Lehtonen?

We have options, but they are all risky.

 

[TK 421]

The first two are banking an awful lot on a kid who has never played a single minute of hockey in the NHL. For #3, who is the competent starter we sign if Raanta signs with Arizona? Lehtonen?

We have options, but they are all risky.

All of our options are risky, better to take a risk than continue with a 28 year old who has shown that even when handed a starter position he can't outperform his backup.

Hutton platooning with Husso is no more risky than Allen/Husso, Allen/vet backup, new starter/Husso etc. I'd actually argue it's less risky to take Hutton/Husso because stylistically they are both a fit for this team while Allen isn't. At some point you have to throw the preconceived notions of who is a starter and who is a backup out the window and let the goalies decide who is who.

 

[GoldenSeal]

The Blues have this really odd tendency of having their backup be the real stand-up guy. I don't know if it's due to the tenacity and resolve of the goaltender to be better than he was (Brian Elliott is a good example of that, solid positioning, top drawer work ethic, he put in the work and gave it his all but it didn't always translate and was never consistent. ).

Jake just looks afraid at times out there. I have never been sold on him being a legit starter and it never worried me that much because the tandem system tended to work excellingly well for the Blues; two netminders who, if given a small role each, rose to the occasion and had no ceiling. Jake is a good goaltender and he absolutely is a Starter but he's not the Elite Starter so many people have tried to paint him as. He totally lacks mental toughness and positioning. With his contract, the only way he stops playing as the Starter is if we trade him or put him on Waivers. I'd rather we traded him in a package for what we need rather than give him away for nothing.

Extend Carter Hutton, have him backup Husso and let's take a ride. Husso's the real deal and his time is NOW. Those who disagree with this have their priorities screwed up; we need players upfront and need to be more concerned with acquiring quality Forward players than Goaltending, especially at Center.

Hutton will hold up and Husso IS the future. Give them the pipes, strengthen the D and they will be FINE.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Ditto

Hutton/Husso goaltending next season.

Sorry Jake. You may be physically capable, but you are not mentally focused when we need you to be.

 

[GoldenSeal]

I'd call up Husso today and start him. We've seen what we got in Jake Allen, let's see what Husso has to offer. The season is pretty much done for the Blues, unless they rally around their netminder, and they ain't doing that around Jake. 2.32/.926 called and said give the kid a shot.

 

[Majorityof1]

All of our options are risky, better to take a risk than continue with a 28 year old who has shown that even when handed a starter position he can't outperform his backup.

Hutton platooning with Husso is no more risky than Allen/Husso, Allen/vet backup, new starter/Husso etc. I'd actually argue it's less risky to take Hutton/Husso because stylistically they are both a fit for this team while Allen isn't. At some point you have to throw the preconceived notions of who is a starter and who is a backup out the window and let the goalies decide who is who.

You don't have to convince me. As long as we are not putting Husso in a bad situation that could stunt his development, I am all about the drop Allen bandwagon and have been for 3-4 years. But Allen/Husso is a disaster waiting to happen and could negatively impact Husso.

 

[Ranksu]

Blues #1 goaltender Allen vs. Hutton?

1. Allen
   
   44 vote(s)
   50.0%
2. Hutton
   
   44 vote(s)
   50.0%

 

[Ranksu]

Now Hutton is gone officially which are option for our back-up goaltender?

1. UFA sign
2. trade
3. Husso

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Rumor was Blues wanted to sign a guy like Chad Johnson to be a stopgap and give Husso a chance to compete for the backup but not block him long term.

 

[PiggySmalls]

If Lehtonen would take ~2.5 for a one year deal, I would be ok with that. He looked much better under Hitch's system.

 

[Ranksu]

If Lehtonen would take ~2.5 for a one year deal, I would be ok with that. He looked much better under Hitch's system.

Lehtonen could be decent mentor for Husso, 'cus Husso's goaltending style reminds of what Lehtonen is + he's finnish. I don't like how bad Lehtonen is currenlty. He's softer then Allen.

 

[PiggySmalls]

Lehtonen could be decent mentor for Husso, 'cus Husso's goaltending style reminds of what Lehtonen is + he's finnish. I don't like how bad Lehtonen is currenlty. He's softer then Allen.

To me Kari struggles when the players in front of him play engage in a more risk/reward in effort to create an offensive rush/oportunity. When hitch came in last year, he implemented his D structure and Kari improved. I just see him as a stop gap, if Husso beats him out and gets waived he will likely get claimed.

 

[LGB51]

Easton’s right that this team will ultimately sink or swim with Allen as the goalie. In the short term though, Hutton gives us the best chance to win. He should start until he proves otherwise.

Are you not a mod anymore either?

 

[Evocable Manager]

Should this not be locked?? We have the answer...

 

[Name Nameless]

Arizona fan coming inn peace. Please make the results of the poll visible if you lock it. I suffer from lurking-around-and-being-saddened-by-polls-you-can-only-see-the-results-from-when-voting-but-I-don't-want-to-vote-in-other-teams-polls - syndrom.