Speculation: Carolina goaltending

[Identity404]

I've been bullish on cutting ties from Ward for awhile, but he showed this year that he can atleast be a good backup option.

The wheels fell off when he had to start carrying the load, but he has been the only goalie in the past 5 years that can look like a NHL goaltender at times.

Keeping Darling and bringing in another backup/unproven goaltender scares me.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

I think if the new owner would allow a salary retained trade, a team might take a chance on Darling as their backup and potential future starter at 2+ million. Then the Canes could bring back Ward on another 1 year deal and maybe sign a guy like Mrazek for a couple years. The overall cost of goaltending would increase a bit but I feel like it is the only realistic solution.

The idea of Mrazek scares me. It’s more of what we’ve been trying to do already, making starters out of unproven backups. We can’t take that risk again.

 

[Lunatik]

The idea of Mrazek scares me. It’s more of what we’ve been trying to do already, making starters out of unproven backups. We can’t take that risk again.

Unfortunately, those are really the only options. Maybe the best bet for the time being might be to run with Darling again and if he's bad enough maybe ownership can be convinced to buy him out

 

[M2Beezy]

Carolina has had some of the worst goaltending in the league for a while. Efforts to fix it by bringing in backups have been worse than futile. The latest experiment, Scott darling, had a historically bad season after signing a big contract. In end of season pressers, the organization said the Ward-Darling tandem can't return as is. Given the dire need to make the playoffs, one can guess they'll push hard for a surefire starter rather than another experiment. What options are there in this trade market?

Marky or Nielsson

 

[Stickpucker]

Lack is a NJ Devil... Kostinen is Finnish

Please tell me your username is meant to be ironic and this is just an account to mess with people.

technically his value is the same in NJ or Carolina?

 

[Stickpucker]

Allen for Darling + Derek Ryan's Rights + 3rd. Mrazek isn't qualified.

Try to go Allen/Mrazek or Lehner/Allen. I think the Lehner option is safer and an upgrade while Mrazek still has a lot of raw talent if he can figure it out.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Allen for Darling + Derek Ryan's Rights + 3rd. Mrazek isn't qualified.

Try to go Allen/Mrazek or Lehner/Allen. I think the Lehner option is safer and an upgrade while Mrazek still has a lot of raw talent if he can figure it out.

I'm sure St. Louis will love this proposal.

 

[GoldiFox]

If Nedeljkovic keeps shutting out opponents on the way to a Calder Cup then he might make a strong case for a 1A/1B role with Cam Ward. 5GP, 1.59 GAA, 0.944 SV% in the Playoffs so far.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

If Nedeljkovic keeps shutting out opponents on the way to a Calder Cup then he might make a strong case for a 1A/1B role with Cam Ward. 5GP, 1.59 GAA, 0.944 SV% in the Playoffs so far.

He's the best candidate for a starting role as of now, in my opinion.

 

[GoldiFox]

He's the best candidate for a starting role as of now, in my opinion.

Especially if Vellucci is named coach. Will take another round or two (maybe a championship) to be realistic though.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

Marky or Nielsson

You must have missed the part where he said they’ll push hard for a sure fire starter.

 

[Cogburn]

Markstrom is technically a starter.

Any interest?

We have him and Nilsson in the way of Demko, who I think will be taking the reins as a back up at some point this season.

 

[Alexei Yashvalev]

Disclaimer: I'm a Halak fan.

He's better than you might think. Last year the Islanders were a disaster defensively and it's no coincidence all of their goalies had their worst year of their careers.

Even strength his goals saved above average was 16th best in the league at 6.53. (Source Corsica | Goalie Stats )

On his own team Greiss was -7.82. Scott Darling was -14.29.

The penalty kill was a complete disaster which tanked his numbers. Which really is mostly to do with the Islanders coaching staff being outrageously incompetent. The other goalie playing behind that penalty kill tanked even harder.

Anyway I suspect when Halak escapes the Islanders if he goes to a halfway decent team he'll be back to his career average, that is to say a competent starter.

 

[67Blues]

I'm sure St. Louis will love this proposal.

You misspelled "laugh at"

 

[Hulkacaniac]

Disclaimer: I'm a Halak fan.

He's better than you might think. Last year the Islanders were a disaster defensively and it's no coincidence all of their goalies had their worst year of their careers.

Even strength his goals saved above average was 16th best in the league at 6.53. (Source Corsica | Goalie Stats )

On his own team Greiss was -7.82. Scott Darling was -14.29.

The penalty kill was a complete disaster which tanked his numbers. Which really is mostly to do with the Islanders coaching staff being outrageously incompetent. The other goalie playing behind that penalty kill tanked even harder.

Anyway I suspect when Halak escapes the Islanders if he goes to a halfway decent team he'll be back to his career average, that is to say a competent starter.

If we got .908 out of our goalies this season, we'd be in the playoffs. Could do much worse than halak

 

[MinJaBen]

I thought Halak looked good as the goalie for Team Europe the year before last. I’d be willing to give him a shot over a repeat of last year as long as the contract is favorable.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

You misspelled "laugh at"

It's called, "Sarcasm", for those who don't know.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Markstrom is technically a starter.

Any interest?

We have him and Nilsson in the way of Demko, who I think will be taking the reins as a back up at some point this season.

Markstrom's a backup at best.

 

[Owen Doty]

There are literally no good options via free agency this off season.

Carter Hutton says hi

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

Carter Hutton says hi

Hi, Carter!

 

[Makar Goes Fast]

maybe they will try to get pekka rinne

 

[Deam78]

Freder**** Anderseive and will the thrill nylander for peshe 2018 2nd and darling.

I never thought I'd see you propose a bad deal for TOR where you'd overvalue another team's players and undervalue yours lol

 

[bluedevil58]

Carter Hutton says hi

Was totally unaware he was available. Interesting....

 

[ShelbyZ]

Disclaimer: I'm a Halak fan.

He's better than you might think. Last year the Islanders were a disaster defensively and it's no coincidence all of their goalies had their worst year of their careers.

Even strength his goals saved above average was 16th best in the league at 6.53. (Source Corsica | Goalie Stats )

On his own team Greiss was -7.82. Scott Darling was -14.29.

The penalty kill was a complete disaster which tanked his numbers. Which really is mostly to do with the Islanders coaching staff being outrageously incompetent. The other goalie playing behind that penalty kill tanked even harder.

Anyway I suspect when Halak escapes the Islanders if he goes to a halfway decent team he'll be back to his career average, that is to say a competent starter.

x2.

IMO, Halak is rather underrated in this thread. Sure, he didn't have the best season, but his throwback to the 80's GAA is mostly the product of facing an average of 34.6 shots against per 60 minutes. And as Alexei pointed out, considering that the Islanders other goalie had even worse downturn, Halak's probably had more to do with the team than his play.

From a value and risk standpoint, Halak is probably the safest option on the market this summer. He had good numbers as a starter the three years prior to this past season. He'd also probably come cheap and short term on the UFA market, which means they wouldn't have to give up valuable assets to trade for a goalie. They'd also save cap space to make improvements to other parts of their team, like offense and the PP.

Since they're likely stuck with Darling for the time being, I doubt the Canes want to put their finger on the trigger for another round of "Hopefully a good backup becomes a good starter roulette" like they did last summer but with guys like Grubauer, Hutton, Kinkaid, Khudobin, or Bernier, or on guys that used to look like promising future starters that have fizzled out like Mrazek or Lehner.

 

[HabsEstrie]

Price for Hanafin and Staal ?