DeSmith should and will hold the net for foreseeable future

[UnderratedBrooks44]

We gain or lose ground from one game to the next depending on the result. That's the situation we're in.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

It's been fairly obvious for some time now that this team does not rely on any one single goaltender. I think that gives them an edge.

Keep riding the hot hand, for sure.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I do think they’ve got to be careful/considerate with Murray when he gets back and I saw something saying the fathers trip is coming up. I have no idea what being careful would dictate with him, though. It’s their job to figure out what’s the best way to handle him and to carry it out. Right now just ride the hot hand.

 

[molon labe]

Every team experiences this. Like - literally every team.

Teams with stud goalies get challenged now and then and a thread is created then it dies off after a month or two. The only time that play gets brought up again is when they're trying to deal that goalie (like Pens fans do right now bringing Jarry into trade talks) and they act like they're giving a Vezina candidate away on an ELC. Now, I like both Jarry and DeSmith - DeSmith's puck handling and good nature seem to win most over between the two, but after a long season last year full of team injuries Murray was tied with Carey Price in save %. So long as DeSmith keeps it up and MM stays in his sophmore slump, sure let him take over. When the time is right, switch back. However, this very argument is why I don't like the idea of paying a goalie 8-10M... they go hot and cold and largely have play based on their team. Pretty much every recent Vezina candidate had a team in front of them playing top-3 hockey.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Ride him until he cools off

 

[PensandCaps]

Jarry and Murray are far superior Goalies.

He's just hot. He's a nothing goalie. He's a Zatkoff.

 

[vodeni]

Jarry and Murray are far superior Goalies.

He's just hot. He's a nothing goalie. He's a Zatkoff.

Murray is a superior goalie, no question, Jarry -eh I don't know, did not desmith dethrone jarry in AHL, Jarry had a pretty bad stretch at some point...

 

[Mordax]

Give us this season our annual goalie controversy

 

[Allie Kitsune]

Give us this season our annual goalie controversy

And then remember that it COULD have been Antti Niemi.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Jarry and Murray are far superior Goalies.

He's just hot. He's a nothing goalie. He's a Zatkoff.

You can tell he's clearly better than Zatkoff

 

[DegenX]

Jarry and Murray are far superior Goalies.

He's just hot. He's a nothing goalie. He's a Zatkoff.

You can tell he's clearly better than Zatkoff

Zatkoff is a legend ... he is ...

 

[Shady Machine]

Based on these 3 games and how he looks in net, in addition to the results, DeSmith is better than Zatkoff. Or, at the vest least, he's currently playing better than Zatkoff.

It's 3 games though and I don't see Wilkes regularly enough to know if this is an anomaly.

 

[vikingGoalie]

Jarry and Murray are far superior Goalies.

He's just hot. He's a nothing goalie. He's a Zatkoff.

you forgot the

DeSmith moves in that crease very well. His glove hand is excellent. So far he is handling the puck exteremly well also. I would say his down movement is superior to Murray and Jarry. Even when Murray was playing his best he is always crouched forward in the butterfly position when down and his lateral movement is not as good as desmith. A good example of this is the goal scored against DeSmith, he pushed with his left leg and slide on his right pad and stopped the first attempt. That was an insanely good save, and that movement is something I haven't seen out of Murray.

NOT saying the Murray is an inferior goalie. When Murray is on his game he is a really big positionally sound goalie that uses more of a blocking style for his saves. Personally I don't like that style but for Murray it's very effective. Kinda like baseball, some pitchers use fastballs more, some use breaking balls more, both can be effective.
All this is to say. DeSmith is legit, now can he maintain this level of focus and rebound control? I dunno. Murray regains his form it's his net again, for now ride the hot hand.

 

[The Old Master]

you forgot the

DeSmith moves in that crease very well. His glove hand is excellent. So far he is handling the puck exteremly well also. I would say his down movement is superior to Murray and Jarry. Even when Murray was playing his best he is always crouched forward in the butterfly position when down and his lateral movement is not as good as desmith. A good example of this is the goal scored against DeSmith, he pushed with his left leg and slide on his right pad and stopped the first attempt. That was an insanely good save, and that movement is something I haven't seen out of Murray.

NOT saying the Murray is an inferior goalie. When Murray is on his game he is a really big positionally sound goalie that uses more of a blocking style for his saves. Personally I don't like that style but for Murray it's very effective. Kinda like baseball, some pitchers use fastballs more, some use breaking balls more, both can be effective.
All this is to say. DeSmith is legit, now can he maintain this level of focus and rebound control? I dunno. Murray regains his form it's his net again, for now ride the hot hand.

smithy is a very good goalie......I don't think he's better than Murray or Jarry. but he is older, so he has that going for him.

 

[Ryder71]

I think it's premature to draw any conclusions on Desmith. He's played exceptionally well the last three games. In order to arrive at an informed opinion I need to see a lot more, but clearly the early returns are very encouraging.