Proposal: Fleury for Miller

[Uemoda]

Yes - I know the goaltending issue has been beaten to death, and beyond. This is just a quick poll to gauge the interest for this type of trade. I honestly believe this might be one of our only outs if Fleury falters and V is out long-term, due to the issues of contracts and salary cap. It's certainly not ideal, but I believe that it is the best case scenario to rectify this season's goalie situation. Obviously, other salary might need to be moved around, and auxiliary pieces would be in play. But the important thing is who you would feel more confident in, not whether a Niskanen is headed the other way.

All that said.... would you feel better with Fleury or Miller between the pipes? Would the move be worth it?

Click to read more...

 

[Waffle Fries]

I'd feel better with Miller, I think. But I don't believe that he's that much of an upgrade to warrant spending the increase in cap hit and the other assets we would have to give up.

So basically, I really, really do not want to trade for Ryan Miller.

 

[Al Smith]

I'd feel better with Miller, I think. But I don't believe that he's that much of an upgrade to warrant spending the increase in cap hit and the other assets we would have to give up.

So basically, I really, really do not want to trade for Ryan Miller.

This.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

MAF because of the 1.25M savings.

 

[orby]

Miller, but there's no realistic trade that could be made that doesn't still hurt the Pens because they'd want WAY more than just Fleury coming the other way and the Pens would need to clear cap space. It's a moot discussion

 

[Honour Over Glory]

MAF, even though he's sucked the last 4yrs in the playoffs, we have 2yrs of his playoff performances to know what he is capable of when he is on his game. Miller, no.

 

[BigBenSF*]

Miller, and it's not close.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Miller. I'll take a chance on something different as opposed to the same old song and dance with MAF. In a vacuum, just Miller for Fleury... alright, I'd throw in Glass to sweeten the deal.

 

[Sivek]

Miller easily. I've seen more than enough pucks kicked in/dump-ins turned into scoring chances/non-shots on goal turned into legit goals to give MAF the benefit of the doubt on anything. His embarrassing playoff collage is bigger than the rest of the league combined. No goalie in the league actively loses games the way he does.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I'd love it but it would be tight with the cap situation and deals hitting the books next year.

You'd have to ship out cash and play the youngins which i wouldn't be opposed to.

But i will say finding something cheaper may be the way to go here. This team doesn't need a lights out 'tender to win a Stanley Cup.

 

[sf expat71]

Went with Miller. Merely responding to the last sentence though, as in, who do you choose, personnel decisions for the rest of the team aside.

 

[billybudd]

Miller's a gigantic upgrade over Fleury. His game hasn't fallen apart so much as the team around him has (someone may chime in with the Penguins defense being bad, here, but there's no comparison between it and Buffalo's). He might not be in MVP form, but he's not that far removed.

That said, the numbers don't really work and the trade price will likely be too high for what would amount to a rental.

 

[domaug*]

i'd feel more comfortable with Miller, but it'd be kinda like upgrading from a broken 2005 Chevy Camaro to a broken 2012 Chevy Camaro.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

At this point, I'd take anyone over Fleury. So I guess in terms of the OP question, I'd take Miller over Fleury.

 

[Sh00terMcGavin]

Miller, although he hasn't necessarily played well in big games (minus the 2010 Olympics of course). Flower just scares the crap out of me at this point in his career.

 

[jmelm]

Miller, and it's not close.

This. And given that Fleury still has some time left on his deal, it does somewhat bridge the gap in terms of trade value, given that Miller is an impending UFA. So, I don't think we'd have to add much more than say a (willing to sign) Orpik or Niskanen, or perhaps one of defensive prospects.


The goaltending position is the only position in the NHL that is rapidly approaching (if not almost already there) the point where the talent pool is deep enough that there are close to or perhaps even more than 30 good quality starting goaltenders; unlike how you can say there are not truly 30 "#1 Dmen" or 30 great "#1 centers" in the league. Thus, I think the cost of acquiring these goalies is often rather inexpensive (see the Ben Bishop, Halak, or even the Bernier deal as some recent examples), and with more and more young goalies coming into the league and/or becoming FA's, I see this trend continuing very steadily.


And even if we ride out Fleury for this year: if he under-performs again, we should be amongst the VERY top teams as candidates for signing Miller -- and if worst came to worst, we still have both our amnesty buyouts left, so if we're willing to wait, we may actually be able to get Fleury for Miller straight up in a sense, with te only difference being a slightly bigger cap hit (which we may easily be able to afford if Orpik + Nisky, and possibly Jokinen, are gone, and the cap goes up even a little bit).

 

[66-30-33]

Miller.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

If I had my pick outside of both of these guys, I would go with neither. Miller would be ecstatic to be a Pengun, at least then Sid would own his ass in practice and not in games that matter.

But yeah, I would rather see the Penguins just buy out MAF after this season and sign Hiller for 2yrs. Then hopefully see if Hartzell has gained enough experience and battle it out for Zatkoff for the back-up job fulltime.

 

[Captain Hook]

It really just comes down to playoffs for me.

Marc-André Fleury's Playoff Save Percentages
2006–07 .880
2007–08 .933
2008–09 .908
2009–10 .891
2010–11 .899
2011–12 .834
2012–13 .883

Ryan Miller's Playoff Save Percentages
2005–06 .908
2006–07 .922
2009–10 .926
2010–11 .917

I know the sample size with Miller is smaller and he hasn't made the playoffs in a few years but I'd still take my chances with him over Fleury. There's a chance Miller may actually play well in the postseason. I don't see how anyone can honestly expect Fleury to play well that time of year. He's been too consistently terrible for years now.

 

[66-30-33]

.834 ....LOL!!! ouch.

 

[KIRK]

I really think 'A Firing Squad' needs to be added as a poll option.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I would rather Miller without question. The biggest negative about him is usually being kind of a dick in the locker room. I think that's something that winning could help considerably. Give him a good team to play with and I bet he settles down in that regard.

I wouldn't give up much for him. But if the space is available, I would swap Fleury and a mid pick for Miller in a heartbeat. Hell, I would swap them Fleury and Niskanen for Miller right now.

 

[TheSniper26]

It really just comes down to playoffs for me.

Marc-André Fleury's Playoff Save Percentages
2006–07 .880
2007–08 .933
2008–09 .908
2009–10 .891
2010–11 .899
2011–12 .834
2012–13 .883

Ryan Miller's Playoff Save Percentages
2005–06 .908
2006–07 .922
2009–10 .926
2010–11 .917

I know the sample size with Miller is smaller and he hasn't made the playoffs in a few years but I'd still take my chances with him over Fleury. There's a chance Miller may actually play well in the postseason. I don't see how anyone can honestly expect Fleury to play well that time of year. He's been too consistently terrible for years now.

It really is staggering that a guy could consistently put up numbers like that and still have a starting job at the end of it.

 

[KIRK]

It really is staggering that a guy could consistently put up numbers like that and still have a starting job at the end of it.

Why is it staggering? Bylsma still has a job for an almost equally futile playoff showing the last four years.

 

[ColePens]

Both goalies need a new team to start over again. It would be the best thing for the players but who knows which one would get their head together first.