How Does the Penguins Goaltending Situation Play Out? Is There a Precedent?

[Goose]

Murray starts (seems obvious), but how short of a leash is he on? If he gets blown out within first couple of games and Fleury comes in playing strong, does Fleury get the start afterwards?

I can't think of a comparable goaltending situation to this, especially if Pittsburgh manages to win another cup?

Click to read more...

 

[Empoleon8771]

He's not on a short leash. He's the Penguins starting goalie and has been absolutely incredible in the playoffs.

 

[orby]

I think it would take Murray laying 2 eggs in a row to lose starting privileges. Fleury stepped up in a huge way, but Murray has been the clear starter since around December. Unless Murray completely craps the bed he will start every game in the finals.

Regardless of whether they win the cup or not, Fleury will be gone. He will either waive his NMC to be made available for a trade/expansion, or be bought out.

 

[llamateizer]

Gerber and Ward with Carolina when they won the cup

 

[end]

Fuhr and Moog were both pretty good.

 

[PensPlz]

Fleury stepped up and exceeded expectations and got us through a tough first 2 rounds. But Murray is the better goalie and will (and should) start every SCF game.

IF we win the cup *knock on wood*, they do share the honor imo. Couldn't have done it without either of them.

 

[3074326]

Murray is the starter and will be going forward. There is no situation. If he has two horrendous games in a row, I could see a switch. But there is no goalie situation, unless you consider a clear 1 and a backup as a situation.

 

[Penske]

As others have said Murray would need two bad ones in a row. Just happy to have 2 good goalies.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

If the Pens get dominated territorially by Nashville, which seems unlikely at this point, and Sullivan feels his only chance to win the Cup is for his goaltender to stand on his head and steal multiple games, then maybe I could see a switch back to Fleury. But only if Murray really struggles with getting peppered.

Sullivan switched against Ottawa because his goaltender was no longer seeing a lot of rubber. Fleury is more like Curtis Joseph: the more pucks he sees the better he is. Murray is more like Martin Brodeur, he is as cool as a cucumber so he can go 10 minutes without seeing the puck and still not be fazed by it.

I don't think we would have beaten Ottawa without the goaltender switch. That said, I don't think we beat Washington without Fleury.

It's a nice problem to have, but it will only last one more round.

 

[radapex]

Murray is the starter and will be going forward. There is no situation. If he has two horrendous games in a row, I could see a switch. But there is no goalie situation, unless you consider a clear 1 and a backup as a situation.

Which is kind of a double standard, is it not? Considering Fleury lost the starting job with a rough ~10 minutes after posting two shutouts (and a 2-1 OT loss) in his previous 3 games.

 

[hagelin1381]

Which is kind of a double standard, is it not? Considering Fleury lost the starting job with a rough ~10 minutes after posting two shutouts (and a 2-1 OT loss) in his previous 3 games.

he had a .906 in his last 6 six starts before murray took over

 

[Bleedred]

This was Fleury's best playoffs in close to a decade and it may have even given a team like Calgary some confidence in trading for him and not having a repeat of what happened to them in this year's playoffs, with being completely sunk by goaltending. If not, he'll probably be the best goalie available for Vegas.

And I think the reason the leash was so short with him was because Fleury is in lame duck status there. I think that signals he's in lame duck status and that Murray is their guy and more than likely, Fleury will not be on the team next year.

 

[General Disarray]

This thread is pointless because Murray will not have a bad playoff game. He's starting all and will be winning his second cup.

 

[ManofSteel55]

There isn't really a "goalie situation". Matt Murray is their starting goalie. Marc Andre Fleury waives his no trade clause, or he gets bought out. Simple as that.

 

[VirginiaBob]

If anything, the Pens gained some trade value for MAF with his performance this year.

 

[Human]

Which is kind of a double standard, is it not? Considering Fleury lost the starting job with a rough ~10 minutes after posting two shutouts (and a 2-1 OT loss) in his previous 3 games.

how is it a double standard?

one goalie is the starter and the other is the back-up.

 

[madinsomniac]

Maf is going to Vegas in the offseason with well wishes from 99% of the fanbase

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Murray starts (seems obvious), but how short of a leash is he on? If he gets blown out within first couple of games and Fleury comes in playing strong, does Fleury get the start afterwards?

I can't think of a comparable goaltending situation to this, especially if Pittsburgh manages to win another cup?

Since 1970, only one Cup winning team had a similar situation:

1972 Boston Johnston 7 games, Cheevers 8 games.

In the 60s:

1965 Montréal Worsley 8 games, Hodges 5 games.

1969 Montréal Vachon 8 games, Worsley 7 games.

 

[Finesse]

Murray is the #1. If the backup gets brought in during the finals at some point it'll be no different that the same thing happening on any other team. MAF is almost certainly done in Pittsburgh after these playoffs.