Is Chad Johnson the real deal? A legit starter?

[MapleLeafs9]

Michael Leighton or Brian Boucher are 2 goalies that are similar to Johnson to me. Backups that got hot at the right times.

 

[Bleedred]

Elliott's numbers are skewed from a small sample size and poor play in front of him. Seems like when he plays he is having a good game and then the Flames turn stupid. Take the last game against the Sabres for example, Elliott had been playing fantastic, then the Flames take 3 sequential penalties (they were already at 4 on 4 IIRC) and then they had the worst 90 seconds on the PK that I have ever seen and it resulted in 3 goals against, none of which were his fault.

I think he may be unlucky to an extent, but he hasn't played as well as Johnson, even with the eye test.

I expect he'll finish the season with a save percentage above 90% though. I think there's potential that he can get hot and go on a run and finish with average/above average numbers if Johnson cools down and he gets back in there.

 

[Lunatik]

I think he may be unlucky to an extent, but he hasn't played as well as Johnson, even with the eye test.

I expect he'll finish the season with a save percentage above 90% though. I think there's potential that he can get hot and go on a run and finish with average/above average numbers if Johnson cools down and he gets back in there.

I never suggested he has played as well as Johnson. Johnson has been phenomenal so far.

 

[Johnnybegood13]

Chad Johnson

Haven't seen a a goalie with steel nerves like this since Kipper

 

[DarrenBanks56]

yeah- he's in the zone.
He's barely breaking a sweat out there.
Puck must look like a beach ball to him right now.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Elliott's numbers are skewed from a small sample size and poor play in front of him. Seems like when he plays he is having a good game and then the Flames turn stupid. Take the last game against the Sabres for example, Elliott had been playing fantastic, then the Flames take 3 sequential penalties (they were already at 4 on 4 IIRC) and then they had the worst 90 seconds on the PK that I have ever seen and it resulted in 3 goals against, none of which were his fault.

While it's true Elliott isn't as bad as his numbers suggest, he's not in Johnson's class as a goaltender. I was always perplexed by the hype for Elliott, who's career numbers outside of St Louis were very mediocre. It was very obvious to me that he was being propped up by the system in St Louis - he was never a great goaltender - I still hold that Ramo is much better.

Crazy stat: Johnson is 11-4-1. The Flames are 14-13-2.

 

[madmike77]

While it's true Elliott isn't as bad as his numbers suggest, he's not in Johnson's class as a goaltender. I was always perplexed by the hype for Elliott, who's career numbers outside of St Louis were very mediocre. It was very obvious to me that he was being propped up by the system in St Louis - he was never a great goaltender - I still hold that Ramo is much better.

Crazy stat: Johnson is 11-4-1. The Flames are 14-13-2.

And not surprisingly Elliott is 3-9-1. I kind of feel bad for the guy. This was his big chance to establish himself as a top starter and so far it has blown up in his face.

 

[Tom Collins]

He's the real deal, but it's a long season. A .930 is unsustainable for just about any human unless they are Carey Price, who is probably not even a human. Elliott's struggles are just as unsustainable.

I'm glad to have some goaltending this year though.

Came here to post this.

Johnson isn't as good as he has been, and Elliott isn't as bad as he has been. In my opinion, it'll wash out.

Only thing that will burn the Flames (ha!) is if Johnson falters before Elliott picks it back up. It only takes a 3-5 game losing streak at this point of the season for everything to fall apart, so let's hope that doesn't happen.

I secretly hope for a 1st-Rd BoA, so as much as I want to see that series go 4-0 in Edmonton's favour, I gotta pull for you guys to make it (and for us to stave off the seemingly inevitable implosion).

 

[Rubi]

Johnson is legit.

With the exception of his play in NY his stats prove it. NY is an outlier.

2013-14 Boston Bruins 27 GP, 2.10 GA, 0.925 Save %
2014-15 New York Islanders 19 GP, 3.08 GA, 0.889 Save %
2015-16 Buffalo Sabres 45 GP, 2.36 GA 0.920 Save %
2016-17 Calgary Flames 16 GP, 2.04 GA, 0.931 Save %

After the season he had in Buffalo... I'll say that again folks... BUFFALO!!!, I'm surprised that someone didn't grab him before the Flames did.

The guy played 45 games for Buffalo, and ended up with a 2.36 GA average and a 0.920 Save %...... for Buffalo!!!

 

[leafsfan1234]

Of course he is, please extend him to a 6x6 contract he really deserves it.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

After the season he had in Buffalo... I'll say that again folks... BUFFALO!!!, I'm surprised that someone didn't grab him before the Flames did.

The guy played 45 games for Buffalo, and ended up with a 2.36 GA average and a 0.920 Save %...... for Buffalo!!!

The Sabres have facilitated competent goaltending from multiple vets even while tanking, I'm not sure your point.

 

[HighLifeMan]

Michael Leighton or Brian Boucher are 2 goalies that are similar to Johnson to me. Backups that got hot at the right times.

Johnson has been "hot" for the vast majority of his career though, and Boucher received a far greater opportunity to play.

You are comparing two career .901 SV% goalies to a guy with a career .919 SV% and far superior win/loss record (61-34-12).

 

[Rubi]

The Sabres have facilitated competent goaltending from multiple vets even while tanking, I'm not sure your point.

My point is he had a pretty crappy team playing in front of him and he still managed to post very good numbers over 45 games.

Does that make him a legit starter? Maybe not if you just look at last years season but I think it does if you look at his stats over the last 4 years. I've watched every game he's played with the Flames and he's the real deal. He's excellent positionally, great rebound control, and doesn't let many soft goals in. The guy gives his team a chance to win... and really, thats all you can ask of a starter.

His big chance has finally arrived and I'm confident that he'll run with it.

 

[Reinhart]

While it's true Elliott isn't as bad as his numbers suggest, he's not in Johnson's class as a goaltender. I was always perplexed by the hype for Elliott, who's career numbers outside of St Louis were very mediocre. It was very obvious to me that he was being propped up by the system in St Louis - he was never a great goaltender - I still hold that Ramo is much better.

Crazy stat: Johnson is 11-4-1. The Flames are 14-13-2.

I will agree with Johnson being better than Elliott, but that is as far as I would agree with your post.

Elliott is not a 'product of the St. Louis Blues defence'. He wasn't good anywhere else until St. Louis? That sounds familiar.. like.. most goalies that don't get established at first in an organization? Giguere in Calgary sucked, and then became world-class in Anaheim years later. Kipper was an afterthought in San Jose until Calgary got him. If you look around the league, a lot of goalies have the exact developmental path that Elliott had.

Let's look at some goalies from St. Louis over the years.

Ryan Miller - his save percentage after St. Louis acquired him actually DROPPED, and then went back up the next year in Vancouver. I guess you can argue that Miller is a product of the even more defensive Vancouver Canucks?

How about Halak in St. Louis? His worst ever save percentage happened there one year, and the rest of his numbers were a bit lower than in Montreal or in Washington. About the same that they are on the Islanders now.

That whole "Elliott is a product of St. Louis' Defence" is simply hogwash that keeps getting repeated. If other goalies that have been through that team aren't showing it, then why would we assume Elliott is as well?

I expect Johnson to maintain a firm grasp on the starter's job in Calgary, but I also expect Elliott to vastly improve. The whole team played like junk - especially defensively - to start the year. Elliott has been looking better in his (rare) starts, and I bet he does much better as he gets his starts.

Ramo - Hey, I love Ramo, and think he was so underrated. I am hoping that LA ends up signing him, and we can all see how great he is, especially behind a solid defensive team that doesn't give many 2nd and third opportunities for him to worry about. However, he doesn't have Elliott's pedigree. I wouldn't rate Ramo ahead right now at all. Elliott is (IMO) criminally underrated, though he hasn't helped his cause so far this year.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I will agree with Johnson being better than Elliott, but that is as far as I would agree with your post.

Elliott is not a 'product of the St. Louis Blues defence'. He wasn't good anywhere else until St. Louis? That sounds familiar.. like.. most goalies that don't get established at first in an organization? Giguere in Calgary sucked, and then became world-class in Anaheim years later. Kipper was an afterthought in San Jose until Calgary got him. If you look around the league, a lot of goalies have the exact developmental path that Elliott had.

Let's look at some goalies from St. Louis over the years.

Ryan Miller - his save percentage after St. Louis acquired him actually DROPPED, and then went back up the next year in Vancouver. I guess you can argue that Miller is a product of the even more defensive Vancouver Canucks?

How about Halak in St. Louis? His worst ever save percentage happened there one year, and the rest of his numbers were a bit lower than in Montreal or in Washington. About the same that they are on the Islanders now.

That whole "Elliott is a product of St. Louis' Defence" is simply hogwash that keeps getting repeated. If other goalies that have been through that team aren't showing it, then why would we assume Elliott is as well?

I expect Johnson to maintain a firm grasp on the starter's job in Calgary, but I also expect Elliott to vastly improve. The whole team played like junk - especially defensively - to start the year. Elliott has been looking better in his (rare) starts, and I bet he does much better as he gets his starts.

Ramo - Hey, I love Ramo, and think he was so underrated. I am hoping that LA ends up signing him, and we can all see how great he is, especially behind a solid defensive team that doesn't give many 2nd and third opportunities for him to worry about. However, he doesn't have Elliott's pedigree. I wouldn't rate Ramo ahead right now at all. Elliott is (IMO) criminally underrated, though he hasn't helped his cause so far this year.

Miller and Halak's GAA was better with the Blues than with other teams. What does that tell you? SYSTEM! With how little shots Blues allow, no s*** their save percentage drops. Plus both Miller and Halak have played very mediocre at best outside of St. Louis (Well not Miller for the prime years). Halak's 2009-2010 season is an outlier. Allen's stats minus his final year were worse in the AHL than in the NHL...

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I will agree with Johnson being better than Elliott, but that is as far as I would agree with your post.

Elliott is not a 'product of the St. Louis Blues defence'. He wasn't good anywhere else until St. Louis? That sounds familiar.. like.. most goalies that don't get established at first in an organization? Giguere in Calgary sucked, and then became world-class in Anaheim years later. Kipper was an afterthought in San Jose until Calgary got him. If you look around the league, a lot of goalies have the exact developmental path that Elliott had.

Let's look at some goalies from St. Louis over the years.

Ryan Miller - his save percentage after St. Louis acquired him actually DROPPED, and then went back up the next year in Vancouver. I guess you can argue that Miller is a product of the even more defensive Vancouver Canucks?

How about Halak in St. Louis? His worst ever save percentage happened there one year, and the rest of his numbers were a bit lower than in Montreal or in Washington. About the same that they are on the Islanders now.

That whole "Elliott is a product of St. Louis' Defence" is simply hogwash that keeps getting repeated. If other goalies that have been through that team aren't showing it, then why would we assume Elliott is as well?

I expect Johnson to maintain a firm grasp on the starter's job in Calgary, but I also expect Elliott to vastly improve. The whole team played like junk - especially defensively - to start the year. Elliott has been looking better in his (rare) starts, and I bet he does much better as he gets his starts.

Ramo - Hey, I love Ramo, and think he was so underrated. I am hoping that LA ends up signing him, and we can all see how great he is, especially behind a solid defensive team that doesn't give many 2nd and third opportunities for him to worry about. However, he doesn't have Elliott's pedigree. I wouldn't rate Ramo ahead right now at all. Elliott is (IMO) criminally underrated, though he hasn't helped his cause so far this year.

Elliott was hardly lacking establishment. He played over 140 games before going to St Louis were he was a .901 sv% goalie. He actually had back to back 55 game game seasons before ever becoming a Blue (he never played more than 46 games in a single season his entire time in St Louis).

He's just not that good of a goalie.

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

He's passing the eye test for me. That aura of poise some goalies give off is a really good indicator of a goalie that could is legit at this level. Matters more than pure skill IMO. See MAF vs Murray.

 

[Caged Great]

First time since March 6-15 2012 that a Flames goalie started and won five straight games.

Another game, another 1 goal against performance by the Chad.

 

[Kitchener Boy]

My point is he had a pretty crappy team playing in front of him and he still managed to post very good numbers over 45 games.

Does that make him a legit starter? Maybe not if you just look at last years season but I think it does if you look at his stats over the last 4 years. I've watched every game he's played with the Flames and he's the real deal. He's excellent positionally, great rebound control, and doesn't let many soft goals in. The guy gives his team a chance to win... and really, thats all you can ask of a starter.

His big chance has finally arrived and I'm confident that he'll run with it.

He is playing great good for Chad.
But had a big weakness when in Boston.

Wraparounds

 

[Volica]

Ocho is the most calming presences the Flames have had on the backend in what seems like forever. The guy is solid positionally.

 

[Moskau]

My point is he had a pretty crappy team playing in front of him and he still managed to post very good numbers over 45 games.

Does that make him a legit starter? Maybe not if you just look at last years season but I think it does if you look at his stats over the last 4 years. I've watched every game he's played with the Flames and he's the real deal. He's excellent positionally, great rebound control, and doesn't let many soft goals in. The guy gives his team a chance to win... and really, thats all you can ask of a starter.

His big chance has finally arrived and I'm confident that he'll run with it.

You know who also looked good in front of Buffalo? Anders Lindback, Jhonas Enroth and now Anders Nilsson and Robin Lehner. Goalies have looked good in Buffalo for the last 30 years. It's the one thing Buffalo sports can do right.

 

[Lunatik]

TresUno has been fantastic, sustainable or not; I am loving every second of this local boy makes good story.

 

[Proust*]

Absolutely not. He doesn't have a goalie's name. It's a football player name. Won't last.

 

[SLAPSHOT723]

He was one of the worst Isles goalies I've ever seen. Extremely slow lateral movement. I don't know, I wouldn't trust him for a long stretch if I were a Flames fan.

 

[Lunatik]

He was one of the worst Isles goalies I've ever seen. Extremely slow lateral movement. I don't know, I wouldn't trust him for a long stretch if I were a Flames fan.

Johnson has now played in 118 games and started 105 games, the only real blemish on his record is 19 games (17 starts) with the Islanders. I mean really look at his numbers on the Island, in Calgary and then the rest of his career....

| GP | GS | W | L | T/O | GA | SA | SV | SV% | GAA | SO | MIN
New York Islanders | 19 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 54 | 488 | 434 | 0.889 | 3.08 | 0 | 1053
Calgary Flames | 17 | 17 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 34 | 503 | 469 | 0.932 | 1.98 | 3 | 1031
NYR, PHX, BOS & BUF | 82 | 71 | 42 | 22 | 10 | 173 | 2232 | 2059 | 0.922 | 2.23 | 4 | 4650
Career | 118 | 105 | 62 | 34 | 12 | 261 | 3223 | 2962 | 0.919 | 2.33 | 7 | 6734

Now why should we take the 17 starts of his career starts with the Islanders as the gospel as how Johnson will play? He has now started as many games for Calgary as he did with the Isles and played just 22 fewer minutes total. Looking at his numbers with CGY and NYI next to the rest of his career doesn't it seem more likely at this point that his time with the Islanders is more of an anomaly than his current play? No doubt he has likely been playing over his head the last 10 or so games, but his time so far with Calgary is much closer to what he has done elsewhere than his Islander and Flame stints. What in your mind makes those extra 22 minutes with the Isles the be all and end all of his career when they are a greater deviation from the norm?