Is it too early to discuss Kinkaid vs Wedgewood?

[Maine Fan]

Based on last season and the few games this pre season I would pick Wedgewood instead of Kinkaid. I think he has more upside based on his performance.

What do you think?

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[Bleedred]

Based on last season and the few games this pre season I would pick Wedgewood instead of Kinkaid. I think he has more upside based on his performance.

What do you think?

Based on what last night? Two soft goals?

I pick Kinkaid, but only because I feel he's a lesser of two evils. I don't think either are good. He had a solid rookie season in 14-15 and Wedgewood had nothing but JUNK pro seasons before last year.

Kinkaid by process of elimination.

 

[PWiz30]

Based on what last night? Two soft goals?

I pick Kinkaid, but only because I feel he's a lesser of two evils. I don't think either are good. He had a solid rookie season in 14-15 and Wedgewood had nothing but JUNK pro seasons before last year.

Kinkaid by process of elimination.

You're right about the second goal but you're dramatically underestimating the degree of difficulty on the third one. The traffic Wedgewood was fighting through not only made him late picking up the pass, but it also meant his balance was compromised because he's in an unnatural position trying to find a lane to see the puck. Add to that the fact that the shot was knuckling and that goes in more often than not, regardless of who's in net.

 

[Bleedred]

You're right about the second goal but you're dramatically underestimating the degree of difficulty on the third one. The traffic Wedgewood was fighting through not only made him late picking up the pass, but it also meant his balance was compromised because he's in an unnatural position trying to find a lane to see the puck. Add to that the fact that the shot was knuckling and that goes in more often than not, regardless of who's in net.

It wasn't a terrible goal, like the second one. But I feel it was still stoppable, as he wasn't across the crease when the shot was taken and was already pretty much in position. The fact that he got such a big piece of it, I don't think that was a great goal. I would classify that as stoppable. I don't remember there being a whole lot of traffic on goal 3 either, on goal 1 there was. I can even start picking apart goal 1 if I really wanted to be a jerk, but he was screened and that would be pretty petty.

I really feel Wedgewood is terribly overrated around here. If not for his 4 game hot streak last year and Kinkaid having a bad season, I don't think we're even having this conversation and I don't even think Kinkaid's job would be in any kind of jeopardy.

Wedgewood was a BAD goaltender before last year, that's the bottom line. Unless you think he has seriously turned a corner or that Kinkaid is as bad as he was last year (he actually might very well be that bad) I don't see what the Wedgewood hype is all about.

 

[PWiz30]

BTW, if I'm Shero I'd keep Wedge strictly because I think there's a greater risk of losing him to a waiver claim. The other idea I've been kicking around is trading one of them for a pick and avoiding the waiver issue altogether.

 

[Bleedred]

BTW, if I'm Shero I'd keep Wedge strictly because I think there's a greater risk of losing him to a waiver claim. The other idea I've been kicking around is trading one of them for a pick and avoiding the waiver issue altogether.

I don't see anybody trading for either of these guys.

Wedgewood was the inferior goalie between the two, outside of last season. And in the AHL playoffs, his play regressed to what he's been for the 3 prior years.

I usually don't hold small sample sizes against a goalie, but it's more alarming when you've been bad for 3 years before that and the fact that before the playoffs, Wedgewood played 22 games. Whereas the two previous AHL seasons, he played 36 games

Kinkaid was every bit as bad as I made him out to be last year, maybe even possibly worse, if that was possible. But he did have a solid rookie season. I think he deserves a chance to bounce back, even if I don't have much confidence in him. If I had it my way, I wouldn't want either of these guys playing a significant amount of games at all, but Cory can't start every game either.

 

[PWiz30]

It wasn't a terrible goal, like the second one. But I feel it was still stoppable, as he wasn't across the crease when the shot was taken and was already pretty much in position. The fact that he got such a big piece of it, I don't think that was a great goal. I would classify that as stoppable. I don't remember there being a whole lot of traffic on goal 3 either, on goal 1 there was. I can even start picking apart goal 1 if I really wanted to be a jerk, but he was screened and that would be pretty petty.

I really feel Wedgewood is terribly overrated around here. If not for his 4 game hot streak last year and Kinkaid having a bad season, I don't think we're even having this conversation and I don't even think Kinkaid's job would be in any kind of jeopardy.

Wedgewood was a BAD goaltender before last year, that's the bottom line. Unless you think he has seriously turned a corner or that Kinkaid is as bad as he was last year (he actually might very well be that bad) I don't see what the Wedgewood hype is all about.

I agree with everything you said in the second and third paragraph but I've played the position at a relatively high level and the third goal was a tougher situation than you're giving credit for. It's not like he didn't have a chance at all, but that would have been his best save of the game.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Whoever wins keeps the seat warm for MBW in two seasons.

 

[Bleedred]

Whoever wins keeps the seat warm for MBW in two seasons.

Wedgewood needs to show that his first 2 or 3 pro seasons were a fluke, or Kinkaid needs to show last season was an anomaly, for me to want either of them around the year after this one.

 

[Bleedred]

I agree with everything you said in the second and third paragraph but I've played the position at a relatively high level and the third goal was a tougher situation than you're giving credit for. It's not like he didn't have a chance at all, but that would have been his best save of the game.

Which is why I say it wasn't a terrible goal, but it was kind of stoppable.

Usually I don't ding a goalie for a one timer or backdoor goal, because a goaltender is usually not able to be in position for a one timer. On that goal, I think he was in decent position by the time he faced the shot.

It wasn't as bad as almost 20 goals that Kinkaid allowed in the regular season last year though.

 

[Maine Fan]

Based on what last night? Two soft goals?

I pick Kinkaid, but only because I feel he's a lesser of two evils. I don't think either are good. He had a solid rookie season in 14-15 and Wedgewood had nothing but JUNK pro seasons before last year.

Kinkaid by process of elimination.

How can anyone decide based on one or two goals?

 

[Maine Fan]

It wasn't a terrible goal, like the second one. But I feel it was still stoppable, as he wasn't across the crease when the shot was taken and was already pretty much in position. The fact that he got such a big piece of it, I don't think that was a great goal. I would classify that as stoppable. I don't remember there being a whole lot of traffic on goal 3 either, on goal 1 there was. I can even start picking apart goal 1 if I really wanted to be a jerk, but he was screened and that would be pretty petty.

I really feel Wedgewood is terribly overrated around here. If not for his 4 game hot streak last year and Kinkaid having a bad season, I don't think we're even having this conversation and I don't even think Kinkaid's job would be in any kind of jeopardy.

Wedgewood was a BAD goaltender before last year, that's the bottom line. Unless you think he has seriously turned a corner or that Kinkaid is as bad as he was last year (he actually might very well be that bad) I don't see what the Wedgewood hype is all about.

didn't your statement just make the decision for Wedgewood?

 

[PWiz30]

Wedgewood needs to show that his first 2 or 3 pro seasons were a fluke, or Kinkaid needs to show last season was an anomaly, for me to want either of them around the year after this one.

To be fair, Wedgewood turned 20 two months before his first pro season. To put that in perspective, Jonathan Quick (who plays a similar style to Wedgewood) was halfway through his freshman year at UMass when he turned 20. Not saying we have any reason to believe he can develop into the kind of player Quick is, but young goalies typically don't excel in professional hockey at that age, even in the Coast.

 

[Bleedred]

How can anyone decide based on one or two goals?

Fortunately for us, we have about 3 years of data prior to last year that says Wedgewood was a bad goaltender.

So we don't know yet if he's legit turned a corner or if he's the horrendous goaltender that he was prior to last year.

In fact, we have over 80 games worth of pro data where he has not been good and not even 30 (including his 4 NHL games last year) where he has been good.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Would we actually lose Wegdewood to waivers? A goalie with like four games of NHL experience and only 1/3 season as starter in the AHL?

 

[Maine Fan]

Whoever wins keeps the seat warm for MBW in two seasons.

Isn't that what this discussion is all about? this season and losing one of them?

 

[Bleedred]

Would we actually lose Wegdewood to waivers? A goalie with like four games of NHL experience and only 1/3 season as starter in the AHL?

I'm almost positive that Scott Clemmensen was a UFA in 2004. For those that aren't aware or just don't remember, Clemmensen had an identical first 4 NHL starts in 03-04 as Wedgewood did this past season.

He had to re-sign with us, I'm guessing due to little interest.

The only difference was that he was 27 then, whereas Wedgewood is 24.

Wedgewood also was an earlier pick in his draft and had a higher ceiling. I think the chances of Wedgewood or Kinkaid being claimed is low. I'd think if they're claimed, it's by an organization in which someone working there has history with one of them. The Islanders did claim Berube on waivers from the Kings, but I think he had a better AHL resume than Wedgewood.

I think they'll either need to have history with someone working there or maybe a scout in their organization having familiarity or something.

 

[Maine Fan]

Wedgewood needs to show that his first 2 or 3 pro seasons were a fluke, or Kinkaid needs to show last season was an anomaly, for me to want either of them around the year after this one.

We are talking only about this season. Who can guess what will happen in the future?

 

[PWiz30]

I don't see anybody trading for either of these guys.

LA traded for Jack Campbell recently. I'm not saying you'd get a whole lot back, but it's better than nothing.

Would we actually lose Wegdewood to waivers? A goalie with like four games of NHL experience and only 1/3 season as starter in the AHL?

Probably not, but the odds of losing Wedgewood are probably higher than losing Kinkaid to waivers.

 

[Bleedred]

didn't your statement just make the decision for Wedgewood?

Because of 4 games? Are you kidding me?

Scott Clemmensen looked amazing in 4 games in 03-04. Corey Schwab looked even more amazing that same season in 3 games.

 

[Emperoreddy]

This is an absolutely thankless job.

Based on preseason I'd give Kink the leg up, but I don't th but no it matters much since Cory is playing 60+

 

[Maine Fan]

Fortunately for us, we have about 3 years of data prior to last year that says Wedgewood was a bad goaltender.

So we don't know yet if he's legit turned a corner or if he's the horrendous goaltender that he was prior to last year.

In fact, we have over 80 games worth of pro data where he has not been good and not even 30 (including his 4 NHL games last year) where he has been good.

And what do we have about Kinkaid other than a bad season?

 

[Bleedred]

We are talking only about this season. Who can guess what will happen in the future?

Then I think we need to base it off a larger body of work and not just recent trends.

Kinkaid has been the better goaltender for all but last season. That's not so much a vote of confidence for Kinkaid, as it is a vote against Wedgewood for me.

I'm not convinced that he's as good as he was last season.

 

[Bleedred]

And what do we have about Kinkaid other than a bad season?

The 14-15 season?

He was solid that season. Had a .915 save percentage and .933 at even strength. That's not bad for a backup.

 

[Bleedred]

This is an absolutely thankless job.

Based on preseason I'd give Kink the leg up, but I don't th but no it matters much since Cory is playing 60+

If the backup is as bad as Kinkaid was last season, we might need him to play 65-68, no matter who the backup is.

I think he would have started close to 70 last year, if not for that injury.