1st year in nhl but husso played poorly in the ahl last year. There is plenty signs to suggest he won't make it.
Confirmed with Link: Jake Allen Traded to MTL
- Thread starter DoubleK81
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It can be true both that Husso isn’t nhl goalie and paying Allen what he was earning as backup was not good use of resources under cap. Dealing Allen was smart. But we need to at least bring in someone to challenge husso as backup.
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Brian39
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- Apr 24, 2014
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Downstairs as in a player from inside the organization?
It is incredibly unlikely that Hofer will get any consideration as the NHL backup next year. He is 20, has 10 career pro games and posted a sub-.900 through those games. He is almost certainly not ready to be in the NHL full time. Even if he is, he needs starts in order to develop and he isn't going to get that as the backup in the NHL. Plunking him behind Binner as the backup means that he would be on track to play fewer than 50 games over his first 3 years as a pro. That would ensure that he never reaches anything close to his potential and would be brutal asset management. The development trajectory for Hofer is to get him 100 AHL starts over the next 2 seasons unless Binner's game implodes. Hofer won't be a UFA until after Binner's contract expires. His development path is going to be designed to maximize the chances of him becoming a starter and stealing the crease from Binner during the last couple years of Binner's deal (as a nice cost-controlled asset). They aren't going to harm that development by having him chill as an NHL backup at 21.
Fitpatrick is closer to the ECHL than being an NHL backup at this point in his career. He's played 14 professional games in the last 2 seasons and 12 of those were in the ECHL. There is next to no chance he is competing to be the NHL backup in camp next year.
Gillies is a career AHLer. He is 27 and played his last NHL game over 3 years ago. He's also a UFA after this year.
Barring catastrophic injury or an acquisition from outside the organization, Husso is the backup next year.
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I think Husso has been a disappointment this season, but it’s nit the same as thinking he’s useless going forward. He’s shown improvement and growth. I’d like to see a journeyman vet that he has to beat out for the spot next season, but I’d bet Husso is the guy again.
Reality Czech
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I honestly don't think having Allen instead of Husso would have made a huge difference this year. Husso looked shaky at times but the team also had terrible stretches where it didn't really matter who was in net. The decision to trade Allen had more to do with making Binnington THE guy, as opposed to Husso. Once the decision was made to give Binnington the majority of the starts it didn't make much sense to keep Allen. We did get something in return for him, and having Husso in the AHL for another year (or losing him to waivers) didn't make much sense either. Keeping Allen around would have only opened the door for another goalie controversy and complicated Binnington's contract situation. Right or wrong, the team put all their chips on Binner and that's the main reason Allen was moved.
I've criticized Husso plenty this year, but he's shown me enough that I am not ready to give up on him just yet. Cheap veteran backup goalies aren't that hard to find if he totally falls apart, but I wouldn't stress too much about going into next year with him as the backup. I have little to base this on, but I bet he'll be better next year with a full year of NHL experience under his belt.
I've criticized Husso plenty this year, but he's shown me enough that I am not ready to give up on him just yet. Cheap veteran backup goalies aren't that hard to find if he totally falls apart, but I wouldn't stress too much about going into next year with him as the backup. I have little to base this on, but I bet he'll be better next year with a full year of NHL experience under his belt.
