I just get a feeling that if Maurice stays, which I think he will, the Jets will trade for Cam Ward. Likely a b prospect or picks. And Carolina picks up a portion of his salary.
Not sure if that's all that big of an upgrade, tbh, but it would be a goalie move.
That's possible. As a former Canes fan Maurice is a pretty big supporter of Ward. I have mixed feelings for Wardo, get in the playoffs and he's damn good, he gets up for those big games and is money. Getting there is difficult as his regular seasons are questionable. With that being said, Carolina as a whole is a very strange organization in that Jim Rutherford has never been able to get it right there after the cup win, I grew extremely frustrated by Rutherford and the moves he made as GM. Not to mention Carolina ran Ward right into the ground as their tender. But, with that being said, how would Cam Ward fair behind our team? tough to say.
08-09 was a really solid year for Ward. 09-10 was horrible for the team as they never were as good as they should have been or planned to be as a veteran team coming off a run to the conference finals. In both years Ward was able to pull off a SV% of .916. The following season (my last as a Canes fan pre-Jets returning) Ward was stellar. Took on a huge work load of 74 games and posted a SV% of .923. Carolina also allowed the most shots against that year, averaging 33.2 against per game. Even in 2011-12 Cam Ward played 68 games and Carolina once again faced the most shots in the entire league averaging 32.4 against per game, and Ward still managed a .915 SV% and 5 shutouts.
There is indeed a good goaltender in there, but Cam needs to get the heck out of Carolina in my opinion. And that looks to be the case this summer.
Truth be told, I would be fine with Ward here as someone who has watched him since he broke into the league, I believe there is still a very good goaltender in there. Players in Carolina go through drastic ups and downs given how that team is constructed by Rutherford. It is no coincidence they have made the playoffs
once in 8 years since winning it all in 2006, and as someone very familiar with that organization, a lot of that rests on the shoulders of how Rutherford assembles his roster, in my opinion.
If you look at the progression of Ward as a WHL goaltender, to the AHL, he was an damn fine prospect and former 1st round pick. His first couple/few years as the undisputed #1 in Carolina after winning the cup were a bit rough, but the kid was 22-23'ish and at that age being a #1 tender is damn difficult. And in Carolina too boot where the team struggled mightily and that was a ton of pressure on a young goaltender to carry that sad sack team after winning the cup. Not to mention Peter Laviolette was the coach and he hangs goaltenders out to dry like clothes on a clothesline with his all-out offense, offense, offense system. Carolina and Philly fans will you that first hand. Ward was legitimately hung out to dry those early years and it's a shame.
I don't believe in any universe Cam Ward is on the poor level of Pavelec. I also believe this Jets team would stand a fine chance at the playoffs with Ward. And once you get there, Ward is ****ing money. Truthfully, anyone who thinks Ward is simply a garbage goaltender either hasn't watched him/Carolina over the years to know what actually went on, or are simply looking at his recent numbers, in which Carolina has been an absolute write off. There is a reason Jim Rutherford is (finally) stepping aside this summer. He deserves tons of credit for that 2006 cup winning team, but man, as someone who was a Canes fan over the years he is a GM who could just never get it together.
Just not seeing the fascination some Jets fans have with Reimer - I have, however, been fascinated by Cam Ward (albeit some time ago).
