Lethonen gets 4th win !

[CRAZY_FAN]

Impressive...

Click to read more...

 

[Freaky Habs Fan]

Yup, and next year, he could win the Calder...if he play enough and if Ovechkin is not playing...

 

[CRAZY_FAN]

I really see him as a potential calder candidate, but i still beleive that goaltenders takes longer before they make a real impact. My pick would still be Ovechkin if he does play of course.

 

[thatguyjohnson]

UNDEFEATED!!

He'll get the Calder, ala Nabokov, Brodeur, Belfour...

 

[V for Voodoo]

Raycroft..

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Raycroft..

raycroft's gonna get it next year too?

 

[dunwoody_joe]

I've carefully watched each of Lehtonen's games so far and I'll say he is quite impressive.

His style reminds me of a young Dryden or Roy. He is big, quick with a classic butterfly style. Most impressive is his demeanor. He is quietly confident, calming and the team plays better in front of him.

He stoned Vinny on a penalty shot last night then skated toward him in an confrontive/confident way. It was a pleasure to watch!!

He has the inside track to the Calder next year--if there is a next year!

 

[Til the End of Time]

Did Lehtonen stop Vinny on the PS or did he miss the net on the backhand?

Either way Kari deserves credit but I couldn't tell what happened with one glimpse of it

 

[Pachoo]

Did Lehtonen stop Vinny on the PS or did he miss the net on the backhand?

Either way Kari deserves credit but I couldn't tell what happened with one glimpse of it

Lehtonen didn't give Vinny any room to shoot the puck..he kept gliding through the net as Vinny tried to position himself and Vinny eventually shot the puck past the goal.

 

[Pachoo]

Lehtonen has been amazing in his first 4 NHL games. Look at his gamelog:

3/19 FLA 19 Saves/21 Shots on Goal/Win
3/24 WAS 23 Saves/25 Shots on Goal/Win
3/27 FLA 30 Saves/30 Shots on Goal/Win
4/3 TAM 29 Saves/30 Shots on Goal/Win

Totals:

101 Saves
106 Shots on Goal
.953 Save Percentage
1.26 Goals Against Average
4 Games Played/4 Wins



I think the Thrashers have a franchise goalie on their hands. I am disappointed the season is over for us but I am very optimistic about the future since we have such a talented core (Kovalchuk, Heatley, Lehtonen).

 

[Safir*]

Olli Jokinen on Kari Lethonen!!!

http://www.ajc.com/thrashers/content/sports/thrashers/0304/24thrash.html

Florida Panthers center Olli Jokinen has a unique perspective with which to measure Thrashers goalie Kari Lehtonen. As a result, Jokinen isn't afraid to make some lofty pronouncements.

Jokinen, the Panthers' top scorer the past two seasons, was traded to the New York Islanders for the 1999-2000 season and has played alongside current Florida goalie Roberto Luongo since.

Luongo was named an All-Star this season and is regarded as a strong candidate for the Hart (MVP) and Vezina (top goaltender) trophies as one of the game's two top goalies along with New Jersey's Martin Brodeur.

So how does 20-year-old Lehtonen, with whom Jokinen roomed two years ago with the Finnish team at the World Championships, stack up?

"I look back when Louie came in the league his first year," Jokinen said. "I've got to be honest, this kid is better than Luongo was when Luongo came in the league.

"This guy, he will be the guy I'd build a franchise around. They've got [Dany] Heatley and [Ilya] Kovalchuk already, but this guy is going to win a lot of games for this team. I think he's capable of playing in this league already."

Lehtonen said he appreciates the compliment but also wouldn't mind if so much attention weren't being paid to him.

Wishful thinking. After winning his debut on Friday, 3-2 over Florida, Lehtonen will start again tonight against Washington, his final home appearance of the season. Thrashers coach Bob Hartley, who normally doesn't reveal his goaltending schedule beyond the next game, has said Lehtonen and Pasi Nurminen will split the final six games.

Lehtonen also will play Saturday at Florida and the final game of the season at Tampa Bay. Hartley said he thought Lehtonen was "very poised."

"The Kari we saw in practice was the Kari we saw in the game," Hartley said. "He's moving tremendously well."

Lehtonen said he felt nervous -- although less so than in his AHL debut earlier this season -- but said that is common for him. He didn't like the second goal he allowed but still was pleased.

Wow. Better than Luongo?

Thanks Olli.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

I think the Thrashers have a franchise goalie on their hands. I am disappointed the season is over for us but I am very optimistic about the future since we have such a talented core (Kovalchuk, Heatley, Lehtonen).

Don't shortchange yourself. You've got a couple rocks on the blueline too: Coburn and Exelby.

 

[dunwoody_joe]

Did Lehtonen stop Vinny on the PS or did he miss the net on the backhand?

Either way Kari deserves credit but I couldn't tell what happened with one glimpse of it

Kari schooled Vinny like he was a rookie.
Vinny deked and went backhand. Kari didn't bite on the deke and shutdown the entire backhand side. Once Vinny was at an impossible angle, with nothing to shoot for he flicked it wide. Wouldn't have mattered--stoned cold!

But the best part was right after. Kari skated out and glared at Vinny as he skated away. It felt like he said (or was thinking), "Take that lame sh.t out of here. Is that all you've got, punk? I am your worst nightmare--for the next 15 years!"

Maybe that was what I was thinking.

 

[Hockeycrazed07]

I'm among Lehtonen's biggest fans, but this hype needs to be tempered a bit. Wait until the NHL finds some weakness in his game (as it does for all keepers), and then build the hype around him.

~Crazed.

 

[Samsonites]

How many games do you think he will play next year?

 

[Teemu]

Kari's amazing. Finland's really starting to come out with some great goaltenders, with Kari leading the pack

 

[dunwoody_joe]

How many games do you think he will play next year?

I suspect that he wins the #1 job out of camp next year. If so, I expect 40-50 games.

Hard to say what to expect from him over the course of entire year, but if he performs as he has this year (AHL and 4 NHL games), we have a Calder winner.

By next year he'll have acclimated to North America, grown into his body and studied up the NHL forwards. If the Thrashers add some defense to the equation...

 

[Tristelune]

Potential Calder Candidate for next season if there is NHL:

Kari Lehtonen, Alexander Ovchekin, Marc André Fleury!

Now that will be fun to watch

 

[Pachoo]

Potential Calder Candidate for next season if there is NHL:

Kari Lehtonen, Alexander Ovchekin, Marc André Fleury!

Now that will be fun to watch

Is Fleury still eligible to win the Calder next year? I thought he used up his rookie eligibility this season.

 

[Tristelune]

Since he didn't play 25 games this season, I believe he still an potential candidate! I may be wrong thoug!

 

[Dupuis>Ilya]

I suspect that he wins the #1 job out of camp next year. If so, I expect 40-50 games.

I'm expecting Nurminen to be the starter out of camp, but that Lehtonen will take the job over the course of the season.

 

[dunwoody_joe]

I'm expecting Nurminen to be the starter out of camp, but that Lehtonen will take the job over the course of the season.

Could turn out that way, but why?

From what I have seen of Kari this year (granted only 4 games), I could see him as the #1 right out of camp. Maybe Bob makes them co-#1s and they split time.

All I can say is this: Kari seems ready for prime time now!

 

[btn]

Nurminen is on record as saying he is not going to participate in the World Cup just so he can be in terrific shape(for him at least) for the next season.

Pasi knows full well the challenge he faces from Kari for the #1 spot, and I think this will be a very exciting preseason in Atlanta with the top goalie role up for grabs.

Right now I would put my money on Pasi just due to how slowly the Thrashers have brought along Kari, and how well it has worked thus far.

 

[Kyri]

Nurminen is on record as saying he is not going to participate in the World Cup just so he can be in terrific shape(for him at least) for the next season.

I think he ment World Championships not World Cup. Two different tournaments.

 

[Blatny Spears]

Kyri is right. He's going to skip the World Championships but would like to play in the World Cup if he can.