Mess
Global Moderator
Mizral said:The Messenger,
For someone who proclaims he sees every prospect that ever played, you'd think you know that most young goaltenders take much, much longer than skaters to break into the NHL.
Also, if you've read any reports of the Caps training camps, you'd know that Caps management wants to keep him in the AHL as to groom him as a starter and have him play lots of games, rather than perhaps blow away his confidence as a backup playing behind Olaf Kolzig.
To say Ouelette is close to 'bust' status is absolutely inept. Marty Turco wasn't a starter in the NHL 'till he was 27 for christs sakes.
EDIT: MacIssac brings up a good point. It might be a concern if he was falling on his face in the AHL. But his stats in the American league are very impressive.
I never said that he was a bust ....but he has not proved anything at the NHL level yet... and only a fortune teller can tells us how he can turn out.. He could never make the jump, get injured or get traded to a deep team.. Fleury is proving it , Oulette my point has not PROVED anything yet, and while talented still needs to prove it.... His team not wanting to ruin his confidence is not a strong aurgument...If he was so talented on par to Fleury he would now be in the NHL, even if it was for just a game or two like they have with his Teammate Rastislav Stana (G)..yet he has never played in a NHL game with Washington EVER in his 3 years in the organization..
Just like your Turco example he did not make it until he was 27 and until then he still needed to prove it, and for every Turco there numerous others that went the other way, So are you 100% sure Qulette is a guaranteed success in the NHL until he proves it..
Tell me this would Pitts traded Fleury straight up for him, Would Florida trade Luongo, would the Isles trade Rick DiPietro (G), David Aebischer etc.. I would find it hard to believe that Buffalo would trade Ryan Miller also a AHL farmhand for him straight up or NYR Dan Blackburn ??.... So that is my point I am making he is a star goalie in the making by your accounts yet other teams would not trade their goalie NHL goalie for him..
So what are you grading him against???