Sergei Bobrovski: The next surprise Goalie?

[Balls Mahoney]

Well we're around the half way mark of the season and I just wanted to get everyones thoughts on the surprise rookie netminder for the Flyers.

Bobrovski started like a house on fire as the surprise starter of the season opener against the Penguins stealing the first game ever in their new arena. Bobrovski proceeded to go on a tear from that point being in the top of the league in virtually all goalie stats. The 22-year old Russian has since cooled off in his last few games but still boasts a 15-5-3 record with a 2.46 GAA and .919 Sv%. There's a small but vocal group of fans who think Bobrovski should be the Calder winner this year and if he continues these results, you have to think he's a strong candidate.

Technically it's hard to pin who he reminds me of. He has such a unique athletic style that relies on his natural quickness and reflexes. He's rather entertaining to watch because his style dictates a lot of his saves are rather dramatic. Stylistically he reminds me a little bit of Hasek but without the theatrics of the Dominator.

Anyway, what say you?

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[SeanVT395]

I've been raving about this guy ever since Holmgren signed him, mainly because of the hype. But as soon as I watched him in the pre-season, it dawned on my how ridiculously athletic and quick he is.

His drawbacks coming into the season was not challenging shooters by coming out of the net and his 5-hole. The prior of the two seems to be a custom of the European playstyle. he's improved remarkably with the aid of Jeff Reese, his first goal tending coach of his career.

He's an incredible work horse and he has a great personality, a real outgoing team type of guy that's made him a fan favorite in Philly after only a few months, All-star voting shows that.

He's quite unique from most Russians that get marked unfairly with stereotypes of laziness and greediness that derive from their nationality.

Personally I think he's in contention for Calder right now for sure, but Couture seems to be running away with it as of late.

I can't wait to see how his career in this league pans out.


EDIT: felt this video is appropriate

 

[McDonagh]

Bob.

 

[chewey]

Raycroft/Mason

 

[HoverCarle*]

He works super hard with our goalie coach. (his first ever apparently). He is committed to improving his game (going down too early, being back too far in the crease, etc). The Flyers are doing the right thing by not burning him out by playing him every game

 

[Hanzee Dent]

EDIT: felt this video is appropriate

I can't imagine what was going through his head while he was filming this. There's a drunk guy sitting next to me, wearing a Santa suit and he keeps yelling and jumping around and I'm scared. Better just keep smiling.


Bob.

 

[Colezuki]

I don't want to come across as petty or anything, but I'd say taper expectations, he's new to the league, and nearly every goaltender in the league would look like brodeur behind that impenetrable wall of a defense. I think it should be noted that "his cooling down" as you put it coincides so conveniently with Prongers injury.

In all honesty I was impressed when I saw him play and think when he hits his prime he'll be a starting goaltender, one that the flyers have been trying to get for nearly a generation.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

Raycroft/Mason

Raycroft has been putting up pretty respectable numbers this year.

 

[Kritty]

I am never a fan of people jumping all over rookie goalies and calling them the next big thing. Look how often it happens that a rookie goalie puts up great numbers and then plummets the next few years before a rebound, or not rebounding at all. It happens so often. Jim Carey, Blaine Lacher, Mason, Raycroft, and so on. Until he has done it for a few years, I'm not buying in.

Shooters haven't seen rookie goalies hence the reason why they perform well. Once their is a book out on them, things changed. I'm sure it will with Bobrovsky as well. We are seeing it already.

Not to take anything away from him because he really has been a surprise, but let's see what he does with a bigger sample size.

 

[McDonagh]

I've been raving about this guy ever since Holmgren signed him, mainly because of the hype. But as soon as I watched him in the pre-season, it dawned on my how ridiculously athletic and quick he is.

His drawbacks coming into the season was not challenging shooters by coming out of the net and his 5-hole. The prior of the two seems to be a custom of the European playstyle. he's improved remarkably with the aid of Jeff Reese, his first goal tending coach of his career.

He's an incredible work horse and he has a great personality, a real outgoing team type of guy that's made him a fan favorite in Philly after only a few months, All-star voting shows that.

He's quite unique from most Russians that get marked unfairly with stereotypes of laziness and greediness that derive from their nationality.

Personally I think he's in contention for Calder right now for sure, but Couture seems to be running away with it as of late.

I can't wait to see how his career in this league pans out.


EDIT: felt this video is appropriate

I said Bob before you edited the video in, I win. You are too slow, sorry.

 

[R S]

Reminds me kind of of how Howard wasn't getting much love last year as a Calder candidate.

The kid will get his due if he keeps his play up.

 

[JOHNBOY]

Raycroft/Mason

Roman Cechmanek.

 

[Reign Nateo]

He's played 1600 and 1900 or so minutes the last 2 seasons in Russia. He's just over 1400 now in the NHL. He's obviously in line for a huge jump in that catergory so the second half could be interesting for him. Adjusting to that much more playing time in the best league in the world at 22 is a very tough thing to do. Same idea as college players adjusting to NHL/AHL, they usually hit a wall physically in the latter half of the season. Not that he isn't talented enough to be an NHL number 1 (he is and his make-up seems ideal) but he's still got some questions to answer.

 

[SeanVT395]

I said Bob before you edited the video in, I win. You are too slow, sorry.

That's the reason I added it in

indeed, you win.

 

[CS]

I don't want to come across as petty or anything, but I'd say taper expectations, he's new to the league, and nearly every goaltender in the league would look like brodeur behind that impenetrable wall of a defense. I think it should be noted that "his cooling down" as you put it coincides so conveniently with Prongers injury.

In all honesty I was impressed when I saw him play and think when he hits his prime he'll be a starting goaltender, one that the flyers have been trying to get for nearly a generation.

-He is slowing down, but that's to be expected. He came out on fire.
-The league "figuring" out goalies is overused. As Bill Meltzer put it, the league figured out that you beat butterfly goalies by shooting high a long time ago.
-He is playing behind the best defense in the NHL.

Bobrovsky is not an elite goaltender. He's a very good rookie playing on a good team, and learning from his first ever goalie coach. He's got more work ethic than I've seen in a while. Seriously, he's crazy, and he absolutely wants to be the best. He's certainly got the athleticism and drive to be up there if he stays healthy.

However, his "slowing down" did NOT coincide with Pronger's injury. Please don't promote myths that are incorrect.