The future of Steve Mason

[NHLFreak]

Hey guys just wonder if I Could get some of your thoughts on this.

I know hes an RFA year end so anything can happen. And ofcourse the same can be said with the now NEW direction in the organization.

Also thoughts on his overall play (I saw him once recently against SJ and really liked what I saw) & attitude toward getting better(or rebounding). And hes battle with S-Bob for the #1 job. Whose been better?

Hope that wasn't too confusing....

Click to read more...

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Bob was better at the start of the year, now Mason's been better. Not ready to make any commitments on if we think he'll be back next year. We'll see

 

[Robert]

I’ve seen almost every NHL game he has played….. As of today I think he is a reliable backup… He worked hard over the summer to improve various issues and based on what I’ve seen this season the Calder prima donna issue is gone…

Trust me; I’m no Mason apologist… He’s not a guy I would trust to be a starter right now but imo seems to be a guy that may get better with age, experience and humility.

I’d have no problem taking him as a backup right now, but not a starter.

 

[1857 Howitzer]

He had a slow start mostly due to rust from the lockout, but he is currently playing the best of the the two and has the better stats.

Will he be back is a big question now that Howson is gone. I do think he can be a number one in this league and hope the Jackets do resign him and bring in a veteran number one to play ahead of him for a year or two. (like should have been done 3 years ago)

If the Jackets don't sign him he will end up being someone else's number one someday.

 

[Skraut]

he's an RFA, true, but the team would have to qualify him with a offer that matches his current salary.

Is this team really going to spend 3 million on a backup goaltender?

No matter what he does this season, I don't see any situation where the team re-invests in him, he'll become a free agent and sign with some other team in the offseason.

 

[Robert]

he's an RFA, true, but the team would have to qualify him with a offer that matches his current salary.

Is this team really going to spend 3 million on a backup goaltender?

No matter what he does this season, I don't see any situation where the team re-invests in him, he'll become a free agent and sign with some other team in the offseason.

Yeah.... (probably this)...

Based on what appears to be a complete franchise rebuild; JD and JK will probably move those from the losing past....

I do think Mason will continue a NHL career of some sort through...

 

[MoeBartoli]

Yeah.... (probably this)...

Based on what appears to be a complete franchise rebuild; JD and JK will probably move those from the losing past....

I do think Mason will continue a NHL career of some sort through...

I think you're right, Robert.....and while I like Mason's play this year, I can't help but see this as the exception rather than the rule.....just too many bad images of poor play and while we have many positions requiring new faces, goalie is the starting point.

 

[Robert]

I think you're right, Robert.....and while I like Mason's play this year, I can't help but see this as the exception rather than the rule.....just too many bad images of poor play and while we have many positions requiring new faces, goalie is the starting point.

As much as I learned to despise Mason based on his play he is better than Leclaire....

Mason has a NHL future, if and only if Mason wants to earn it.... he's a tad bit of a head case.. (imo only)

That said, other than a short list of winning NHL goalies over the decades there are few whom are not head cases...

 

[NotWendell]

If Bob and Mason are equal, you keep Bob as the backup and send Mason packing precisely because they're trying to change the culture of losing. Mason is too connected to that culture.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see neither of them here next season.

 

[OldGoaltender]

I don't think Mase will ever be a top tier net minder. He's way too stiff and not athletic or quick. He has great size but that seems to hinder instead of help him. With all that said if he ever regains his confidence I do believe he could be serviceable.

 

[MoeBartoli]

As much as I learned to despise Mason based on his play he is better than Leclaire....

Mason has a NHL future, if and only if Mason wants to earn it.... he's a tad bit of a head case.. (imo only)

That said, other than a short list of winning NHL goalies over the decades there are few whom are not head cases...

That's one of the differences between today and the old days. Today many indeed are head cases. In the old days they were just plain crazy. You had to be playing without a mask. I remember and old Checker goalie, Gordon Dibley, out there with his face naked - and battered from all the pucks (a great guy, by the way).

 

[OldGoaltender]

That's one of the differences between today and the old days. Today many indeed are head cases. In the old days they were just plain crazy. You had to be playing without a mask. I remember and old Checker goalie, Gordon Dibley, out there with his face naked - and battered from all the pucks (a great guy, by the way).

I never played without a mask but I was crazy. Anyone willing to put their face on the ice with a Plante mask (which only kept the puck from cutting) can't be all there.

 

[Viqsi]

I suspect he'll be given a QO and then offered a "prove yourself consistent" contract. Maybe one or two years, as little raise as is legal under the CBA.

And I hope he takes it.

 

[cbjfaninmo]

If Bob and Mason are equal, you keep Bob as the backup and send Mason packing precisely because they're trying to change the culture of losing. Mason is too connected to that culture.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see neither of them here next season.

I agree. If one is back here next year, I'm guessing it is Bob. Mason is toast.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

If Mason lives year round in Columbus, then he had best put his house on the market yesterday. He's about to face Jacket extinction along with a few other of the dead weight from the Old Era.

The Jackets are in the interesting situation of having cap room and having all 4 goalies on their 50 man roster becoming free agents after this season.

If anyone really thinks that JD wants have his future and the teams' dependent upon Steve Mason, well

Mason is going.....going.......(date of qualifying offers) GONE

 

[EspenK]

I don't think Mase will ever be a top tier net minder. He's way too stiff and not athletic or quick. He has great size but that seems to hinder instead of help him. With all that said if he ever regains his confidence I do believe he could be serviceable.

Maybe old age has caught up with him He sure didn't look stiff or slow during his rookie season. Maybe if he continues to play better and the D continues to improve he will regain some of that magic? Would like to think so but...

 

[Roadman]

Think the jury's still out.

He has probably about 15 games to demonstrate what he is capable of. If he is lights out he'll be considered. Anything less, even just better than average, and Mason's here time is over. He will have an NHL career, how much of one and where is yet to be determined. Mason might even fetch a pick at the deadline, who knows.

JD is an ex goalie, so he might see things and evaluate a little differently than the rest of us. He and JK also don't have the kind of bad taste in their mouths the rest of us do from the previous couple of years.

 

[JacketsDavid]

Mason could easily be a #1 NHL goalie, but it won't be here.
I'm assuming we'll trade him for whatever we can get at the deadline. Keep Bob around as the backup, and get a #1 goalie (free agency, trade, etc).

Although Mason can be a #1 goalie, my guess is he can go to another franchise and get a fresh start. He'll take a pay cut but will need to prove himself (much like Bob needs to do here). Worst case for him he'll toil around in the league for 2-3 seasons.

 

[blahblah]

The last 4 games he's started he's given up 11 goals. At least his stats are only moderately crappy this season instead of total garbage. You need good goal tending, not average goal tending. I step to average would be an improvement.

Mason has, during these last few seasons, has had numerous 4 or 5 game streaks in which he has had better numbers than this. We haven't exactly played great in front of our goal tenders either.

I don't think that we can do much beyond recognize soft goals being let in or now at this point.

I said I would have exposed him to waivers and let him play in Springfield this season. I am sure that Springfield is glad the Jackets didn't listen to me.

 

[OldGoaltender]

Maybe old age has caught up with him He sure didn't look stiff or slow during his rookie season. Maybe if he continues to play better and the D continues to improve he will regain some of that magic? Would like to think so but...

His rookie season was great but I think due mainly in part to a couple factors. There was no real film on him so opposing teams didn't have his tendencies down. And Hitch was the coach who preaches defense, defense and more defense.

Great goalies realize their weaknesses and improve upon them. If their glove side is weak they don't try to favor the blocker but improve the glove. Mason seemed to get an over inflated ego after his rookie season at least to me and he thought opposing offenses would fear him, but they studied him instead and beat him like a drum.

When this happened he didn't have Hitch's defense to cover up his rebounds or limit the number of shots he faced. His confidence seemed to wane. I remember one night him getting beat on a simple wrap around. As a goalie I can't tell you how embarassing that is when you let that happen.

I think Mase will just be ordinary at best. Bob has a chance to be very good, he just has to control his rebounds and not give up stupid goals early in the game. To me it looks like he needs to reel in his emotions but not too much, Bob that is.

 

[alphafox]

Honesty i think mase has the ability to become an elite goaltender, but he will never do that in columbus. He has always made the highlight reel save, but he continues to struggle with basic tender fundamentals and rebounds. If he ever found a place and really became part of the team and worked hard on his game for them he has the tools to be great. Unfortunately there is likely too much history in columbus for that to happen

 

[DEF]

Do we have to offer him a raise if we re-sign him under a UFA? Only way I would do it is at or near minimum.

 

[KeithBWhittington]

The only way I'd resign him is a short contract, 1 or 2 years, and a two way deal. If he's unwilling to accept it, I'd wish him good luck elsewhere.

 

[Xoggz22]

he's an RFA, true, but the team would have to qualify him with a offer that matches his current salary.

Is this team really going to spend 3 million on a backup goaltender?

No matter what he does this season, I don't see any situation where the team re-invests in him, he'll become a free agent and sign with some other team in the offseason.

This.

Although I thnk they need to qualify him at 5 or 10% above his current salary (not sure but some RFA's require a raise). Mason is not worth $3.2 going forward (his 2013 salary). How does anyone justify paying him close to that. If Mason were on Bob's contract they may qualify him based on performance but barring a Vezna Trophy there is little that could make the CBJ qualify him. If they did and I were Mason, I'd sign the offer because there is no way CBJ negotiates upwards on this contract. They would look for a pay cut and I don't see Mason taking a pay cut.

If CBJ is lucky they can turn him into an asset. He's playing well, in my opinion, so who knows. I just don't see him on this team next year.

 

[CincyHatTrick]

Personally, I don't see Mason ever being a #1 goalie for any team. I do believe he could be a serviceable veteran backup, like Hedberg, but not much else.

I also do not think his backup role would be here. There is too much history, too many scars (on both sides) to really see it working (in my eyes). I think Mason is playing for his next destination this season.

While I don't believe the new GM is going to trade away all of Howson's "players/trades", I do not believe Mason is one piece of the past that is going to be let go.