Confirmed with Link: Thomas Greiss signs with Penguins (1 Year/$1 Million)

[mpp9]

I never did. I said I'd be surprised.

Then you'd be surprised if Greiss had even the same amount of starts as last year despite him leaving for a better opportunity.

Jeff Zatkoff started 20 last season. And he's pretty awful. DB played him against the worst teams. Greiss doesn't need that type of protection.

 

[iFishyHD]

He's said to want a starting gig. And since thus is MAFs final season on his contract I guess the race is on. If greiss outplays MAF we might sign greiss and let MAF go. JR said he hopes greiss has the same kind of season khodobin had last season.

Sounds fine by me.

I don't see Greiss getting more than 20-25 game this year, but come playoff time who knows.

 

[Kiith Nabaal]

Jeff Zatkoff started 20 last season. And he's pretty awful. DB played him against the worst teams.

Well, that isn't really true. When he was first starting off, yes, he obviously needed time to develop and acclimate to the NHL. However, he did improve as time went on and this became less of an issue.

He played against LA twice (saved 30/31 and 29/32), San Jose (saved 42/46), Dallas (saved 32/33), and Minnesota (saved 24/26). So he played pretty good teams 5/20 or 25% of his games and had a 90% or better save percentage. I wouldn't say he is pretty awful.

 

[mpp9]

Well, that isn't really true. When he was first starting off, yes, he obviously needed time to develop and acclimate to the NHL. However, he did improve as time went on and this became less of an issue.

He played against LA twice (saved 30/31 and 29/32), San Jose (saved 42/46), Dallas (saved 32/33), and Minnesota (saved 24/26). So he played pretty good teams 5/20 or 25% of his games and had a 90% or better save percentage. I wouldn't say he is pretty awful.

A majority of his games were against weaker teams. He played SJ and LA b/c those were back to back scenarios. And his starts against Minnesota as well.

His Jan. 30th start against LA was the only one where it wasn't. And he had a good game. Won't take that one away from him.

Point is, Zatkoff is an inferior goalie and still got 20 starts. I think it's pretty reasonable to think Greiss will push for 30 if he plays at a level similar to Vokoun in 12-13. Vokoun played 20 in a 48 game season. That's on pace for 34 in an 82 game season.

You get to see what you have in Greiss over a larger sample size. And rest Fleury for the playoffs.

 

[UnrealMachine]

I go to sleep every night (with a gun under my pillow) dreaming that Greiss will be next season's Khubodin.

 

[66-30-33]

Fleury 52GP 37W 13L 2OTL
Greiss 30GP 20W 8L 2OTL

If Zatkoff can go 12-6, Greiss who's a much better goalie can go 20-8. The difference is an 8-2 record and under this Pens team it's possible he posts that up.

 

[wgknestrick]

I go to sleep every night (with a gun under my pillow) dreaming that Greiss will be next season's Khubodin.

I dream what this team could've been if they had just realized MAF is the root of all of their failures for the last 5 years.

It's like having to drive to work everyday on a flat tire that you know is there, but you are too lazy to replace it. You just know there are going to be sparks flying before you get to where you want to go.

Griess was the best possible goaltender to pick IMO with Stalock being a close 2nd. I still don't know why we have drafted so many goaltenders recently when young, stud goaltenders are so easy to acquire (Rask/Khubodin/Bishop/Bobrovski/soon to be Holtby/Schneider) . Why waste draft picks when you can just pick one up for peanuts with a lot less risk of them being a bust?


Last 2 years (5v5):

MAF 92.3 SV%
Griess 93.5 SV%

If this continues, don't underestimate how much of a effect an additional 1% in SV% makes to your team. That will win you a ton of games, and most importantly, start to give the players confidence playing in front of him. MAF was the source of just about every meltdown the Pens had when the games would go out of control. As long as Griess isn't letting softy, wristers go in from the blue line, he is an improvement.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Fleury is just one of the big problems we've had.

 

[wgknestrick]

Fleury is just one of the big problems we've had.

Yet still nothing has been done about him.

We traded Neal in a very one sided trade to "dump" him, but he was a much better player (relative to his peers) than MAF ever was. If you are going to dump a player on this team for a "loss", wouldn't you think it would be our sub .900 SV% goaltender before our 40 goal scoring wing?. Both make similar money, but one was costing your team so much more.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Yet still nothing has been done about him.

We traded Neal in a very one sided trade to "dump" him, but he was a much better player (relative to his peers) than MAF ever was. If you are going to dump a player on this team for a "loss", wouldn't you think it would be our sub .900 SV% goaltender before our 40 goal scoring wing?. Both make similar money, but one was costing your team so much more.

I still don't have a problem with the Neal trade.

 

[Zbynek]

Sounds fine by me.

I don't see Greiss getting more than 20-25 game this year, but come playoff time who knows.

I think the fact that we are going into this year with a whole new coaching staff gives Greiss an actual chance of maybe challenging Fleury for the job at some point this year.

Also, I agree with the Fleury/flat tire argument, actually that's a really good analogy. You can easily correlate his meltdowns with the meltdowns of the team as a whole. I really was expecting a Fleury dump to be JR's first big move. Maybe he wants to give MAF one last chance with the new coaching staff, but I feel like MAF's been given a lot of one last chances aleady.

 

[Ogrezilla]

The flat tire is a fine metaphor as long as you mention that the car also had a problem with the transmission and the driver was drunk.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

The flat tire is a fine metaphor as long as you mention that the car also had a problem with the transmission and the driver was drunk.

...and on fire.

...and being attacked by angry hornets.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

The flat tire is a fine metaphor as long as you mention that the car also had a problem with the transmission and the driver was drunk.

Drunk on power!

They had multiple problems, Fleury was one of those and they made him a damn symbol of the problems. A contender doesn't keep a goalie like him for so long and they definitely don't leave him to his own devices for so long (same for Disco dumbass). That **** went on for way too long and it's baffling. I think there's a lot of mental ramifications with keeping him, he's a massive reminder of that time and culture, and they've all seen or experienced his meltdowns. I don't see how the team can come back from that. Shaking things up screams Fleury, Greiss being allowed to challenge for the starting position backs that up. They know Fleury can contribute to getting them to the playoffs, that's important.

Also, Bylsma got fired, Shero got fired and the roster has seen a lot of change. It's not like everything else has been left alone.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Dan Bylsma was this team's biggest problem, and his firing was the biggest change we needed. We'll have to see about Fleury.

 

[iFishyHD]

Fluery was more like an ugly tire fire that just kept puffing. It was like watching the Michelin factory burn down.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Dan Bylsma was this team's biggest problem, and his firing was the biggest change we needed. We'll have to see about Fleury.

Eh, I'm not convinced Bylsma had anything to do with Fleury's failures. I'm clearly not a fan of Bylsma's, but I'm not sure how system issues are the cause of Fleury letting in some of the absolute mind boggling blooper reel variety that he has over the past few playoffs.

The final straw was when Vokoun came in and provided solid goaltending last playoffs. Everything we heard in defense of Fleury was "you can't expect any goalie to do well with this system/defense", yet that's exactly what Vokoun did.

You're right that Bylsma was the biggest change needed, but I'm not so sure Fleury shouldn't also have been shown the door along with him and Shero.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Fluery was more like an ugly tire fire that just kept puffing. It was like watching the Michelin factory burn down.

With Disco standing outside with gasoline and a pack of matches.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Eh, I'm not convinced Bylsma had anything to do with Fleury's failures. I'm clearly not a fan of Bylsma's, but I'm not sure how system issues are the cause of Fleury letting in some of the absolute mind boggling blooper reel variety that he has over the past few playoffs.

The final straw was when Vokoun came in and provided solid goaltending last playoffs. Everything we heard in defense of Fleury was "you can't expect any goalie to do well with this system/defense", yet that's exactly what Vokoun did.

You're right that Bylsma was the biggest change needed, but I'm not so sure Fleury shouldn't also have been shown the door along with him and Shero.

I'm not absolving Fleury. He has sucked ass. Disco just sucked even more ass.

 

[wgknestrick]

The flat tire is a fine metaphor as long as you mention that the car also had a problem with the transmission and the driver was drunk.

There were many problems that went "unnoticed", yes. I still put MAF as the first (and easiest) one to fix. There is a mountain of data suggesting that he was costing us games over the last 4-5 years. The hiring of Vokoun almost indicated that they knew he was a problem and were doing something about it.

At a certain point, the blame starts to go up the ladder....which it did. We replaced the engine and the chassis, but then put that damn flat tire back on our new car. Any car is worthless with a flat tire.

I don't know if Shero really had to fall on the sword, but lets stay on topic here.

Griess was a fine, fine pickup. I think we are all in agreement that if he is our starter at the end of the season, we made significant progress.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I'm not absolving Fleury. He has sucked ass. Disco just sucked even more ass.

Well, that's true. The Bylsma standard.

 

[iFishyHD]

With Disco standing outside with gasoline and a pack of matches.

And McDonalds in a pre-dug grave for Despres.

Fluery wasn't even bad this year, every other year, yeah...

 

[wgknestrick]

Fluery wasn't even bad this year, every other year, yeah...

That statement says it all. Imagine having to play in front of him night after night, knowing that ultimately he is just going to fail you when it matters. Nothing will be done about it either. I wonder what that does to player's work ethic?

 

[Son Goku]

Fleury gets left out to dry a lot. I'm far from his biggest supporter but he had a great year last year and didn't implode in the playoffs. Flower is an adequate goalie.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Fleury gets left out to dry a lot. I'm far from his biggest supporter but he had a great year last year and didn't implode in the playoffs. Flower is an adequate goalie.

Is this what we strive for in a starter?