Who starts in net for the playoffs?

[Richard88]

It's Grubauer's net to lose.

 

[Metallo]

Francouz had the slightly better regular season and gave up nothing against Dallas and Minny. Don't know why Grubauer is the clear #1.

NHL vet vs Rookie?

 

[The Abusement Park]

Easily answer here, Grubauer.

What do mean. He's the worst goalie of all time.

 

[AvsCOL]

Grubauer by experience, but on a very short leash.

 

[AMDZen]

Francouz had the slightly better regular season and gave up nothing against Dallas and Minny. Don't know why Grubauer is the clear #1.

This

Francouz should start

Grubauer will start

 

[AMDZen]

NHL vet vs Rookie?

That could just as easily be a mark logically the other way.

The book is out on Grubauer, shooters know how to beat him. Not so much with Francouz. Also the right handed glove throws a lot of players off

 

[McMetal]

Grubauer may not be popular after that goal, but he bailed the team out 3 times before that on quality chances in OT. The loss is on anyone but him. I say give him game one still, he's got the longer track record.

 

[Avs]

Grubauer starts game 1, and it’s on a game-by-game basis after that.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I’m going to trust what I saw from Grubauer in the playoffs last year and go with him.

I don’t think I’d have him on a particularly long leash though. Not because he’s not a good goaltender, but because of how stellar Francouz played this year.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Grubauer may not be popular after that goal, but he bailed the team out 3 times before that on quality chances in OT. The loss is on anyone but him. I say give him game one still, he's got the longer track record.

For real. This loss isn't on him at all, but you know time to crap on him for whatever reason.

 

[Pokecheque]

I do feel like the team plays better in front of Frankie, they just seem to know how to deal with the big rebounds he gives up. That said, I still think Grubs is the better goalie, and will get the nod for game 1 at the very least.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Grubauer by experience, but on a very short leash.

This is where I am too. I personally feel a little more confident with Frankie, but I think this will be the Avs approach.

 

[AvsCOL]

This is where I am too. I personally feel a little more confident with Frankie, but I think this will be the Avs approach.

Agreed, I didn’t think he was great against Vegas. Not bad, but definitely got outplayed by Lehner.

 

[Foppa2118]

I'd go with Francouz.

I thought Grubauer had the edge, but he was a little up and down before his injury at the end of the regular season, and he's been a little up and down in the two games back.

He hasn't been bad, but he hasn't been making enough big stops, and as RIAL points out the book is out on his glove hand.

Franky on the other hand was outstanding before the break, and and has been great after it. Really calm and steady with great positioning, while also having that battle in him to make big desperation saves. He reads the play really well too.

It's close, but I'd got with Franky because he's played better, and Grubby has a bit of a history of inconsistent play, including when he lost the starters job in the playoffs for Washington a few years back.

The Avs are good but I don't think they can risk a poor start to the playoff with potentially subpar goaltending. I don't think any team can.

 

[Avs9296]

I'd go with Francouz.

I thought Grubauer had the edge, but he was a little up and down before his injury at the end of the regular season, and he's been a little up and down in the two games back.

He hasn't been bad, but he hasn't been making enough big stops, and as RIAL points out the book is out on his glove hand.

Franky on the other hand was outstanding before the break, and and has been great after it. Really calm and steady with great positioning, while also having that battle in him to make big desperation saves. He reads the play really well too.

It's close, but I'd got with Franky because he's played better, and Grubby has a bit of a history of inconsistent play, including when he lost the starters job in the playoffs for Washington a few years back.

The Avs are good but I don't think they can risk a poor start to the playoff with potentially subpar goaltending. I don't think any team can.

Agreed 100%.

 

[5280]

I’m ok with starting Grubs and bringing in Frankie for a spark if Grubs gets run or if we lose a couple of games, which I think is the way they are going to go.

However, I do think Frankie will be integral if we go deep in the playoffs, this year. He’s dynamic.

 

[Avs9296]

CBJ are boring.

Edit: oops wrong thread...

I mean Grubauer is boring. Frank should start.

 

[MarkT]

I think it'll be Grubauer, but I also won't be shocked if it ends up being Francouz.

Grubauer was superb in the playoffs last year, but was up and down in the regular season this year. The final numbers (18-12-4, .916 SV%) definitely aren't bad, but they're kinda mediocre considering we're talking about a team that finished 42-20-8.

Francouz (21-7-4, .923 SV%) was the better goalie this year and I won't have any qualms if the Avs turn to him first.

Grubauer

However, Francouz has been the better goalie this season and the numbers prove it. I would rather start whoever is playing better, this team does not have a goaltender who deserves to be the clear #1.

Francouz had the slightly better regular season and gave up nothing against Dallas and Minny. Don't know why Grubauer is the clear #1.

I don't think anyone can actually claim that Francouz had the better season. Yes, if you look purely at wins (which is an assinine stat to judge goalies on IMO) and overall save %, yes Franky had better stats. If you look at even strength save percentage (much more reliable stat) Grubauer had the better year (0.935 vs 0.925). Grubauer also had a higher percentage of games with an ESsv% over 0.919, which is league average (69% vs 61%). Basically, at even strength, Grubauer stopped shots more often, and was more consistent from game to game. That's not say Francouz sucks - they're both starter-quality goalies, but based on those stats I'd definitely start Grubauer in the playoffs.

Oh, and if you're wondering why even strength stats, it's because of sample size. Goalies tend to fluctuate wildly from year to year in their non-even strength stats.

 

[shadow1]

I don't think anyone can actually claim that Francouz had the better season. Yes, if you look purely at wins (which is an assinine stat to judge goalies on IMO) and overall save %, yes Franky had better stats. If you look at even strength save percentage (much more reliable stat) Grubauer had the better year (0.935 vs 0.925). Grubauer also had a higher percentage of games with an ESsv% over 0.919, which is league average (69% vs 61%). Basically, at even strength, Grubauer stopped shots more often, and was more consistent from game to game. That's not say Francouz sucks - they're both starter-quality goalies, but based on those stats I'd definitely start Grubauer in the playoffs.

Oh, and if you're wondering why even strength stats, it's because of sample size. Goalies tend to fluctuate wildly from year to year in their non-even strength stats.

Grubauer was the better goalie at even strength (though according to NHL.com, the numbers are .929 vs. .921), but as I posted somewhere else that's now lost in the recesses of HFboards, Grubauer's numbers after a February 1st loss were 14-11-4 with a .904 SV%. He then got white hot and allowed only 3 goals in his next four games (BUF, OTT, CBJ, OTT) before getting injured in the outdoor game shortly after (2/15) and missing the balance of the regular season.

I think he's a good goalie and the right choice to start in the playoffs. But for the second year in a row, the regular season version of Grubauer was both streaky and injury prone.

 

[MarkT]

Grubauer was the better goalie at even strength (though according to NHL.com, the numbers are .929 vs. .921), but as I posted somewhere else that's now lost in the recesses of HFboards, Grubauer's numbers after a February 1st loss were 14-11-4 with a .904 SV%. He then got white hot and allowed only 3 goals in his next four games (BUF, OTT, CBJ, OTT) before getting injured in the outdoor game shortly after (2/15) and missing the balance of the regular season.

I think he's a good goalie and the right choice to start in the playoffs. But for the second year in a row, the regular season version of Grubauer was both streaky and injury prone.

Hm. I shall have to review where I get my stats from...

I agree that Grubauer is streaky, but find me a goalie who isn't? I don't see how him being injury prone is relevant to these playoff though.

In the long term though I could see us letting Gruby walk after next year and going with Francouz and Annunen.

 

[shadow1]

Hm. I shall have to review where I get my stats from...

I agree that Grubauer is streaky, but find me a goalie who isn't? I don't see how him being injury prone is relevant to these playoff though.

In the long term though I could see us letting Gruby walk after next year and going with Francouz and Annunen.

So tempted to post a photo of Francouz...

In all seriousness, the injury prone thing doesn't apply to the playoffs so much, I mentioned it more as a general analysis of Grubauer's season(s) with Colorado.

 

[Foppa2118]

In all seriousness, the injury prone thing doesn't apply to the playoffs so much, I mentioned it more as a general analysis of Grubauer's season(s) with Colorado.

It's both a little ironic and unfortunate that the primary reason the Avs moved on from Varlamov, were his injury prone seasons, while Grubauer hasn't exactly proven the antidote to that.

Goaltending is the number one X factor that could sink this behemoth that Sakic has built. From the pipeline to the show, there's both promise and question marks everywhere.

 

[MarkT]

It's both a little ironic and unfortunate that the primary reason the Avs moved on from Varlamov, were his injury prone seasons, while Grubauer hasn't exactly proven the antidote to that.

Goaltending is the number one X factor that could sink this behemoth that Sakic has built. From the pipeline to the show, there's both promise and question marks everywhere.

I'm quite confident in our goaltending to be honest. Annunen could be the real deal, and if he isn't, all we need is one of Grubauer or Francouz to be starter-quality. Plus there's always Werner and whoever the Avs draft this year with their late round goalie pick.

 

[Foppa2118]

I'm quite confident in our goaltending to be honest. Annunen could be the real deal, and if he isn't, all we need is one of Grubauer or Francouz to be starter-quality. Plus there's always Werner and whoever the Avs draft this year with their late round goalie pick.

Yeah, I’m not trying to take the glass half empty side of this, but I feel a similar story has been told before. With the Avalanche as well.

I think they have a good shot at finding a long term starter among those three with Annunen, but realistically none of them are proven starters in the NHL, so we’re still in a bit of wait and see mode.

 

[MarkT]

Yeah, I’m not trying to take the glass half empty side of this, but I feel a similar story has been told before. With the Avalanche as well.

I think they have a good shot at finding a long term starter among those three with Annunen, but realistically none of them are proven starters in the NHL, so we’re still in a bit of wait and see mode.

Compared to utopia yeah the goalie situation isn't amazing. Compared to most other teams, I think our goalie situation is great. We're not committed to any of them for big money or term, and two of them have played at least one season in the NHL putting up starter-quality numbers (and zero seasons of bad numbers), and none of them are very old.