Trouble in the crease

by James Mirtle on Oct 20, 2008 4:52 PM CDT Comment 29 comments

Bruce Garrioch had a tidbit on the weekend about Ray Emery, and how several teams had expressed interest despite the fact the goaltender is locked into his KHL contract for the season.

And that makes a lot of sense.

We're not even two weeks into the season, and already some of the bets teams made in the off-season with their netminders look horrible. What follows is a look at the 13 teams with save percentages under .900 so far this year:

RK	TEAM	GP	GA	GAA	SOGA	SV%
1	Dallas	5	23	4.60	24.6	0.813
2	Colorado	5	19	3.80	24.4	0.844
3	Calgary	5	22	4.40	29.6	0.851
4	Nashville	6	22	3.67	24.8	0.852
5	Columbus	5	21	4.20	29.2	0.856
6	Philadelphia	5	22	4.40	32.2	0.863
7	Washington	5	16	3.20	25.0	0.872
8	Vancouver	6	21	3.50	30.2	0.884
9	Florida	4	14	3.50	30.5	0.885
10	Boston	4	13	3.25	29.0	0.888
11	Anaheim	6	20	3.33	29.7	0.888
12	Phoenix	5	17	3.40	30.6	0.889
13	Toronto	5	16	3.20	30.8	0.896

I've written about this in the past, but teams have really been skimping on backup goaltending postlockout, and it's going to bite some teams in the backside in the near future.

Dallas, for one, has been pretty reluctant to give Swiss rookie Tobias Stephan any time in the crease despite Marty Turco's struggles. The plan seems to be to play Turco until he drops — and that doesn't appear all that far off.

Colorado, meanwhile, went with Peter Budaj and Andrew Raycroft, a pair that put up a combined 18 wins last season and had save percentages of .903 and .876. Raycroft has been very sharky in his two starts, but managed to pick up two wins as his team piled up 10 goals against Philadelphia and Dallas.

The percentage of games you win with a goalie with a .875 save percentage is almost nonexistent, but Raycroft's been in that range for nearly four years now.

Calgary's also been scared to use its backup, as we've yet to see Curtis McElhinney play a minute of action despite Miikka Kiprusoff's struggles. Nashville backup Pekka Rinne lasted all of 14 minutes in his first start on Friday before he was shelled and pulled for Dan Ellis (who hasn't been all that sharp in the early going).

And you have to believe Washington's rethinking the Jose Theodore signing given they've used Brent Johnson in more minutes through five games.

What's going to be really interesting is when teams try and right these wrongs because there aren't a whole lot of clubs with space available under the cap to take on the salary of someone like goaltender Dwayne Roloson. And if you can't turn to your backup, what then?

If Emery wasn't locked in, he'd probably be here by now.

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That gamble on Theodore is looking mighty brilliant now…dammit.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Oct 20, 2008 5:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Throw out the first period against the Thrash and Theodore has a 2.79 GAA. Throw out his three first periods overall and he has a 1.35 GAA.

Granted, you can’t throw them out, but the panic over his play so far is greatly overstated – five of the nine goals he’s allowed have been on the PK, and that unit just doesn’t have its crap together yet (of course, neither does he).

by J.P. on Oct 20, 2008 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know you don't want to hear this but

It seems last year Theodore was weakest in the PK. It was hard to tell how much had to do with him or the Avs team penalty killing but it appeared that way.

He makes up for it in the shootout and breakaways. He is money in those situations.

InYoFace Phadouche! InYoFace

by InYoFace on Oct 20, 2008 5:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not under any misconceptions about what JT60 is capable of (at either end of the spectrum). He’s let in some real awful softies so far. But he’s still adjusting to his D and them to him – it’s obvious watching.

Point being, he should be – and has been – getting better since Opening Night.

by J.P. on Oct 20, 2008 6:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So I shouldn’t panic? That’s what I needed to hear.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Oct 20, 2008 6:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m sure Theodore will be fine in the long run. I mean, it’s not like he’s ever stunk for an entire season before. Well, except for those two seasons. In a row…

Adam C was taken

by Back In Black on Oct 20, 2008 6:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of course you should

Your team is terrible ;)

by nathaneide on Oct 20, 2008 9:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

How long can he use that excuse? 2 Years? 3?

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Oct 21, 2008 5:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

All those that had...

Dallas at the top of the Pacific Division before the season started may want to take a look at those stats. Turco has had a few miscues, but the D in front of him hasn’t been the same without Zubov. And Brunstromm getting Hatties for you or no, it’s hard to pick up a lot of wins when your GAA is at 4.60

by OdinMercer on Oct 20, 2008 5:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

They lost Norstrom to retirement, too. A very young blueline to start the year in Dallas.

by James Mirtle on Oct 20, 2008 5:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very true. If they don’t start getting it together soon though they’ll find themselves behind some other young teams (Coyotes :-) ) in a hurry. Except for the Sharks though, the Pac is a mess with the Ducks eating it early too, so they have time to get it together but not a lot.

by OdinMercer on Oct 20, 2008 5:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also if Turco doesn’t get it together he’s really going to screw up my fantasy league and give me just another reason to hate the stars ;)

by OdinMercer on Oct 20, 2008 5:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Stars

are suffering from poor play by the young defense (particularly Fistric and Niskanen, although nobody has been exactly stellar on the back end) and a goaltender that can’t seem to mop up any mistakes right now like a good goaltender is supposed to do.

I think Turco will be fine, ultimately. It seems to be a lot of little things and a bit of bad luck that have been plaguing him. The defense should also improve with time, you just hope the young guys don’t collectively experience the “sophomore slump”. The defensive commitment of the forwards has not been as great so far this year as well. That should be helped by the return of Lehtinen in the next few weeks.

Bottom line is that the Stars are struggling a bit in all areas of the game. They’ve got the talent to turn it around, but they need to hurry or else any hopes of winning the division will be gone.

by disposablehero on Oct 20, 2008 6:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jiggy has been dissapointing the hell out of me.

www.sportzchat.com

by Linix129 on Oct 20, 2008 5:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

ya

he hasn’t looked sharp, but that can be said of the whole team. Something funky with this years ducks.

Nabby and the Shraks on the other hand. I think he’s aiming for another Vezina nomination (which Brodeuer will win again what with finishing this season as the all time winningest goalie, but still…)

Anybody throws me against the boards I'm gonna piss all over myself.

by blurr1974 on Oct 20, 2008 5:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ditto that.

Even in the game against the Coyotes they got thier usual intimidation game thorwn back at them by rookies like Tikhonov and Boedker. Heck even Turris was tryin to thorw a check around. The ducks looked like a team that thought they could phone the regualr season in and get to the playoffs, antoher Pacific team that needs to wake up soon before thier season is already behind them and thier looking up trying to beat the Kings… Ouch.

by OdinMercer on Oct 20, 2008 6:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Sabres tried running Ryan Miller into the ground last year because Lindy Ruff didn’t trust Thibault at all.

Look where it got them…..this is bad news for the Stars if the guy hasn’t even gotten a start yet and he’s not trusted.

by Afino on Oct 20, 2008 6:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Thibault is so hit or miss. We had him in Pitt for a few years and he was a much better backup than a starter. Granted there was a much better team in front of him when he was a backup, but I think Ruff’s lack of trust is justified.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Oct 20, 2008 6:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Opposite end of the spectrum

The Sabres made a mistake last year with the backup goalie position and this year they went out and signed Lalime. He certainly isn’t an all-star but through five games the move is paying off. Lalime and Miller are 1-2 in goals against and save percentage.

D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com

by David Oleksy on Oct 20, 2008 6:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Lalime…another former Penguin. What’s with you guys up in Buffalo?

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Oct 20, 2008 6:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lalime doesn’t have to be anywhere near all-star level. He just has to be a capable backup goaltender that Ruff can trust when he feels Miller needs a break.

I figure part of the negotiations with both Miller’s deal and bringing Lalime in were a set number of games that Miller and Lalime would both play, probably around 60 for Miller and 22 for Lalime.

by Afino on Oct 20, 2008 10:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lalime

Is a fairly good goalie, definitely better then the likes of Raycroft. He would make a capable back up, the only issue is that he had his confidence shattered, annihilated and thoroughly destroyed while in Ottawa who frequently made him the scape-goat when they were knocked out of the playoffs by the Leafs.

"God's in His heaven. All's right with the world." - Robert Browning (1812-1889)

by Winkle on Oct 21, 2008 7:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Being the resident Sharks blogger here...

… I’m feeling quite comfortable whenever Boucher is in net. I know he’s never lived up to his draft status, but since coming to San Jose he’s been a solid backup for Nabokov who despite his desire to do so can’t play every single minute.

by Diecast Dude on Oct 20, 2008 9:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Boucher

He’s been a steal of a sign. the Sharks have always had deep goalkeeping, and whatever they’re doing with Boucher is working. He’s looked at times like the Boucher that the Flyers handed the reigns over to. Still not sold on them going all the way though…

Anybody throws me against the boards I'm gonna piss all over myself.

by blurr1974 on Oct 20, 2008 9:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why Emery, though?

I guess people are probably asking a lot of other goalies, I just don’t get why Emery is getting all the attention here.

Will Atlanta deal a goalie? Pavelec’s primadonna act ended quickly after being cut, but he’s backed it up by being lights out in his first 4 games in the AHL.

Meanwhile, Carey Price has a .939 SV% and Jaro Halak stopped 35 of 36 shots tonight. How many Habs trained starting goalies are there in the NHL already? I guess the key here is to clone Rollie Melanson so other teams have good goaltending coaches.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Oct 20, 2008 10:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Sabourin looked solid for the Pens tonight. For a team that is more or less posing as a target for teams to shoot endlessly on I’d say the goaltenders are doing a fine job.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Oct 20, 2008 11:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Avs

Even though Colorado currently holds the 2nd worst save percentage right now, I’m not too worried about it.
We have a far lower SOG number, because, for some reason the D are making sure that the only shots on goal are bona fide chances. Rayzor is no #1 goalie, and Budaj is a little shy at the moment. But Budaj has been so consistently good in previous seasons, I’m sure he’ll get his stride back.

Our offense is producing and we’ve only lost 1 goal games so far.

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Oct 21, 2008 5:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs