Why Having Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer Is Great For the Leafs

For many it came as a surprise that the Toronto Maple Leafs traded for goaltender Jonathan Bernier, after James Reimer helped propel the team back to the playoffs and nearly upset Tuukka Rask and the Boston Bruins. But it's really not that surprising that the Leafs were still looking to upgrade their goaltending after they were rumored to be looking at both Roberto Luongo and Miikka Kiprusoff during the season.

James Reimer proved himself to be a solid goaltender, but there are still a lot of questions surrounding the Leafs crease. What happens if, and based on the past, when Reimer goes down with an injury? In the two seasons Reimer has been the Leafs starter, he's been injured for periods of time in both. Can Reimer continue to shine when the Leafs don't? And most importantly can he perform in the playoffs? Reimer is a young goaltender trying to find his way in the NHL. He doesn't play many back-to-back games and can't really be counted on to start more than 50 games. The Leafs needed a better, more reliable and proven second goaltender other than Ben Scrivens, to help when Reimer needs a break.

Whether Reimer or the Toronto fans like it or not, the Leafs needed an update behind Reimer. Sure they didn't have to go and acquire another young goalie looking to become a bonafide number 1, when they had Reimer, but they did. While it may seem like acquiring Bernier was a deterrent for Reimer's confidence, it was actually a brilliant move by the Leafs.

When you look at the goaltending situations around the league you start to notice a trend; goalie tandems. Last season saw teams such as the St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins,  Anaheim Ducks and Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks, use both their goaltenders throughout the season. All five of the teams listed above not only operated with a 1A, 1B goaltending system- they also all made it to the postseason.

But let's focus on the Chicago Blackhawks use of the goalie tandem. After two rocky seasons with Corey Crawford at the helm and two first round playoff exits, the Blackhawks decided to bring in another goaltender to not only mentor Crawford but to also give him a break. The plan worked perfectly as Crawford led the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup Championship.

Obviously the Leafs didn't go with the veteran back-up route, but they got a young goalie who will help push Reimer to perform his best. If you're looking for someone to compare Reimer to you can look across to Crawford. Both are fairly young, in-experienced goaltenders with just 3 NHL seasons under their belts, have very similar career numbers, and both still have a lot to prove. It helped Corey Crawford to have another goaltender behind him, and it wouldn't hurt to give Reimer some motivation.

Is Jonathan Bernier an immediate upgrade over Reimer? No. It's too early to tell just how good Bernier
is. He's only played in 62 NHL games and while he's shown flashes of greatness during those games, the sample size is too small. Any half-decent goaltender can post solid numbers through 15 games, but until a goalie starts 30 games in a season their numbers don't say much.

With Bernier the Leafs don't know what they have yet, with Reimer on the other hand they know exactly what they have. A solid goaltender that is capable of bailing the team out and backstopping a team to the postseason. Based on experience and Reimer's play last season he should get the key to the crease to start off the year, but with Bernier bitting at his heals Reimer will be forced to play his best hockey. Besides, what's so bad about a little competition for the starting job?

Having both Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer battling for the right to claim the crease is a win-win for the Leafs. Both are solid young goaltenders, which want a starting role in the NHL and will have to play their best to get between the pipes. The Leafs now have two capable goalies that can step up to the plate anytime they're called upon. If Reimer get's hurt, goes through a rough patch of games or needs a rest, they can throw Bernier in without any worries and vice versa.

Having two capable starting goaltenders is a great move by the Leafs and a great strategy to capitalize on the latest NHL trend. If the season starts and both goaltenders are playing well it will also give the Leafs the edge over their competition by not having to ride just one goaltender all the time. If Randy Carlyle plays his cards right and allows both goaltenders time to prove themselves and keeps the media circus away from the goaltenders, the Leafs could ride their goaltending tandem back to the playoffs once again.

Top 10 NHL Goalies From the 2013 Season

It's the constant debate; Who is the best goaltender in the NHL? The answer changes every season and if you lined up 100 people you're likely to get 100 different lists. The lockout-shortened season gave fans the opportunity to watch some fantastic hockey right through to the final buzzer. There were some tremendous goaltending performances and a lot of goaltenders really started to turn heads. Here's my list of the top 10 goaltenders from the lockout-shortened NHL season.

10. Braden Hotlby
Braden Holtby edged out Carey Price for the 10th spot in the countdown based on his numbers and Alex Ovechkin's resurgence. Holtby won 23 of his 35 starts posting a .920 Save Percentage and 2.58 Goals Against Average. Braden Holtby is a goaltender on the rise; he's earned the rights to the Capitals crease and shows no signs of giving it up. If he continues improving he'll climb up the NHL netminder ranks in no time.
playoff success. Holtby had a great season between the pipes for the Capitals and helped keep the team afloat before

9. Jimmy Howard
Jimmy Howard had a tremendous season between the pipes for the Detroit Red Wings and he had to do so without Nicklas Lidstrom on defence. Howard passed the test and made the Red Wings blue line look better than it was. Howard has really elevated himself to the front line of NHL goaltenders. He should battle for a spot to represent team USA at the 2014 Olympics.

8. Corey Crawford
It's tough to put a goaltender who backstopped his team to a Stanley Cup Championship so low on this list, but no one is sure which Corey Crawford is the real one as of yet. He split time this season with Ray Emery and if the veteran Emery hadn't gotten injured there's no guarantee Crawford would have started the playoffs. Once in the playoffs Crawford elevated his game and out-duelled some of the best goalies in the game today; the spotlight is now on Crawford, will he deliver again next season?

7. Craig Anderson
If not for an ankle injury which derailed his season, Anderson would have likely skated away with the Vezina after posting a 1.69 Goals Against Average and .941 Save Percentage after 24 games. Anderson was lights out during the regular season and helped backstop the Senators to the playoffs. At times last season Anderson looked Hasek-esque.

6. Sergei Bobrovsky
After last season how badly are the Philadelphia Flyers kicking themselves for getting rid of Bobrovsky? Bobrovsky had a career year, which earned him the Vezina and made him a finalist for the Hart trophy. But the biggest question is whether he'll be able to perform at that elite level again. Despite his career year, Bobrovsky and the Blue Jackets fell just short of the playoff; Is Bobrovsky bound to be another great goalie on a non-playoff team?

5. Tuukka Rask

Don't look now Leafs' fans, it appears Tuukka Rask has finally solidified himself as an NHL starter, Tim Thomas return to Boston. Rask is a goalie who's knocking on the door of the NHL elite and if he can have another solid season or lead the Bruins to a Stanley Cup he may just step right through that door.
and a pretty good one at that. After another solid season between the Bruins pipes, leading the team to the Stanley Cup Finals, Rask appears to have wiped away any thoughts of a

4. Pekka Rinne
Pekka Rinne has established himself as an elite goaltender in the NHL. He had a tough 2012-2013 season but his team didn't help him with their goal scoring or lack there of. With the acquisition of Seth Jones, the Predators blue line should be fine for years to come which should help get Rinne back to the top 3.

3. Antti Niemi
Everyone remembers Niemi as the goalie who stumbled his way through the playoffs with the Chicago Blackhawks and won a Stanley Cup before promptly heading to San Jose. But since leaving Chicago, Niemi has quietly become one of the top goalies in the NHL. He put up solid numbers through the regular season playing 43 games and improved his game in the playoffs posting a 1.87 GAA. Has Niemi finally arrived or is he finally earning the respect he deserves?

2. Jonathan Quick
Since bursting onto the NHL scene and winning the Stanley Cup last season, Quick has quickly become one of the best puckstoppers in the NHL. Quick and Lundqvist are the two best goaltenders in the NHL and differentiating between who's better is like asking a parent which of their children are cuter. Quick has a bright future between the pipes and will look to lead team USA in 2014.

1. Henrik Lundqvist
As evenly matched as Quick and Henrik Lundqvist are, the King was slightly better through the

lockout-shortened season and get's the nod as the best goalie from last season. When king Henrik is on he is truly unbeatable. Lundqvist is the standard for all other NHL goalies, if you're going to be the best you have to beat the best. Maybe Lundqvist and Quick can battle it out in the Olympics?

Here's my list, who's in your top 10? Let me know who I missed!

Just How Important is Goaltending in the Playoffs

Now that we're down to the final four, it's time to start taking a look at the  masked men between the pipes. They're only players on the ice for a full 60 minutes and the ones who continually jump in front of flying rubber missiles but when things go wrong they receive all the blame. Being a goaltender is a tireless and thankless job, you're either the hero or the goat. So far in these playoffs we've seen our fair share of goats and hero's between the pipes.

Regular season success has absolutely no baring on the postseason. Just ask the Chicago Blackhawks who found themselves trailing the Detroit Red Wings 3 games to 1 in their Western Conference Semi Final. In the same sense goaltending in the regular season is a completely different ball game than goaltending in the playoffs. Just ask Marc-Andre Fleury who is growing roots on the bench in Pittsburgh.

The pressure on a goaltender in the playoffs is surreal. One wrong move, react half a second to late, lose the puck in a scramble, allowing a goal that zaps your teams momentum and you're getting boo'd off the ice. Mix all those worries with; rebound control, defencive errors and some insanely talented forwards and you have everything that's going on inside the mind of a goalie. There's so much to think about and roughly a 10th of a second to react.

No matter how many goals a team scores or how skilled that team may be, without a solid goalie that team will not succeed. Goaltending is key for a long playoff run and for any team who's mission is the Stanley Cup

It's been a roller coaster ride for goalies throughout these playoffs. Jonathan Quick went from being the goat in game one to statistically being the best goalie through 2 rounds. Then you have a goalie like Tuukka Rask who's really showing he belongs and has been making people forget Tim Thomas. But then Rask wipes-out giving the Rangers an easy goal and unfortunately costs his team the game, which turns Rask into the goat.

Goaltending can help solidify a teams chances at a Stanley Cup or be the flat tire on that road. Sometimes all a team needs is to change it's goalie. We're going to look at the goalies who are making a positive impact on their team and some other goalies who are holding them back these playoffs.

Jimmy Howard

If the Detroit Red Wings built Howard a statue it wouldn't be enough to thank him for his efforts between the pipes this season. Coming into the postseason as a 7th seed and upsetting the number 2 seed and nearly upsetting the number one seed. Howard has outdueled both Jonas Hiller and Corey Crawford and as a result the Wings have been winning. Howard went 7-7-2 through the first two rounds and ranked 3rd with a GAA of 2.22 amongst goalies who had played 11 games.

Upon taking a 3-1 stranglehold on the Blackhawks, Howard and the Red Wings had won 5 of their last 6 games and the goaltender had them at the doorstep of a Conference Final birth. Unfortunately defeating the Blackhawks is a lot easier said then done and they came back from their 3-1 deficit to beat the Wings in 7 games. Despite the second round elimination, Jimmy Howard came up big for the Wings.

Jonathan Quick

In all honesty has there been a better, more clutch goalie through the playoffs? When you look at the statistics the answer is no. Howard is 8-5-2 through the playoffs sporting a 1.50 GAA and a .948 Save Percentage. And oh by the way he also has 3 shutouts. This may only be Jonathan Quick's second season leading a team in the playoffs but he's quickly turning into a clutch playoff goalie.

The way the Western Conference Finals have shaped up, we'll see proven playoff goalie Jonathan Quick square off against Corey Crawford who has yet to prove himself in the playoffs. Which goalie will elevate their team to the Finals?

Henrik Lundqvist

It's hard to watch the New York Rangers and not feel bad for Henrik Lundqvist. He is such a skilled goaltender but his team can't do anything to help him win. Makes one wonder if the Rangers are wasting the best years of the "kings" career. Despite his team virtually not showing up through the playoffs, Lundqvist has continually come up big time after time. When the Rangers needed him most in round 1 he stepped up posting back to back shutouts in games 6 and 7.

With his team down 3 games to the Boston Bruins, Lundqvist came out ready to play in game 4 and made 37 stops to help his team get their first win of the series. While Lundqvist stood tall the Bruins proved to be too much for the Rangers as the King was eliminated in game 5. With the lack of success in New York will Lundqvist stay there?

Tomas Vokoun

If not for Tomas Vokoun coming off the bench and stepping up after Fleury's meltdown, the Pittsburgh Penguins would probably be at home instead of the Eastern Finals. Vokoun has been shinning between the pipes and helped the Penguins focus on what they're good at; scoring goals.

No one knows if the Penguins will put Fleury back in again but with the way Vokoun has been playing, it would be tough to pull him. This may be Vokoun's Stanley Cup run from now on.

Tuukka Rask

It's hard to criticize a goalie who's won 8 games but watching these playoffs I haven't been impressed by Tuukka Rask. The only reason he has these wins is because his team has bailed him out time after time. In game 7 of the first round against the Leafs, he allows 4 goals and his team ends up down 4-1. Since the Bruins came back no one showed to much concern but his play in the first round was alarming. He wasn't stellar and didn't look much better than James Reimer.

Rask has just 1 playoff run under his belt and it didn't go very well. He's fairly in-experienced, this is his year to show that he can carry the team and perform in the playoffs. Despite his 8 wins he's posting a rough 2.22 GAA and a .928 Save Percentage, not fantastic numbers. He's getting by because his team is scoring. When the Bruins had a chance to close out the series in New York, Tuukka didn't bother to show up. He'll need to stay on-top of his game in order for the Bruins to make it to the Finals, especially if he comes up against the Penguins. If you don't agree name 1 game Rask has "stolen" for the Bruins, these playoffs.

Craig Anderson

Craig Anderson is another goalie who is hard to criticize. He's been the backbone of the Senators team and dominated in the first round. But in the second round he just hasn't been good enough. It's tough for any goalie to stop the likes of Sidney Crosby, James Neal, Evgeni Malkin and Jarome Iginla, but Anderson needed to find a way to stop the Penguins offence.

Anderson ranks last with 5 wins and a 3.01 GAA amongst all goalies who have gone 2 rounds. The Senators weren't able to get the goaltending they need to take down the Penguins.

Corey Crawford

Want to know the one reason the Chicago Blackhawks wont win the cup? Their goaltending. Splitting the season with Ray Emery really benefited Corey Crawford. Now that Crawford has been relied on to play on his own and steal some games for the Blackhawks, he hasn't been able to. With the kind of slump the Blackhawks are in they needed their goalie to steal a game or two for them and Crawford has failed to do that.

The Blackhawks want Crawford to be their goalie of the future but if he continues to bomb in the playoffs that future may be over in a hurry. It may be time for the Hawks to allow Crawford to learn during the playoffs, much like the Bruins did with Rask.

A goalie either becomes a hero or a goat in the playoffs, there's no room for average goaltending. The goaltenders who are turning heads and coming up big for their teams will be the ones who go far, while the others will fall into the shadows.

Year Of the Goalie Tandems

Good goaltending is the key to any successful hockey team. A team is only as good as their goaltending and will only go as far as their goaltending will take them. Just ask the Los Angeles Kings who wouldn't have had a shot at the Stanley Cup Finals, let alone the Stanley Cup without Jonathan Quick. Or the Philadelphia Flyers who lost in the finals because of poor goaltending from Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton. Goaltending makes or breaks a championship team.

For most teams relying on one goalie to come up big night after night is tough enough. Teams will usually ride their starter all year, plugging in the backup only when the starter is dead tired. But this year has been a different story for many teams. On any given night you don't know who you'll see between pipes.

With the season shortened due to the lockout, it was obvious teams would need to rely on their backup goalies more. Backup goalies everywhere are rejoicing as they're playing more games in this shortened season then they would in a normal 82 game season.

With the gruelling and compact 48 games season, more and more teams are using goalie tandems. Not only are we seeing more goalie tandems this season, but the teams who are utilizing both goalies are amongst the best in the NHL this season.

Chicago Blackhawks

Corey Crawford (25 games played) 17-4-4 and Ray Emery (19 games played) 15-1-0.

The Blackhawks are the prime example of this season's goaltending tandems. They've used both Crawford and Emery during various stretches this season. As a result both goalies are fresh and playing well in the final games before the playoffs.

By using both the veteran and the younger goaltender it helps relieve the pressure from the younger Crawford and also allows him to learn from the veteran Emery.

Using the goalie tandem this season has proven to be a great idea for the Blackhawks. Both have been stellar at times this season and as a result they're currently in first place in the entire league.

Toronto Maple Leafs

James Reimer (27 games played) 16-5-5 and Ben Scrivens (18 games played) 7-8-0.

Remember when everyone was freaking out about the Leafs inexperienced goaltenders? Then when the Leafs were going to acquire a goalie at the trade deadline everyone was against that notion? Good times in Toronto.

Both James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have played well for the Leafs and have them currently inside the playoff picture. Having two young goalies battle to become the starter, has forced both Scrivens and Reimer to elevate their game. The Leafs finally have a competitive goalie tandem and as a result they're having a great season.

Now that the Leafs don't have to worry about their goaltending holding them back, they're able to focus on offence. Leafs sit 5th in the Eastern Conference.

St. Louis Blues

Brian Elliott (17 games played) 8-7-1, Jaroslav Halak (16 games played) 6-5-1 and Jake Allen (14 games played) 9-4-0.

The St. Louis Blues don't have a goalie duo, they have a goaltending trio. While Elliott has struggled at times this season the Blue have been able to call on other goalies to step up and carry the load while their "number one" goalie was off his game.

Halak and Elliott combined to carry the Blues last season and won the William. M. Jennings trophy for their efforts. They became the first goalie tandem in NHL history to both record at least 6 shutouts in a season.

After their strong performance between the pipes last season everyone expected the same again this season. Unfortunately that didn't happen. Both netminders lost their job to the rookie Jake Allen and Brian Elliott even found himself in the AHL by March.

With the last handful of games before the playoffs both Halak and Elliot have re-found their game and are ready to prove critics wrong. The Blues are a team on the prowl. Sitting 6th in the West- they're a scaring team heading into the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Marc-Andre Fleury (29 games played) 21-6-0 and Tomas Vokoun (18 games played) 11-4-0.

In the first round of the playoffs last season goaltending was the Penguins downfall. They played their rivals in the Flyers and let their
emotion's get the better of them. To insure that wouldn't happen again they brought in Tomas Vokoun to hold down the fort when Fleury isn't playing well.

The Penguins have arguably the best goalie tandem in the league right now. Both goalies have been stellar this season posting Save Percentages above .910. It's been an up and down season for Fleury who has struggled at times but Vokoun has stepped up and shut the door while his counterpart was struggling.

While Vokoun likely wont win any accolades for his performance between the pipes this season, he's been huge for the Penguins. By sharing some of the load Fleury will be rested for the playoffs and if he has some rough patches Vokoun can step in.

The Penguins goaltending is a big reason they're the Stanley Cup favorites and why they're currently first in the East.

Anaheim Ducks

Jonas Hiller (23 games played) 13-5-4 and Viktor Fasth (22 games played) 14-5-1.

The Ducks, much like the Blackhawks, have utilized their goalie tandem for the best. Hiller faltered this season and battled injury, during that time Fasth came in and proved he's ready to be an NHL goalie. Instead of letting their situation turn into a controversy they've used their tandem to propel them into 2nd in the West.

The Ducks have had a remarkable turnaround from last season and their goalie tandem deserves a lot of credit for carrying the load.

In addition to the teams listed above who have fully utilized their goalie tandems and are benefiting in the standings, at least a third of all NHL teams are playing their tandems more and more often. The Vancouver Canucks have used both Cory Schneider and Roberto Luongo at times this season, the Ottawa Senators were forced to use both Craig Anderson and Ben Bishop, The New Jersey Devils have used both Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg and the Lightning have also used multiple netminders.

When you look around the NHL this seems to be the year of the goalie tandems. Some of the teams atop of the NHL have been utilizing their goalie tandems to the fullest and as a result their dominating the NHL.

Leafs Have James Reimer No Need For Kiprusoff

It's that time again when trade rumours are flying all around, often it's hard to decipher between which ones are legitimate and which ones are a hoax. The one rumour surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs all season is their need for a veteran goalie and once again with deadline less than 24 hours away a veteran goalie is all everyone in Toronto wants to talk about.

Talks have heated up again after Dave Nonis said he wouldn't rule out adding a veteran goaltender for the playoffs. News broke that the Leafs have been talking with the Calgary Flames about acquiring Miikka Kiprusoff. Here's the kicker, James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have played just fine and sit 8th and 11th respectively in Save Percentage amongst goalies who have played half their teams games. While James Reimer doesn't have a lot of experience under his belt he's established himself as the Leafs starting goaltender for the future.

Sure Reimer's numbers have been a little shaky this season and he's battled some injuries but he's starting to heat up at the perfect time for the Leafs. In his last 11 games he's 6-1-4 and has posted 2 shutouts (against the Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators). What that proves is that James Reimer has been winning hockey games and that's all you can ask for from your goalie. Through his 22 games this season Reimer owns a 13-4-4 record with a .920 S% and a 2.52 Goals Against Average. Even more impressive is his even strength S% of .926 which is amongst the best in the NHL.

By the way the Leafs are tied for 5th in the Eastern Conference and are going to end their playoff drought in large part thanks to their goaltending, whats the issue? Whether you want to admit it or not James Reimer is establishing himself as an NHL starter and he gives the Leafs a bright future.

The major concern for the Leafs brass is the fact that James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have a combined 0 NHL playoff games under their belts. But let's not forget Scrivens led the Toronto Marlies all the way to the Calder Cup Championships and James Reimer was named the most valuable player throughout the ECHL playoffs in 2009. So they do have a little bit of experience playing in high-pressure situations such as the playoffs. Here's a brilliant idea, if you want James Reimer and Ben Scrivens to get some playoff experience, stick with them and let them get that experience!

The next question you need to ask is with acquiring Miikka Kiprusoff are the Leafs now favorites or contenders to win the Cup and the answer to that is no. With his poor attitude, threatening to nullify all trades by not showing up and his weak play this season, is he really that much of an upgrade over James Reimer?

By bringing in a veteran goaltender with playoff experience you're only slowing down James Reimer's development and not allowing him the experience you're upset at him for not having. What happens when you bring in that veteran goalie for the playoffs and then he leaves next season- you're right back in the same boat with two goalies with no playoff experience. Also if you think the Leafs goalies are inexperienced take a look at their blue line and then we'll talk inexperienced.

Bringing in an experienced veteran like Kiprusoff or Roberto Luongo would have huge ramifications for the Leafs in the future and would likely end Ben Scrivens' days as a Leaf, not only that but it could ruin James Reimer's confidence. Reimer admitted today during practice that all this trade talk about bringing in a veteran goalie to take over for the playoffs is bothering him, and he has every right to be upset about it. Reimer has been fantastic this season and gotten the Leafs wins all season long, no you're suddenly going to replace him because you don't think he can get the job done?

Now the fact that Leafs want a veteran goalie to come in and mentor Reimer and Scrivens is understandable and I've even said James Reimer could use a veteran mentor. But bringing a guy like Miikka Kiprusoff in as a mentor would be a big mistake! First of all Reimer numbers over the last three season have been better than his mentors. Yes Kiprusoff has playoff experience and a run to the Stanley Cup Finals, but he's been eliminated in the first round in 4 out of 5 playoff appearances. Also at the age of 36, missing the playoffs the last 3 seasons and posting an atrocious .868 S% and 3.64 GAA, there's some debate on whether or not he's past his prime.

The Leafs are going to end their playoff drought and that's great but let's face it they still don't have what it takes to compete with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins of the East. Adding Kiprusoff really doesn't change that fact, so is it worth ruining Reimer's confidence, losing prospects to still possibly getting knocked out in the first round?

The Leafs don't need another goalie, they have two very capable goalies already. Heroes are born in the playoffs- instead of wondering if James Reimer will flop in the playoffs maybe it's time to start wondering if he'll become a star and make a name for himself.

Martin Brodeur the Ageless Wonder

At this point I'm starting to wonder if Martin Brodeur will ever slow down or even begin to show his age. Last year during the playoffs I wrote an article about how despite at age 40 he's still dominating the playoffs, now it seems like he's carrying over his strong play from the postseason into the start of 2013. Brodeur along with the New Jersey Devils have gotten off to a 6-1-3 start which has them sitting in 4th place in the Eastern Conference, ahead of the arguably stronger New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers. Not bad for a team that is relying on a 40 year-old starter and a 39 year-old backup in Johan Hedberg.

This is Brodeur's 19th season as a starter with the Devils in the NHL and this year he's poised for even more success and perhaps even a 4th Stanley Cup. The Devils goaltender is one of just 3 players (Teemu Selanne and Jaromir Jagr) to have experienced the last shortened season in 1995- and Martin Brodeur became a house hold name by backstopping the Devils to a Stanley Cup Championship. What does Brodeur have planned for his 2nd shortened NHL season?

While there are no guarantees on how far or how well the Devils will do or how long Brodeur will be able to keep playing like a 20 something year-old, there is no question this season will be special.

"When you get to a certain age you appreciate the game a little more because you know there's not many left. You want to go out and try to perform, I want to make sure I'm ready when called upon" ~ Martin Brodeur

Through the first 10 games Brodeur has certainly been ready and looks no worse for age winning 5 of 8 games with a 2.44 Goals Against Average and a .904 Save Percentage not too bad for an old guy. At 40 Martin Brodeur is one of the most legendary goaltender to ever put on the pads, holding almost all goaltending records he is poised to hit another milestone on Saturday night when he plays in his 1200th NHL game! Perhaps the most interesting thing about the legendary goaltender is the fact that despite being a "role model" or hero to younger goalies, none of the younger goalies in the NHL have adapted his hybrid style.

With the shortened season, Brodeur not playing in another league during the layoff and him getting older each day, many- including myself- were writing off the oldest goalie in the league. With the rigorous schedule of playing almost every other day, I didn't believe Brodeur would be up to the task but so far he looks just fine. He started off the year 3-0 while allowing only 3 goals and putting up a shutout while stacking the pads and rolling all over the ice stoning shooters.

Watching Brodeur early this season he has shown he is more than up to the task of another season in the NHL and the lockout may end up helping him in the long run. Of course having arguably the best backup goalie in Hedberg doesn't hurt either. The best thing about him is that when he feels he is no longer honestly able to compete at the NHL level he will step aside, and he's starting to do that by allowing Hedberg more and more starts. Between the stellar play of Brodeur who always shows up in the biggest games, when all the chips are down and the solid play of Hedberg when Brodeur needs a rest, the New Jersey Devils may have the best goalie tandem in the NHL.

Due to the lockout Brodeur is facing a 30 game season (at most) instead of a 50+, which should help him and the Devils come playoff time. Martin Brodeur is Martin Brodeur, there is no need to worry about his skill- he'll get the job done.

With Brodeur out-performing many younger goalies and the Devils team clicking as a unit, Brodeur may be able to win his 4th Stanley Cup before riding off into the sunset! Only time will tell if Brodeur can keep up this pace all season long, but one thing's for sure- when Martin Brodeur does hang up his pads he will be one of the all time great goaltenders to ever play.

 

 

 

Interview With USA Womens National Team Goalie Coach Mandy Cronin

Got another interview for you guys today, this one is extra special as it's with my former goalie coach Mandy Cronin. Cronin began her goaltending adventure at the University of Maine where she was given a 4 year scholarship and became a all american athlete and scholar, proving that her knowledge went beyond the ice. After her time at Maine she headed to Canada to further pursue her hockey career and goals. After a very successful career in the National  Women's Hockey League and Canadian Women's Hockey League, she turned her love of hockey into a coaching career. Today she is helping coach and scout for the USA national team and USA hockey.

I had the opportunity to talk with the USA national team goalie coach:

1. How did you get started in hockey?

My family (my parents, an older sister and 3 older brothers - I'm the baby!) moved from Ohio to Maine when I was 3 or 4 years old. When we got there the youngest brother, who is 4 years older than me, started playing hockey, and me being the tomboy I was, I followed in his footsteps! I fell in love with hockey and played forward/defence from age 5-12. At 12, I tried out for a previously all-boys Select team in NH, the Seacoast Spartans, and got cut as a F/D, but was offered the opportunity to tryout as a goalie. I had never tried goalie before, and quite frankly was a bit scared of the puck, but I really wanted to be the first girl on the team, so I tried out and beat out 4 other boys for the spot! The rest is history!

2. What made you move from Maine to Toronto?

While I was playing at the University of Maine from 1998-2002, I had heard a bit about a women's pro league in Canada. So in my Jr year at Maine I started doing a bit of research into the league - where the teams were, coaches names, etc. I called a few coaches and talked to them about trying out after my Sr. year. I just knew that I was not yet playing my best hockey and I wanted a chance to play at that level and see what the league was all about. So after I graduated, I spent the summer at home and then in mid-August, after talking to some coaches in Vancouver and Edmonton, I was about to take a road trip on my own out west to see if I could earn a spot on one of the squads out there. Then I got a call from Pete Perram of the Durham Telus Lightning in Toronto. He wanted to sign me! Although I was really looking forward to the road trip and the sights on the west coast, it was a no-brainer to stay closer to my family, and to have a spot right away instead of having to tryout. So I drove to Buffalo with my parents to meet Pete and sign! I moved up to Toronto in late August of 2002 and have been up here ever since.

3.What was it like to play in the CWHL, the first professional women's league?

It was a great honour to have been able to play at such a high level for so long (2002-2003 was my 1st season in the NWHL and 2011-2012 was my final season in the CWHL - 10 full seasons). It has been so great to see the level of talent improving more and more in the younger generations of CWHLers coming into the league each year. We have had some great history-making moments like the first-ever Women's Hockey Draft held at the Hockey Hall of Fame; games at NHL arenas with upwards of 5,000 fans, etc. Overall, it was an experience that shaped the last decade of my life.

4. What was it like winning back to back National Championships with the Brampton Thunder? Was it tough to repeat?

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"] Mandy with her goaltending partner after winning the National Championship[/caption]

It was a great experience! And yes, it was definitely an uphill battle to be able to win it the 2nd time. As I mentioned previously, the NWHL/CWHL improved

every season I played, as the younger generations of female hockey players came in very strong, so our opponents were increasingly tough competitors.

5. What has been the highlight of your playing career?

I have 2:

1. Team USA tryout camp personal invitation - in 2004 I was personally invited by Ben Smith (US Olympic Coach) to attend the 4 Nations Cup pre-camp. I would be the only player coming into camp for an evaluation, as everyone else was on the team already. It was the most amazing experience flying into Lake Placid, NY and staying at the Olympic Training Centre for a week, training with many of the women who I had grown up playing with/against. The most memorable moments of that week:

- Walking into the Team USA dressing room and seeing the #1 USA jersey sitting in a stall with my name on it! Even the grey practice jersey was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen because I had earned the right to wear it!

- After the last skate, while I was stretching on the ice, Cammi Granato came over and shook my hand and told me that no matter what happened, I deserved to be there. I ended up being released and that was absolutely devastating, but looking back, that was a dream-experience and I was proud to have made it that far.

2. Boston vs Montreal game in 2010 -  out of every team I played for in the NWHL/CWHL, I would say the most memorable was the 2010-2011 season when I was the goalie in the inaugural season for the Boston Blades. I got to play in front of my entire family for the first time in over a decade (I'm from Maine, about 50 minutes from Boston), and our team had the most amazing chemistry. There were so many great games and experiences with the Blades, but the best memory was from a weekend road trip to Montreal to play the Stars - the best team in the league at the time. I believe they were undefeated, 11-0 at that point. We had quite a few Olympians on our team but most of them were missing that weekend for various reasons, so we went up there with 9 players total. The first night we lost something like 9-1 or 10-1. It was a brutal game, but our team was able to let it go and regroup overnight. We came back the next day pumped up and ready to go. I faced 74 shots during that game and we ended up winning 3-2! My team played amazing in front of me (despite what the shots might show!).. my D were helping me as much as they could and the forwards scored some beautiful and timely goals. It was such a rush to blow Montreal's undefeated streak with such few players, especially after losing so badly the night before! Those are the moments that make me miss playing competitively - but they will always make my heart smile!

6. How did you get started in goalie coaching?

I had done a bit of coaching my whole life for all of the sports I played. I found a passion for coaching when I worked at my former prep school, New Hampton during my high school and college summers. I was a counsellor and administrator for the SPORTS P.L.U.S. (Positive Learning Using Sports) camp, which was

 created by NHS's former headmaster, Jeff Beedy. From then on, I knew I wanted to work with kids - to help improve the outlook kids had on life. Then duringmy 2nd year of playing in the NWHL in 2004, I met Jamie McGuire who became my goalie coach. He was a great mentor, and working with the goalies at his goalie school helped me realize that I had a passion and a knack for helping kids become not only better goalies and athletes, but more confident people. I have been enjoying my career very much since starting M-Power Hockey in 2007!

7. Whats the biggest difference between playing and coaching?

Well, one major difference - the most obvious answer - is that I am not playing competitively anymore. I don't travel to participate as goalies in practices & games multiple nights per week anymore. Now I am on the ice about 15 hours per week coaching goalies and occasionally playing in some rec/pick-up hockey games. I am now able to enjoy some other aspects of life that I have not been able to partake in during my NWHL/CWHL career: traveling, family/friends time, and more time to work.

8. Whats it like coaching for the US national team?

My experiences working with/for USA Hockey and Team USA have been life-changing. I have been able to travel all over the US and Europe and work with not only the best female goalies in the US, but also from all over the world (the IIHF Camp in Finland last summer). It's a great feeling to be able to wear your country's logo on your track suit and help shape the future of the girls who are dreaming the same dreams I dreamt many years ago. I hope that I will continue to be a part of USA Hockey & Team USA's goalie coaching staff in the future. The young female goalies coming up are very talented and I value every time I am able to get on the ice with them

9. Whats one thing you tell all goalies?

As for real life advice for my goalies, I always tell my kids that they have to be their own agent and represent themselves well - the best of the best will be sought after by top teams, colleges, and the national team, but everyone else (the majority) have to make themselves known to those scouts, and make sure they always put their best foot forward so they are always getting another step closer to their dreams.

10. Whats one thing you wish people knew about women's hockey?

Female hockey players for the most part are very educated, intelligent women. We don't get paid a penny so we have police officers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, students, etc, all paying their own way to play. It's a shame that we can't figure out how to pay CWHL players - I'm not talking the millions the NHL'ers make, but just enough to equal at least an entry level professional job - $30-40k. NHL teams could spare one or 2, 4th liners and pay our entire league with their salary. This pay would allow elite female hockey players to focus on their hockey careers and be able to train regularly like NHL'ers and escalate the level of our game to a place where we could draw even more fans and sponsors. Someday, I hope!

11. Who is currently your favourite NHL goalie?

Well, considering there's no current NHL goalies to watch, I'd have to reflect back on last season! I don't have one absolute favourite but I have a few that I really like watching for various reasons: Timmy Thomas (he's not a great positional goalie but he just gets it done.. and I am a Bruins fan so it's a given that I'd be a fan of his!); Jonathan Quick - he's tiny, but he doesn't care - he's lightning fast and such a tenacious athlete; Ryan Miller - very positional and disciplined; Pekke Rinne - again, very disciplined but also very smart and just seems like a great guy; I did jump on the Holtby bandwagon as well, even though they were playing against the Bruins in the playoffs!

12. If you could work with any one professional goalie: male or female who would it be?

I've never thought about that. I don't have anyone in mind that I've always wanted to coach... but I guess it would be fun to work with someone like Johnny Bower and see if we could teach an old dog new tricks!

If you want to learn more about Mandy Cronin and her M-Power goaltending school you can visit her website: M-Power Hockey. Her goal is to "empower" all young goalies and help them reach their true potential- and I know from personal experience she really knows her stuff and is a fantastic goalie coach. Since we wont see NHL hockey for another week, why not take this opportunity to check out your local NWHL/CWHL hockey team?

I'd like to thank Mandy Cronin for taking the time to sit down with us for an interview!

Top 10 NHL Saves of 2012

The only thing better than highlight reel goals, is highlight real saves. A NHL goalie has litterly just seconds to react to a shot from elite players and when they
do manage to get a piece of leather on the puck it makes for some draw dropping highlights. So here are the top 10 NHL saves of 2012:

10. Jimmy Howard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JPF_8fEUgk

One of the worst things to happen to a goaltender is when they misplay a easy dump-in resulting in a easy and often embarrassing goal. Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard gets introduced to just how lively the end boards can be when a routine dump-in takes a lively bounce and lands right in front of the net. Howard relies on his insticts and reflexes to somehow recover and keep the puck out.

9. Marty Turco

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMx9SHvk4ck

Talk about a fantastic highlight reel save in your first game back in the NHL! After being recently signed by the Boston Bruins the veteran Turco proves his worth to his new team. But chances are this move isn't in any goaltenders playbook.

8. Ondrej Pavelec

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syYaNJuBnCs

Unless you're a goaltender or have played goal it's really hard to truly appreciate the difficulty of this save by Ondrej Pavelec. Not only is he out of position he also has to pick his entire body weight up in order to dive over to the other side of the net. On top of all that he gets up on the wrong leg making the sliding save even more difficult. After watching Pavelec play last season it's not unreasonable to say he's one of the most under-rated goalies in the league.

7. Devan Dubnyk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpCEJP6SNNk

This is the perfect example on why a goalie should never give up. Here Chris Higgins has a wide open net but Dubnyk dives across to rob him with the paddle and on top of that he's able to cover up the puck.

6. Ryan Miller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTt-Cex63go

Miller and the Buffalo Sabres had a rough season but it's saves like this that solidify Miller's place in the elite goaltenders of the league. This save shows how much hockey sense Miller possess and how quick his reflexas are as he is able to stop the puck right on the goal-line. After the puck hits a skate and heads directly for the back of the net, Miller not only needs to find the puck but he also has to react in time to keep it out. This is they type of save that just leaves you scratching your head.

5. Martin Brodeur

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxPT4oSwjYU

Brodeur may just be one of the greatest goalies to ever play in the NHL and perhaps the most remarkable thing about him is his unique style of play, it's completely out of the box and almost un-adaptable for goaltenders today. After just turning 40 during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Brodeur shows that he is still just as good as when he was young. After missing on the poke-check Brodeur sticks with the play, showing he's still flexable by getting a toe on the puck.

4. Carey Price

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTh9l6wOIl0

Now when a goaltender makes 1 great save it's one thing, but when a goalie is called upon to make several in a row one has to question where the defence is. Here Carey Price is forced to make 2 great saves and then cover up the rebound. The unique thing about this save is the evolution of Price's maturity and career, earlier on he would have panicked and sulked about the lack of help. But here he stays with the play and battles hard to make not one but two huge saves.

3. Keri Lehtonen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9LJAgQTL2c

Making a big time game saving stop is nothing easy for a goaltender and when that save comes in over time it's even more drastic. Here Keri Lehtonen is able to get across the cress and kick out his leg and deflect the puck into the air and out of harms way. This is the type of save that makes you wonder if goaltenders train by breakdancing in the off-season.

2. Henrik Lundqvist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jw2ryqsQ30

How in the world did King Henrik manage to keep this one out of his net? Whether it was pure luck or more brialliance from the elite goaltender but somehow he managed to stone Drew Stafford on a 2 on 1. Make sure you watch this save 2 or 3 times to fully appreciate the value of this save.

1. Mike Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPMT7sx1cq4

You can't not include a penalty shot/ breakaway save in a list of top 10 NHL saves. The hardest thing for a goaltender to do is make a save 1 on 1, player vs. goaltender. When it's a penalty shot during overtime against New York Rangers sniper Marian Gaborik the odds are even tougher. Smith is able to read Gaborik and sprawl out to make the save.

There you have it, my top 10 NHL saves of 2012 and there were some fantastic ones eh? Did I miss any phenominal game saving saves from the men between the pipes? If so let me know!

 

 

Full Lockout Hurts Goalies

Say what you want about defence winning championships but if you don't have solid goaltending to accompany that defence you wont get anywhere near the championship. Both the Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings had outstanding offence and defence and proved they were the best of the best when they accomplished the dream of winning the Stanley Cup. But if wasn't for the outstanding play of Tim Thomas and Jonathan Quick who both won the Conn Smythe, both the Bruins and Kings would not have their latest Cups. Goaltending is crucial to winning.

While a full season lockout effects everyone, it especially impacts the netminders. While forwards and defence are still able to work on their skating and shots in practices, on their own and at player organized training camps, goalies for the most part can't keep up the reflexes they utilize every night to stop some of the best shooters. With many top players over in Europe and practices unable to match game intensity many goaltenders don't get the practice they need to keep their skills sharp during a lockout.

Coming out of the 2004-2005 lockout goalies were left out in the cold. By the time games started up for 2005-2006 the 'tenders were left dazed and a step behind the sharp shooters of the NHL, and while it did provide some entertaining high scoring hockey the goalies production went downhill. In 2003-2004 goaltenders were arguably at their peak and the average save percentage for NHL goalies was .911, but after the lockout the save percentages dropped drastically to a dismal .901 the lowest since 1985. Before the lockout goaltending was at it's high, the highest it's ever been, the goalies were good, smart, quick and stoning shooters left, right and centre, whereas after the lockout one could have mistaken NHL goalies for minor league or rookie netminders.

To further prove that a lockout hurts the goaltenders more than anyone else, let's see how the players faired after the 2004-2005 lockout. Before the last lockout the players were having a difficult time scoring goals and as a result more times than not the game would end by a 1 goal difference as there was an average of 5.1 goals a game, the lowest since 1955. After the lockout during the same time the goalies were struggling the goals per game jumped to 6.

After save percentages took a downhill turn in 2005, it took until 2009 for goalies to regain their form and skill from before the lockout, thats 4 seasons do you know how many goalies may have lost their jobs due to their poor play after the lockout?

Let's look at 2 veteran goalies who play went downhill after the lockout;

Martin Biron-- 2003-2004: 2.52 GAA and .913 Save Percentage Vs. 2005-2006: 2.88 GAA and .905 Save Percentage

Biron's numbers became notably worse in 2005-2006 after taking the whole season off because of the



lockout. Due to his poor play he ultimately lost the starting job to Buffalo Sabres franchise goalie Ryan Miller who benefited from a full season in the AHL during the 2004-2005 NHL lockout. In 2006-2007 Biron was limited to just 19 games between the pipes for the Sabres and even in those 19 games he had very poor stats racking up a 3.04 GAA and .899 Save Percentage. Biron is now the New York Rangers backup goal seeing the net when Henrik Lundqvist needs some rest.

Ed Belfour-- 2003-2004: 2.13 GAA and .918 Save Percentage Vs. 2005-2006: 3.29 GAA and .892 Save Percentage

Now there's a name from the history books, but believe it or not the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs had a decent team he was between the pipes. Belfour led the Leafs to 2nd place in their conference and into the playoffs with his stellar play pre-lockout. That was his last of 3 seasons with the blue and white before he headed south to join up with the Florida Panthers where his game improved but it was to little too late for the aging tender.

There you have it two goalies who careers were decimated by the last lockout. Who's careers may be forever changed because of this lockout? Every goalie is keeping their fingers crossed that this one doesn't last as long so they can get back into game action and get back to proving they're the most valuable netminders to their teams.

 

What Does Luongo to the Leafs Mean For Current Leaf Goaltenders?

Usually when a sport is in a lockout state all talks about trades are put on hold until the league breaks the lockout, but apparently the never stopping Toronto sports media missed that memo. A report surfaced on twitter last week, that the next time Roberto Luongo plays in the NHL it will be for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The report is initially from SportsNet and hockey reporter John Shannon. While neither team has confirmed the trade, nor can they because of the lockout, fans got pretty excited over the news.

Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis has denied the rumour, stating that talking about trades without a CBA is not allowed, there are as many as 5 teams that have expressed interest in the goaltender and further talks would not continue until a new CBA is worked out. As I said earlier the Toronto sports media loves to cause drama, their motto seems to be; "If there isn't a story, make one up".

Whether the rumour is true or not, and frankly we may never know as there are several variables in a situation like this, the possibility of Bobby Luo ending up in Toronto is pretty good. The Leafs are in desperate need of a veteran goaltender and depending on the new CBA would be one of the few teams that could afford his contract. But the point of this article is not to debate whether Luongo will be a Toronto Maple Leaf but rather to see how his addition to the Leafs would effect the current goaltending situation in Toronto.

James Reimer

Reimer burst onto the Toronto Maple Leafs radar halfway through the 2010 season when then goaltenders Jonas Gustavsson and Jean-Sebastien Giguere began to play poorly and drove the Leafs out of the playoff race. He was then named the starting goaltender for the remainder of the 2010-2011 season playing in 37 total games and becoming an instant fan favourite, many of whom referred to him as the "Leafs saviour". Reimer had a injury riddled 2011-2012 season that saw him get injured twice and as a result his play suffered. He played in just 34 games and finished with a 3.10 Goals Against Average and a .900 Save Percentage.

Reimer is a solid goaltender and has the capability to be a solid number one goaltender, but not with the Leafs. He's still young and inconsistent a recipe for disaster for a goaltender constantly under the spot light in Toronto. Leafs GM Brian Burke told the media that Reimer and Marlies goaltender Ben Scrivens would battle it out in training camp to decide who will become the starting goalie. Interesting that the Leafs won't name Reimer their clear cut number one and a sign that management is looking elsewhere.

Verdict: Reimer Gets Traded- He's a great guy and a solid goaltender. But questions have arrised about his mental toughness and ability to handle the media pressure. As a result Reimer needs to play for a team that is out of the limelight so he can develop his game without the constant criticism.

Ben Scrivens

While there are questions about the young goaltenders attitude there is no question he is a solid netminder. He lead the Toronto Marlies to the Calder Cup finals  and had a fantastic season racking up 22 wins. His play earned him a call up to the Leafs, where he played in 12 games and won 4. With his play in the AHL last season, there is no question he deserves a chance to crack the NHL roster and challenge for the starting job. But is he ready?

Scrivens was an un-drafted prospect who signed with the Leafs in 2o10 because of goaltending coach Francois Allaire. Although Scrivens is older than Reimer (26) he is still very much a rookie who needs more experience at the NHL level. He is off to a rocky start with the Marlies going 1-2 in his 3 games with a .896 Save Percentage.

Verdict: Scrivens Becomes Luongo's Backup- Last season's run to the Calder Cup finals was fantastic to watch and Scrivens showed he can play. The fact the Leafs are willing to let him battle to become the starter shows they have some faith in him and see a future with him between the pipes. He needs more experience and could benefit from the guidance of a veteran goaltender. If there's another media outlet nearly as bad as Toronto it's Vancouver, Luongo would not only help him on the ice but potentially help him with the media as well. Having the veteran in Luongo and the rookie in Scrivens might be the right formula for success for both goaltenders.

Jussi Rynnas

Rynnas is another un-drafted goalie who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent. Rynnas joins the Marlies after playing for Assat of the SM-liiga the top professional league in Finland (2009). After winning a job with Assat out of training camp he went on to post the top Save Percentage (.927) and a solid Goals Against Average of 2.47. His play earned him attention from several NHL teams and he ultimately chose the Leafs, he was sent to the Marlies where he played 30 games in 2010. Last season saw him split time between the Marlies and their ECHL affiliate, but this year he's back with the Marlies and looks to backup Scrivens until he is recalled to the Leafs at the end of the Lockout.

Verdict Rynnas Becomes Marlies Starting Goaltender- With more experience and playing time Rynnas has the possibility and skill to become a solid starting goaltender, if and when the NHL lockout ends he will get that chance with the Marlies.



There you have it folks, my thoughts on the goaltending situation should Luongo indeed end up in Toronto. Of course if he does land in Toronto he will be the new number one goaltender and be faced with the task of bringing the Leafs back to the playoffs. I would not be surprised in the slightest to see the Leafs having a goaltending tandem of Luongo and Scrivens for the next few seasons. What do you think folks, will Loungo end up with the Leafs? If so how does it effect their goalies?

 

How Important is Good Goaltending?

It is often said "if you show me a great goaltender I'll show you a winning team."  Often times the difference in a hockey game will be decided by how well the masked men play. There is no question that goaltending is important to the success of a team, a series can be won or lost based on the goaltending. But it's time to take a statistical look at how a goalie can truly effect a team.

Today we're going to look at 3 of the top goalies from last season (statistically speaking) and take a look at how it effected their respective teams. Then we'll take a look at a couple teams who didn't do so well and see how their goalies performed.

Top 3 Goalies

Jonathan Quick: 35 wins, 1.95 GAA (2nd), .929 Save Percentage (3rd), 10 shutouts (1st), 133 Goals Against.

Team Result- Won the Stanley Cup

When a goaltender backstops a team to a Stanley Cup Championship and wins the Conn Smythe you know they've had a good season. Jonathan Quick's stats only reiterate what everyone all ready knew, he had a fantastic season. Looking at the stats from last season you find Quick's name in the top 5 of almost every category. Without the solid goaltending the LA Kings had they wouldn't have been able to hoist the Cup. Quick came up big for the Kings who found themselves on the winning side of many one-goal games. Quick out-duelled his counterparts helping the Kings knock off the 1st, 2nd and 3rd seeded teams en route to victory.

Henrik Lundqvist 39 wins, 1.97 GAA (4th), .930 Save Percentage (2nd), 8 shutouts (3rd), 123 Goals Against.

Team Result- Conference Finals



King Henrik had another outstanding season between the pipes leading the New York Rangers to first place in the Eastern Conference. This season Lundqvist became 1 of only two goalies to have 7 straight seasons with 30+ wins, what does that mean? It means he's consistent, when the Rangers need a win they know they can count on him. The Rangers were able to climb on his back and ride a hot goaltender deep into the playoffs. Despite having his best season as a Ranger, he was still unable to catch the elusive Stanley Cup. Hopefully one day the king will get his cup.

Brian Elliott- 23 wins, 1.56 GAA (1st), .940 Save Percentage (1st), 9 shutouts (2nd), 58 goals against. * Elliott only played in 38 games*

Team Results- Conference Semi-Finals

Despite splitting the goaltending duties with Jaroslav Halak for most of the season, Elliott was able to win the starting job at the beginning of the playoffs. Elliott lead the league in Goals Against Average and set the record for the highest single season Save Percentage. As a result of his great year, Elliott earned some hardware at the NHL awards bringing home; the William M Jennings trophy for lowest goals allowed and the Roger Crozier trophy for highest save percentage. If it wasn't for the St. Louis Blues running into a hot goaltender in Quick the Blues likely would have gone deeper into the post-season.

Now it's time too look at two goalies who didn't fare as well and as a result their teams missed the postseason.

Ryan Miller- 31 wins, 2.55 GAA (23rd), .916 Save Percentage (21st), 6 shutouts (8th), 150 goals against.

Team Result- 9th place in the Eastern Conference



While I hate blaming goalies for a teams performance, Ryan Miller was a huge reason why the Buffalo Sabres missed the playoffs. The Sabres and Miller were expected to have a fantastic season and challenge for the Stanley Cup, but they stumbled out of the gate and as a result found themselves in 14th in the Eastern Conference. As much as Miller is to blame for the poor start he also deserves credit for the late season turn-around in which the Sabres narrowly missed the playoffs. Bottom line Miller has to be better in order for his team to win, he had a rough season and as a result the Sabres suffered.

Carey Price- 26 wins, 2.43 GAA (18th), .916 Save Percentage (20th), 4 shutouts (18th), 160 goals against.

Team Result-  15th in the Eastern Conference.

To be honest I'm not too sure what happened in Montreal this year. The Canadiens weren't expected to gave a outstanding season, but they also weren't expected  to have the poor season they did. Unfortunately for Price, no one on the Canadiens really stepped up to the plate, so even when he had a solid game they still lost. The good thing for fans is their goaltender did a lot of growing up this season and didn't quit on the team. Price didn't perform nearly as well as he could have and as a result his team tanked.

One difference between teams who made the playoffs and those that didn't was goaltending. Those who got steady consistent play from their goalies advanced farther. A goalie is said to have done his job if he keeps his team in the game and gives them a chance to win. The top 3 goalies all gave their teams a chance to win each night and their statistics reflect that. Want your team to make the playoff? Better hope  they have solid goaltending.

 

Comparing Goalies Under and Over 30

 

This weekend I asked you to submit ideas via my Facebook fan-page to determine the subject of today's blog. There were some awesome ideas submitted, some of which may even be written about down the road. But the winner of the contest is Margann Laurissa, who suggested that I compare the stats of goalies under the age of 30 to those of goalies over the age of 30. This was an awesome idea that combined two of the things I like most; goalies and a challenge.
Let's begin the comparison:

I have chosen three goalies under 30 and three goalies over 30. For the goalies under 30 I wanted to find goalies that are in their prime or entering their prime where as two of the three goalies I chose over the age of 30 are entering the final stages of their careers. We will be comparing the goalies based on their statistical performances from last season (regular season).

Goalies Under 30:

Jonathan Quick (26)

After Quick's performance last season that ultimately won his team the cup, one would be out of their mind not to include him as one of the best goalies under the age of 30. The scary thing with Quick is the fact he appears to be just entering his prime now. The end of last season marked his 4th season in the league (3rd as a full time starter) and he already has a Stanley Cup to his name, not a bad way to begin your career! After his performance last season there is no question Quick will be the Kings goalie of the future.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 69 games, 35 wins, 10 Shutouts, 1.95 Goals Against Average and a .929 Save Percentage.

Marc-Andre Fleury (27)

While statistically speaking Fleury didn't have a fantastic campaign, he was put in a tough spot. The Penguins went without Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, two vital players for the majority of the season and the Penguins back-up goalies couldn't be trusted in important games which resulted in Fleury starting 23 consecutive games at one point. Fleury was a work horse this season and at the end of the day he was able to backstop his team into the playoffs.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 67 games, 42 wins, 3 shutouts, 2.36 Goals Against Average and a .913 Save Percentage.

Carey Price (25)

Although Price and the Canadiens had a rough season last year, there is no question in my mind that he is still an elite goaltender. With better players in front of him and actually scoring goals (yes we're looking at you Scott Gomez) the Canadiens will have a much better season and Price's stats will reflect that. Price is finally starting to find himself as a goaltender. He admitted last season that in the past he was "young and immature" his play on the ice reflected that. But last season we saw a much more composed goalie, Price has finally come to the point where he is becoming a mature goalie. He knows what it takes to win, and isn't whining nearly as much. This is all positive for Habs fans as I wouldn't be surprised if Price led them back to the playoffs next season.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 65 games, 26 wins, 4 shutouts, 2.43 Goals Against Average and a .916 Save Percentage.

Goalies Over 30:

Martin Brodeur (40)



Brodeur is the ageless wonder in net. One game it looks like his age has finally caught up to him, then the next games he plays like he's 25 again. It's really exciting to watch him play and incorporate the old style

into his game in the new era of the NHL. Last season he led the New Jersey Devils to within two wins of the Stanley Cup, not bad for a guy who just turned 40! There's times when I watch him play and think he could go on and play forever. Despite being 40 and "past his prime" he is still one of the elite goalies in the league.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 59 games, 31 wins, 3 shutouts, 2.41 Goals Against Average and a .908 Save Percentage.

 Tim Thomas (38)

While Thomas has proved himself to be a nut case over the last little while (but hey, what goalie isn't a little crazy?) he is still a very good goaltender. A year removed from the Bruins historic Stanley Cup win, Thomas' stats went down a little this season causing many to question whether he should remain as the starting goalie. Those who questioned that received their wish this off season as Thomas announced he would be taking a year off of hockey to "find himself". While his plan is to come back to play hockey again after his year long sabbatical Thomas' career is winding down.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 59 games, 35 wins, 5 shutouts, 2.36 GAA, and a .920 Save Percentage.

Ryan Miller (32)

While including Miller in this list may be a bit of stretch he's a goalie that fits right in the middle. He's just over the hump of 30 but not approaching his 40's and likely still has 4-5 more seasons left in the tank. Plus did you really think I was going to leave him out of this article? Miller battled injuries and consistency problems last season but was still able to brake the franchise record for most career wins with 235. In addition to setting a new franchise record he became one of only two goalies to have 30+ wins in 7 straight seasons. While his stats don't speak volumes, in my books Miller is still elite.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 61 games, 31 wins, 6 shutouts, 2.54 Goals Against Average and a .916 Save Percentage.

One of the questions Margann wanted answered, was to see if age had any bearing on the stats of goalies. I'm not going to lie the statistics from last season were a lot closer than I expected them to be. The 6 goalies compared above all have relatively close statistics.

3 things to take note of-

• Jonathan Quick and Tim Thomas are the last two Stanley Cup Winning goalies. They had the highest save percentage amongst the 6 goalies. But if you look at Thomas' stats from last season (9 shutouts and 2.00 GAA) they are almost identical to those of Jonathan Quick's from this season!


• All three of the goalies under 30 played in 60+ games while only Ryan Miller of the over 30's played in more than 60 games.


• Amongst the three goalies Jonathan Quick had the best stats, ironically he won the Stanley Cup. Sometimes stats do matter.

If one had simply taken the statistics of these six goaltenders without looking at their age, they would have a very difficult time figuring out which goalies were over 30 and which were under. That speaks volumes for the older goalies on the list. With the knowledge about conditioning and nutrition that there is today the goalies are able to keep themselves in top shape and have very solid seasons. Maybe one day the NHL can compile an all star game of players under 30 vs players over 30 and see who would win!

What do you think? Which goalie would you rather have on your team?

40 going on 30

It's hard enough for any team to find a top notch goaltender who can help win them games, most teams are looking for young, tall goalies who drop to their knees every shot as apart of the "butterfly" technique. But the New Jersey Devils are relying on a old goalie who has his own unique way of stopping the puck, in fact they're doing a lot better than just getting by as they currently sit just 2 wins away from a trip to the Stanley Cup. In fact a Stanley Cup win would give their legendary goaltender his 4th ring!

Martin Brodeur is proving once again that age does not matter in sport, he can still make draw dropping  saves and win his team hockey games proving he is still a valuable commodity between the pipes. The legendary Brodeur turned 40 earlier this month and since turning 40 has held his opponents to less than 3 goals in 6 consecutive games. Upon turning 40 and still playing, Brodeur has become the first goalie to play a playoff game in his "teens" and to play a playoff game in his 40's. His first playoff appearance was in 1991-1992 where he played in 1 game and allowed 3 goals in 33 minutes and finished with a 5.62 GAA, clearly he's come a long way!

When the Devils made the playoffs not many including myself gave them the slightest chance to go far. But it's been a crazy unpredictable playoffs and Devils have made it all the way to the Eastern Conference championship and are actually outplaying the top seeded New York Rangers. A large part of their success is due to the unbelievable play of Brodeur, who is playing more like he's 30 rather than 40!

It has been a fantastic career for Brodeur who is finishing up his 19th full season in the NHL, he has made the playoff 16 times and has broken almost all the records for goalies both in the regular season and in the playoffs. In the first round match up against the Florida Panthers after a 3-0, he passed Patrick Roy's record for most career playoff shutouts with 24. On Monday night against the Rangers, Brodeur set a new record for the most points by a goalie in the playoffs with 4 assists. Despite all the records and trophies Brodeur has to his name, he has never won the Conn Smythe trophy for most valuable playoff player, could this be his year?

When the Rangers and Devils kicked off their series the story lines were all about the two masked men, the keepers of the crease Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Brodeur and whether the King could out duel the Legend. Both exceptional goaltenders and extremely valuable to their teams, both having exceptional playoffs, trading shutouts and proving just how valuable they are to their teams. Everyone expected Lundqvist to be on top of his game, but no one expected the guy at the other end to play nearly aswell as he has.

Sure Brodeur is going to have his off games, he's going to look old and tired almost every goalie has off games, but he doesn't look like he's 40. The saves he's been able to make are fantastic, highlight reel material and most importantly he's been able to move from side to side very fluidly. He's played 16 games these playoffs and has won 10 of them and is just 2 wins away from another trip to the Stanley Cup finals.

Brodeur is writing another chapter in his historic career, how will it end, only Brodeur himself can decided that!