I hate the dog days of summer. They breed suspicion and skepticism in my mind about even the most elite NHL goalies. I’ve discussed the likes of Turco, Elliott, Mason, Ward and Fleury over the last few months and all I’m left with are even more questions. Sure, some are easier to solve than others, but somehow it’s always you and I getting stuck with the “damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t” ones.
Do you remember the kid in high school that was way too “book smart” for his own good, but because he was never really challenged in class, would just sit there and cause trouble in really ignorant ways? Well, despite being labeled by many as one of the smartest goalies in the world, I kind of see Marty Turco as the NHL’s troubled goalie genius.
With the re-signing of Brian Elliott, many of you are wondering just what will happen this season between he and Pascal Leclaire. The Senators definitely have one of the more interesting (yet fairly positive) goaltending situations in the league right now. The recently acquired and highly touted “starter” is coming off an extremely difficult ankle injury, while the “backup” has been rewarded for his strong statistical play last season with a new contract, which means the expectations exist for him to improve on those numbers.
There’s an interesting decision for Team Canada to make regarding their third goaltender. Obviously Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo are currently seen as the team’s top two masked men of choice, as they lead the way in overall experience. But between Cam Ward, Marc-Andre Fleury and Steve Mason, which one is best suited as the third?
There’s an interesting dynamic in the Anaheim crease this year, which presents us with a perfect topic for today’s class. What makes this situation so different from other NHL teams is not only the rise and fall of the two goalies over the last two years, but more importantly, their style. As is the case with any two goalies, there are some similarities, but with Jonas Hiller and J.S. Giguere, I see two goalies with different styles heading in opposite directions.
Remind me to let Dobber Nation choose the lesson plan more often. All of the requests were quite astute, so rest assured I’ll be doing this more often. Now a few of you posed the same question: who will be this season’s breakout goalie? You thirst for that answer because it could turn your entire season around. But alas, that question is my topic for Dobber’s upcoming fantasy guide, so I chose another question that would act as a perfect prelude to the answer which so many of you seek.
How should a fantasy GM weigh skill level (talent & ability) versus opportunity? This is a great question (WTG, Sentium) and an interesting one because it’s completely unique to all fantasy managers. Every goalie is different and every team has different dynamics when it comes to dishing out the minutes played. So what, exactly, should fantasy managers focus on in order to find the goalie poised to be the next Hiller or Clemmensen? Which one matters more?
Being able to perceive a player’s true fantasy value is an elusive sense every fantasy manager covets. Who wouldn’t want to know exactly what Jonas Gustavsson’s save percentage or John Tavares’ average shifts per game will be? Alas, as more cognizant managers continue to hone their fantasy skills on DobberHockey, so too does your sense of perception become more of an important x-factor in the season-long battle.
The fearless goalie voyager sets sail across the seven seas in search of more playing time. Sacrificing time and companions, he fights for nothing but his own beliefs and well-being. This mysterious man will fight through malicious maelstroms and deep, rigid mountain passes in search of a better land. Yes, the voyagers are always on the move, always ready to find a new team that will offer plenty of wealth and opportunity.
Eat your heart out, Garth Snow. Just as you were a big brute between the pipes, so too shall be the goalies you draft. You surprised me by taking a huge Finnish goalie to start the second day of the NHL Entry Draft, but I was not surprised to see the day end with another hulking Finnish goaltender, Petteri Simila, being chosen at #211.
I can’t even begin to explain how tough it was to rank the final 25 keeper league goalie prospects in my first-ever “Top-50” list. I could have easily tossed in another 20-25 legitimate prospects, but cuts had to be made. Not every goalie prospect in the world can be considered a legitimate keeper, but almost every goalie on this list could be ranked higher or lower, depending on your own personal preference.
