Dealing with situation in goal will be high on Dudley’s summer to-do list
The common logic surrounding how to build a quality hockey team is to start in goal and work your way forward. To this point, many Thrashers fans will point to the area between the pipes as to why the first decade of play has led to the results they have. The lack of a solid, dependable, stable situation in goal has played a major role in nine out of ten seasons ending after the 82 scheduled games.
In keeping with this line of thinking, I do believe that how new GM Rick Dudley handles the goaltending situation here in Atlanta will go a long way in determining how the team he ices this coming season will fare. And, just after whom he picks for a new head coach, it could be the most important decision he makes during this offseason. So let’s discuss some of the options available to Dudley and Co.
Opie and the Moose Redux?
To date, Dudley does not have a goalie signed to play next fall. Veteran netminder Johan Hedberg will become a UFA on July 1 while Ondrej Pavelec will be an RFA. So what are the chances the new GM opts to bring back the pair for another season as the goalie tandem in Thrasherville? Well, it’s a situation he has said he is comfortable with.
Johan Hedberg played in 47 games for the Thrashers last season, starting 42 of them. He will be a UFA Juy 1 (AP Photo/Don Heupel)
After the first couple of months, Moose handled the bulk of the work last season and performed admirably…starting a total of 42 games and playing to a record of 21-16-6 with a .915 SV%, 2.62 GAA and 3 shutouts. Opie started the season well, but then fell off during the winter month before ending the season on a better note. Overall the young Czech went 14-18-7 during 40 starts and had a .906 SV%, 3.29 GAA and a pair of shutouts.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to think the team will look to re-sign Pavelec and have him return next year…the question is whether or not he’ll return as a starter or backup.
My guess would be that Hedberg… who’ll be 37-year old by that time… would start the season off as the main man in net with the plan of working Pavelec into that top spot as the year progresses. This was much the same idea the Thrashers had five years ago heading into the 2005-06 when they looked to Pasi Nurminem to help wean the young Kari Lehtonen into the starter role. What happened, of course, was that Pasi’s career came to a premature end when he injured his knee that summer…and Kari was pressed into the role sooner than desired.
But There Are Other Options Out There
However, there are other options out there. One such would be to make a trade for a quality keeper, but that would mean parting ways with quality talent on this end as well. Such a scenario could see talent such as, say, a Bryan Little or a Toby Enstrom caliber asset departing in exchange for such a goalie…maybe even taking with them a pick and/or prospect depending on the deal.
But to me, the better way to bring in a proven starter would be to see what could be obtained in the free agent pool this summer. There are several to choose from, but here are just two possibilities that could fit the bill…one a proven vet and the other is a young star with much promise.
Nabokov The Proven Veteran
First, the proven commodity…Evgeni Nabokov currently employed by the San Jose Sharks. This native of Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan will be 35 years of age on July 25 and is slated to be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He is coming off a contract that paid him $5.375 million this past season. If I had my wish, this is the man we would see ‘tween the pipes this coming October here in Thrasherville.
In his ten-year career, he is 293-178 with 29 ties and 37 overtime losses. He has a .912 SV% and 2.39 GAA with 50 shutouts. To put that into some sort of perspective, Nabokov has only 15 fewer victories and 14 more shutouts than the Thrashers have as an organization…both having played 10 seasons.
In the past three years, his regular season numbers are 46-21-8 with a .910 SV%, 2.14 GAA and 6 SO in 2007-8…41-12-8 with a .910 SV%, 2.44 GAA and 7 SO in 2008-09…and 44-16-10 with a .922 SV%, 2.43 GAA and 3 SO this past season.
After he and the Sharks ousted the Colorado Avalanche Saturday night, he is now 36-33 lifetime in the playoffs with a .916 SV%, 2.19 GAA and 7 shutouts. That’s right…his career saves percentage and goals allowed stats are actually better in the playoffs than those in the regular season.
This post-season has been no exception as he has been stellar again so far. In the six games vs. the Avs, Nabokov netted a 1.76 GAA a .926 SV%. Tossed in was the 28-save shutout last Thursday night to help the Sharks take a 3-2 lead in the series.
Granted, Nabokov has backstopped a defense that allows much fewer shots on goal than the Thrashers’ blueline let up…in fact, during the past three seasons San Jose has averaged 27.6 SA/G while Atlanta has allowed 33.2 SA/G…but that serves only to accent the importance of procuring such a high-caliber goalie.
Of course the big question with Nabokov is…could he be persuaded to sign with the Thrashers? Well, I guess that all depends on how well Rick Dudley and [insert name of possible new head coach] can sell the organization. It also could depend on how much Dudley would be willing to pay the Calder Cup-winning/All-Star goalie.
Could Price Be Right For Dudley?
Another option to kick around is a younger goalie…someone like Montreal’s Carey Price. This 23-year old product of British Columbia is slated to become an RFA this summer.
Who would you like see as the Thrashers top goalie?
- Johan Hedberg (15%, 18 Votes)
- Odrej Pavelec (8%, 9 Votes)
- Evgeni Nabokov (40%, 48 Votes)
- Carey Price (19%, 23 Votes)
- None of the above (18%, 22 Votes)
Total Voters: 120
Loading ...He lost his starting role to Jaroslav Halak this past season, (who will be an arbitration eligible RFA this summer)…appearing in but 14 games since New Years after playing in 37 prior to that. He finished the season with a record of 13-20-5 with a .912 SV% and 2.77 GAA.
For his career, he is 60-48-18 with a .912 SV%, 2.73 GAA and 4 shutouts.
His rookie season saw him play to a 24-12-3 mark with a .920 SV, 2.56 GAA and 3 shutouts. In two rounds of playoffs that year he played in 11 games, going 5-6 with a .901 SV%, 2.56 GAA and a couple of SO. Last year when he and the Canadiens were swept in the first round by the Bruins, he had a .878 SV% and 4.11 GAA… but the Habs were allowing a Thrasher-esque 32.5 SA/G during that series.
Overall his post-season numbers are 5-11 with a .895 SV%, 3.19 GAA and those 2 shutouts from the spring of 2008.
Price’s current contract pays him 2.2 million and he will be 24-years old in August. He’s played his entire three-year career under the hot lights of the Canadiens’ fan base & press corps…maybe he’s one of those that could benefit from a change of scenery.
And What About The Chicago Connection?
And finally, we have one last option to consider…the goalies currently minding the nets for the Chicago Wolves. 26-year old Peter Mannino compiled a record of 26 wins, 5 losses, 3 shootout wins, and 1 shootout loss with the AHL Wolves this past season and had a .921 SV%, 2.34 GAA and 2 SO while Drew MacIntyre was 20-17-1-2 with a .917 SV%, 2.54 GAA with 3 SO. MacIntyre will be 27-tears old in June.
Mannino has 3 games of NHL experience as a New York Islander while MacIntyre has 2 with the Vancouver Canucks. Given that, I would prefer the Thrashers to stick with either Hedberg or shop for some other proven veteran.
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147 comments Add your comment
World Be Free
April 26th, 2010
12:27 pm
FIF-you are correct, Kippy would be a great catch for most teams looking for an upgrade. I just don’t see Calgary parting with him and if they did, it would cost a ransom to get him. Calgary fans would demand it and Sutter can’t afford to make another bad deal.
World Be Free
April 26th, 2010
12:29 pm
Russian-WOW! wonder what he’ll be doing for the Devils?
Brendan
April 26th, 2010
12:39 pm
FIF, thanks for chiming in on Roloson and Biron. I wish the Thrashers could be a “chooser” more than a “beggar.” As we roll through these scenarios of free agency, it may turn out that the Ellises and Birons are what’s still left, on July 3rd. We’re just musing out loud. Truthfully, I’m not entirely on anyone just yet.
I agree that Nabby is unrealistic. We’d have to pay him $7 million. And, really, that’s substantively overpaying him. Chris Mason, I don’t have his stats, but he strikes me as an “okay” choice. Ellis, I do think he has an upside. He’s younger than Moose. Would Ellis, necessarily, be our # 1 goalie, moving forward to 2013? Meh. I don’t know. A lot can change between now and 2013. Personally, I hope Pavelec can become that # 1 goalie we hoped he’d be, when we sacrificed the # 12 pick in the 2005 draft to get him. Pavelec still has his whole career ahead of him. If it turns out we do wind up with Carey Price for our pick # 22 or 23 or 24 from the Devils, we have to look at Price that way, too. The easiest solution is the “quick fix.” But Nabokov isn’t coming here.
Kiprussoff, I just can’t see him leaving Calgary, but he’s not a spring chicken anymore, either. He turns 34 in October. Yeah, sure … I’d like to have him. How realistic is it? If Kipper goes, who’ll tend net in Calgary? Flames fans would be furious, I would imagine.
We’re all of us just speculating, for fun. In the end, Dudley will sign or re-sign whomever he does. Hopefully without input from Waddell. I love the Moose. But he’s 37 in May. I just don’t think we can ask or expect another season like he delivered for us this year. Ellis’ numbers may be less impressive than Hedberg’s, but Ellis will be 30 in June. Is Ellis some “end all, be all” solution? No. In fact, if signed, he might wind up being the back up. Is having Dan Ellis as your backup goalie a tragedy? Depends on how much ya paid him, I suppose.
I’m leaning towards Chris Mason and Ondrej Pavelec. If the LA Kings jettison Johnathan Quick, in favor of a tandem of Jonathan Bernier and Erik Ersberg, I’d welcome what Quick can do here. Quick turned 24 in January. I’d say he has quality years ahead of him.
Red Light
April 26th, 2010
12:44 pm
A big missed opportunity Brendan, perhaps of the death knell variety. Situationally inferior, AGREED!
As long as we’re going there World Be Free, which goalies have won something?
Since 1993, they are…
‘09 Fleury
‘08 Osgood
‘07 Giguere
‘06 Ward
‘04 Khabibulin
‘03 Brodeur
‘02 Hasek
‘01 Roy
‘00 Brodeur
99 Belfour
98 Osgood
97 Vernon
96 Roy
‘95 Brodeur
‘94 Richter
‘93 Roy
Interesting, only one finished the regular season with the league’s best goals against average/ Want to take a guess who it was?
World Be Free
April 26th, 2010
12:55 pm
Red Light-I can only guess. The man has had a heck of a team around him every year, but San Jose rarely ever gets too far. They are always considered the team that under achieves. Plus, he’s 35 and will take alotta cash to get him to Atlanta.
None of the perceieved available goaltenders is an ideal fit, there’s something about them that is flawed which explains why they are available not locked up for the next decade. Dudley will just have to go for the guy he thinks fits best and that includes on the $$$ side.
Brendan gave us the first Waddell reference for this post! Nice to see he’s moving away from the focus of our many conversations. They may just end up going back to Moose, Pavs and real goalie coach.
Red Light
April 26th, 2010
12:55 pm
Time’s up: Osgood in 2007-08 won the GAA title and the Cup!
glovesave29
April 26th, 2010
1:08 pm
Red Light – funny you mention Osgood – anyone remember the train wreck he was as an Isle? I’ve always felt he was the kind of guy to make a good goalie coach. He isn’t a butterfly goalie (but uses it when necessary) and not a stand up keeper either. Kind of a Brodeur like hybrid.
World Be Free
April 26th, 2010
1:29 pm
Osgood-right guy in the right situation.
kracker
April 26th, 2010
1:35 pm
JF > Especially for Goalies that are changing teams > “Past Performance is No Guarantee of Future Results”
R. Stroz
April 26th, 2010
1:46 pm
Lemaire retired.
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=319538
Savannah Blueland Fan
April 26th, 2010
1:53 pm
Re: Russian’s link:
Wh-wh-wha-whaaaaaaat? That was kind of unexpected.
Brendan
April 26th, 2010
1:55 pm
Red Light, enjoy the game. I hope the Preds win, then take the series!
R. Stroz, I saw that, too. My eyes nearly lept off the page. But, if Jacques’ options were be fired or retire, then he made the right choice.
kracker
April 26th, 2010
2:06 pm
Sure, ‘retiring’ is the nicer way to go, if Lemaire indeed was going to be canned. There’s the first expansion of Dudley’s possible coach pool.
DWTOO
April 26th, 2010
2:10 pm
Sign him up! Today! In the word of Denis Lemeiux “Right f’in’ now”!
kracker
April 26th, 2010
2:11 pm
If Duds wants a defensive minded trapping coach, that would be Lemaire for sure. Might work here because I think the Thrash will still be able to score 3 a game out of that system off of PPs, ES goals and neutral zone turnovers.
CA Thrashers Fan
April 26th, 2010
2:20 pm
For those curious as to the Kings’ goaltenders, they will go into next year with Quick and Bernier as 1a/1b tandem, unless Bernier fails to impress in camp. The only goalie available from the Kings will be Erik Ersberg, who is not an upgrade over either Pavs or Moose.
kracker
April 26th, 2010
2:21 pm
Enter your comments here
Joe Friday
April 26th, 2010
2:22 pm
“Lemaire retired”
See, Kovy IS a coach killer! I kid, I kid . . .
Lemaire only works here if they decide to go cheap and leave a hole in goal again with an Ellis type. We’d need Lemaire’s trapping style then lock down the chances against.
Jameson
April 26th, 2010
2:26 pm
Looks like Jacques Lemaire retired.
World Be Free
April 26th, 2010
2:27 pm
All depends on what Dudely is looking for in a coach. LeMaire has to be somewhere around 65 years old. Rammer is around 60 as well.
Does Dudley want new blood (Torchetti) or experienced coaches (Ramsay, Stevens, LeMaire)?
I thought this wqas the “off” season?
Jameson
April 26th, 2010
2:28 pm
Too many L’s heading up that team.
kracker
April 26th, 2010
2:33 pm
WBF – I favor the younger coach…but I felt the same way about getting JA…young, offensive minded coach but his systems failed to produce at the NHL level. OTOH, Is Lemaire the ‘old dog’ coach whose ideas are basically from the pre-lockout days? Dunno…
kracker
April 26th, 2010
2:37 pm
Flip side: Coaches wanting a job can choose to go to NJDevils instead of AThrashers.
Jameson
April 26th, 2010
2:37 pm
Brendan- If I’m not mistaken, Mason is the only UFA goalie above Hedburg besides Nabokov in save %.
Jameson
April 26th, 2010
2:39 pm
Strike that. He was behind Hedburg, who was second in save % among UFA goalies.
kracker
April 26th, 2010
2:41 pm
The Devils blog at HB wants an offensive minded coach. I have one for them: John Anderson is available, he has NHL experience and is an offensive-minded coach. JA and Kovy reunited! lol
Adam
April 26th, 2010
2:49 pm
Jameson – But he faced 344 more shots and slightly edged out Moose in GAA. He’s 33…
Adam
April 26th, 2010
2:52 pm
Shoulda stated he had 14 more starts as well.
Jameson
April 26th, 2010
3:16 pm
Adam- I was actually advocating Mason as at least a second choice to Nabokov.
JimG
April 26th, 2010
3:46 pm
Lemaire! hire Lemaire!
John Anderson
April 26th, 2010
4:36 pm
I CAN TEACH KOVY DEFENSE TOO!!!!
John Anderson
April 26th, 2010
4:39 pm
Is Todd White available??? WTF??? I can turn the Devils around in a heartbeart. No more first round flame outs.
Brendan
April 26th, 2010
5:31 pm
I like it. Keep it coming. If someone put a gun to my head and said, “Name the two goalies on the bench for Opening Night 2010,” I’d probably say Pavelec and Hedberg. But, I’m a fool to dream … that we’ll actually find someone in free agency. It’ll be interesting to see what’s still left on July 3, un-signed. I’m guessing Ellis and Mason will be gone. Biron might still be there. And then … we have to weigh Biron vs. Hedberg as the backup. If we wanted Ersberg, we could probably get him.
Heck, we don’t even know if Moose will retire. But, we’ve nothing yet. If the soon to be 37-year old Hedberg does opt to retire, or play in Sweden, or elsewhere in the NHL, we’ll probably know before the draft in June. Hedberg, if he wants to stay in Atlanta, would probably be one of those Thrashers who would opt NOT to hit the open market, in favor of re-signing. Other Thrashers who I suspect with re-ink, right f’n now, if Atlanta offered a deal, are (1) Slater, (2) Boulton, and maybe (3) Popovic.
kracker
April 26th, 2010
5:37 pm
John Anderson, check your voice mail…Lou may have been calling all day.
John Anderson
April 26th, 2010
6:45 pm
Don called and said he’d put in a good word to Lou for me. Any minute now…Lou? Lou? You there?
John Anderson
April 26th, 2010
6:47 pm
Maybe I’ll take the Deputy Sheriff job in Mayberry.
kracker
April 26th, 2010
7:21 pm
Hey, that’s Barney’s job! Anyway, Dealer Donnie will probably hook ya up with Lou or somebody.
Alan R.
April 26th, 2010
7:53 pm
I can turn the Devils around in a heartbeart. No more first round flame outs.
John, buddy, friend … you need to get to the first round before you can have a flame out.
rob
April 26th, 2010
8:07 pm
The heck with coaching in the NHL, Dumb Wad can give JA a line on a porta potty gig, he threw out enough $hit in interviews all season he should be good at it by now. But when he’s doing that, he should look out for those unlucky bounces.
Ice Daddy
April 26th, 2010
9:20 pm
Did anyone see this? Pretty funny…
http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/postedsports/archive/2010/04/26/thashers-afinigenov-joins-random-pickup-game-scores-17-times.aspx
stendek
April 26th, 2010
9:50 pm
Great hockey night so far! Crying Ryan Miller and Buffalo chokers are gone! Alexander The Ungreat and Washington Crapitals deadlocked with No. 8 seed after six games. Pray overrated bums ousted in front of their arrogant fans. Chicago Chicken Hawks may win tonight but just want Maryann “Cheap Shot” Hosebag hauled off on stretcher! No place for sadistic creeps like this guy in professional hockey. Oh well. Enjoy the finale of evening! ++STENDEK++
Joe Friday
April 26th, 2010
9:58 pm
Yeah, so uh, I can see why you guys would want Ellis. That Rinne is a pretty good goalie, eh? lol. 4 allowed in the 1st, some ridiculously bad play out of Rinne including leaving his net ala Moose in our Blue Skirt series and then the 4th one was just plain awful where he kicked a nice juicy rebound right in the slot for the Hawks to bury it unmolested. And Trotz still didn’t put Ellis in. lol. Mabye he’ll stick him in there to start the 2nd, you’d have to after that 4th goal Rinne let in, just awful.
Brendan
April 26th, 2010
10:36 pm
Unbelievable night in hockey. The Capitals stilllll cannot close out the Habs. A 4-1 loss is cause for concern. Either the Capitals aren’t trying … or they just won’t respect the Habs, or there’s something wrong in that lockerroom. The whole sports reason we play 7 game series … is to ensure the BETTER team wins. Generally speaking, I think that is true. Over seven games, the better team does emerge. The business reason we play 7 game series is … for the money!!! In any event, the series should never get to this point. If the Capitals slip on a banana peel, or suffer from bad officiating, or experience “monkey pucks,” bad bounces, or “ice that’s too slippery,” they’ll be golfing later on this week. Or playing in the World Championships.
And if you’d asked me … if Boston, Philly, or Montreal was a lock to make the playoffs with 10 games left, I’d say, “I wouldn’t count ‘em out, entirely, but it’s all up for grabs.” If you’d asked if if ANNNY of those teams could be in the 2nd round, I’d have laughed hysterically. And now, Montreal is one (1) win away from making all three of those teams second round entrants.
Amazing. Aren’tchu glad we have to play 82 games to establish this playoff field?
While I’m sure some fans are pulling for Montreal at this point, the Penguins will go 8-1 the rest of the way, in East. They’ll sweep Montreal, then beat the Boston-Philly series winner in five games, is my feeling. What a “soft walk” for Crosby and the Pens. I at least want to make the Penguins go through Tuukka Rask to reach the CF, for the third straight year.
In Red Light’s game, he saw seven (7) first period goals. The Blackhawks lead, 4-3. Go Preds!!! I hope it goes seven.
Buffalo??? What happened??? I tell ya what happened. The Sabres failed to close out two games in which they took 2-goal leads into the 3rd period. Had they held on, they’d have won the series, 4-2, instead of the other way around. And now, they’ve got to decide what to do with Rivet, Tallinder, and Lydman. Can’t let ‘em all go, or you’re starting with an essentially brand new blueline for next season. I hope Montador’s still under contract.
Folks, if Montreal wins, we’re in for a snoozefest of a Pens-Habs series. I’d rather see Boston-Pittsburgh and Philly-Washington than Montreal-Pittsburgh, Boston-Philly. Though that Boston-Philly matchup means that someone has to win! What if it’s Philly? Stop. That’d make two years out of three (2/3) for the Flyers being in the Conference Finals, as a 6th and 7th seed, respectively. Remember when they finished DEAD LAST in the NHL in 2007, with 56-points? And Thrashers ownership blustered about how they were in a better position than Philly was the year before they reach the CF? Yeah, well. Forget I said anything.
kracker
April 26th, 2010
10:50 pm
haha I think I agree w/ stendek!?! well sort of, I don’t think Hossa is cheapshot artist…and I’m only for bruins because some ppl i Know are for them…
haha Ice Daddy, I saw where Max was join a pickup game in AL but did he really score 17 times?!? lol
HookyBob
April 26th, 2010
10:52 pm
Ice Daddy, here’s some more detail on Max playing pick-up hockey in Birmingham.
http://blog.al.com/ray-melick/2010/04/melick_fed_cup_lures_mad_max_t.html
Smoothie
April 26th, 2010
11:32 pm
Wolves win their gm 7 giving young guys more valuable post-season exp. Morin may get an ATO to play his first pro games. Certainly bodes well for his chances going fwd.
Rawhide
April 26th, 2010
11:47 pm
OK… new blog time kids.