Mason tends to save best when called upon most
OK gang, I have a trivia question for you. Without looking it up, tell me how many seasons have the Atlanta Thrashers finished with a 30.0 SA/G or less since the lockout?
I know, I know…most of you in the Thrasherville blogosphere can respond correctly in about 0.27 seconds…but for those of you that haven’t come up the answer yet, let me help you out. Hold up the total number of fingers that you normal display after you’ve been cut off in traffic. Now, take that finger down.
What you’re left with is the answer today’s quiz. Zero…none…zilch…nada…goose egg.
In fact, there has been exactly one time in the Thrashers’ history in which they have had a sub-30 SA/G for an entire NHL campaign. That came in 2003-04, the last season prior to the work stoppage, when they allowed an average of 29.4 SA/G.
Yes, historically the Thrashers give up a lot of shots.
For this reason, most fans in Thrasherville underline the need for a strong presence in goal. When news broke of the Chris Mason signing, most voiced their approval… even if it was coupled with a statement like, “But let’s see how he holds up when force to endure all the shots he’s gonna have to face”.
That’s not an unfair observation to make given the workout a Thrashers goaltenders can expect to get on any given night. As I like to quip, goalies in Atlanta tend to take more rubber to the face then a possum on a Georgia county road…they see more shots up around the eyes then an aging hollywood starlet.
But let’s see if history can be a guide when it comes to forecasting how Mason might hold up in what has proven to be in the past a very busy Thrashers goal. For this exercise, I’m gonna set the bar at 33 shots…roughly the average SA/G the Thrashers have allowed in the five seasons since the lockout.
Mason has played in 63 regular season games in which the skaters in front of him let 33 or more shots get through on goal. His record in those games is an impressive 38-16-9 with a .931 SV% and 2.50 GAA. Seven of those games were shutout victories, including a 47-save gem over Nashville in November of 2008 while playing for the Blues. After turning aside every shot he faced over 65 minutes of play, he then denied both shootout attempts by the Preds…including one by Rich Peverley…to procure the 1-0 victory.
Last season with the St. Louis Blues Mason was 10-3-4 in such games with a .933 SV% and 2.51 GAA. Four seasons ago while with Nashville, he compiled a record of 16-3-1 with a .940 SV% and 2.18 GAA when face with 33+ SOG.
In comparison, his counterpart Ondrej Pavelec…whom hildymac of BWA has recently posted a very thoughtful blog about…hasn’t faired quite as well as his new teammate. Opie is 11-13-5 with a .912 SV% and 3.48 GAA when he’s faces more than 32 shots in a game.
As I always like to point out, past performance does not necessarily guarantee future returns. Plus when discussing the stats of goaltenders, one has to take into consideration where the shots are coming from, rebound control and other factors. But having a man between the pipes who seemingly thrives when forced to face so many shots can only be a benefit the team.
Also it’s worth noting that, unless and until there is another trade or signing, the current Thrashers blueline closely resembles that of one that finished off last season…minus one Pavel Kubina and plus one Brent Sopel. Certainly there is the hope and expectation that Craig Ramsay and his coaching staff can successfully address the SA/G problem that has plagued the Thrashers for so long. But I think it’s a stretch to assume this current crop of defenseman can tuck that number under 30 this coming season.
And if the numbers of the past do prove to be an accurate indicator of what’s to come, then Rick Dudley’s decision to bring in Chris Mason will look all the much better given his ability to perform at his best when he’s called upon the most.
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115 comments Add your comment
glovesave29
July 27th, 2010
4:04 pm
Stroz, GaVa…my girls are 7 and 8, and already tell me they have “boyfriends”… with Dad being a Tech fan, and Mom’s a Gator…so no one in a red and black “G” will be anywhere near my house!
Totally up with the private school! Improves many times over their chance of seeing some collegiate scholarship money.
I am worried that the Thrash are hoping on lighting in a bottle happening again with a training camp acquisition that gives us what Afinogenov gave us last season. Get Max back on an affordable contract…sign Stempniak and lets get on the ice NOW!
R. Stroz
July 27th, 2010
4:23 pm
Here’s a triple dog dare for some of guys to offer your spouses for an anniversary/birthday present.
http://halfoffdepot.com/atlanta/
Now, for all of you with daughters, here’s some advice:
Upon some young lad showing up at your door step, try the following:
Young man, I hear there is a young lady down the street whose parents are out of town. I’ve heard a few of the young men around here talk about her generousity. Maybe, you should visit her house instead. Now, if you must proceed to with visiting my house, I’d like to show you my vast gun collection. Afterwards, we can all sit down and watch a movie together. My daughter will be watching the movie from her room and we’ll be watching the movie in the den.
BTW, you point the young lad toward the house where the neighborhood lunatic lives that actually has a gun collection.
Back to hockey, the Thrashers are obviously trying to “get by” on a shoe string budget again. What’s the definition of insanity again?
Joe Friday
July 27th, 2010
4:28 pm
I picked something else up after reading Red Light’s article on Ramsay. This makes it sound to me like our hopes for some of these guys like Frolov et al was in vain and the other spots are going to be taken up by Cormier and mabye some other young players we have in the system, and that’s why they brought Ramsay in:
“Dudley believes coaching has become a more important part of the game than ever because younger players are playing more because entry-level contracts enable teams to stay within NHL mandated salary cap restrictions.”
“The reason Ramsay is here is that he is the best in the business of expediting the process. I don’t know anybody like him in terms of what he has done with some young players,” Dudley said.
GaVaHokie
July 27th, 2010
4:39 pm
I’ll tell him he can date my daughter when UGA wins a National Title… that should take care of him.
glovesave29
July 27th, 2010
4:45 pm
Stroz…I am just going to tell any young man who shows up at my door to get one of my girls that “I am not afraid to go back to prison”.
GaVa – HA! Make sure you qualify the championship must be in football!
JF – got no problem with a good mix of vets and younger players. I think we are lacking in experience, and that could bite us in the butt when the grind of mid-week January / February games is at its greatest.
GaVaHokie
July 27th, 2010
4:49 pm
Joe… absolutely. It makes sense to me. We have so many “fringe” players right now. It would be nice to “expedite” guys like Cormier, Esposito, Kulda, Postma, Machacek, Alberts, Klingberg, etc.
As far as being cheap, we probably didn’t need any more signs beyond getting Fredrik Pettersson, now did we?
Not much room for a FA anyway… someone would have to be moved.
Kane Antro Berg
Ladd Pevs Little
Eager Cormier Buff
Thorsy Slater Boults
Pettersson
White
h
July 27th, 2010
5:21 pm
Max, Stempniak and Guerin are all that are left that are worth pursuing on UFA market (maybe Torres) IMHO. Otherwise, really no upgrades out there if you ask me. I say sign Max darnit. 2 years for $3M-3.5M per. Do it. If Poni gets $3M and Frolov gets $3M, then Max is worth same money. I’d give Stempniak 2 years $4M or even 3 years at that money. I really think we need more fire power. Ladd should bump to 3rd line and Eager should rotate with Thor and Boults.
Smoothie
July 27th, 2010
5:50 pm
Interesting line-up Hokie, hadn’t thought of that gritty 3rd line combo. Slater and Eager could be interchangeable on that line depending on match-ups with Slates playing LW and Thorsy sliding over to C on the 4th between Eager and Boults, who will be eager to pound some face when he does play. Against softer teams, ahem! *cough* Buffalo *cough*, insert the “Fly” on the 3rd with Buff and Patrice and let him skate through legs to loose pucks freed-up by crashing behemoths not afraid of bruising an elbow or shoulder when checking.
Isn’t there another buy-out period in August for Charmin? Perhaps we’ll take the left-overs, a la Guerin or Torres, once we dispose of the tissue paper?
Red Light
July 27th, 2010
6:06 pm
Screw the buyout Smoothie. Send him to the Wolves and you save it all against the cap. Can’t wait to see the Todd White vs. Wade Redden battles in the AHL this year.
How do you think all these veterans and free agents are liking the CBA and cap this summer? A classic case of “be careful what you wish for!”
Smoothie
July 27th, 2010
6:50 pm
R/L – wouldn’t it be nice if we had ownership willing to do that? At least with the B/O option, they save $867 k in actual cash, which could make the difference in signing a Stempniak or Max for one season at $3 M as opposed to $2.25 M.
Then again, that savings might get eaten up by Cormier’s, Machacek’s or Burmistrov’s salary, or perhaps the combo of all 3?
World Be Free
July 27th, 2010
7:06 pm
Ramsay is the best coach we have had in ATL so far. Partly because of who he is, his experiences and also because of his relationship with Dudley. Rammer will not get tossed under the Greyhound bus like Hartley did. Add have Torch here too and I’d say we have one heck of a coaching staff here.
Not concerned about losing Poni; I was very disappointed of his play in Pittsburgh, he failed to take advantage of the opportunity with the Pens-in short, he was a bust. Torres is not an upgrade.
As I have said before-bring back Max because he earned the opportunity.
rob
July 27th, 2010
7:29 pm
As for the daughter dating……..my next house which will be built before my daughter is of dating age….will have a gun rack built just inside the front door, right where the little moron will see it first thing when I open the door. May even have a pistol on my hip for emphasis! Woe to he who makes the mistake of honking a horn in my driveway……as he will leave out alone and with a flat tire for his ignorance….HAHAHA
I have said it before….gonna say it again. I like what we have. Another signing just ties up a prospect they want to play here. I think we have enough options that, if one stumbles, there are a few more waiting. That kind of hunger will motivate the guys to play hard. The only signing I have questioned is Bolts. I don’t see him playing much, will he be a mentor and spark when the team falters kind of player? Teach the young guys, let their heart and energy be focused by the talented teaching/coaching staff we have now…..and bring on Oct already! My one concern to date is the lack of goalie coaching to get Pavs to take the next step……
R. Stroz
July 27th, 2010
7:42 pm
Here’s a plan to keep your daughter’s from dating. Just tell them they can date as soon as Waddell is no longer employed by the ASG or the Thrashers.
World Be Free
July 27th, 2010
9:31 pm
I used to tell guys who wanted to date my daughter that I was an ex-Calfornia Golden Seal-they thought I said ex-Navy SEAL which worked just as well.
Rawhide
July 27th, 2010
10:11 pm
Or…you could just do as I did and just have boys!
Well, this blog has fallen off the table. Time for a new one I guess.