Backup Goaltending

by Whatablue on Dec 28, 2009 3:22 PM CST

I am not sure about the recent trend that I have begun to notice again. The last few years, with the exception of the second half of the season last year, has brought me to recognize a new problem with the opponents of the Blues. I have heard from several people that we are the team that no one wants to play against. However, I am starting to speculate that it just isn't true. Sure we are terrible at home, but the thing that I have noticed this year and from years past with the poor Blues play is that we are seeing an awful lot of the opposing teams' backup goalies. If we are the team no one wants to play against then why are we seeing the scrubs on the bench getting icetime. I know that it is possible that it is just the way the schedule is working out and their starting goalies are in need of a break, but how often do you see Ryan Miller, Nabby, or Brody sit against any team that has a chance against them? Not often. We get to see Dubnyk, McElhinney (on the night we honor someone, lucky us), and Lalime (granted Miller played the night before). I just wonder if points are so precious in the NHL then why are we seeing so much of the opposition's B-line goaltenders. I noticed this trend shortly after the lockout when we couldn't buy a win. However, it has become more consistent over the last few years. If anyone has any thoughts on this insult the opposition continues to bless us with please let me hear you. I am hoping that we are soon to be the team that the best goalie has to play against us to have a chance at winning. I wonder who Washington would play against us? Possibly the leading high school league goaltender.

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goalies

a) compressed sched = more back-up golaie play

b) always play your back-up against a team that doesnt score much. if you front out a little d and play a 1-0 road game, everyone wins.

c) several teams have injuries to the netminders and with compressed sched some third stringers need to see play on a reg basis. look at philly now. the blues line up for philly tomorrow (which they dont) they might start their 4th goalie against us depending on when they think they get their “day to day” back up guy back who is now their starter. in the past philly would ride their backup, and should he get injured play one guy for maybe a game, maybe two. that won’t happen this season. riding a single netminder will prove almost improssible for long periods

A strong anvil fears no hammer

by Childhood Trauma on Dec 28, 2009 5:02 PM CST reply actions

In the offseason . . .

I noticed that a lot of teams (The Note included) were shopping for “1-A” goaltenders . . . goaltenders that you wouldn’t want to throw out there as your long-term starter, but guys you think you’d be comfortable with if he had to play a week straight. We got Conklin, Philly got Emery, NYI got two of them (Roloson and Biron), Colorado got Anderson, Florida got Clemmenson, etc. etc. etc. Obviously some have worked out, some have not.

And if you’re going to sink $1MM+ into a goaltender in this NHL economy, he’d better do something other than constantly open and close the bench door and wear an awesome hat while sporting all the gear. HOMEY’S GOTTA PLAY, YO!

While I understand your point with the likes of Dubnyk and McElhinney (neither of which belong in the NHL right now but for different reasons in each case), it’s not too much of a slap in the face for at least half of the backups in the NHL to be starting against us. It would much be like last year, when Mason was sent out to spell Legace, then ended up playing better than him and taking the starting job outright. We certainly weren’t showing disrespect to our opponents by sending The Leader of the Bearded Freemason Cult out there, were we?

"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday." -- Don Marquis

by Donut King on Dec 28, 2009 6:52 PM CST reply actions

I was thinking the same thing WhataBlue

We have alot of proving to do

"Nothing is True, Everyting is Permitted"

by stlAJ on Dec 28, 2009 7:06 PM CST reply actions

Agreed in a way

I think that Childhood and Donut have great points (as well as stlAJ for agreeing with me in a way), but I guess I am just upset that we are still a team that it is ok to play a backup against. We played Buffalo in STL and had a great attendance, but I wouldn’t doubt if the chance to see Miller sold a few more seats to the hardcore fans that can’t always afford to go to the games. I did the same thing against Jersey last year and Brody turned up injured. Granted that wasn’t anyone’s fault, but still worth mentioning. My biggest concern is that we play our backup because we are playing the two sided coin. Calgary is not, Buffalo is not, and Detroit, well they don’t have any goalies (fuck detroit, just for emphasis), but honestly I crave for the days when Luit and Joseph, even Furh went out there every game and people actually hated to play us. I don’t included Turek because honestly I never liked the guy and thought Jamie would have done just as well. Regardless, I was rooting for the Blues to get Anderson and Clemmenson, but we didn’t. Conklin has done well and I have grown to at least appreciate a Detroit throwaway goalie, but honestly, I think our scouts are smarter than that. Again, I don’t get paid to make these assumptions and there has to be a city preference there, but I want to see some wins at home. This coming week is the first time I would be able to go to any games in a long time, but I am afraid to go to the home games because they seem to lose a lot of the games I go to and even when I sneak a peek at work I have managed to see 7 straight, honest to God, goals scored within 5 seconds of turning on the game. I am no longer allowed to watch at work at the request of several other fans there. So let’s just hope that things get straightened out and the Blues start playing well. I take that back, I think they are playing well at times, but consistently playing well. I will feel bad for the Blue Goblin when he loses his job because of all this. Maybe we should find a new coach mascot, does any coach look like Pacino? That would lead to some good fodder.

by Whatablue on Dec 28, 2009 11:31 PM CST reply actions