Goalies

[tosh]

Any rankings on goalie rankings on team? Any news on two goalies drafted this year?

[montreal]

In 3 weeks time, we went from decent depth to full depth in terms of goalies. We know have

1) Theodore
2) Garon
3) Fichaud
4) Puurula
5) Damphousse
6) Michaud
7) Tarasov (RFA not signed, may never be)
8) Lindberg
9) Halak

But I guess one approach is that we may not be able to afford Theo down the road. (I think he will be much better next season, and his next contract or the one after that just might not be cost effective). Garon is showing some great talent. After being very good in his junior days, he was decent in the AHL, but this year he was the top goalie in the AHL (playing for such a good team helped) while he was down there. Hopefully he build on this, as he could be our future goalie in the not so far future. Fichaud is slightly older then Theo, and he's entering his final year of contract, so he has been very solid and a great pickup by Savard, but one of Michaud, Puurula or Damphousse could force management to let him go. Damphousse, is a 1st rounder ('97), that has put up good numbers but he's been moved around a lot in a short time. If he plays well, it's a great pickup, if not nothing lost, a depth move. Michaud should go back to junior. It will be the last season of his contract, so he needs to show something or he may not be resigned or ECHL bound. Puurula is the wildcard here. Not many have seen him play, but he's a starter on one of the top teams in the SM-Ligia, and will be the main guy again next season, (boston signed their '02 1st round pick, who was Puurula's backup, and some Finns at HF expected him to be the starter over Puurula) Either way Puurula is playing in a mens league and playing well. Stay tunned . Tarasov could be done for. What a shame, goalie is the position I know the least about so I could be way off, but I was very impressed with Tarasov. The guys from russianinsider don't seem to be very high on him, but I thought he played well in Quebec. Doubtful he ever comes back.

[montreal]

Didn't think it would all fit in one post.

The 2 guys we drafted are both 18 and playing in junior leagues. Lindberg (who I was told is related to ex-flyer Pelle Lindberg, but the person could have been full of it for all I know) he plays for teir 2 team Hammarby. But I just read that he was loaned to another team (ashame cause he could have been teammates with Johan Eneqvist) but he is injured and may miss 2 months of the season. He is considered to be the top Swedish goalie from this draft, and he has played for the National Junior team wich says something.

Halak is tough to find info on. He was playing in the Czech junior league, and for the National junior team, where he was named the top goalie in the recent U-18 tournay in April his team got the silver. Don't know where he will play next season, I guess the junior league again unless he gets a shot at the Senior league.

The great part is that we don't have to sign these guys, while adding to our depth, and getting goalies that have National team experience. Who knows what they might do in 4-5 years.

[MPLABBE]

montreal, thanks for some great info once again! Will you be able to constantly update us on Puurula's progress this year?

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Halak had a very tough year. He started the season in Slovan Bratislava`s junior team, but the coach preferred older goalie Jozef Ondrejka. The management decided to loan him to Ruzinov, the second hockey team in Bratislava. Halak had no problem with it, because he grew up there. Ruzinov was the new team in Division 1 and they had big problems in the first part of the season. The team was extremely weak and lost most of the games with high score difference. Having Halak in the net and several junior players from Slovan, the team started became the equal opponent for all other teams. Halak was facing around 50 shots every game and it helped him very much. He was the best player of the team, but Ruzinov wasn`t able to jump in the standings and stayed in last. The team was eliminated into Division 2 and Halak was very unhappy, but his season wasn`t still finished.

For the whole season Halak was the starting goalie in Slovak U18 team. He started U18 WC as No. 1 goalie and he was so good that his backup goalie Roznik didn`t play at all at the tournament. He won silver medals and was named the best goaltender of the tournament.

Halak is static goalie and stays in the crease in most cases. He also needs to improve his stickhandling and passing, because sometimes he is too fearful to make a pass. He is able to face many shots in one game. Halak will need many years to make NHL, but he has that potential.

- www.hockeysfuture.com/article.php?sid=6091&mode=threaded&order=0

[PTH]

montreal said:

Michaud should go back to junior. It will be the last season of his contract, so he needs to show something or he may not be resigned or ECHL bound.

I think when a player goes back to Junior, his contract is pushed back one season, all he gets is the signing bonus (hence the importance of signing bonuses to the prospects - it might be the only serious money they ever see)

So Michaud might be under contract for 3 years still.

[montreal]

Marc said:

montreal, thanks for some great info once again! Will you be able to constantly update us on Puurula's progress this year?

Yes. I can get info on him from the HF Finnish writer. Plus I am working on getting some of Puurula's games on tape. This guy in England has some of Puurula's playoff games that I am trying to get off him.