JLP Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Most teams have a #1 goalie and a backup, this is the way it's done. The obvious reason is that a good "starter" costs a lot so why not use him as much as possible. But seems now the Habs are going to go with a tandem. Which do you think is better? Personally I am in favor of platooning two goalies and here's why. With an top-dollar, excellent-quality starter and a league-minimum, fair-quality backup -- the starter could do 60+ games, but the backup will still probably get up to 20 starts. That means the team has an AHL-level guy between the pipes for one-quarter of its games. On the other hand, with a pair of medium-priced good, solid goalies, the team has consistent quality throughout its schedule. Also if the opposition is a crash-the-net team, or plays a finesse game with some skilled snipers or whatever, coach can choose the goalie who plays better against a particular style. With a #1/backup system, if the starter slumps it's a scandal in tthe media (well, in Montréal it is), whereas with a tandem system you can just go with the goalie who's better at the time and let the other work on his game, then start him on the road where there's less pressure. Of course, they can also challenge each other to play better, and cover for awhile if the other has a minor injury. So, I like the idea of Huet/Abby platooning. I hope Gainey can sign both for next season and plan on having them split the duties. Théo and a league-minimum backup would cost us $6mil, we should be able to get Huet/Abby for much less than that. (They currently make a combined $2.5 mil but need to be resigned this summer.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMMR Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Well as I posted in the other thread I agree with you JeanLuc but only for the regular season. When playoff time comes a team needs to know whom they are going to rely on, that is not saying that a coach cannot change things around if the team is struggling but a #1 should be chosen come playoff time. I believe that Bob and Guy will make this crucial decision in the next month. But as you said two good goalies it can be better then one great goalie and one AHL calibre, That said who thought Huet was a good goalie before this year, I know I can not make that claim. Let us hope that if the Aebi Huet combo works well over the next 40 days that Bob can lock both of these guys up for next year at less then 5 million combined. But if Gainey is confident in Danis, losing Huet or Aebi whomever plays less of a role during the stretch drive and playoffs is no big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLP Posted March 13, 2006 Author Share Posted March 13, 2006 Well as I posted in the other thread I agree with you JeanLuc but only for the regular season. When playoff time comes a team needs to know whom they are going to rely on, that is not saying that a coach cannot change things around if the team is struggling but a #1 should be chosen come playoff time. I believe that Bob and Guy will make this crucial decision in the next month. . . But why not play it the same way in the playoffs? If one goalie is hot and wins keep him in there but if he doesn't cut it then just switch goalies next game, no problem. Also if the opposing team has scouted a goalie and "figured him out" then you start another goalie who might have better luck. Some goalies have a knack for playing well against particular teams for whatever reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bebehabs Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 agree with JMMR about the regular season and playoff thing well i think for the actual team and season, tandem is better due to the BEAUTIFUL game schedule in playoff, u go with ONE goalie -- u choose the guy and u go with him all da way -- and IF there's an injury, u can always count on the OTHER goalie and be confident to win games since both r good and the goalie position is not ur main preoccupation< oh well, dunno if i expressed my mind clearly hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLP Posted March 13, 2006 Author Share Posted March 13, 2006 ...in playoff, u go with ONE goalie -- u choose the guy and u go with him all da way... Hey bebe yeah that's the traditional way of doing it, I know and maybe it makes sense because we always hear it hehehe. But if a goalie has a bad game, why not give the other guy a chance next game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habs rule Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 (edited) platooning will work and will become more common in the new nhl. With a cap teams cannot afford 5-7 million for goalie who may have some off games or go into a slump as we have seen this year. Theo who? Edited March 13, 2006 by habs rule Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Habby2919 Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Well as I posted in the other thread I agree with you JeanLuc but only for the regular season. When playoff time comes a team needs to know whom they are going to rely on, that is not saying that a coach cannot change things around if the team is struggling but a #1 should be chosen come playoff time. I believe that Bob and Guy will make this crucial decision in the next month. But as you said two good goalies it can be better then one great goalie and one AHL calibre, That said who thought Huet was a good goalie before this year, I know I can not make that claim. Let us hope that if the Aebi Huet combo works well over the next 40 days that Bob can lock both of these guys up for next year at less then 5 million combined. But if Gainey is confident in Danis, losing Huet or Aebi whomever plays less of a role during the stretch drive and playoffs is no big deal. Losing Huet or Aebi no big deal?!?!... Id lock both of these guys up this summer and we'll have solid, and possibly the best goaltending in the league for a long time. :hlogo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanpuck33 Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Platooning may work in the regular, but it won't work in the playoffs. Name a team that's won it all without a true #1 goalie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HABBER-oooooKNOWS Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Whatever works. Let's see what ABBY can do first. Best guy plays.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLP Posted March 13, 2006 Author Share Posted March 13, 2006 Losing Huet or Aebi no big deal?!?!... Id lock both of these guys up this summer and we'll have solid, and possibly the best goaltending in the league for a long time. :hlogo: Yup I agree. Betcha we could have signed Huet for $750k just a coupla months back. He keeps up this level of play it, will be double that or more. Aebischer is $1.9mil now should go to $2.Xmil next year, anyway the pair are still a couple million less than Théo and a league-minimum Backup would have cost. Platooning may work in the regular, but it won't work in the playoffs. Name a team that's won it all without a true #1 goalie. Habs could be the first! Anyway, the definition of "true #1" is vague. We have two goalies who could be "#1" don't you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazy26 Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 platooning will work and will become more common in the new nhl. With a cap teams cannot afford 5-7 million for goalie who may have some off games or go into a slump as we have seen this year. Theo who? Exactly... and it's not just Theo.. the Bulin Wall has fallen as well.. Yup I agree. Betcha we could have signed Huet for $750k just a coupla months back. He keeps up this level of play it, will be double that or more. Aebischer is $1.9mil now should go to $2.Xmil next year, anyway the pair are still a couple million less than Théo and a league-minimum Backup would have cost. Habs could be the first! Anyway, the definition of "true #1" is vague. We have two goalies who could be "#1" don't you think? Kind like our scoring lines? Like a 1A and 1B goalie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMMR Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 I knew that the Hawks signing Bulin for so much was a mistake. That was way to much money for a goalie that got really hot once and won the cup with an excellent team that had next to no injuries all season long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 It's a tough question. Some say a goalie needs to know his role. Feel that he is the number one. If I was a goalie I would like to know that I can have a bad game and still be the coach choice. With two goaltenders that's not possible. But since we're talking about the Canadiens it's just to accept the reality. We don't have a number one. We have a backup who plays like a MVP-Vezina in Huet. We also have a good but not great number one in Aebischer that hasn't played a game in Montreal. I think it's to early to say that Huet will be a star for the rest of his career but things are looking good. He's positioning so well and I see no reason why or how that could change. If Huet will be stable and continue playing like this there's no reason not have him as a number one. Right now it feels great having both Huet and Aebischer but Aebischer could be out of the picture fast if Huet continue. Danis is knocking on the door and Price is ready in a few years. The best thing would be if Huet keep his play and Danis takes another step. Then the Habs could trade Aebischer and the Theodore trade would look even better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoZed Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 (edited) I see us used a system like Minnesota had with Roloson/Fernandez or Carolina with Irbe/Weekes in 2002. Its not really a full-scale platoon, but the most consistent goalie gets most of the starts and the other goalie starts more often than a typical back-up would. Like, Huet gets 2/3 of the starts and Aeb the rest... if Aeb looks better, than roles are reversed. Its really a "right now" thing because whoever does best stays 1st, instead of predictably coming back with your #1 as soon as possible. Edited March 13, 2006 by KoZed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redondo Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Well....interesting question.... I say you begin platooning the two and then go with whomever is the hot goalie down the stretch. You guys are right, nobody won the cup with the platoon system, but on the other hand plenty of times a team came in with no clear-cut #1 and then a guy just took over and become that stud goalie in the playoffs.....so you hope for one of the guys to emerge. Plus, we're probably not winning the cup this year (hope i'm wrong) and IMO you gotta see just what Huet can do in the playoffs before you decide whether or not you're gonna try and resign him. You also gotta see what Aebischer brings to the table, and I imagine if Gainey was content to just play my boy CristoWall for most of the remaining season he'd have gotten someone(thing) else for Theo and let Danis do his 5-6 starts between now and the end of the season.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbhatt Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 I see us used a system like Minnesota had with Roloson/Fernandez or Carolina with Irbe/Weekes in 2002. Its not really a full-scale platoon, but the most consistent goalie gets most of the starts and the other goalie starts more often than a typical back-up would. Like, Huet gets 2/3 of the starts and Aeb the rest... if Aeb looks better, than roles are reversed. Its really a "right now" thing because whoever does best stays 1st, instead of predictably coming back with your #1 as soon as possible. I like this idea....the better goalie should play more games, it shouldn't be a 50/50 split. A system like this allows you to tinker with the formula to account for riding a 'hot' goaltender for a streak as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLP Posted March 13, 2006 Author Share Posted March 13, 2006 I like this idea....the better goalie should play more games, it shouldn't be a 50/50 split. A system like this allows you to tinker with the formula to account for riding a 'hot' goaltender for a streak as well. Yes I agree completely with you and KoZed -- I didn't mean platooning strictly back and forth every game. Rather theoretically having two guys playing the same number of games, of course that would change when one of them was hot or injured or slumping. But going into the season with the idea that we have a goalie tandem, both capable of starting, rather than approaching with the mentality that we have a #1 and a backup. If the salary total is the same (actually it would be lower) to have two very good goalies rather than one superstar and a backup then I prefer the first option, because no matter how good he is, a goalie is very prone to being streaky and the pressure in Montréal is so intense that one guy who is slumping can get all out of whack when booed and so on and go into a tailspin. I played goalie for awhile when I was a kid and although training and so on are important but how good will be is also determined by where your head is at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Minister Koivu Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 I see us used a system like Minnesota had with Roloson/Fernandez or Carolina with Irbe/Weekes in 2002. Its not really a full-scale platoon, but the most consistent goalie gets most of the starts and the other goalie starts more often than a typical back-up would. Like, Huet gets 2/3 of the starts and Aeb the rest... if Aeb looks better, than roles are reversed. Its really a "right now" thing because whoever does best stays 1st, instead of predictably coming back with your #1 as soon as possible. I agree 100% Detroit, Minnisota and Buffalo are using this system to some degree and it seems to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smon Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Yep. I would say Buffalo's goalie system is the ideal model for the Canadiens at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAK Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 yeah but buffalo have the better goalie right now but we have the best back up so I guees it evens out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaos Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Platooning may work in the regular, but it won't work in the playoffs. Name a team that's won it all without a true #1 goalie. Exactly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huzer Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Not referring to the playoffs at all, but with the stretch the Habs (and every team, for that matter) have the next month and a half, I for one am happy that the Habs would potentially split games and have two goalies that I'm comfortable with. If Huet ends up being the number 1 for the playoffs, then it's great we've got Abby to spell him the next few weeks. As far as next season goes, if the Habs are able to split about 50/30, for one there's healthy competition for the nets, and our goalies aren't completely shell shocked come playoff time. Take a look at the Habs in the late 80s, Roy played around 45/50 games while Hayward played 35/40. Good split if you ask me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexstream Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Aebischer is a #1 goalie, no doubt about that, he has been a bit shaky at times... but WAY LESS than Theo and IMO, less often than Theo. Theo can potentially be better when he's on his game... but "potentially" and "when he's on his game" only... not consistently. The only consistency he has shown, is that he is inconsistent. I always liked him... but now that he's gone, I won't mourn him. It's only good for the team to know that "soft shots" won't get in because of a brain cramp. On the other hand, it's depressing for the team to see the score being evened out by a blunder from the goalie... if it happens once per game... it's a good way to develop a losing streak. oh, and btw, Huet is surprisingly proving that he is a starter too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smon Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Let's not get revisionist here, Theodore was god on earth in terms of goaltenders the year he won the Vezina and Hart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaos Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Not referring to the playoffs at all, but with the stretch the Habs (and every team, for that matter) have the next month and a half, I for one am happy that the Habs would potentially split games and have two goalies that I'm comfortable with. If Huet ends up being the number 1 for the playoffs, then it's great we've got Abby to spell him the next few weeks. As far as next season goes, if the Habs are able to split about 50/30, for one there's healthy competition for the nets, and our goalies aren't completely shell shocked come playoff time. Take a look at the Habs in the late 80s, Roy played around 45/50 games while Hayward played 35/40. Good split if you ask me. Yes but if you look immediatley after Hayward left, Roy started playing 60+ games and arguably became a better goaltender, by stats anyways and the whole point of this post...if you look at Montreal, they won the stanley cup in '86 with Roy leading the way through the playoffs and '93 when he played 60+ games. The year they went to the Stanley Cup with Brian Hayward and Roy...they lost. Of course Hayward never played, but still hey they still lost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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