3/29 GDT: Predators 4 at Red Wings 3

[eva unit zero 271]

We all know what happened more than a decade ago. How is that relevant to Conklin?

Osgood was considered one of the league's top goaltenders when he started getting playoff experience, and even then it took a while for the coach to finally bend to using him. Osgood has handled the pressure of being a starting goaltender many times and done well in the postseason many times, including last season. Conklin is a career backup who has had some good stretches, but his only playoff experience was a miserable failure where he pretty much cost the team the game in the Cup finals. Conklin has never been able to hold down a starting position; any time it looks like he might be able to take over the starting job his level of play has dropped considerably. Do you think he'll be able to handle the pressure of starting in the playoffs?

[Broken 16 381]

Conklin is a career backup who has had some good stretches

I love armchair analysts that presume to know everything about everything... they are funny. How about you ask Conklin how he feels about being a career back-up. He has all the tools to be a solid starter in the NHL. More tools than Osgood, in my opinion. Especially at this point in Osgood's career.

[eva unit zero 271]

I love armchair analysts that presume to know everything about everything... they are funny. How about you ask Conklin how he feels about being a career back-up. He has all the tools to be a solid starter in the NHL. More tools than Osgood, in my opinion. Especially at this point in Osgood's career.

And he has still been a backup his entire career...which makes him a career backup. He's young enough that he can change that, but he has yet to win a starting job and has failed to win it every time he has been presented with the opportunity. He will almost certainly be presented the opportunity again this summer...so we'll see how he handles it next season, whether he can play the way he has this year or whether he fails like he has in the past.

[Broken 16 381]

And he has still been a backup his entire career...which makes him a career backup. He's young enough that he can change that, but he has yet to win a starting job and has failed to win it every time he has been presented with the opportunity. He will almost certainly be presented the opportunity again this summer...so we'll see how he handles it next season, whether he can play the way he has this year or whether he fails like he has in the past.

It's just a huge pet peeve of mine to hear anyone label any goalie as a "career back-up". I hate that term with a passion. Especially with regards to any goalie that isn't finished with their career yet. It's very presumptuous.

Edited March 31, 2009 by Broken 16

[eva unit zero 271]

It's just a huge pet peeve of mine to hear anyone label any goalie as a "career back-up". I hate that term with a passion. Especially with regards to any goalie that isn't finished with their career yet. It's very presumptuous.

To this point in his career he is a career backup. I was very clear in specifying that.

[OsGOD 3]

It's just a huge pet peeve of mine to hear anyone label any goalie as a "career back-up". I hate that term with a passion. Especially with regards to any goalie that isn't finished with their career yet. It's very presumptuous.

Manny Legace can be coined this... he couldn't handle the responsibility of a career in the "none back up role"

[Broken 16 381]

Well, if you were to read a majority of the posts on this forum, you would believe that there are no bad goalies... only bad D-men. Or is that an anomaly that only exists in Detroit?

[Doc Holiday 0]

Well, if you were to read a majority of the posts on this forum, you would believe that there are no bad goalies... only bad D-men. Or is that an anomaly that only exists in Detroit?

No, the defense just really really sucks.

Especially considering the ******* salary that is being paid to these guys in comparison to the goaltenders. If the defense makes over 10 times (guessing here) the salary that the goalies make, you should make no mistakes at all. No excuses.

[gcom007 1,465]

I love armchair analysts that presume to know everything about everything... they are funny. How about you ask Conklin how he feels about being a career back-up. He has all the tools to be a solid starter in the NHL. More tools than Osgood, in my opinion. Especially at this point in Osgood's career.

I suppose that's why all the professional analysts, GM's, coaches have never given him a shot either then, eh? They must be stupid too, right? And personally, I disagree with you. I think he's a solid backup, but I think that's where it ends. His play this year while better than Osgood's has hardly been stellar and he's never been able to come close to landing a job anywhere else. I just don't get how he's supposed to magically blossom out of nowhere. Again, he really hasn't been outstanding this year. He's been good for certain, but look at the game to game stats and you see he's had his fair share of 3+ goal games too.

Honestly, I think this guy sees playoff pressure and flounders. Maybe not as bad as Legace and he won't be a walking mouth like Legace was, but I don't think he's got what it takes to play in the big time. Hard to explain why. It's half-hunch, but I've been watching hockey and long time and I've learned to trust my hunches. I don't always have the words to explain them, but they always seem to play out just as it seems in my head. Anwayys, I don't know if Osgood has it this year either or more importantly if the defense does, but one guy that I'm not counting on is Conklin. I'm not trying to hate, but he's just never convinced me. In some ways just he just seems too content in his role. Like he doesn't want to rock the boat too much. I know he's just trying to respectful, but the killer instinct is what gets people ahead.

Osgood went into last season under the assumption that he'd be Hasek's backup. He never stopped challenging or chasing Hasek though through the whole season. Why? He's a starter. He knows what he is and what he's capable of and chased it and made it happen when it mattered most. That's why I still think he'll be fine in the playoffs. He knows he's capable of elevating his game. He did it less than a year ago and he's not that old nor a goalie that's too reliant on having to fly all over the place. If he can dial it up starting with Game 1, Osgood's the guy, hands down. If he flounders, you go to Conklin.

But make no mistake, going to Conklin this year is absolutely not like going to Osgood last year. Osgood won his own Cup and had tons of playoff experience and years of playing under the pressure of Detroit's expectations. Conklin's a career backup with 1 abysmal playoff game coming off a good season. All you Conklin haters may hate it, but the reality of the siutation is that he's far closer to a Manny Legace situation than an Osgood situation. Until he actually starts legitimately, wins some playoff rounds, hell, wins a Cup, he's still not in the same league as Osgood was last year. It IS a night and day situation no matter how much you merely HOPE it isn't.

If D plays well, we're fine with Osgood.

If D plays bad, we're screwed with Luongo.

If Conklin plays, 2nd round at best.

I'd love for him to prove me wrong, but I've watched enough goalies have solid regular seasons through the years only to fall apart in the playoffs or completely disappear the next year. I can't explain what Osgood's deal is this year especially earlier on, but I know he's our best chance at winning a Cup. I'm not about to chase another feel-good story to nowhere because Detroit fans and media perpetually get hung up on their underdog-fantasy's. It's lame. Again.

We might win with Osgood or we might not.

Quote me on it in June.

We will NOT win with Conklin.

Remember. 3/29 Nashville GDT. June. Put it on your calendar.

[gcom007 1,465]

It's just a huge pet peeve of mine to hear anyone label any goalie as a "career back-up". I hate that term with a passion. Especially with regards to any goalie that isn't finished with their career yet. It's very presumptuous.

Some people have what it takes. Some don't. Smarter guys than us have figured it out by now. They've rarely been wrong. Go figure, eh? We gambled on Legace (pissed me off immensely all season...) and look where it got us. You think you people would learn by now, but again, underdog fantasy's take over. Silly, silly, silly.

I'll so far as this. I'd rather lose in the 1st round with Osgood than even give Conklin a chance. That's how convinced I am that he doesn't have what it takes. Might as well spare him the embarrassment and let him ride his solid regular season stats to a nice contract with a needy team. Hopefully he doesn't get put on waivers/sent to minors like our last hero, I mean career backup...

[gcom007 1,465]

No, the defense just really really sucks.

Especially considering the ******* salary that is being paid to these guys in comparison to the goaltenders. If the defense makes over 10 times (guessing here) the salary that the goalies make, you should make no mistakes at all. No excuses.

I keep saying it, but I'd feel real bad for Luongo if he was here this year. The fans would be so pissed that he let in so many goals. Why pay a guy $8 million if he doesn't play any better than Osgood/Conklin? He must suck. He sucks! Overrated.

Oh wait, no, that's just our D doing everything in their power to help other teams score on us.

Seriously, goalie bashers, just focus on the opposing players in front of our net Thursday. Watch how often we leave them COMPLETELY open. Imagine a pass gets through to the this open guy from the opposite side. Tell me, how is any goalie staying square to the play (which he must do) going to stop a one timer to a guy wide open on the side of the net?

Here's the answer:

He won't.

If the D was half as good as they were last year, I honestly doubt Osgood would be in the hole he's in. I think he started out lazy like the rest of the guys and got beat back while Conklin came in with a bit more focus. And as the D's stayed bad, the problems just perpetuated itself while Conklin gets a shutout here and let's in 3-4 goals there.

Luongo on his A-Game will not solve our defensive problems and goals against. Bottom line. Get over it and get real people.