Filppula 9th best Fin

[CenterIce 83]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=457762

[Z and D for the C 712]

But he has crappy hands

[P. Marlowe 748]

But he has crappy hands

Don't worry, he will be traded away soon. That's why he was signed for five years.

[titanium2 867]

But he has crappy hands

And he can't even get on the power play.

[Konnan511 1,736]

And he can't even get on the power play.

Maybe we can trade him and the rights to Hudler for Ovechkin or Malkin. We mght have to throw in a 3rd round pick though.

[eva unit zero 271]

Most overrated Finn: Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary.

[titanium2 867]

Most overrated Finn: Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary.

Really? How?

[Konnan511 1,736]

Really? How?

Flames fans will tell you the same thing.

[titanium2 867]

Maybe we can trade him and the rights to Hudler for Ovechkin or Malkin. We mght have to throw in a 3rd round pick though.

I was being sarcastic. Both Z and D and I are advocates for Filppula.

[Konnan511 1,736]

I was being sarcastic. Both Z and D and I are advocates for Filppula.

I know! I'm not that dense! Haha

[titanium2 867]

I know! I'm not that dense! Haha

I had a feeling you were. It's just hard to tell over the internet. In terms of the topic though, Filppula's offensive skill is not as good as Hudler's but is deserving enough for a chance on the PP; something substantial like a leash of 10-15 games and then go from there.

[eva unit zero 271]

Really? How?

Kipper is a good goalie. He's not better than Backstrom.

Furthermore, based on last season Finns who are better than Kipper are:

Forwards

S.Koivu

Selanne

Jokinen

M.Koivu

Filppula

Defensemen

Pitkanen

Timmonen

Goaltenders

Backstrom

Rinne

Edited July 29, 2009 by eva unit zero

[Konnan511 1,736]

I had a feeling you were. It's just hard to tell over the internet. In terms of the topic though, Filppula's offensive skill is not as good as Hudler's but is deserving enough for a chance on the PP; something substantial like a leash of 10-15 games and then go from there.

Well that's a topic for another thread, but he has the play-making abilities and the hands and passing ability to be a huge assist produce on the PP.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Kipper is a good goalie. He's not better than Backstrom.

Furthermore, based on last season Finns who are better than Kipper are:

Goaltenders

Rinne

Nice list Eva, but this is the only person I don't agree with since Rinne was a rookie. I don't think one season is good enough to deem a player better than Kipper, but I guess like you said, if we are going off stats from last season then Rinne has him beat in everything except in the win column. 45>29

Edited July 29, 2009 by Konnan511

[titanium2 867]

Anyone remember that game against the Sharks where the Wings scored like 7 goals on Kiprusoff back in 02-03? Maltby got two shorthanded, almost got three. Fedorov got two. Lidstrom got one. I forget the rest. One of Mickey's comments was "This kid (Kipper) is under a lot of pressure, but jeez, I mean, let the puck hit ya!"

[P. Marlowe 748]

Kiprusoff might not be the second best Finn in NHL, but he's still a workhorse and probably the second most important player for Flames. Hmm... Maybe he is the most important player for them. Flames without Iginla might still be able to do something, but without Kiprusoff they'd be in trouble.

[Lidstrom for Norris 0]

Maybe we can trade him and the rights to Hudler for Ovechkin or Malkin. We mght have to throw in a 3rd round pick though.

Ovechkin- Not a chance. You could offer the Caps Nick Lidstrom and Zetterburg for Ovi and they would still turn you down.

Malkin- possibly, but you would have to add in a couple high draft picks to go along with Fil and the rights to Hudler

[eva unit zero 271]

Nice list Eva, but this is the only person I don't agree with since Rinne was a rookie. I don't think one season is good enough to deem a player better than Kipper, but I guess like you said, if we are going off stats from last season then Rinne has him beat in everything except in the win column. 45>29

The only reason people rate Kipper so highly is because he was one of the league's top goalies a few years ago and he plays a ton of games. Calgary would have done better in the regular season and playoffs combined had they had a decent backup and had Kipper gotten decent rest between starts. When's the last time you saw a goalie play 75+ games and win more than one round in the postseason? Brodeur has never achieved the feat. Kipper has only played 75+ the last two seasons, and lost in the first round both years. Grant Fuhr appeared in 79 games in the 95-96 season and his team won the first round, but Fuhr himself was injured 9 minutes into Game 2 of Round 1 and did not return that season; that was the season with Yzerman's dramatic overtime goal over Casey's shoulder.

So while Kiprusoff has played quite a few games in the regular season more than once, playing fewer with a solid backup to provide him rest so he can provide his best performance when it matters would seem to be what his team should be looking for. His performance has been declining considerably every year since he has joined the Flames, despite the fact the skaters on the team have improved every year. He's 32 and will be near-33 when the season starts; Kiprusoff is a goaltender who does tend to rely on his reflexes more than some other goaltenders who have been able to maintain their skills into their mid-late 30s...it is possible that he has not maintained his conditioning as well as he should have and his performance is slipping due simply to a physical loss of capability. It is something we saw with Hasek as he aged and was no longer able to perform the unreal saves he once was. Kipper was once the best in the world...now he is far from that level...I would consider him a lower-tier starter based on how he has played the past couple years.

[Lidstrom for Norris 0]

Anyone remember that game against the Sharks where the Wings scored like 7 goals on Kiprusoff back in 02-03? Maltby got two shorthanded, almost got three. Fedorov got two. Lidstrom got one. I forget the rest. One of Mickey's comments was "This kid (Kipper) is under a lot of pressure, but jeez, I mean, let the puck hit ya!"

Kiprusoff never played for the Sharks. You must be thinking of Calgary

But yes, i do remember that game. Kipper is a very on-and-off goalie. When hes on, dont plan on scoring more than 1 (or 2 if your lucky) goal on him. But when hes off his game is when fans like us start to question him.

[titanium2 867]

Kiprusoff never played for the Sharks. You must be thinking of Calgary

But yes, i do remember that game. Kipper is a very on-and-off goalie. When hes on, dont plan on scoring more than 1 (or 2 if your lucky) goal on him. But when hes off his game is when fans like us start to question him.

You sure?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miikka_Kiprusoff

http://flames.nhl.com/team/app?page=Player...age&tab=crs

[eva unit zero 271]

Kiprusoff never played for the Sharks. You must be thinking of Calgary

But yes, i do remember that game. Kipper is a very on-and-off goalie. When hes on, dont plan on scoring more than 1 (or 2 if your lucky) goal on him. But when hes off his game is when fans like us start to question him.

Kiprusoff started his career as a Shark, as part of the logjam Nabokov/Toskala/Kiprusoff.

I was saying at the time that Kipper was the best prospect and probably who they should keep in net, and that they should dump Toskala while he still had value, as his potential was peaking early and he was going to be a mid-level starter at best; which he is. Nabokov and Kipper are both overrated, but neither are the elite goalies people seem to say they are. They are both very good goalies who have an excellent top-end game, but ultimately aren't elite netminders like a Brodeur or Belfour in his prime who could simply dominate every single night.

[P. Marlowe 748]

Ovechkin- Not a chance. You could offer the Caps Nick Lidstrom and Zetterburg for Ovi and they would still turn you down.

Malkin- possibly, but you would have to add in a couple high draft picks to go along with Fil and the rights to Hudler

Kiprusoff never played for the Sharks. You must be thinking of Calgary

What planet are you from?

[titanium2 867]

But ultimately aren't elite netminders like a Brodeur or Belfour in his prime who could simply dominate every single night.

Who do you consider to be in that class among today's goalies?

Luongo? Bad playoff performance.

Fleury? Some games he makes Jimmy Howard look consistent.

Hiller or Varlamov? Too young.

[eva unit zero 271]

Who do you consider to be in that class among today's goalies?

Luongo? Bad playoff performance.

Fleury? Some games he makes Jimmy Howard look consistent.

Hiller or Varlamov? Too young.

Brodeur, Backstrom, Lundqvist fit that class. Contending for that status, but just outside it, are Luongo, Vokoun, Miller, Osgood, and Thomas. Each of those five have their flaws; be they playoff inconsistency or regular season inconsistency, as well as durability issues.

Edited July 29, 2009 by eva unit zero

[stillwater 186]

Kiprusoff never played for the Sharks. You must be thinking of Calgary

Now, that's funny. I might use that a my sig, is that ok?

Edited July 29, 2009 by stillwater