38 replies to this topic

[zettie85]

Listening to the Fan today and they were discussing goaltending this year. The only goalies they say are reliable going into the playoffs this year is Bryzgalov, Luongo and Kipper if they can squeak in. They said that Craig Anderson could not be grouped in with them but still should not be grouped with the likes of Howard, Rinne, Nabokov, Quick and Huet. I listen to these guys daily and they aren't Flames homers for the most part but to say Jimmy has not played well enough to be acknowledged as a top goalie in the West I think is pathetic. If Jimmy's play drops off next year I would not be completely surprised(sophomore slump) but for what he has done this year alone he has earned the right to be known as reliable.

Is it just my bias towards the guy or are these guys right? I for one don't believe it and I think Jimmy is in the zone and can do great things this playoffs but just hearing them talk about him like that irked me and I had to share. Thoughts?

[hooon]

As great as he has been, he's still a question mark in terms of playoffs. Everyone knows that the playoffs are a totally different beast. I think you're right in that he probably will be good for us based on his recent play, however that doesn't make him a guaranteed playoff performer yet. It all remains to be seen.

[Jamaica Jon]

Yeah, I don't think they're trying to say he's not a top goalie. I just think they're saying you can't be CERTAIN he'll perform well in the playoffs - if only because he's never been there before.

For the record, I think he'll do fine.

[mjlegend]

Yeah, Kipper isn't that good, Calgary. Given his 70-plus game workload every year and the fact he hasn't gotten them out of the first round in five years, he's a bigger question mark than J-Ho if the Flames can't get into the playoffs. But there is nothing like Lames fans and their love of their acrobatic but perpetually tired goaltender.

Bryzgalov hasn't played in the playoffs in three years and Luongo's last experience in the playoffs saw him Cloutier the Hawks into the WCF. I don't understand how any team in the West can claim their goaltending is any less of a question mark than anyone else's. Especially in an Olympic year where both Luongo and Kiprusoff didn't have the break that Howard had.

If the Wings lose in the playoffs, I'm pretty sure it won't be because of goaltending. For me, at least, it really hasn't been an issue in the post-season since Legace left.

[Echolalia]

Who knows how Jimmy will react to the pressures of the playoffs. At the very least he will have more than competent defensman in front of him who should soften the burden.

Also, I would prefer Jimmy in net to Luongo, but that's just me. I think Loo is quite overrated.

[Zetts]

I'd agree that he's still an unknown going into the playoffs. If we haven't seen him play there, we can't know what will happen.

Playoffs are different from the regular season. See Manny Legace.

Having said that, I don't think that Howard will play any differently in the playoffs. Legace was a nutcase whereas in contrast many people comment on how calm Howard is. My personal feeling is that he'll be fine. Ultimately we'll have to wait and see though.

[Carman]

Wing's players never usually get the individual recognition they probably deserve in different hockey cities, but Howard is unproven when it comes to the playoffs so it's a huge question mark. Although I'd like to know what exactly Loungo/Anderson/Bryzgalov/Kipper have done in the playoffs that make them more likely to do better than Howard.

[zettie85]

As great as he has been, he's still a question mark in terms of playoffs. Everyone knows that the playoffs are a totally different beast. I think you're right in that he probably will be good for us based on his recent play, however that doesn't make him a guaranteed playoff performer yet. It all remains to be seen.

I some what see their point but Bryzgalov and Luongo have never proved themselves in the playoffs either.

Edited by zettie85, 29 March 2010 - 03:30 PM.

[SDavis35]

I some what see their point but Bryzgalov and Luongo have never proved themselves in the playoffs either.

Luongo can say he's won pressure games internationally now, that might be where they're coming from. But I don't see Lou as a playoff guy, I feel he's really streaky (post-olympics he didn't look good at all).

[zettie85]

Luongo can say he's won pressure games internationally now, that might be where they're coming from. But I don't see Lou as a playoff guy, I feel he's really streaky (post-olympics he didn't look good at all).

I think even in the Olympics he looked OK. He was nothing like Miller. He had a great team that clicked in front of him. If it took as many games to win the cup as it does a gold medal, do you think Luongo could have pulled it out? I don't know.

[dat's sick]

Out of the teams that are in the playoffs right now, the only goalies I would rather have than Howard are Miller or Bryzgalov.
We'll see how Howie handles the playoffs, but a lot of teams have question marks in net. The thing about the playoffs though are that any goalie can get hot and take their team to the SCF. Look at Osgood last year. Who knew he would be that good in the playoffs after that regular season?

[Finnish Wing]

Yeah, Kipper isn't that good, Calgary. Given his 70-plus game workload every year and the fact he hasn't gotten them out of the first round in five years, he's a bigger question mark than J-Ho if the Flames can't get into the playoffs. But there is nothing like Lames fans and their love of their acrobatic but perpetually tired goaltender.

Or maybe the Red Wings team playing in front of Howard is a LITTLE better than that Flames team.

[Frozen-Man]

Wing's players never usually get the individual recognition they probably deserve in different hockey cities, but Howard is unproven when it comes to the playoffs so it's a huge question mark. Although I'd like to know what exactly Loungo/Anderson/Bryzgalov/Kipper have done in the playoffs that make them more likely to do better than Howard.

Excellent point

[T.Low]

Who knows how Jimmy will react to the pressures of the playoffs. At the very least he will have more than competent defensman in front of him who should soften the burden.

Also, I would prefer Jimmy in net to Luongo, but that's just me. I think Loo is quite overrated.

Ha. Thanks for reminding me. Listenning to Vancouver's Team 1040 the other day they were talking about that anonymous NHL player's poll and said the voted most overrated player was their very own Roberto Luongo. Ha!

[mmamolo]

Going into the playoffs we see the same goaltender discussion come up. Some goalies get an unfair bias in their favour while others get an unfair bias against them. One thing that is fair to say is that if someone has never played in the playoffs you simply don't know how they'll handle the atmosphere - to me that's Howard. As much as we all love what he has done, and he should get the recognition for that, until he does it in the playoffs we just have to sit tight and wait and see.

But for anyone to blab on and on about guys like Luongo and Kipper it just baffles me. On one hand you have Luongo who at times has looked good in the playoffs and at others has stunk up the joint. He has yet to prove he can absolutely steal the show and take his team all the way. Kiprusoff has at least made the finals but he's always so fatigued and really, in my opinion, is inconsistent come playoff time. Some ppl will throw the Olympics into the equation when talking about these two guys (as a + for Luongo and as a - for Kipper) but at the end of the day the Olympics aren't the grind that the NHL playoffs are. Single elimination is nothing compared to the rigurs of a 7 game series.

As good as Bryzgalov has been this year, even he is unproven in the playoffs. Huet has done jack s*** in the playoffs. Nabakov has never been exceptional come playoff time either. ANderson is unproven, Quick is in the same boat as Rinne as Niemi and as Howard. To me the West is wide open in terms of goaltending.

It's all a crap shoot. Some will surpass expectations while others will falter. Let's just hope that Howard is one of the few that surpasses them.

Wing's players never usually get the individual recognition they probably deserve in different hockey cities, but Howard is unproven when it comes to the playoffs so it's a huge question mark. Although I'd like to know what exactly Loungo/Anderson/Bryzgalov/Kipper have done in the playoffs that make them more likely to do better than Howard.

I'm on board and agree in principle but let's be fair, Kipper has been to the finals.

[mjlegend]

Or maybe the Red Wings team playing in front of Howard is a LITTLE better than that Flames team.

That defence at the beginning of the year was supposed to be among the best in the conference with Regehr, Bouwmeester and Phaneuf. Even now, one through seven, they're pretty good. But if Kipper couldn't stop pucks with those three guys on the blueline, I really don't know how he could do it with Detroit's occasionally lax team in front of him.

[mindfly]

Alot of goalies would look good playing behind such a defensively responsible team...people on here overestiamte howard a bit i think...

[SouthernWingsFan]

Listening to the Fan today and they were discussing goaltending this year. The only goalies they say are reliable going into the playoffs this year is Bryzgalov, Luongo and Kipper if they can squeak in. They said that Craig Anderson could not be grouped in with them but still should not be grouped with the likes of Howard, Rinne, Nabokov, Quick and Huet. I listen to these guys daily and they aren't Flames homers for the most part but to say Jimmy has not played well enough to be acknowledged as a top goalie in the West I think is pathetic. If Jimmy's play drops off next year I would not be completely surprised(sophomore slump) but for what he has done this year alone he has earned the right to be known as reliable.

Is it just my bias towards the guy or are these guys right? I for one don't believe it and I think Jimmy is in the zone and can do great things this playoffs but just hearing them talk about him like that irked me and I had to share. Thoughts?

I wouldn't sweat it too much. Fans of every team will have bias of some kind but I think people will give Howard his fair share of credit so far (so far being the key words). It's all but certain I think that he will be the started in the playoffs, assuming the Wings get in, so I tihnk it's more of questioning will he be reliable or capable to handle the pressure in the postseason given that he hasn't done it before in the NHL yet. Is he perfectly capable of doing so? Of course. Is it natural to question this given he is a rookie? Of course, and it's pretty legitimate/fair to I think given the circumstances of Howard.

Edited by SouthernWingsFan, 29 March 2010 - 04:36 PM.

[Doc Holliday]

Alot of goalies would look good playing behind such a defensively responsible team...people on here overestiamte howard a bit i think...

The problem is the team wasn't even close to the defensively responsible team of old most of the year.

Howard has done a lot with little.

[mjlegend]

I'll put it this way: Put Jimmy Howard on a team like Nashville or Phoenix where no one has been to a Stanley Cup final, or hasn't been to one in several years, and I'd be worried. But in Howard's dressing room are guys like Lidstrom, Rafalski, Osgood, and several other players who have been to multiple finals over the last decade. That's where the real advantage of being a Red Wing comes in. If you're a rookie and you're not sure, ask around.

And ultimately, if Howard were to fail early or get hurt, there's a goalie with three Stanley Cup rings on the bench ready to bail him out, and eager once again to prove something to himself and the rest of the hockey world. Does Luongo have that? Kipper? Bryzgalov?