But we'd be much better off with those 6 and 7 million dollar goalies. We're not the team anymore that scores 3+ goals a game and gives up around 25 shots. We need a goalie to carry this team.
Look at his save percentage this season. I realize the defense is terrible, but that's what great goalies do. They carry their teams into the playoffs. Howard is a solid netminder, but he's not elite enough for a team that doesn't have enough around him.
It all comes back to Kenny and the mediocre roster he allowed us to be left with.
The goalie is only as good as the team and system in front of him.
Why else do you think Hitchcock has a Vezina candidate every year? Coindence?
What goalie do you want? Lundqvist, Rinne, Kiprusoff, Hiller and Miller are both "elite goalies" that have worse stats then Howard even though he's been mediocre.
Honestly a goalie isn't going to be elite without a great team/system in front of him. Unless you are talking about Hasek, or seemingly one year wonders like Mason, Smith etc.
