OK, so, I have no idea on the accuracy of this, but I just got a Google Alert that Moose JUST signed a multi-year contract extension. You can read the "article" here. Can't find a single thing anywhere else on Google about it so either this random person knows something the rest of the world does not yet, or it's bullshit.
You know how I love me some Kari Lehtonen. But wait! This year there is not just one other goalie competing for his spot, not just two, but THREE! THREE GOALIES! Honestly I think there might even be four if we consider the baby goalie from last summer's draft. But we'll skip him for right now (no offence, baby goalie whose name I can't recall... Danique? I dunno. It's too early.)
Kari Lehtonen
A super-star of Patrick Roy magnitude when not injured or recovering from injury. Kari's not yet made his first camp appearance, but is expected today, as he's still recovering from his off-season laminotomy. I've been there, twice, and frankly I was pretty surprised that he thought he would be ready for camp. While he's likely recovered from the invasion of the procedure, there's a sizeable entry point in the skin that one can not risk opening. What's the number one thing one can do to open an incision like that? Play goal. OK and swing dancing, but I'm not really guessing that's a big hobby of Kari's. Golf also a little questionable, but I've never seen the kid on the links, although it IS great therapy for when your entire team pisses you off. I'm digressing, where was I? Oh yes! This has to be Kari's year. It has to be the year he throws down, ignores how his team plays in front of him (although really, Ex is gone, Kubina's here, Bogo's healthy, let's hope for the best shall we?), and just gets into his zone. A zone not unlike the one he was in once the Thrashers were mathematically eliminated last season. When was that anyway? January? I can't tell you how many games I have DVD'd labeled "THRASH BLOW, KARI SHINES!" It's time he stops depending on the team in front of him, and starts believing in himself, and frankly, says FUCK ALL HATERS! You can do it, Karppa. I believe in you.
Ondrej Pavelec
Not a franchise goalie, but a possible cornerstone to focus a rebuild around. Ondrej's probably pretty god damned pissed off right about now. He's proven he's an NHL calibre goalie, and yet, here he still is, the third in line of a team with four or five signed goalies. Which means time relegated to the bench, or a lot more time in Chicago. How many more Calders will he need to win to get his due shot in the Show? For his sake, I hope the team will cut him lose if he doesn't land one of the two coveted spots on the Thrashers. Hahaha, I said "coveted spots on the Thrashers." I crack me up!
Johan Hedburg
Had one fantastic year in the NHL, and is one of the best veterans in the game to learn from. If I were running this team, I would kindly suggest Johan hang 'em up, and let us hire him on as a goaltending coach, which if memory serves, the team still doesn't have. In my honest opinion, there is probably no better NHL goalie to learn from. One of the adages of hockey is that the best players are the worst coaches, and I'm not saying JoJo is a "worst player" but he is not in the upper stratosphere. Plus he has his own goalie school in Leksand. Plus he owns a team in Sweden. Plus he doesn't take anything personally and lets it all roll off his back. And PLUS, he was brought in to Atlanta specifically to mentor Kari. Let's just keep traveling down the path fate started laying out, and offer him a high-paying job as goalie coach.
Manny Legace
Oh Manny, how you make me laugh. I have a soft spot for this guy, even if I could not give a shit less about any of the teams he played for previously. He's affable, charming, has a thick skin, has won a Cup or two (I think? I'm probably wrong), and has been an All Star multiple times. This is a good guy, and one that is desperately needed in the room. He's the Colby Armstrong of goalies. Or the Marc Savard, to go back in time a little. He would also do well to serve as a goalie coach/mentor, but dollars to donuts, Kari is not going to take to him like he did to Johan. The Scandinavian connection between the other two goalies, despite the tension that was apparent between them last season, is too strong a bond for Kari to break off and immediately turn to a new mentor.
So in summation, if I were the GM, here's what I would do about the goalie situation:
You guys...! Pony is hurt! Possibly with a groin pull. And Krahn was playing with Turple on the bench, which means Gherson's down as well. Pavelec left warm-ups on the 30th and didn't return in uniform, and he also did not play nor back up for the game last night. The only thing I can find on the situation is one line from the Mantioba Sun:
Ironically, Krahn wouldn't have been playing if Ondrej Pavelec hadn't been injured during the pre-game warm-up.
Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:18 pm
According to reports Pavelec left the pre-game warm-up early going down for a shot. Sounds like he could have pulled his groin. Might be nothing but we'll see who's in net in a few minutes.
Puck Daddy's assessment of our "goalie controversy:"
Atlanta Thrashers: Kari Lehtonen (2-5-2, 3.44, .903) vs. Johan Hedberg (4-3-1, 3.88, .880) vs. Ondrej Pavelec (2-4-0, 2.88, .907)You know? Looking at those stats for more than 45 seconds convinces me we're going to hell. And I don't mean Helsinki. The guys with the better GAA and SV% are playing like, .250 ball. Not even .500. But the guy playing over .500's GAA and SV% are kind of a mess. I mean, none of the goalies on the team are golden in stats - Kari couldn't even land anything higher than a tie for "14th most saves in a game" although after the other night, Pavelec put himself at a solid 6th place.
Should anyone be surprised that a mess like this is taking place on a mess like the Thrashers? Lehtonen can come off of IR whenever the team's ready, but there's been no solid timetable for his return. Pavelec, who refused demotion to the AHL earlier this season, has put in some outstanding performances. Hedberg has been his usual veteran self. Goalie Controversy? Sure is. The better Pavelec plays, the more one has to wonder if Lehtonen will be moved as he enters RFA status this summer. If he's healthy, that is.
So this was in THN today:
Ondrej Pavelec, G, AtlantaDo you know what the defintion of insanity is? The quote has never properly been attributed, but runs the gamut from 80s mystery writer Rita Mae Brown to Benjamin Franklin or Albert Einstein. Nonetheless, "Doing the same thing in the same way, over and over, expecting different results" is said explanation of NUTBAGGERY.
After a play-me-or-trade-me tirade from his agent in the pre-season, the 21-year-old 2005 draft pick has played out of his mind for Chicago of the American League (1.54 GAA, .947 save percentage in nine games), but only so-so in his three NHL appearances (2.57 GAA, .889 save percentage). He was recalled again Wednesday with Kari Lehtonen on the shelf, but Pavelec, who played seven times last season as well, may take the No. 1 spot sooner than later. Rumors have current starter Lehtonen on the trade block.
From the Thrash site (ps: why does google not crawl or index the team sites? dickweeds). Thanks to the amazingly gorgeous AND talented Lisa over at TheThrashers411 for updating me immediately and keeping me from being checked into the nuthatch. Love you grrl!
Pavelec, 21, appeared in three games with the Thrashers, recording a 2-0-0 record with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage. The Kladno, Czech Republic native has posted a 5-3-0 record with a 2.96 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage in 10 career NHL games.OK. I think I'm calmer. And feel better that our boys are not going to La-La Land. Am I the only one totally possessive of our players? Like, IMO, they can only go to the Wolves and back. Nothing in between. I feel much better. Now I gotta wait for effin' days for Thrashers hockey? Who made this schedule?!
The 6-2, 215-pound net minder has appeared in nine games for the Wolves this season, registering a 5-3-1 record with a 1.54 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage. At the time of his recall, he was tied for first in the AHL with two shutouts, tied for second in wins, and ranked fourth in goals-against average and save percentage. Pavelec was named the Reebok X-Pulse/AHL Goaltender of the Month for October and has allowed two-or-fewer goals in eight-of his-nine games with Chicago.
Moose goes for two in a row
By Mike Knobler | Sunday, November 9, 2008, 03:00 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Johan Hedberg is starting today for the Thrashers, going for his second consecutive victory after winning in Buffalo on Friday night.
I asked John Anderson before the game how the Thrashers will handle their three-goalies-for-two-spots situation. He said they don’t have to make that call until Monday.
.................. ?
Wow, when there's a crapload of rumours flying around about the team you follow and, dare I say, cover, it's v disconcerting. So, here we have our first rebuttal to the Lehtonen rumour, from a well respected source, The Fourth Period's Editor, David Pagnotta, who put this addendum onto the original TFP re-post of the article I posted earlier.
So, because Lehtonen's a restricted free agent at season's end, the Thrashers have to trade him? That doesn't make much sense... nor does trading your No.1 goalie. The Thrashers are very high on Lehtonen. I'd be quite shocked if they pull the trigger on such a move. If anything, expect Atlanta to move Pavelec, but there isn't much of a market for him right now. -- David Pagnotta
Posted by the Edmonton Sun and it's been picked up already by a few other papers.
When it comes to goaltenders, the Atlanta Thrashers are discovering that three's a crowd. With a trio of goalies -- Kari Lehtonen, Ondrej Pavelec and Johan Hedberg -- on their roster, the Thrashers have almost as many netminders as victories (five).They also forgot to mention Ottawa, NJD, NYI. My personal feeling on this is that, if the team is going to step it up and perform in front of Johan, and step it up and perform in front of Ondrej, then maybe it is better for Kari if he goes to a team that will actually play in front of him. Because this one could be called the Atlanta Sybils for their constant personality changes from game to game. Sometimes they'll play great for him. Sometimes he'll take up to 50 shots with no D. I can't imagine it's very much fun going to work every day and not knowing if your support staff is going to actually support you, or make your life more difficult.
Many NHL observers think Atlanta GM Don Waddell wants to deal one of his surplus goaltenders in an attempt to kickstart his floundering team.
Pavelec, 21, is a highly regarded prospect and Hedberg has a strong resume, mostly as a backup. The player most likely to be dealt is the 24-year-old Lehtonen, who is making $3 million (all terms US) this season and will be a restricted free agent at the end of 2008-09.
There are teams with obvious goaltending issues -- the Senators, Kings and Oilers among them -- but they won't be the only teams that look at Lehtonen. Expect the Wings and Flyers to make inquiries as well.
Many around the league believe Lehtonen has plenty of potential. Compared with another goalie who is the subject of trade rumours, 35-year-old Nikolai Khabibulin, Lehtonen's contract is far more cap friendly and he has greater upside. He might fetch the Thrashers a much-needed forward or defenceman in return.
V interesting article from Knobler. Interesting because it's the first "media admittance" that one of our goalies could well play their last in Blueland. Tomorrow night's game is probably going to be hella interesting, and Lehts is slated for the start. Guess we'll see what we see, eh? And once again, the article's edited down. Check AJC for the full article. And sorry no photos up yet from last night. I've been up to my eyebrows in my car's engine all day. I'll post them sometime soon though.
Buffalo, N.Y. — Johan Hedberg was playing for his job Friday night, and it wasn’t going well. The Buffalo Sabres had scored four goals on him through two periods. He might have been headed for his third loss in as many starts. Teammate Niclas Havelid skated over to him after the fourth goal, tapped a stick on his pads and told him to keep going. And Hedberg did.
“I’ve been chasing this feeling for a long time now,” Hedberg said. “It’s been a hard time. Hopefully, this is something that I can build off and the team can build off, and we all can take strides and get better.”
Hedberg entered the game with the lowest save percentage and the highest goals-allowed average among the NHL’s 67 goalies. He was on the verge of getting squeezed in a numbers game between soon-to-return No. 1 goalie Kari Lehtonen and up-and-coming youngster Ondrej Pavelec. NHL teams don’t keep three goalies on the roster.
No one had to tell Hedberg that his eighth NHL season might have been heading for an abrupt end.
“I’m not blind. I’m not stupid. You have to realize the situation you’re in,” he said. “At the same time, you can’t think about it, either. I want to come out, and I want to play hockey the way I can. I haven’t done that for a long time. Tonight, I started getting that feeling back a little bit, and hopefully it’s going to be something that’s a trend.”
Did Hedberg do enough to keep his roster spot?
“Yes, absolutely,” Thrashers coach John Anderson said.
At least that's the word on the street. The metaphorical street, of course, since I am in neither Buffalo nor Atlanta. But luckily Knobler is on one or the other, and before braving the beef on weck, he offered this little nugget:
Johan Hedberg is slated to start in net tonight for the Thrashers against Buffalo. Ondrej Pavelec is 2-0 as a starter, but he played last night, and Thrashers coach John Anderson decided to stick with his plans and use a rested goaltender. Kari Lehtonen is here, too, and told me he felt great during today’s skate, but Hedberg and Pavelec were the guys in net.Listen, everyone is going to form their own opinions on this whole 3 goalies thing. And I'm sure I'm not the only one remembering last season's situation with the Caps, and Huet, Kolzig and Johnson. And I'm also sure I am not the only one wondering which goalie is being showcased, or being rested in order to avoid injury.
