WJC: Canada's goaltending since 2010

[PhillyBluesFan]

Brian Elliot had an unbelievable season and no one's saying he should be starting for Team Canada at Sochi.

Good consistent goaltending is always always better than one hit wonders. As far as Mike Smith is concerned, he's a one hit wonder until he can prove otherwise. He's already 30 too, he's at the plateau of his career, he could potentially improve, but he's not a prospect anymore. He's an aging goaltender who played a very good season in front of a team known for inflating goaltending stats.

Those are the facts.

Smith has a .935 sv% over his last 93 games going back to December of 2010.

Those are the facts. Hopefully Hockey Canada ignores them just like you are

 

[jigsaw99]

i wonder what the combine saving % for WJC starters are for team Canada in the last 3 years. must be like .800 for something..

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

Here's the problem with Subban's goaltending..

He is -too- invested in the butterfly style right now. Watch the replays of the goals, most of his saves, he always seems to go into the butterfly first, then attempts to read the shot, and select the proper save execution after going down in the butterfly.

This is particularly evident on the Vesey goal. Instead of going into a half-butterfly blocker save.. He pops into the butterfly then does his far-side leg and arm extension. This requires two movements instead of one. Costing Subban the second he needs to get out on top of the puck and save it.

He needs to trust his reflexes and athleticism more. No need to be so technical on every shot.

Yes. This is what i was thinking in terms of dropping to the butterfly.

I listened to the game first on the radio and they were talking about how the yanks would be targeting upstairs on him.

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

He's only been between the pipes for 6 years now.

While the butterfly is a standard first reaction for most golatenders, Malcom's notion to go into a tight blocking butterfly instead of a little looser, half butterfly is what is keeping him from really being able to react to alot of the shots.

Could be nerves, training, both.

Again very much what im seeing. Hes very tight and leaving lots of openings.

 

[TonsofPuppies*]

i wonder what the combine saving % for WJC starters are for team Canada in the last 3 years. must be like .800 for something..

Here are the numbers posted by our starters the last four years (in the games in which we were eliminated)...


WJC 2010 (Gold Medal Game vs. USA)

Jake Allen: 5 GA on 28 SOG, .821%


WJC 2011 (Gold Medal Game vs. Russia)

Mark Visentin: 5 GA on 27 SOG, .815%


WJC 2012 (Semifinal vs. Russia)

Scott Wedgewood: 4 GA on 13 SOG, .692%


WJC 2013 (Semifinal vs. USA)

Malcolm Subban: 4 GA on 16 SOG, .750%


TOTAL:

18 GA on 84 SOG, .786%

 

[Hammer Time]

The fact that players like Brian Elliot and hell, even Brayden Holtby are even in the conversation to be between the pipes in Sochi shows what a mess our goaltending situation is.

Although to be fair, in a short tournament going with a young hot goalie works out a lot more than you might expect - see Hiller and Halak in 2010, Niittymaki in 2006, and so on.

Canada has the luxury of not needing to go with an unproven guy, but other countries that don't have that luxury have still managed to succeed.

 

[Patch101]

Subban has been decent most of the tournament and, aside from the most recent game, good when he needed to be. He definitely had some great saves throughout the tournament.

Today, the first two it's hard to criticize him for as he was heavily screened. The third goal he was a little of his angle and a little deep in the net. The fourth he was beat under the arm while playing the shot short side, if he comes out a little more that shot is likely goes from goal to save. These are things that are fairly easily addressed by a goaltending coach and more experience. Subban is still a very good goaltender.

He played decent when Canada needed a stonewall.

what? was this from a goalie a few years ago? Did you watch his play? Did you look at his Save% vs other goalies ? Subban was NOT good.

 

[Spectrefire]

Smith has a .935 sv% over his last 93 games going back to December of 2010.

Those are the facts. Hopefully Hockey Canada ignores them just like you are

83 of which were played in a single season on a team that pads goaltending stats.

I don't understand what point you're trying to make. We're just going in circles now. All you're doing is proving my point. Mike Smith had one great season under his belt. That means nothing when it comes to goaltending. Hell, Andrew Raycroft had a Calder season and look where he is now. If he can prove that he's more than a one hit wonder riding on a trap system, that's great. But until that, he's still considered a back-up tier goaltender who overachieved.

 

[dwdl21]

I'm not sure how it works elsewhere but my son plays Jr B in the EOJHL and there are no overage goalies, no matter how good they are they are all dropped in favour of goal scorers. Just seems to be the mentality, if you get lucky and get a good goalie that's an added bonus but every team given a choice will pick a goal scorer over a goalie every time, this is what has to change or we will never produce another top goalie, I mean who want's to play nets when you know you are going to get dropped in your last year no matter how good you are.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I'm not sure how it works elsewhere but my son plays Jr B in the EOJHL and there are no overage goalies, no matter how good they are they are all dropped in favour of goal scorers. Just seems to be the mentality, if you get lucky and get a good goalie that's an added bonus but every team given a choice will pick a goal scorer over a goalie every time, this is what has to change or we will never produce another top goalie, I mean who want's to play nets when you know you are going to get dropped in your last year no matter how good you are.

It's probably a trickle-down from the senior men's teams. Look at the 2010 Olympic team! All you need is a Luongo with a pulse!

 

[TonsofPuppies*]

Jordan Binnington will start vs. Russia. One game too late, Spott, you moron.

 

[TonsofPuppies*]

Bump.

Patterson with a .862 save percentage in the game and a sparkling .333 in the SO. It's obvious that Fucale will come in at this point, but does he have what it takes to right the ship?

 

[Brewster]

Hockey Canada's inability to choose an effective goaltending tandem in each of the last three tourneys has been quite alarming. Hopefully Fucale can right the ship in the next game, but so far Paterson has been unimpressive.

 

[SimplySensational]

Smith has a .935 sv% over his last 93 games going back to December of 2010.

Those are the facts. Hopefully Hockey Canada ignores them just like you are

This is funny.

 

[TonsofPuppies*]

With Patterson's performance today, the legacy of horrific Canadian goaltending at the WJC continues. Why does this continue to happen?

 

[chaosrevolver]

Jordan Binnington will start vs. Russia. One game too late, Spott, you moron.

This is pretty funny with hindsight given how Binnington played in that game.

Not sure if it is just a bad patch or an issue that needs to be looked at closer.

Hopefully Fucale can get us back on track.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

We used to look to the Q for our best goalies.

What is going on? I blame Quebec.

 

[TonsofPuppies*]

This is pretty funny with hindsight given how Binnington played in that game.

Not sure if it is just a bad patch or an issue that needs to be looked at closer.

Hopefully Fucale can get us back on track.

If it was one, two or even three years, I'd say it may just be a rough patch. But the last time Canada had top tier goaltending at this tournament was in 2008. 6 years is a long time.

 

[chaosrevolver]

If it was one, two or even three years, I'd say it may just be a rough patch. But the last time Canada had top tier goaltending at this tournament was in 2008. 6 years is a long time.

Very true.

Not sure if goalies are just not being developed as much as other positions or are taught the wrong things, but it is definitely not going well of late.

The worst part is that these goalies will play some great games but then struggle in more important ones (see Subban and Wedgewood).

 

[ComplianceBuyout]

Still dont understand why HC didnt want to create just a little bit of competition between the goalies at camp. From what i read as well, Fucale and Patterson werent exactly on fire before the WJC either..

 

[TonsofPuppies*]

Very true.

Not sure if goalies are just not being developed as much as other positions or are taught the wrong things, but it is definitely not going well of late.

And it's not as though the goaltending has taken a slight dip or even been average (or a bit below average). It has been outright horrific. Read my post about the last 4 years in which we've been eliminated from the tournament. In those 4 elimination games, our goaltenders have a combined save percentage of .786.

 

[rasarhdasd]

Jarry/Comrie should have gone.

 

[thegreatgasby*]

We used to look to the Q for our best goalies.

What is going on? I blame Quebec.

blame the coaches who bench them

 

[Alerion]

I'm confident in Fucale, regardless of how much that makes me sound like a homer.

 

[MCDAVIDISH]

If Patterson plays next game we deserve to lose. Guy was giving up rebounds all game and couldn't suck a puck in to save his life. Get Fucale in there... I've been watching Jarry on the Oilkings for the last two years and I can't believe he's not on this team, it's astounding to me actually even though I know I'm a homer... The guy is so good. His stats a far superior as well, I don't judge him based on his stats though his foundations and athleticism are really impressive and he never gets shaken. Anyone whose watched him will probably agree, not sure if he's gotten much attention though which is a shame. As well he's a larger goalie which helps on the big ice, going from side to side a little more on plays being a bit longer helps a ton.