With the Caps he's already 2-0 w/ a .915 SV%. I think Shep is ready to challenge for the backup role, as he has already accomplished everything he needed to at the AHL level. When you win the AHL Championship as the MVP, and your the goalie, then it's time to move up. That onus is on Scott Murray not doing his job right to tell the coaches, Shep is ready!
I love Shep, I really do...we love him in Hershey. I just don't see him as an everyday NHL guy. Stylistically I can't picture it. Maybe he's the next tim thomas and I'm wrong... Clay Stevenson on the other hand plays a pro style in net. He's got the juice. He'll be in the NHL one day.
These last 2 road games not withstanding.
Shep can be an NHL backup and maybe with some hard work be a platoon goalie. I can already tell he has better goalie IQ than Vanecek/Sammy(1st NHL game he was nervous winning 6-4 against the Devils, but next start he beat the Isles 4-1 stopping 36/37). Stevenson is only a rookie in the AHL and he's leading in Shutouts, SV% and GAA. He would be leading in wins, but Shep has gone 14-2(Stevenson is 11-4). Stevenson is the Caps next #1 in the footsteps of Beaupre, Kolzig and Holtby. Thank goodness when he was an undrafted free agent, he had narrowed his choice to the Caps/Rangers. Long term #1 was open here, while he would have had to challenge Shesterkin with the Rangers. He made a very good choice.
I really feel bad for Sammy. Caps rushed him too early to the NHL, and now he's a complete mess. He only developed half a season in the AHL learning the North American style. He should have cooked longer in the AHL and it would have made a huge difference in his development. He had a very good 1st season with the Leafs, but teams scout every goalie and learn their tendencies/weaknesses. Sammy has not adjusted as his mental part of the game has collapsed. It doesn't help at all he plays for the Hockey Mecca Leafs and has no Russian teammates to consult with/lean on. If he's to get back on track I think he needs to go to another team that has Russian's on the roster(that are not like Kuzy!). I really hope he can make it with another team as he will be a free agent by seasons end. I just have this sort of feeling he might just go back to the KHL and that will be the end of his NHL career.Everybody who's angry with Darcy should check out how Leafs fans are feeling about Sammy. Throw Ilya Samsonov into a twitter search and enjoy.
That is the big issue for BMac. He has to deal with ego eccentric Ted and big Dick Patrick! If BMac were GM of half the other NHL teams, Kuzy, Mantha, Backstrom, Oshie, and Holtby(going further back) would have been out the door a lot sooner! Ted is so fortunate he's had OV, because all the other sports teams he's owned have turned to garbage!
If there is one weakness of Lindgren, it would be his durability and that is partial to why he won't be a #1 goalie. Platoon at best(41 games max). He plays a very aggressive style that can lead to being nicked up. I would be up for trading Kuemper, all bite he improves his play, and have Lindgren/Shepard as the #1 and #2. It would allow Stevenson and Gibson to be the #1 and #2 with Hershey. I hope we are not going down the same Holtby/Grubauer path with Kuemper/Lindgren as that was the fault of Scott Murray's decision making. If we trade Lindgren, then we are trading the wrong goalie again!
And his passing is just completely off the mark. He used to be dynamite throwing cross rink no look passes. There were times I questioned if he was a better than Nicky as a setup man. Now...he throws the puck to vacant point positions on a regular basis. I don't know what's happened to him but it's sad. He was one of my all time favorites.
Sadly I think you are right. What happened to the Kuzy bird celey? The twister pass? All the creativity?
I’m sorry, but blaming the fans even indirectly for his career arc is absurd….
