Do people still believe Halak isn't a world class goalie?

[A Pointed Stick]

He is above average but not elite. Better than many though.

This.

But stick an above average defense in front of him and his ability to control pucks down low makes him good enough to win a cup with if the rest of the team is able to as well. He is good enough which makes him light years better than what this club has had for a long time.

 

[mtxed]

First of all, you are probably one of the few people in the world who things that a goalies GAA and SAA is somehow determined by whether his forwards bail him out. That's, quite frankly, a ridiculous statement.

Second, you might actually want to take a peak at the Isles record. Last time I checked, a winning record is usually an indicator of a team doing well.

Halak, except for occasional gaffs behind the net, has been pretty solid. His meh numbers are a product of a few nights when he was hung out to dry for various reasons. There was a five game stretch when Leddy was the only healthy top four, and Halak had a rough two or three games at the start. Otherwise, he's been fantastic.

In any case, its pretty obvious from your comments that you've haven't watched the Isles play and basically know nothing about the situation in NY. Your entire view of Halak is from reading his stats.

Conversely, we can say that you have only been watching one horribly defensive team your entire life and basing your beliefs/views on 30-35 games....

 

[Curufinwe]

Halak could turn it on for the playoffs and win some rounds.

.910 over half a season on a good team is not world class, though. Not when you look at guys like Anderson, Mason and Schneider putting up much better numbers on worse teams.

 

[Darth Milbury]

Conversely, we can say that you have only been watching one horribly defensive team your entire life and basing your beliefs/views on 30-35 games....

Actually, I work five minutes from the Staples Center and watched the Kings win two cups. I was in the building when the Isles won their four cups too, and I was a regular at Capitals games back when they were elite. Been watching hockey for thirty years, seen great goaltenders (like Billy Smith) and solid but unexceptional goaltenders (like Halak).

So, we can say that I am basing my entire impression on 35 games, but that would be yet another uninformed statement....

 

[And You Feel Shame]

So being a team's MVP automatically makes that goalie / player world-class? Is Schneider world class? Luongo? Hutchinson? Anderson?

Darth has already stated that he doesn't agree with the OP's premise. Why are you trying to make him defend that?

Halak is playing well for the Islanders. We are encouraged that we can have an impact in the playoffs. Outside of the OP I don;t think anyone is really of the mindset that Halak is elite. A point to be made is that he doesn't have to be.

 

[Captain Mountain]

What the hell does "World Class" mean? Top-5? Top-10? Better than average?

 

[Darth Milbury]

I don't know what "world class" means but I wouldn't even consider Halak to be near the top of the conference let alone world.

If "world class" mean one of the very best in the world, I'd say that only Price and Lundqvist qualify now. Luongo did at one point, maybe still does.

 

[SI90]

World class is a bit strong.

I think he is better than average though. The thing I love about him is he makes timely saves and comes up big in close games thus far. The true test is in the playoffs though.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

He choked away every playoff series on a much better blues team.

Are you somehow referring to Halak's *one* St. Louis postseason experience, where he went 1-1 with a 93.5% save percentage?

You have very high standards for those that you've decided not to like.

 

[ManyIdeas]

No idea how he would have done in a playoff series considering he kept being injured on the Blues.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Hes far above just average. I would put him in the tier 2 of starters with the likes of Hiller, F. Anderson, Crawford, etc.

MAF is a very average goalie, but yet he gets 100 times the attention simply cause he plays for the Pens.

I'm trying to piece this together.

You're saying he's "far above average" as an NHL starter, which seems to me he must be at least top-10 (after all, #15 is precisely average).

So you're saying that your top-10 includes Halak, Hiller, F Anderson, and Crawford?

Meaning you have ALL 4 of those guys above EIGHT of Lundqvist, Rinne, Rask, Price, Luongo, Quick, C Anderson, Miller, Schneider, Bobrovsky, Varlamov, Holtby, Elliott and Howard?

 

[mtxed]

Halak could turn it on for the playoffs and win some rounds.

.910 over half a season on a good team is not world class, though. Not when you look at guys like Anderson, Mason and Schneider putting up much better numbers on worse teams.

He played like he was an elite, world class goalie on an undersized, undermanned MTL team, then barely held onto his job on a stacked STL team.... I would like to see the old Halak steal 2 series like he did in MTL.

 

[Darth Milbury]

No idea how he would have done in a playoff series considering he kept being injured on the Blues.

And, there lies my real concern with Halak. He's done great overall, but I have doubts regarding his durability and he doesn't seem to be one of those guys who thrives on heavy workload.

 

[Dbrownss]

From a Blues fan's perspective.

At no point is he world class, that would mean elite, and he isn't close. He will have games where your not going to score on him but those are few and far between. He's mentally weak, he can't buckle down and shut the door. He is an average goalie, he doesn't suck by any means but I wouldn't count on him to steal games(that's what elite goalies do).

As for the POs...he never had his chance with the Blues, he wasn't their problem.

Maybe he'll lead the Islanders to glory this year...idk. I don't watch Islander games, and the only 2 I've watch was against the Blues who nuked halak for 12 goals in 2 games lol......

 

[Dodospice]

He's an average goalie at best, far from World Class by NHL standards.

To me world class goalies are Rinne, Price, Quick, Rask, Lundqvist in no particular order.

Followed by the likes of Luongo, Crawford, Holtby, Fleury, Bobrovsky, Bishop, Andersen, Schneider.

Then I'd say Miller, Howard, Lehtonen, Bernier, Varlamov.

Then we can start talking about Halak.

I'd say he's no better than the 19th best goalie in the NHL.. That's at best.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

As far as this season's going, thus far Halak and Johnson have both played above-average opponents:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=96160941

Which is harder for a goalie on a good team to do, since they don't have to play against their own team.

I haven't run the Isles' projected schedule down the stretch, but it seems like his numbers could improve if things settle down.

 

[OzzyFan]

World Class? No.
Top 10-15 starter? Yes

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Average starter.

I wouldn't put him in my top 10 goalie choices.

His .910 isn't anything special for starters and the Islanders have the 9th worst GAA in the league. But they win a lot of games from having the 2nd best offence in the league this season. Halak also hasn't been the most durable goalie.

Average starter at a nice cap hit for a UFA. St. Louis had Allen as a top prospect at a cheap rate and Elliott at a cheaper rate allowing them to address other areas of the roster.

 

[Hivemind]

Yup. exactly as I see it.

Doesn't change the fact that Halak is not world class.

 

[mitchmagic]

Halak is a good goalie y'all.

 

[TheSilverSkeeter]

"World class" semantics aside, Halak is an average NHL goalie. He's been lucky enough in recent years to look better than he is simply by being better than his predecessor. Eventually, as with the Blues, the honeymoon period will subside, and with its passing will emerge a plenty capable, but ultimately unremarkable goaltender.

 

[TorstenFrings]

Yes. Unless this is a new formerly unknown definition of "world class".

 

[hockeyfanOU812]

He was chosen by his country to represent them at the highest level of international play, that may count for something. Then again this is HaveFun boards so I'm sure it'll get shot down somehow.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

I mean, what's "world class"?

There are only ~25 spots for NHL goalies (technically there are 30, but 5 of those are probably looking to upgrade). If world class=NHL elite, then I would say no. Halak is not a top 8 NHL goaltender IMO.

If "world class" means elite in comparison to the rest of the world, then yes, as already said.

 

[Tripod]

Er, Montreal in 2009?


Halak's a very good goalie. There are quite a few goalies I'd take before him though. He is certainly not "world class..."

Once again....the voice of reason from Darth.

Halak is a "world class" upgrade over Nabby. But he is an average goalie.

they great thing is though, he HAS proven he can win a playoff series by himself...and that is nice to have.

People forget, he doesn'r have to be world class today...because he isn't. But if he becomes it in the playoffs....that's all that matters.

MAF ALWAYS has good numbers in the regular season...but has disappeared in the playoffs most years. And that is what he is remembered for.

Halak's real value is steady goaltending now, and potentially stunning goaltending in the playoffs.