Olympics: Goaltenders weren't a factor in the Olympics

[Eagle Eye Cherry]

I don't think goaltenders in this tournament were really a factor in this tournament. In fact, goaltending in the olympics was not that important and is overrated. I actually think it's a joke. anyone could've been a goalie for any country.

Seriously.

Why? Here's my reasons.

1. You had guys like Edgar Masaļskis, Jan Laco, Lars Haugen and a bunch of no-name non NHL goaltending scrubs holding their own against basically NHL all star teams (Sweden, Canada, USA, etc). Those kinda players would never make the NHL but still played like a NHL starting goaltender which kinda proves it doesn't really take much to backstop a country in Olympic hockey tournament. So Olympic goaltending is overrated, anyone can do it. Even a pylon.

2. Look at Team Canada for example, in the semi-final game against the USA. Price hardly had anything to do in the game. Most of the time he was standing around and whenever he faced shots, it wasn't deadly, just to the chest.
Heck, I bet Team Canada could've won Gold medal in this tournament with Joey McDonald if they wanted to.


3. Because this tournament is pretty short, goaltenders are not really required to perform like a stud for a long time and essentially show their true colors like a Masaļskis or Laco who are not impressive at all for their respective clubs. So because of the tournament's format, it kinda masks the crappy goalies from looking crappy. Also the big ice helps a lot.


So basically, any bonehead can be a goaltender in the Olympics.

Click to read more...

 

[LiveeviL]

Ok not being in NHL = average joe. Got it!

 

[bacon25]

I don't think goaltenders in this tournament were really a factor in this tournament. In fact, goaltending in the olympics was not that important and is overrated. I actually think it's a joke. anyone could've been a goalie for any country.

Seriously.

Why? Here's my reasons.

1. You had guys like Edgar Masaļskis, Jan Laco, Lars Haugen and a bunch of no-name non NHL goaltending scrubs holding their own against basically NHL all star teams (Sweden, Canada, USA, etc). Those kinda players would never make the NHL but still played like a NHL starting goaltender which kinda proves it doesn't really take much to backstop a country in Olympic hockey tournament. So Olympic goaltending is overrated, anyone can do it. Even a pylon.

2. Look at Team Canada for example, in the semi-final game against the USA. Price hardly had anything to do in the game. Most of the time he was standing around and whenever he faced shots, it wasn't deadly, just to the chest.
Heck, I bet Team Canada could've won Gold medal in this tournament with Joey McDonald if they wanted to.


3. Because this tournament is pretty short, goaltenders are not really required to perform like a stud for a long time and essentially show their true colors like a Masaļskis or Laco who are not impressive at all for their respective clubs. So because of the tournament's format, it kinda masks the crappy goalies from looking crappy. Also the big ice helps a lot.


So basically, any bonehead can be a goaltender in the Olympics.

Only goalie that didn't have to work was Canada's other than that Rask, Lundquist, Quick were all important to their teams and kept the score closer than it really should have been.

 

[Canadian Game]

Why? Here's my reasons.

1. You had guys like Edgar Masaļskis, Jan Laco, Lars Haugen and a bunch of no-name non NHL goaltending scrubs holding their own against basically NHL all star teams (Sweden, Canada, USA, etc). Those kinda players would never make the NHL but still played like a NHL starting goaltender which kinda proves it doesn't really take much to backstop a country in Olympic hockey tournament. So Olympic goaltending is overrated, anyone can do it. Even a pylon.

This is exactly how they were a factor in the Olympics. They showed up, played their best and ended up standing on their heads. It if weren't for the goaltenders playing the games of their lives, they would have been lit up.

And if you think any Joe could fill a goaltender's roll...

 

[Eagle Eye Cherry]

This is exactly how they were a factor in the Olympics. They showed up, played their best and ended up standing on their heads. It if weren't for the goaltenders playing the games of their lives, they would have been lit up.

And if you think any Joe could fill a goaltender's roll...

I disagree. Any of those goaltender's partners could've done the same.

 

[Urbanskog]

3. Because this tournament is pretty short, goaltenders are not really required to perform like a stud for a long time and essentially show their true colors like a Masaļskis or Laco who are not impressive at all for their respective clubs. So because of the tournament's format, it kinda masks the crappy goalies from looking crappy. Also the big ice helps a lot.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Masaļskis been rather good in HK Poprad this season?

 

[tinkezione]

Great goaltending is insanely important in best-of-1 format tournaments like this, where one game of standing on your head sends the other team right packing.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

I disagree. Any of those goaltender's partners could've done the same.

"Goaltenders did not matter"
"Actually they did"
"I don't think so, those goaltenders that were amazing? Yeah any other goaltender could have done the same"

 

[MadLuke]

Weber did score against Latvia when their goaltender finaly when "down" from exhaustion, so I would say he was a big factor.

If you say, all contender had elite goaltender that all played well, so no team did loose because of his goaltender not playing as good as the opposition (say rask, quick, lundqist, price, etc....) that could be true thought.

 

[lamini]

I think Pavelec was real difference maker

 

[Namejs]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Masaļskis been rather good in HK Poprad this season?

0.950 SVS%. Not at all impressive.

I love how instead of finally realizing that there's a major overlap between NHL and other pro leagues in Europe/Russia in terms of talent, the North American bubble boys come to the conclusion that all goalies are actually overrated and pilons could've done the job just as good.

 

[cbcwpg]

I think Pavelec was real difference maker

It is a fact that Pavs was a difference maker. A huge difference maker. Pavs was what stopped the Czechs from doing better in the tournament. I think the Czechs would have been better dragging Hasek out of retirement than playing a scrub like Pavs.

So basically, any bonehead can be a goaltender in the Olympics.

The Czechs saw exactly what happens when you put a bonehead in net. 4 goals on 12 shots.... yup, we need more boneheads.

 

[Hank Plank]

I don't think goaltenders in this tournament were really a factor in this tournament.

I don't think you watched any of the games.

 

[ronnyweed]

Latvia

 

[Johno]

Yeah, goal scorers weren't really a factor either. I mean anyone could have scored those goals in Olympics. It's like guys from outside of NHL scored so must have been flukes or something...

 

[Bear of Bad News]

This got roughly the reaction that it deserved.