Niemi - Best goalie in the NHL this season (so far)

[Juxtaposer]

I'd take ANY of Ottawa's 3 goalies in a heartbeat, thanks.

Yeah, Ben Bishop sure is a Vezina worthy goaltender.

 

[The Ice Hockey Dude]

Nemo has been better this season than the last couple for us for sure. I'd give him team MVP at this point.

 

[TrappedInFullerton]

Love to hear why, blind hatred? Niemi has been better than any of them easily besides Anderson, and Anderson has played only 12 games (too small a sample size) and had a lot of injury issues.

Thanks, I'll take Niemi.

Anderson has 15 games, but still, he and Bishop are clearly products of Ottawa's defense and style of play.

 

[Bizz]

Craig Anderson would be the top goalie in the NHL if he didnt get injured

 

[hockeyball]

Craig Anderson would be the top goalie in the NHL if he didnt get injured

There is no possible way to know that. Niemi had close to his save % back when he only played that many games too. More than likely that save % would have dropped quite a bit since then and the GAA certainly would have gone up.

Injuries are part of the equation anyway.

 

[Negatively Positive]

Craig Anderson would be the top goalie in the NHL if he didnt get injured

Easy to solve Anderson. Just put some icegirls out there and watch his sv pct. plummet

 

[JayP812]

He deserves Vezina talk but won't get it. Since the Vezina has been awarded on the overall best goalie instead of statistical leader, a western conference goalie has only won it twice, both Canadian teams. Award voting is a complete joke.

 

[hockeyball]

He deserves Vezina talk but won't get it. Since the Vezina has been awarded on the overall best goalie instead of statistical leader, a western conference goalie has only won it twice, both Canadian teams. Award voting is a complete joke.

I 100% concur. It's a farce and I refuse to even watch the awards show anymore unless a Sharks player won on a technicality (statistically awarded basically).

Same as the Winter Classic, until a 'real' west coast, non-Canadian team participates, I'm not watching.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

Am i missing something? Schneider has played 20 and has a better GAA and SV% and Bobrovsky has a higher SV% while Crawford has a lower GAA

 

[Hatrick Marleau]

Am i missing something? Schneider has played 20 and has a better GAA and SV% and Bobrovsky has a higher SV% while Crawford has a lower GAA

He is the best goalie with 20+ games played.

 

[Mafoofoo]

Love to hear why, blind hatred? Niemi has been better than any of them easily besides Anderson, and Anderson has played only 12 games (too small a sample size) and had a lot of injury issues.

Thanks, I'll take Niemi.

Seriously. I don't think Niemi is ever injured. He's basically a robot from Valhalla. Would explain how no matter whats going on his mood and tone of voice are exactly the same.

 

[oyster]

The biggest thing I've noticed this season is Niemi is making a lot less scrambling saves on his butt. Last season he'd make the first stop, maybe two, then fall over backward and scramble around. Everyone would collapse hard to cover the open net and I had a small heart attack each time. I don't know much about the mechanics of goaltending but I imagine he's worked on his skating and footwork a lot. His balance and recovery are much improved.

 

[Brent Burns]

He's been a beast. I used to hate on him, glad I'm eating my words. Go Niemi!!!
Bobrovsky has been playing out of his mind though

 

[OldAsianSharksFan]

The biggest thing I've noticed this season is Niemi is making a lot less scrambling saves on his butt. Last season he'd make the first stop, maybe two, then fall over backward and scramble around. Everyone would collapse hard to cover the open net and I had a small heart attack each time. I don't know much about the mechanics of goaltending but I imagine he's worked on his skating and footwork a lot. His balance and recovery are much improved.

He's also improved on his rebound control, leading to less 2nd/3rd chance opportunities and therefore, less need to scramble.

 

[chrisclark110]

Niemi will never get a fair shake with fans or media. He will always be thought of as a goalie who got lucky he was on a stacked team, which is bull****. He gets over used, overworked and he's still one of the top goalies this year.
He has some flaws but most goaltenders do.
The only thing I don't like is his lack of puck moving skills

Niemi for president 2013

 

[sharkbite3]

Doesn't get enough credit. He's been so solid...many a game he's been the best Shark out there.

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

Niemi is probably the most mentally solid goaltender I've ever seen.

 

[Negatively Positive]

This thread is sooooo gonna get a bump if Niemi allows 3 soft goals in the 1st period tomorrow

Niemi is probably the most mentally solid goaltender I've ever seen.

It's probably the reason why the Sharks don't get as many goaltender interference calls for. He doesn't flop and when he gets ran into, he doesn't complain or lose his temper like say a Lundqvist or Mike Smith. I can't ever see Nemo grabbing a player and try to punch them for running into him. He just keeps the same demeanor no matter what.

 

[Hold the Pickles]

This thread is sooooo gonna get a bump if Niemi allows 3 soft goals in the 1st period tomorrow






It's probably the reason why the Sharks don't get as many goaltender interference calls for. He doesn't flop and when he gets ran into, he doesn't complain or lose his temper like say a Lundqvist or Mike Smith. I can't ever see Nemo grabbing a player and try to punch them for running into him. He just keeps the same demeanor no matter what.

Haha. Just remember its HockeyBalls fault. Totally agree with the previous mental toughness point and the rest of your post.

 

[Evil Janney]

As much as Niemi has improved this season (better at catching the puck, not roaming out of position as much, better rebound control), you can't ignore that the Sharks rank 28th in Goals For. By adding guys like Larry Robinson and Jim Johnson (and with Mclellan's relentless pursuit for a more "grinding" type of squad) the team's overall structure is based more on tighter defensive hockey and not as much on offense. San Jose is ranked 4th at the moment in total Blocked Shots.

 

[do0glas]

As much as Niemi has improved this season (better at catching the puck, not roaming out of position as much, better rebound control), you can't ignore that the Sharks rank 28th in Goals For. By adding guys like Larry Robinson and Jim Johnson (and with Mclellan's relentless pursuit for a more "grinding" type of squad) the team's overall structure is based more on tighter defensive hockey and not as much on offense. San Jose is ranked 4th at the moment in total Blocked Shots.

This is definitely a good point.

but that being said, I think most extraordinary goalies tend to play in front of a defensive system. none come to mind that ran a run/gun style of offense...but my memory kind of sucks.

 

[OrrNumber4]

When evaluating goalies, you have to take in to affect the system your team plays. Nowadays, it seems like certain goalies thrive in certain systems. As long as the wins keep coming in, no problem with that.

Niemi has been excellent...this is shades of 2008 Nabokov, and that is probably underrating his performance. It is nice to see how calm and collected he ice; proverbial ice-water in his veins. Nabokov had a bit more flair...

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

I'd take ANY of Ottawa's 3 goalies in a heartbeat, thanks.

I remember reading a Leafs fan say he'd take Scrivens and Reimer over Kari Lehtonen.

You canadian-team fans are funny.

 

[Mafoofoo]

It's probably the reason why the Sharks don't get as many goaltender interference calls for. He doesn't flop and when he gets ran into, he doesn't complain or lose his temper like say a Lundqvist or Mike Smith. I can't ever see Nemo grabbing a player and try to punch them for running into him. He just keeps the same demeanor no matter what.

That's because the ramblings and actions of mere humans are beneath him.

 

[OrrNumber4]

I remember reading a Leafs fan say he'd take Scrivens and Reimer over Kari Lehtonen.

You canadian-team fans are funny.

When was this?

Lethonen used to look like he was done. Not even NHL-caliber. Plus, Reimer and Scrivens obviously ha(d)ve youth/salary over him....