Our management did spend big on a goalie. His name was Jack Campbell.
That decision probably cost us a Stanley Cup last June.
It is what it is.
You're probably not winning a game 7 of a Cup Final with a Skinner or Markkanen in net. We've tried it. 0/2.
$5M isn't spending big IMO, that's way at the low end for NHL starters (except those on ELC) and it showed.
I actually can't think of any/many guys with 3-4 years of "carry the load" starter experience that sign in that price range.
With inflation, we pretty much signed Campbell to a "limited starter experience" similar to what we signed Koskinen and before him Talbot to.
Then we complain about inconsistency, wash, rinse, repeat.
I'm not saying we should be spending more either, just that your expectations that a $2.6M sophomore is going to go toe-to-toe with a $10M multiple Vezina winner in Game 7 of the SCF and not be the first guy to blink in a low-scoring 2-1 style game is kinda... I dunno, it's kinda kooky that you would expect him to win that game.
