Remember when the coach wouldn't play him at home?
Yeah, he was really struggling then.
Well considering how he is playing now, it seems he was handled correctly. Torts didn't do anything I would consider brilliant, he basically did what any good coach would do. The credit for playing better falls directly on Elvis, but Torts being able to read his ego and push the right buttons helped. Not playing him in situations that he probably should have played him, I think, lit a fuse in him and he was going to prove to Torts, and everyone else that doubted him that he could play in this league. Back then he was still making mistakes, like in Winnipeg when he should have dumped that puck in the corner, that were killing him. He was his own worst enemy. Not playing, and seeing the team do good without him, made him focus more and be more determined that when he got his chance again, things would be different. Like I said, not brilliant coaching, but being able to read a guys ego and get him going. Any good coach will do that.Almost like not starting at home for three months is bad for a rookie goalie.
Well considering how he is playing now, it seems he was handled correctly. Torts didn't do anything I would consider brilliant, he basically did what any good coach would do. The credit for playing better falls directly on Elvis, but Torts being able to read his ego and push the right buttons helped. Not playing him in situations that he probably should have played him, I think, lit a fuse in him and he was going to prove to Torts, and everyone else that doubted him that he could play in this league. Back then he was still making mistakes, like in Winnipeg when he should have dumped that puck in the corner, that were killing him. He was his own worst enemy. Not playing, and seeing the team do good without him, made him focus more and be more determined that when he got his chance again, things would be different. Like I said, not brilliant coaching, but being able to read a guys ego and get him going. Any good coach will do that.
Well considering how he is playing now, it seems he was handled correctly. Torts didn't do anything I would consider brilliant, he basically did what any good coach would do. The credit for playing better falls directly on Elvis, but Torts being able to read his ego and push the right buttons helped. Not playing him in situations that he probably should have played him, I think, lit a fuse in him and he was going to prove to Torts, and everyone else that doubted him that he could play in this league. Back then he was still making mistakes, like in Winnipeg when he should have dumped that puck in the corner, that were killing him. He was his own worst enemy. Not playing, and seeing the team do good without him, made him focus more and be more determined that when he got his chance again, things would be different. Like I said, not brilliant coaching, but being able to read a guys ego and get him going. Any good coach will do that.
I would expect an analytic guy to not understand anything about ego or character. Its only numbers with people like you. It will be a sad day when Columbus gets a coach that relies only on stats. You know, the way the early season schedule worked also had a little to do with him not getting starts at home. And you know what, if you can't play good on the road, what would tell you that they will be good at home. Oh, probably some thing like expected goals against. He is a little above average against the league save % so he should be fine. Doesn't matter the team coming in has an axe to grind, or is pissed they blew a big lead the night before, the stats say he should only give up 1 goal because thats what the analytics say. I would love to see how a person like you that just goes by analytics would do coaching. They would probably fail.
Korpisalo is better at everything and gives the team a much better chance to win games. Merzlikins looks very uncomfortable most of the time he's on the ice, even after winning 5 career games.
Its clear some people want to see different things than what there is to see with both Merzlikins and Korpisalo.
1 guy is a "starter", the other guy is a "backup".
Its.... Mr. "All Star" Korpisalo, thank you very much.
Truth is, 1 guy has a 5-6 record with a 2.7 gaa, the other has a 17-10 record with a 2.5 gaa.
They are not the same quality goaltender, looking at the "numbers" or looking at their play on the ice.
Elvis should be Korpi’s replacement at the ASG
Last season with all the Bob The Goalie soap opera a good hockey mind said that Merzlikins was the best goalie outside of North America.
His struggles early from what I saw was his lack of rebound control.
Something to watch for is his stick handling of the puck. He could finish seasons with 2-3 goals.
As as a Detroit Tigers fan who is old enough to remember when Mark "The Bird" Fidrych took baseball by storm back in 1976, these last couple of weeks have brought back some happy memories from my childhood. Here's hoping that Elvis has a longer and more successful career than The Bird did, though.
I remember that year. He was unbelievable, talking to the ball and all his quirkiness. Also reminds me of Super Joe Charboneau. They wrote songs about him, and the stories about him opening beer bottles with his eye socket. One good year, and that was it. Although I think he had a bad back injury that didn't help."We want the Bird. We want the Bird." Sold out the park every time he pitched. Fans wouldn't leave until he took the curtain call. Won 19 games on a pretty horrible team. Agree with everything you stated and more. Great memories from growing up in Detroit.
His career was cut short. Hope Elvis has a much longer career.