Will 1A/1B goaltending become the standard goaltending of future?

[MMC]

It seems to me, that the league (and other leagues as well, are heading in a similar direction, where players are getting rested more regularly. It also seems like teams are beginning to play their backup goaltenders more, leading me to believe that in the not too distant future, backup goaltenders will play a much larger role and have closer to a split with their starters, vs being a traditional backup goaltender. Do you also think that the league is headed towards this being a thing?

 

[Trap Jesus]

I think it already kind of is. The games played for the top goalies in the league have declined dramatically the last 10 or so years.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Seems like it already has turned that way now. I think it's a perfect system

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

I don’t think so. When I think of “1A/1B” I think of teams that have a backup that is as
good or very close to as good as their #1, which a handful of teams will always have. In a 32 team league I just don’t foresee that becoming a common thing.

Not to mention, the #1s want to play, and the teams want to give themselves their best chance to win every game.

 

[CatchyTune]

Depends on what you mean by 1A/1B. Like do they split games? Or just play a similar amount of games like 50/32 or 55/27.

I think teams without a clear cut star goalie could look into the option. Like us with Andersen/Campbell.

But with teams with the Gibson/Hellebuyck/Sheshterkin/Hart's of the world, I dont see a world where a backup plays a significant amount.

But I do think teams can get by with 2 solid options. We have seen how paying older "star" goalies has worked out. Bob/Price's deals are looking albatross/to be albatross. Having 2 cheaper options on shorter contracts should be less risky.

 

[Fataldogg]

Depends on what you mean by 1A/1B. Like do they split games? Or just play a similar amount of games like 50/32 or 55/27.

I think teams without a clear cut star goalie could look into the option. Like us with Andersen/Campbell.

But with teams with the Gibson/Hellebuyck/Sheshterkin/Hart's of the world, I dont see a world where a backup plays a significant amount.

But I do think teams can get by with 2 solid options. We have seen how paying older "star" goalies has worked out. Bob/Price's deals are looking albatross/to be albatross. Having 2 cheaper options on shorter contracts should be less risky.

I don't know if a goaltender like Shesterkin can play in a non-1a/1b system. He has never had a genuine starting goaltender workload. In the KHL, as good as he was, he split time with another goaltender. In the AHL, he split time with another goaltender.

I think a goaltender like him needs a very capable back up or an alternative starter to split with.

There is a big difference in playing 45-50 games, and 60+ games.

I think what we will see, even with elite goaltenders, a 52/30 split be common.

 

[StreetHawk]

It seems to me, that the league (and other leagues as well, are heading in a similar direction, where players are getting rested more regularly. It also seems like teams are beginning to play their backup goaltenders more, leading me to believe that in the not too distant future, backup goaltenders will play a much larger role and have closer to a split with their starters, vs being a traditional backup goaltender. Do you also think that the league is headed towards this being a thing?

Sooner or later that backup who is playing 25-28 games is going to want to get paid more than $1 million. And there will be teams who want a good backup if they are grooming a younger goalie.

I doubt you can go more than 2 - 3 years with the same goaltending duo as the better the backup, the more they will want to get paid.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

There have always been variations, team to team. I do think there will be more tandems and fewer pure No. 1's moving forward, as opposed to the past when it was the opposite.

Still, if you draft a goaltender in the first round, you expect to have a No. 1 down the road. So, the number of goalie tandems may be determined by how many goaltenders go in Round 1 down the road.

To that end, I am curious to see whether Askarov goes in Round 1 this year.

 

[ijuka]

Well the team would need to first find two starter-quality goaltenders and then would need to not be paying them like 20mil in total. So it's not as easy in practice.

 

[Legionnaire]

No.

 

[Prairie Habs]

I'll believe it when teams are purposefully switching back and forth between goalies in the playoffs. Letting your backup keep the miles low on your starter during the regular season is one thing, having no clear starter in the playoffs is completely different.

 

[Black Kevin]

It seems logical to me that the more gifted guy plays as much as he can, and the back up plays the back-to-back games. If you're elite goalie and in shape, 60+ games shouldn't be an issue. Not too many guys can handle that work load, but during their prime years the absolute best goalies could and should start most of the games.

 

[kaiser matias]

It was common throughout the 80s, no reason it can't happen again.

 

[Super Hans]

Here on HF, teams need to have a back-up that can play a good chunk of games in order for a fan base to pass blame for having a mediocre team.

 

[Devil Dancer]

RS yes, playoffs no.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

You want your best player playing.

 

[2Pair]

Well the team would need to first find two starter-quality goaltenders and then would need to not be paying them like 20mil in total. So it's not as easy in practice.

Boston is doing it for less than half that number

 

[EdJovanovski]

Not when you got Igor Shesterkin in net

 

[Svane]

Lundqvist was talking about this, saying that the workload for goaltenders through the increased speed and intensity of the game is simply too high to play 70 games in a season anymore.

We will definitely see a more split workload in the future, but what is interesting is if it ever extends to the playoffs.

 

[SotasicA]

I think it's more with teams that don't have an excellent starter.

So it's really a case of 2A/2B hoping that combined they can put up starter performance for 50-60 games.

 

[Peat]

I think we'll get close to this. The demands of the game are too much for goalies to take on conventional standard starter goalie workloads and still have the juice for the playoffs. I think between top teams wanting to have two good goalies to get there and therefore needing to allocate funds appropriately, and the general recent failure of goalies to justify top money, will mean goalie wages will go down, meaning it becomes practical.

I'm not sure goalies will be splitting time in the playoffs mind.

Tbh, I think greater squad rotation is the sensible way to go in the sport anyway.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Platoon goaltending has gone in and out of style before. There aren't enough quality goaltenders to make it universal, but if you can afford the luxury, why not.

 

[jetsforever]

Depends how many good goalies there are
If I have Rask/Halak, then maybe it works. If I have Hellebuyck/Brossoit, then probably not.
Can't have 1B on every team if there are <62 quality goalies

 

[bobholly39]

Nope.

Not for the really good goalies. Like Carey Price. You'll never give too many games to a backup.

Rask is also a really good goalie, but Rask/Halak is an interesting dynamic. Halak is such a good backup that its fine to split more games - but it also helps that Bruins are such a good team and you can rest Rask more. If Bruins were a bubble team - Rask would play a lot more.

 

[PensandCaps]

the last 4 Champs Didn't play their #1 that much in the regular season. I'd say the days of paying goalies big money are done for. teams are realizing that rest is more important than having a #1 goalie playing 60+ games