Penguins Offseason

[HockeyGenie]

if I am the new GM, the first thing I do is explore options for trading Fleury. Fleury was not the main reason the Pens lost this year. In fact, he played better than he normally does in the playoffs. That said, he is a major question mark each and every playoffs. I think it wears on the team. I have heard people say 'Well, who out there is better than him?" Well, I have watched each year as Ty Conklin, Brent Johnson, and Vokoun have played better than Fleury at times and some times critical moments. If that list can outplay Fleury, I am certain a goalie can be found and for much less than the 5 million cap hit we pay now.

Although I do not think he was a savior by any means I think without fleury they don't even get 3 wins against New York. I have weighed options of getting rid of him and I truly am not sure of what to think. I have been an optimist when it comes to him but time and time he has come up short. Trading him could be an option, to a team with a bad goalie situation but I don't really know what you get out of it. It's not like fleury is a sought after target.

Here's what the FA market looks like in terms of net minders:
Ryan Miller - St. Louis
He hits the cap at 6.5 million

Martin Brodeur - NJ
4.5 million

Jonas Hiller - ANA
4.5 million, I like Hiller. If Fleury gets canned Hiller is one of my first looks.

Tim Thomas
3.75 mil

Jaro Halak
3.75 million, he's cheap and he is good.

Devan Dubnyk - EDM
3.5, he's actually pretty good, Edmonton is just horrid. I don't see him coming to PIT but I could be wrong.

Honestly, I highly doubt fleury leaves. But in the event that he does, those guys are definitely the top targets.

[abpk2903]

I usually agree with you Kirk but there are more immediate issues than Fleury. Of those available names, I don't see one that even remotely improves the goaltending position over Fleury. In fact, I would take Zatkoff over Brodeur, Thomas, Halak, or Dubnyk.

Miller is out of strikes with me. He is so up and down. For a few years, he had a pretty darn good Sabres squad and couldn't go anywhere with them. He went to St. Louis and couldn't get one of the best teams of the regular season out of the first round. They see no need to keep him. What does that tell you?

Hillar is the only one listed that I could see be even at all excited about. At the same time, he has played on a ton of good Ducks teams and has 0 cups to show for it. He is also much older than MAF. What are you improving here?

That means the only option for a top goaltender is via the trade market. Any contending team is not going to give up a top goalie to another contender. So that means looking at bottom feeders and getting their goalie. Maybe Anderson, Rinne, or Luongo. Well several issues here:

-The Preds are loaded on defense and the only value they would swing would be salary reduction, draft picks, or top line forwards. The pens don't have much to give up in any of these areas.

-Anderson can't stay healthy. Every season of his career he has missed dozens of games.

-Luongo couldn't get it done with an ultra talented Canucks team. Plus the Panthers have some young talent and probably anticipate making a playoff run over the next few years. I don't see them being very willing to make a move.

[Aoki11]

I usually agree with you Kirk but there are more immediate issues than Fleury. Of those available names, I don't see one that even remotely improves the goaltending position over Fleury. In fact, I would take Zatkoff over Brodeur, Thomas, Halak, or Dubnyk.

Miller is out of strikes with me. He is so up and down. For a few years, he had a pretty darn good Sabres squad and couldn't go anywhere with them. He went to St. Louis and couldn't get one of the best teams of the regular season out of the first round. They see no need to keep him. What does that tell you?

Hillar is the only one listed that I could see be even at all excited about. At the same time, he has played on a ton of good Ducks teams and has 0 cups to show for it. He is also much older than MAF. What are you improving here?

That means the only option for a top goaltender is via the trade market. Any contending team is not going to give up a top goalie to another contender. So that means looking at bottom feeders and getting their goalie. Maybe Anderson, Rinne, or Luongo. Well several issues here:

-The Preds are loaded on defense and the only value they would swing would be salary reduction, draft picks, or top line forwards. The pens don't have much to give up in any of these areas.

-Anderson can't stay healthy. Every season of his career he has missed dozens of games.

-Luongo couldn't get it done with an ultra talented Canucks team. Plus the Panthers have some young talent and probably anticipate making a playoff run over the next few years. I don't see them being very willing to make a move.

You would take Zatkoff over Halak?

[abpk2903]

Well I would take Fleury over Halak. I would take a Zatkoof contract over a Halak contract. He doesn't impress me that much. You can't take his numbers for what they are worth he has played an entire career in mainly defensive systems with good hockey teams on the ice. Once again, he played for 3 organizations just last year. If he was such an answer, they wouldn't have let him go.

[KirkHerbstreit]

Here is the issue I have with people saying who can replace Fleury...

What exactly are you replacing? We have all watched Brent Johnson, Conklin, and Vokoun outplay him at times. These are not great goaltenders we are talking about. Fleury does make some acrobatic saves, but most of the time it is because his positioning is horrible. I think it has gotten to the point where defensemen over compensate and that is never a good thing. Fleury is a great guy, teammate love him, but sometimes change is needed. It's not just the player it's the mindset. Every year as the players are forced to answer questions about Fleury's playoffs. Fleury answers the same questions. It needs to change. The mindset of the team is gone. That switch is not magically going to turn back to on. Changes need made and drastic ones. The best one to make is Fleury.

[abpk2903]

Good point. I just would rather take some lumps with the flower than be a team like Philly and have a new goalie every month.

[KirkHerbstreit]

They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I think that is where this team is right now with Fleury. Many have already forgotten Fleury's gaffes against Columbus (leaving the net and the OT goal). Against a good team, those mistakes lose the series. Luckily, Columbus is not a very good team. It is not like Fleury came in and had a great playoffs this year. He was ok. If you want to see great, you should have watched Lundqvist last night. It's gotten to the point where people are happy with just ok with Fleury.

[Aoki11]

Good point. I just would rather take some lumps with the flower than be a team like Philly and have a new goalie every month.

They have taken more than a few lumps. They have had the same goalie for close to a decade, moving on would not make them like Philly. At this point, I have loved fleury for a long time but he has overstayed the pens. He is way too overpaid since SC. Honestly, I know HockeyGenie was just naming free agents but Hiller really catches my eye. Yeah he's been on good Anaheim teams but its always been a team effort, kinda like Pittsburgh. I think Hiller is a little more skilled than Fleury.

[abpk2903]

Hiller also got benched this year and only had a few starts down the stretch...be careful what you wish for.

[konjo78]

To be honest the era of a super solid goaltender may be over. Martin brodeur is the last of his craft in my eyes.

Are there solid goaltenders? Yes but none that consistently carries a team every year like brodeur and roy back in the day