In the latest Hockey News, Goalie Issue 2008, Pascal Leclaire is ranked the #4 goalie overall, behind Luongo, Nabokov, and Broudeur. Nice feature article on Pascal as well. Mason is listed as a goalie on their future watch
Not worth the effort, they'll still say "oh it's just 1 year" or "oh he can't stay healthy'.
With all due respect to Pascal, who is without a doubt my favorite jacket, those are both reasonable criticisms. He has had injury trouble and it is only one year (in a system that emphasizes team defense).
However, he is having an amazing year, and any game he starts, the team has a chance to win; not sure if we can say that about Norrena. And it appears he's shed that injury bug (I think adding muscle and better training and some age are the reason) and I want him retained. He is the most important player on the roster now (yes, more than even Nash).
We'll be lucky to sign him for less than $5million/year. I hope SH sees the opportunity to ridiculously front-load his contract. Give him a big payday now, while we're still way under the cap.
With all due respect to Pascal, who is without a doubt my favorite jacket, those are both reasonable criticisms. He has had injury trouble and it is only one year (in a system that emphasizes team defense).
However, he is having an amazing year, and any game he starts, the team has a chance to win; not sure if we can say that about Norrena. And it appears he's shed that injury bug (I think adding muscle and better training and some age are the reason) and I want him retained. He is the most important player on the roster now (yes, more than even Nash).
We'll be lucky to sign him for less than $5million/year. I hope SH sees the opportunity to ridiculously front-load his contract. Give him a big payday now, while we're still way under the cap.
No one else is going to overpay Pascal until he's proven he can take a team to the Promised Land - neither should we. Leclaire doesn't strike me as a money-grubber ... and if the name isn't Tampa, they're not exactly handing out starting goalie jobs willy-nilly. Pay him fairly, but don't overpay... I'm not ready to say Mason isn't the man of the future.
I'd say the biggest difference in Pascal is mental. I read a post the other day (I think it was here) saying that if a soft goal goes in, he just recoups and stands tall. That NEVER used to be the case in Syracuse. He, or in reality the lack of defense, would allow a goal and you could WATCH the kid deflate. He has come a long way from those days. I also think his training is better now and he is more serious about his game. Seemed like he came out of juniors with the impression that he didn't have to work hard to be good... kind of like the high school valedictorian who goes to college and learns that everyone's at his level, and phoning it in just won't cut it.
He's surprised me in a good way. He's come pretty far from the kid who was plainly displeased at being sent down to help Syracuse in the playoff run a couple years ago (and wound up out of the series with yet another groin injury).
I'd say the biggest difference in Pascal is mental. I read a post the other day (I think it was here) saying that if a soft goal goes in, he just recoups and stands tall. That NEVER used to be the case in Syracuse. He, or in reality the lack of defense, would allow a goal and you could WATCH the kid deflate. He has come a long way from those days. I also think his training is better now and he is more serious about his game. Seemed like he came out of juniors with the impression that he didn't have to work hard to be good... kind of like the high school valedictorian who goes to college and learns that everyone's at his level, and phoning it in just won't cut it.
He's surprised me in a good way. He's come pretty far from the kid who was plainly displeased at being sent down to help Syracuse in the playoff run a couple years ago (and wound up out of the series with yet another groin injury).
Interesting. I like Leclaire's attitude ... to my ear, he says the right things at the right time and does so consistently.
The defense in front of him has undoubtedly become more reliable than ever before, and I think that helps everyone's confidence, including Pazzy's. Clearly, our TEAM is still a work in progress.
I'd say the biggest difference in Pascal is mental. I read a post the other day (I think it was here) saying that if a soft goal goes in, he just recoups and stands tall. That NEVER used to be the case in Syracuse. He, or in reality the lack of defense, would allow a goal and you could WATCH the kid deflate. He has come a long way from those days. I also think his training is better now and he is more serious about his game. Seemed like he came out of juniors with the impression that he didn't have to work hard to be good... kind of like the high school valedictorian who goes to college and learns that everyone's at his level, and phoning it in just won't cut it.
He's surprised me in a good way. He's come pretty far from the kid who was plainly displeased at being sent down to help Syracuse in the playoff run a couple years ago (and wound up out of the series with yet another groin injury).
Yes!
As we all know, many goalies are nutcases. I think it's very telling that Jason Chimera said he's only played with two "normal goalies" in his whole career. Ty Conklin and Pascal Leclaire.
