I know there's already a goalie controversy brewing, at least amongst the fans but do you agree or disagree that Hedberg will be the #1 tender in the spring?
This is NOT a Cloutier bashing thread... it's a response thread to ESPN's comment only.
I will go ahead and give 'my' opinion that I do think that Hedberg will be the #1 goalie by the spring.
I was going to do a poll for this but I noticed in polls that a lot of people tend to vote but there's hardly any written responses which of course are more interesting to read so I decided to just leave it as is.
Edit: By the "spring" I'm thinking more along the lines of after the All Star break rather than April/playoffs.
It's probably worth noting that Chris Stevenson also predicted the Habs to make the stanley cup finals last year. Nostradamus he is not
My personal take is that it's totally in the air. We know that Cloutier can be a very solid regular season goalie. I'm not totally sold on Hedberg, but he's going to get the chance to prove himself. Should be interesting to watch.
I would start Cloutier ahead of him, Hedberg is a great backup, maybe could get a little more games. But in my opinion, Cloutier is the starter and that's how it should be.
Exactly my point. A lot of people are saying that Cloutier is going to lose his job to Hedberg, but the fact is, both have question marks. Cloutier is a solid regular season goalie, top 15 probably, his problems lie in the post-season and whether or not he is mentally tough enough to deal with the added pressure. Hedberg hasn't really established himself as a true #1 goalie, although he did play for a very bad Pens team. Is he capable of handling the pressure of being a #1 goalie in a hockey mad market? Who knows. All I know is that Cloutier has done nothing wrong to lose the starters job for the regular season..
I'm just sick of seeing how many people downgrading Cloutier and praising how great Hedberg is. Right after he posted that shutout, fans have been praising him heavily since and have been negative on Cloutier like crazy. Didn't Hedberg say that it was the easiest game in his life as a goalie? Or something along the lines of that. I don't think we have a fair judgement of Hedberg yet and fans are just jumping ahead, thinking he's going to take over the number one job because he's that much better than Cloutier. On top of that, a large amount are just waiting for Cloutier to screw up, if he recieves critism after every loss like on Thursday, it's going to be a pretty tough year for Cloutier and will be tough to handle but it's not his fault, it's just clearly not fair to him.
I'm just sick of seeing how many people downgrading Cloutier and praising how great Hedberg is. Right after he posted that shutout, fans have been praising him heavily since and have been negative on Cloutier like crazy. Didn't Hedberg say that it was the easiest game in his life as a goalie? Or something along the lines of that. I don't think we have a fair judgement of Hedberg yet and fans are just jumping ahead, thinking he's going to take over the number one job because he's that much better than Cloutier. On top of that, a large amount are just waiting for Cloutier to screw up, if he recieves critism after every loss like on Thursday, it's going to be a pretty tough year for Cloutier and will be tough to handle but it's not his fault, it's just clearly not fair to him.
I think that your time line is a little off. Yes people have been praising Hedberg (prematurely) since his shutout, but I don't think people were really bashing Dan until he messed up the CBJ game. Cloutier has been further bashed after the Detroit game but I think the bashing has been a result of Cloutier's own play, not Johan's.
I think Hedberg could take the job by January of February.
Agreed. I could even see it happening sooner then this. Plenty of other hockey sites have forecasted the same predictions with regards to Hedberg stealing all the thunder in Vancouver this season aside from ESPN.
Cloutier will be the starting goaltender throughout the season and into the playoffs. He is the better goaltender. Period. This early season "goaltender controversy" just goes to show the decreasing knowledge of the average Canuck fan. As for the ESPN reporters...well they have jobs to do, and are told to write stories. Hell, I even read one the other day on how some contract negotiation papers were found. This is all BS. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see Hedberg get in 25 games to keep Cloutier fresh, and prevent him from having injuries in the playoffs like the last two years. But any talk about Hedberg taking over at this point is rediculous. If the Canucks are .500 at the All-Star break, then start talking about it. But not 4 games into the season.
I would start Cloutier ahead of him, Hedberg is a great backup, maybe could get a little more games. But in my opinion, Cloutier is the starter and that's how it should be.
I've seen Hedberg play about as much as Cloutier the past couple years and I've been much more impressed with him playing on an attrocious pittsburgh team than I have been with Cloutier playing on an excellent vancouver squad. His positioning is much better. He's handles the puck as well as a defenseman and can clear the zone or start the breakout and he can also read the play very well too.
Hedberg is a very good goalie. Not one of the top 10 in the league, but he at least deserves more credit than being called a "great backup" and "only average"
He stood on his head in Pittsburgh and won a good deal of games for a team that had no business winning as much as it did.
I'd take Hedberg in a New York minute over Cloutier.
The only reason the Canucks acquired Hedberg was so that Cloutier won't have to play 60+ games during the regular season, and won't be exhausted and suffering from nagging injuries going into the playoffs.
The only reason the Canucks acquired Hedberg was so that Cloutier won't have to play 60+ games during the regular season, and won't be exhausted and suffering from nagging injuries going into the playoffs.
Dan Cloutier is #1 in Vancouver. Bottom line.
Garth Snow was signed to be #1, look like Dipietro has the job now. Bottom Line
Cujo was signed to be #1, look like Hasek is the #1 guy in Detriot. Bottom Line
Potvin was signed to be #1, look like Raycroft has been amazing. Bottom Line
Dafoe was signed to be #1, but Nurminen is the #1 goalie in Atlanta now. Another Bottom Line
Garth Snow was signed to be #1, look like Dipietro has the job now. Bottom Line
Cujo was signed to be #1, look like Hasek is the #1 guy in Detriot. Bottom Line
Potvin was signed to be #1, look like Raycroft has been amazing. Bottom Line
Dafoe was signed to be #1, but Nurminen is the #1 goalie in Atlanta now. Another Bottom Line
Nice examples.
Osgood was dealt specifically to make room for DiPietro, Snow is insurance...
Do I even need to explain the CuJo situation?
Potvin was signed to be the #1, but seriously, are you really shocked at all that another goalie is outplaying him? Despite that-both Raycroft and Potvin have played 3 games each.
Dafoe's numbers last year: 17GP, 5W, 11L, 4.36GAA, .862SV%-I for one am amazed another goalie managed to top that.
If you are going to use examples, use semi-relevant ones...
Hedberg has the talent to be great, but the teams around him, especially his defenses, have been awful since that first 7 regular season games and playoff run.
I predicted when the trade happened that Hedberg would be the starter by the end of the season...I'll be damned if I'm wrong.
Osgood was dealt specifically to make room for DiPietro, Snow is insurance...
Do I even need to explain the CuJo situation?
Potvin was signed to be the #1, but seriously, are you really shocked at all that another goalie is outplaying him? Despite that-both Raycroft and Potvin have played 3 games each.
Dafoe's numbers last year: 17GP, 5W, 11L, 4.36GAA, .862SV%-I for one am amazed another goalie managed to top that.
If you are going to use examples, use semi-relevant ones...
Sorry but the only example is that is irrelevant was yours.
Those are all examples of a #1 starter spot who loss their job due to the fact that they got outperformed by the Ex-backup.
If you want to look for an exact same situation, unfortunately i could not do that for you since last time i check there are only one Cloutier and one Hedberg in the NHL.
