When thinking about Niemi and the possibility of him playing on the Isles I feel at this present time he would make a good addition but personally it all depends on how people view his potential. Since he was a rookie last year(even though he was what 26?) does everyone around here feel that he can be much better before he reaches his ceiling? He really didn't play a full regular season but he did put up really good numbers and was solid. For the playoffs I'm willing to cut him a break as a rookie. Almost like the Big Ben affect when he was playing the Seahawks in the super bowl. He was awful too but the next time around he was a completely different player due to the experience.
Personally I'm fine going into the season with Rolie and Lawson with a possible cameo from DP. I feel Lawson is really underrated around here and could surprise a lot of people. If Rolie goes down the Isles would be screwed then unfortunately.
What I would do is offer Niemi a 2 year deal. If he's able to take the job from Rolie then trade him around January/Feb and have a Niemi/Lawson combo. And if he can't then you have a nice tandem to roll with for the stretch run to the playoffs.
This post makes a lot of sense. I think the Isles should sign him for 2 or 3 years.
This post makes a lot of sense. I think the Isles should sign him for 2 or 3 years.
My gut is telling me we are in on getting Niemi.
Heres why:
Snow maybe inquring about Niemi because he doesn't believe DP will ever make it back from injury and will be forced to retire this year.
Roloson was our best player last year, but cant be relied on to be the future of the isles.
My guess is Niemi agent will be for asking for 3-5 year deal for his client and alot of teams may not want to go that long term with him.
The Oilers need a short term solution to their goal tending situation and trade for Roloson. ( Maybe thats the rumor Patiently Waiting was hearing between the Oilers and us )
Just for the record, I am a DP fan, hes been a warrior, but i think hes done.
I am not Niemi fan either, he was pretty bad most of last year, its just a gut feeling.
One answer: never. Not even close. And I've watched a lottttttt of Finals. It was somewhat embarassing really.
A residue of the salary cap, IMO.
Richest irony was watching Leighton and, to a lesser extent, Niemi, deliver highly mediocre netminding this June...while meanwhile on HF, some posters blabber on about how "horrrrrrible" goaltending was in the 1980s.
Nevermind that neither of these clowns could hold the jockstraps of Smith and Fuhr.
Since you watched hockey in the 80s, I know you'd agree. Goaltending was never bad in the '80s. Given the style of play, size of the equipment - goaltending in that era was no worse than any other era since. And some of the best goalies in the game played through the 80s, under some tough circumstances. Some of the performances by Smith/Fuhr/Moog/Vernon/Barrasso/Hextall/Roy were phenomenal.
The dominance of the Isles&Oilers in that decade elevated Smith/Fuhr as a byproduct of great teams and maybe we lose sight of how good the other goalies were because they didn't win cups. But Richard Brodeur, Pelle Lindberg, etc had to face arguably 2 of the 3 best teams in hockey history. Before expansion, before the CAP, before the watering down of talent that allows for Jeff Tambellini and Trevor Gillies and Joel Rechlicz to even sniff NHL ice. I digress.
But some people who post how Chicago/Philly were "right" to not address goaltending at the deadline are still way off base IMO. I remember posting how I was shocked that neither Philly or Chicago offered up a 1st rounder for Roloson (whom I believe was the best 'available' goalie with playoff experience at the deadline).
I realize Leighton and Niemi "got their team there" - but really, do you think Holmgren felt comfortable along the way? Did the team play with the confidence of having a reliable goalie in net? Did the goalies inspire confidence in their team?
I suppose the answer lies in seeing Niemi as a UFA and there were rumors that Leighton may have been right there with him.
Seeing a team walk away from a cup winning goalie a few months after the party is somewhat shocking. But salary cap issues aside, if Niemi was that good, they'd find a way to keep him.
Yeah.....and I pose this question when relating those "HORRIBLE" goalies of the past:
Give a foreward a stick with a vertical blade height of 1". Not the standard 2 1/2 to three (on some tips), but half the thickness. Now make the shaft thinner. Now....make the stick heavier. Those puckhandlers would be awful in comparison. Of course, street hockey blades worn down gave wicked action on wristers. (I let mine get down to puck thickness before they broke)
I would love to see the small pads and equipment on our goalie phenoms of today (though a few still wear the old school width/height pads).
That's great!
My slapshot used to have "movement" with those street hockey balls. I'd score a goal a season in dek hockey games from my defensive side of the center line because the ball would start out way wide and then sneak inside the post by the time it got to the goalie - it was like watching a field goal attempt on a windy day.
My slapshot used to have "movement" with those street hockey balls. I'd score a goal a season in dek hockey games from my defensive side of the center line because the ball would start out way wide and then sneak inside the post by the time it got to the goalie - it was like watching a field goal attempt on a windy day.
LOL I used to be able to do that too. I used to have a wicked wrister as well. Man those Mylec sticks I had back as a youngin really were a thing of beauty!
dont forget that when the blade was worn down there was no need to buy a whole new stick .. just get a replacement blade, screw in 2 small screws, and your stick was as good as new.
dont forget that when the blade was worn down there was no need to buy a whole new stick .. just get a replacement blade, screw in 2 small screws, and your stick was as good as new.
God I miss those days! I am sitting here looking at my son's hockey equipment and his stick rack - a Warrior Dolomite, Warrior Mac Daddy, Easton Synergy ST (2010 model) and a Bauer Vapor X60. I guess the only one getting screwed is me!
Funny stuff guys. Kids today don't know the joy, and second-hand high, of bending a blade over the heating element of a stove.
I remember the first time I saw those Mylec sticks that were not screw-on, but instead the blade was integrated into the shaft like an ice hockey stick. I knew my life had changed for the better. And those holes in the top of the blade really helped with wind resistance.
God I miss those days! I am sitting here looking at my son's hockey equipment and his stick rack - a Warrior Dolomite, Warrior Mac Daddy, Easton Synergy ST (2010 model) and a Bauer Vapor X60. I guess the only one getting screwed is me!
Damn, now that's a good dad right there
I remember begging my parents to order me replacement blades for my lockjaw tps shaft. And that was 3 blades for something like 30 bucks and they thought that was expensive.
Mylec sticks all the way ! Though I used to get Victoriaville ice hockey sticks, use them till the blade wore down, cut off the blade, and then put Mylec blades on them. They used to call me Gordie Lane, I was kinda mean and chippy, not a great skater (on roller skates), BUT, I had a wicked slapper, lol. Everything was so cheap back then, the Victoriaville sticks were like $8 !
Snow maybe inquring about Niemi because he doesn't believe DP will ever make it back from injury and will be forced to retire this year.
Roloson was our best player last year, but cant be relied on to be the future of the isles.
My guess is Niemi agent will be for asking for 3-5 year deal for his client and alot of teams may not want to go that long term with him.
The Oilers need a short term solution to their goal tending situation and trade for Roloson. ( Maybe thats the rumor Patiently Waiting was hearing between the Oilers and us )
Just for the record, I am a DP fan, hes been a warrior, but i think hes done.
I am not Niemi fan either, he was pretty bad most of last year, its just a gut feeling.
Okay i could be wrong - OILERS JUST INKED GERBER to 1 year deal
I suppose the answer lies in seeing Niemi as a UFA and there were rumors that Leighton may have been right there with him.
Seeing a team walk away from a cup winning goalie a few months after the party is somewhat shocking. But salary cap issues aside, if Niemi was that good, they'd find a way to keep him.
Hawks wanted Niemi back
Reason he is UFA is his agent tried to hold us hostage and given our cap issues we couldn't continue to wait and the arbitration ruling was impossible for our team to carry
As for your claim that we would try to find a way to keep him ,,,, It was between Hjalmarsson and Niemi....
Hammer is a 23 yr old top 4 dman who is perfect partner for Brian Campbell and has been a key part of 2 deep playoff runs
Niemi is about to be 27 yrs old and had 1 NHL season on his resmue
Hammer + Turco + Cap room > Niemi + No Hammer + No cap room
Snow maybe inquring about Niemi because he doesn't believe DP will ever make it back from injury and will be forced to retire this year.
Roloson was our best player last year, but cant be relied on to be the future of the isles.
My guess is Niemi agent will be for asking for 3-5 year deal for his client and alot of teams may not want to go that long term with him.
The Oilers need a short term solution to their goal tending situation and trade for Roloson. ( Maybe thats the rumor Patiently Waiting was hearing between the Oilers and us )
.
No way should the isles give Neimi a 3-5 yr deal.Even if DiPietro is forced to retire,I'd rather have the isles find a short term solution.Sign a goalie for 1-2 yrs while continuing to develop Koskinen,Poulin and Nilson.
No way should the isles give Neimi a 3-5 yr deal.Even if DiPietro is forced to retire,I'd rather have the isles find a short term solution.Sign a goalie for 1-2 yrs while continuing to develop Koskinen,Poulin and Nilson.
I said thats what i think his agent will ask for after what happened in chicago, wont want the risk of a 1-2 year deal.... that doesnt mean he'll get it.
(I let mine get down to puck thickness before they broke)
That's great!
