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Will The Canucks Best Player Deliver a Stanley Cup?
by Paul on 09/03/09 at 09:32 AM ET
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from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province via Faceoff.com,
Well, as much as the contract represents a home run for the Canucks, it’s still yet to be proven that you can win in the new-world NHL with a goalie as your best player. That’s been the case since the lockout. It was certainly the case again last season. And if it’s the case going forward, what does it say about the Canucks’ chances?
Last season, for example, five of the top-10 goalies in save percentage played for teams which failed to make the playoffs and the only one who appeared in the final four was Chicago’s Nikolai Khabibulin. The results were a lot more encouraging in goals-against average where eight of the top-10 goalies made the playoffs. But, again, Khabibulin was the only goalie to appear in a conference final.
Now look at the goalies who made the conference semifinals. Luongo was the biggest name there followed by Khabibulin. The others were a mixed bag which included Chris Osgood, Jonas Hiller, Tim Thomas, Marc-Andre Fleury, Simeon Varlamov and Ward.
We’re not saying goaltending isn’t important in the NHL. Far from it. We are saying, however, there are a number of ways to fill that position.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
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A Stanley Cup? How about we work on winning two playoff series before we start looking at the Stanley effing Cup.
Posted by Garth on 09/03/09 at 11:21 AM ET