WWYDW: Goaltending

The goaltending position has been a quietly popular of conversation this week. With the Anaheim Ducks’ recent elimination, there’s been speculation that they may be interested in shoring up their goaltending, and Ryan Miller could be a target. Meanwhile, Jason Botchford appeared on TSN 1040 recently and urged the Canucks not to sign Miller to a multi-year deal.

So, it’s that time of the week. How would you approach goaltending this offseason? Trades? Free Agency? Or maybe you think next season’s backup is already in the system.

I’m hoping for an Ottawa – Nashville final with the Sens taking the cup home. It would be nice to see two teams in the final that haven’t been there for awhile or never at all. But really, I don’t care who wins when the Canucks aren’t even at the dance.

Ottawa / Nashville final to screw with the NHL. Ottawa to win because, well, they’re in Canada — which still matters to me — and I want Burr to win. It’s almost like Vancouver by proxy with him winning.

I still don`t have a favourite to cheer for but; Sid the Kid – that`s leadership. He`s goes into the corners. He fights and wins puck battles. He goes to the net and plays in traffic. Twelve years and how many concussions – that`s leadership. Too bad for Pittsburgh the injuries are starting to add up.

I was not impressed with Ottawa against Boston. The Bruins were playing with four defencemen injured and Ottawa had a hard time beating them. Since then the Senators have elevated their game thanks to Karlsson whose very presence makes them think they can win it all. Dare I use the name Bobby Orr as an example of a defenceman empowering his team mates just by being on the ice.

Anaheim and Nashville; Who knows but Getzlaf and Kesler play to win and beating them will take it`s toll. Nashville OTOH is deep but young and if they are looking for leadership from guys like Johansen they will be in trouble. Will they have enough leadership required from players like Fisher and Subban to win?

Generally I’d say I don’t care because my team isn’t in it but I will cheer for Nashville because PK is awesome, the post-Trotz Predators are pretty entertaining, we even have some Canucks’ representation (Yannick aka The Other Weber), and Nashville is a way more interesting city than you’d think (half Honkytonk, half Brooklyn). I got a chance to swing through there during the series with Chicago and that city was absolutely stoked about the Preds. The Pens are the Pens, Anaheim still has too much Kesler for me to be able to cheer for them, and Ottawa has one of the worst owners in the league even if I do want Burrows to win.

I’d have to go with the Nashville-Ottawa final, with Nashville winning it all, simply because it would help push the NHL away from behemoths & clutch-and-grab ‘big boy’ hockey and towards a skills game that emphasizes gap control, puck movement, defensive steerage and lane coverage. That’s not to say the Preds don’t have some size (or snarl) on their side of the puck; but they do know where their dinner comes from.