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Backup goalie


Samifan

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14 minutes ago, Samifan said:

Dallas put Anton Khudobin on waivers. Thoughts on him as a veteran backup for Starter Hart?

 

Khudobin has shown over the last few years to be a more than capable, solid backup goaltender.....BEHIND the right team.
From my viewpoint, he is the classic case of good defensive team in front of him = good play from him.... porous defense in front of him = VERY ordinary, sometimes downright bad play from him.

Philadelphia isn't shaping up to be a particularly stout defense (even though I know that is what Torts is gonna preach), simply because I don't believe they have the personnel right now to play that way, so I am not sure Khudobin would thrive in such an environment.

Add on to that, that Khudo is now 36 and I am sure some of his skillset has eroded anyways, especially after being buried in the minors for as long as he has with the Stars the last season or so.
Which leads to....

WHY was he buried in the minors?
Perhaps his skillset really has gotten to the point where he is no longer NHL viable?
Or maybe his heart isn't in being an NHL player any longer and simply can't get himself to that mental high necessary to face down the world's best hockey players when called upon.

Whatever the reason, Khudo's propensity to play better behind a defensive team, coupled with his recent absence from NHL action, combined with questions about his desire to keep playing at 36, does NOT make for a good addition to this current Philadelphia roster, IMO.

He will likely do little to nothing to spell Carter Hart, and the Philly starter will find himself right back where he is now:
Having to do it all himself.

I was always a Anton Khudobin fan.
Always wanted the Lightning for instance, to pick him up as a backup some years ago when he was more viable.
But now? I'm really not sold on him being a top level player any longer....even as a backup.

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2 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

But now? I'm really not sold on him being a top level player any longer....even as a backup.


I hear you and don’t necessarily disagree with any of your points. My thought is Hart will get hurt and has regressed since his rookie year and some of that is on the garbage playing in front of him. 
 

I would rather Cluster Chuck sign a veteran to carry the load when Hart gets hurt rather than ruin Sandstrom or Ersson playing behind garbage.

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1 hour ago, Samifan said:


I hear you and don’t necessarily disagree with any of your points. My thought is Hart will get hurt and has regressed since his rookie year and some of that is on the garbage playing in front of him. 
 

I would rather Cluster Chuck sign a veteran to carry the load when Hart gets hurt rather than ruin Sandstrom or Ersson playing behind garbage.

 

I know wins will be tough to come by for the Flyers no matter what this year, and honestly, I don't know of any solution to backup Carter that will change that.

If a veteran is brought in knowing full well that his job is to eat minutes to give Hart some breathing space and has no delusions of backstopping the team to a title (hard for a pro athlete I realize), then someone like Khudobin could work in Philly.
I mean, realizing that wins aren't the goal (though again, EVERY athlete wants to win), but keeping Carter Hart fresh and motivated is, if Khudo has the stomach for it and has anything left in him, he could be a fit.

Scouts and management will have to do their due diligence though to see if Khudo's heart is even in being an NHL'er anymore though.
Sadly, management's track record doesn't inspire confidence to even get that correct.

From my strictly "out of my freakin pineapple mind" point of view, I'd actually look for a veteran AHL journeyman who is at least fringe NHL'er, who would just be happy being on the big club, but no so complacent that he just goes through the motions to collect a paycheck, but honestly does his best to keep his team afloat.

Maybe someone like LA's 3rd goalie Garrett Sparks....try to get Michael Houser from Buffalo (assuming they are gonna roll with some combination of Anderson/Lukkonnen/Comrie)...or even call the Bolts about Manny Legace, who is their starter on their AHL team.

Those are three goalies, that while FAR from solid NHL'ers, at least have NHL experience, know what it's like to backstop poor defensive teams, and likely have the mental conditioning for it, and would probably work their tails off to STAY on an NHL team, even as a backup on a bad team, instead of going back to the minors.
I'd imagine they'd work hard as they have had a taste of what its like to be an NHL semi regular, and have been basically forgotten about in the minors the last few seasons.
 

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3 hours ago, Samifan said:

Dallas put Anton Khudobin on waivers. Thoughts on him as a veteran backup for Starter Hart?

 

No Felix Sandström has earned his chance when he is healthy.

 

Ersson should be able to hold down the fort as a backup till then.

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3 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

WHY was he buried in the minors?
Perhaps his skillset really has gotten to the point where he is no longer NHL viable?

 

The first objective was to free some space to sign Öttinger, and let's face it: he's no more the very good back-up he used to be. The 2020 deep run in the bubble when he was promoted #1 took a huge toll on his body. He has never been the same since his injury and operation while Wedgewood became a reliable and cheaper back-up.

 

Khudobin is clearly not into it anymore, his body language is bad and he plays like a soccer goalkeeper. He played the last period against Colorado in the last preseason game and he cost the game all by himself in the last five minutes of the game, including a blooper-like goal.

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Unreal. Opening night and the @$(*& game isn't even on TV. Maybe if you're in Philly but nowhere else. Far as I can tell no broadcast network is carrying it. I'm in NYC and always get every Rangers, Islanders and until now Devils' games. Strange. I see it's on ESPN+ and I think that's it.

 

edit: Never mind I thought the game was tonight - maybe the schedule will change by then. But right now it's just ESPN+.

 

Anyway as @Howie58 said Hart probably needs as much time as he can get.

 

Edited by GratefulFlyers
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34 minutes ago, GratefulFlyers said:

Unreal. Opening night and the @$(*& game isn't even on TV. Maybe if you're in Philly but nowhere else. Far as I can tell no broadcast network is carrying it. I'm in NYC and always get every Rangers, Islanders and until now Devils' games. Strange. I see it's on ESPN+ and I think that's it.

 

edit: Never mind I thought the game was tonight - maybe the schedule will change by then. But right now it's just ESPN+.

 

Anyway as @Howie58 said Hart probably needs as much time as he can get.

 

 

I hope he is on the App I showed you and it seems you already know how to use it seen you posted a link in the Eagles thread to use.

 

I got so swamped at work I never even had a chance to look at anything but the box score. Glad you posted something.

 

Hope it will be available on game day.

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