yave1964 Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 (edited) In your opinion, who are the best and worst goalie tandems in hockey today? I got to thinking about this subject after chatting with Jammer about the Oilers finally having an NHL worthy pairing in net for the first time since God knows how long, and I got to thinking, who are some of the best and worst combos in the game today? Tandems are not necessarily two future hall of famers fighting for playing time like Glenn Hall and Sawchuk back in the day to me it is a combo of a star goalie and a serviceable backup, not necessarily even one who a team would want as a starter. Players such as Cam Talbot, Jeff Zatkoff and Alex Stalock who are certainly not starters in anyones book have been fantastic off the bench. In my opinion the best combo in the game this season has been the Combo in Boston of Rask and Chad Johnson. I have been hard on Rask for being a system goalie but the system works. Both have put up lights out numbers. My top 5:1. Boston Rask and Johnson2. Rangers Lundqvist and Talbot3. Sharks Niemi and Stalock4. Penguins Fleury and Zatkoff5. Avalanche Varlamov and Giguere Honorable mention to Montreal (Price and Budaj, the three goalies in Los Angeles and the ten goalies in Anaheim) The worst tandems in the game this season IMHO starts with the two in Winipeg, Pavelec is consistently among the worst starters in net (the only thing he offers any consistency in) and Montoya is a 29 year old career AHL goalie with no real pedigree who stumbled into a job simply because it was vacant. The Jets are a playoff team IF they have average goaltending, this pair quite frankly ruined their season. Bottom five IMHO1. Jets Pavelec and Montoya2. Senators Anderson and Lehner3. Islanders Nabokov and Poulin4. Predators Rinne (injury) and the wretched combo of career AHLers they threw out there5. Flames Joey MacDonald (!) and every goalie from Europe not signed by the Ducks This is my list, anyone else care to give it a shot? Edited March 23, 2014 by yave1964 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyerrod Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 My top 5:1. Boston Rask and Johnson2. Rangers Lundqvist and Talbot3. Sharks Niemi and Stalock4. Penguins Fleury and Zatkoff5. Avalanche Varlamov and GiguerePersonally, I would move Niemi and Stalock up to top billing and I would give the Pens credit for Vokoun and the work he did last year(or until injury). Lundqvist seems to play so many games that it is hard to consider that a tandem. Kind of like Broduer was in his earlier prime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted March 23, 2014 Author Share Posted March 23, 2014 Personally, I would move Niemi and Stalock up to top billing and I would give the Pens credit for Vokoun and the work he did last year(or until injury). Lundqvist seems to play so many games that it is hard to consider that a tandem. Kind of like Broduer was in his earlier prime.Lundqvist always seems to play 70 games a year but this season with Talbot emerging as a truly solid backup the King has had to play less and they are hoping it translates into post season success. I think Talbot, who really came from nowhere after years in the AHL as a mediocre player has stepped up admirably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 Crawford never gets any love, but he and Raanta easily make my top five. I'm going to put the Detroit goalies among the worst. I know injuries and all that throughout the roster all season, but competent goaltending and they're not fighting for their playoff lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 My top 5: 1. Ducks Hiller and Anderson2. Boston Rask and Johnson3. Sharks Niemi and Stalock4. Rangers Lundqvist and Talbot4. Blues Miller and Elliot5. Kings Quick and Jones Bottom 51. Edmonton's goalies all season2. Nabokov and Poulin3. Florida's goaltending until Luongo 4. Rinne and ?5. Pavelec and Montoya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted March 23, 2014 Author Share Posted March 23, 2014 Crawford never gets any love, but he and Raanta easily make my top five.I'm going to put the Detroit goalies among the worst. I know injuries and all that throughout the roster all season, but competent goaltending and they're not fighting for their playoff lives. Howard has been wretched. The ONLY reason I did not list the Wings in the bottom five is the Monster has been lights out 15-4-3. He is the reason the Wings are still in the running. Howard is the reason we are a bubble team and not a lock. He did this last year after signing his big contract but was great over the final month and was the big reason we got in. Gus really has been miles ahead our best goalie this year. Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 Howard has been wretched. The ONLY reason I did not list the Wings in the bottom five is the Monster has been lights out 15-4-3. He is the reason the Wings are still in the running. Howard is the reason we are a bubble team and not a lock. He did this last year after signing his big contract but was great over the final month and was the big reason we got in. Gus really has been miles ahead our best goalie this year. Ugh. I don't disagree with your assessment of either (I'd be foolish to since you get to watch them more closely than I do). But I think what you describe is what would make me put them in the bottom. As good as the "backup" is, the "starter" has been lousy. Not what you want for a top tandem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted March 23, 2014 Author Share Posted March 23, 2014 I don't disagree with your assessment of either (I'd be foolish to since you get to watch them more closely than I do). But I think what you describe is what would make me put them in the bottom. As good as the "backup" is, the "starter" has been lousy. Not what you want for a top tandem.Well you just inspired me to put my list of every teams biggest disappointments in another post, lol. I get your point with the Wings goalies, especially Howard but early in the year the only thing that kept us from falling into lottery status was Gustafsson. That is awful hard to say. I think I just threw up a little in my mouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 I know this thread is about current goalies, but when I see horrible tandems, I always think of Toronto's Allan Bester and Ken Wregget. Their stats may not have been totally brutal, but their play was. I can't even begin to tell you how much money I made of Leaf fans during their "era".. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 My top current tandem is Rask and Johnson. These guys are almost instant wins. Johnson, the back up is 9-1 in his last 10 and has a sub 2.00 GGA and a crazy save % around .940 or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 I know this thread is about current goalies, but when I see horrible tandems, I always think of Toronto's Allan Bester and Ken Wregget. Their stats may not have been totally brutal, but their play was. I can't even begin to tell you how much money I made of Leaf fans during their "era".. Funny! I read that just as I was driving past Ken Wregget's house! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted March 24, 2014 Author Share Posted March 24, 2014 Funny! I read that just as I was driving past Ken Wregget's house! LOL Quit reading and driving!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Quit reading and driving!! The reading is NOWHERE near as dangerous as the typing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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