Thursday, January 12, 2006
Canucks Hockey Mailbag
I got my first few pieces of fan mail this weekend. How exciting, huh? One asked me a question; here is my response:
At 24 years of age and never having played a full season in the NHL, he was thrust into the starting role and behind a Canucks defense that regularly gives up more shots than the bartender at the Roxy on a Saturday night. Despite that, Auld has racked up not-so-bad numbers - he has 16 wins (12th in NHL), 2.89 GAA (21st in NHL) and a .903 SV% (18th in NHL) in 31 appearances.
Do I honestly believe that he can take the Canucks to the Stanley Cup? With a stronger defense in front of him, I definitely think he has the potential to do so. The better question is whether the Canucks are willing to gamble on it now that the team is in "win-now" mode.
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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks, Alex+Auld
JJ,I know Canucks fans have a penchant for blaming their goaltender for all their losses, but I don't believe that that is the case this season. What Auld has given the team this season is pretty admirable.
You sound like you got a woody for Alex Auld. Do you honestly believe he can take the Canucks to the Stanley Cup?
Gary L., Richmond, BC
At 24 years of age and never having played a full season in the NHL, he was thrust into the starting role and behind a Canucks defense that regularly gives up more shots than the bartender at the Roxy on a Saturday night. Despite that, Auld has racked up not-so-bad numbers - he has 16 wins (12th in NHL), 2.89 GAA (21st in NHL) and a .903 SV% (18th in NHL) in 31 appearances.
Do I honestly believe that he can take the Canucks to the Stanley Cup? With a stronger defense in front of him, I definitely think he has the potential to do so. The better question is whether the Canucks are willing to gamble on it now that the team is in "win-now" mode.
______________
Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks, Alex+Auld
3 Comments:
I think you are too optimistic about Auld. His reactions are too slow, relying too much on his size and the butterfly postiion. His ability to stop high shots are really below NHL average. I dont' think he has that potential unless he improves vastly before the playoffs hit.
He definitely needs to work on a few things (I agree he has a tendency to go down early), though playing behind a stronger and deeper defense, I think, will help. The Canucks can't allow as many shots as they do and expect the goalie to bail them out every single time.
Think of all the other previous goalies - were they really all that bad? Sean Burke? Garth Snow? Johan Hedberg? As highly I think of Kiprusoff, I sometimes wonder if he would be as good if he played behind the Canucks' defense instead of the Flames'. The only goalie that I have seen play so well so often behind a bad team is Luongo.
Maybe I sound like a bit of a homer, but I just see a lot of potential in Auld - potential that we haven't seen in previous Canucks goalie draft picks.
Again, I think the better question is whether the team is willing to gamble on that potential now.
If I were Nonis, I'd say no to gambling with Auld into the Playoffs. Given the cap space and assets available, I'd gamble with another goalie like Biron who has limited to no playoff experience, but I wouldn't gamble with Auld who has shown some pretty significant technical flaws.
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