Brian "Freaking" Elliott

[Heavy Jack]

I think it's time for this thread considering what he's battled through since the tough start of the season. He's gone 10-1-1 in his last 12 and is looking like the Elliott we traded for in the off-season and has taken back the starters role this past month and a half - not taking anything away from Johnson who has played a big part in where we currently sit. I think his play is a big reason why we were able to go out and shore up the D/go for a young forward as opposed to spending assets on a Fleury or a Bishop. Moose man has been the man and this thread is due IMO.

Spoiler!

Game # GA SA SV SV% TOI GAA WIN/LOSS
Game # 1 6 27 21 0.778 59 6.1 L
Game # 2 4 28 24 0.857 59 4.07 L
Game # 3 4 32 28 0.875 59 4.07 L
Game # 4 2 33 31 0.939 59 2.03 W
Game # 5 1 24 23 0.958 60 1 W
Game # 6 2 33 31 0.939 59 2.03 W
Game # 7 2 28 26 0.928 59 2.03 L
Game # 8 4 21 17 0.809 59 4.07 L
Game # 9 5 39 34 0.871 60 5 L
Game # 10 3 21 18 0.857 59 3.05 L
Game # 11 4 28 24 0.857 60 4 L
Game # 12 4 32 28 0.875 58 4.13 L
Game # 13 2 27 25 0.925 61.5 1.95 OTL
Game # 14 1 13 12 0.923 18.5 3.24 BACKUP L
Game # 15 2 27 25 0.925 60 2 W
Game # 16 1 14 13 0.928 60 1 W
Game # 17 3 28 25 0.892 60 3 W
Game # 18 2 29 27 0.931 60 2 W
TOTALS 52 484 432 0.893 1030 3.04 7W | 11L
Game # GA SA SV SV% TOI GAA WIN/LOSS
Game # 19 1 18 17 0.944 60 1 W
Game # 20 4 13 9 0.692 59 4.07 L
Game # 21 1 27 26 0.962 65 0.93 SOL
Game # 22 3 26 23 0.884 51 3.52 L
Game # 23 4 28 24 0.857 60 4 L
Game # 24 2 27 25 0.925 64.5 0.93 OTW
Game # 25 1 29 28 0.965 60 1 W
Game # 26 3 29 26 0.896 61 2.95 OTW
Game # 27 4 32 28 0.875 58.5 4.1 L
Game # 28 1 9 8 0.888 20 3 BACKUP L
Game # 29 1 34 33 0.970 60 1 W
Game # 30 2 19 17 0.894 59.5 2.02 OTL
Game # 31 5 28 23 0.821 60.5 4.96 OTW
Game # 32 2 25 23 0.920 60 2 W
Game # 33 1 35 34 0.971 60 1 W
Game # 34 1 29 28 0.965 62 0.97 OTW
Game # 35 2 37 35 0.945 63.5 1.89 OTW
Game # 36 2 35 33 0.942 60 2 W
TOTALS 40 480 440 0.906 1044.5 2.29 11W | 7L

[Locke]

I think a big part of the Flames' turnaround was Elliott working 'The Muffin' out of his game.

He was giving up one terrible goal per game and you just cant win with your goalie doing that.

Dialing that down to a reasonable level has helped a lot.

[TheScorpion]

^ The Chimera goal yesterday was on the weaker end of the spectrum

But regardless, Elliott has been phenomenal as of late. 15-4-2 in his last 21 games... that's simply amazing.

[Heavy Jack]

I think the difference in last nights muffin was time - in a 5-1 game and he was still upset about it and locked the game down after that; especially during the extended 5 on 3.

He was giving them up like Hiller did - in the first 5 to 10 mins of the game sometimes earlier.

I wonder what his record is since the pad change?? Lol

[IGGYFORMVP]

I am excited to see the moose loose on the playoffs. With the confidence he is playing with it going to be a hell of a ride.

The break until Thursday should do him a lot of good as he has been playing a lot lately. Hopefully Johnson gets 4 or 5 starts the rest of the way so Moose is fresh for the playoffs.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Locke

I think a big part of the Flames' turnaround was Elliott working 'The Muffin' out of his game.

He was giving up one terrible goal per game and you just cant win with your goalie doing that.

Dialing that down to a reasonable level has helped a lot.

He lets in the occasional flubber. The 2nd goal vs the Isles was an example of that. But the difference now is that he's not letting them in at the worst times. First goal or the game winner weak goals, those are bad. Up 5-1? That's not as bad.

For me, it's all about the timeliness of his saves. When the games on the line, more often then not he'll make the big stop in the dying seconds or in OT. I can live with his weak goals as long as they aren't the deflating kind that break a team's game plan down.

Elliott is a system's goalie. He's not Kipper-like in that he'll steal you games all season long. But if the rest of the team is playing within the system and doing their jobs, he'll do his.

I'd have liked to see him start the year a bit stronger, but a lot of that can be placed on the star players not playing up to par (himself included). But he certainly deserves a ''freakin'" thread right now.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

...I wonder what his record is since the pad change?? Lol

I am only disappointed that we will likely never see his all-red pads and gloves again. It is sad because it was beautiful.

[Wolfman]

Mooooooooooose!!!

[Isikiz]

I think the 5-2 goal was a little bit uncharacteristic over his last stretch of play. His glove hand looks like it's still needs a bit of work but it seems like it's improved quite a bit. I've been impressed with his rebound control and his confidence as of late - seems like he's been making big saves left and right when the team needs them the most.

It's interesting what Elliotte Friedman said last week - about how Elliott seems like he has always needed to face controversy and adversity in order to bring out the best in him. He speculated that things were too positive coming into the season with bringing in Elliott. Glad to see him battle through his struggles and come out on top.

[ComixZone]

I've been a huge critic of his play this season. For 2/3 of the season to date, he was a bottom of the barrel awful goaltender. I believe he outright lost us games earlier in the season. After thinking we should have gone to Bishop (although not at the expense of the 6th overall), I felt quite sour that we had gone the Elliott route and were then rewarded with some of the most horrific goaltending we've seen in the last decade.

All of that aside, he has been stellar as of late and is on the path to recovering what was poised to be an absolute disaster of a year for him. He's a big part of the team's success right now. It puts us in a good position going forward as well. We don't have to rush into signing Elliott, but it's definitely an option that the team can weigh as they move forward - which is nice, because he simply wasn't an option two months ago.

[TheScorpion]

I mean, we should've expected this from Elliott, with his great stats last season.



Lemme tell ya, he put up a 2222 average, a 3-5, a 930 save percentage, and a 38-18.

SENsational.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

I've been a huge critic of his play this season. For 2/3 of the season to date, he was a bottom of the barrel awful goaltender. I believe he outright lost us games earlier in the season. After thinking we should have gone to Bishop (although not at the expense of the 6th overall), I felt quite sour that we had gone the Elliott route and were then rewarded with some of the most horrific goaltending we've seen in the last decade.

All of that aside, he has been stellar as of late and is on the path to recovering what was poised to be an absolute disaster of a year for him. He's a big part of the team's success right now. It puts us in a good position going forward as well. We don't have to rush into signing Elliott, but it's definitely an option that the team can weigh as they move forward - which is nice, because he simply wasn't an option two months ago.

It's the hyperbole that bothers me.
Elliott has started 33 games this season.
His record is 18-13-3.
In his last 21 games, he is 15-4-2 (if Scorp is correct).
So the first 1/3 of the season was brutal. No other way to describe it.

But not 2/3 of the season.
For 2/3 of the season Elliott has been very good.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I mean, we should've expected this from Elliott, with his great stats last season.



Lemme tell ya, he put up a 2222 average, a 3-5, a 930 save percentage, and a 38-18.

SENsational.

I think Don Cherry died like 20 years ago, they just stuffed him and made him animatronic.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

It's the hyperbole that bothers me.
Elliott has started 33 games this season.
His record is 18-13-3.
In his last 21 games, he is 15-4-2 (if Scorp is correct).
So the first 1/3 of the season was brutal. No other way to describe it.

But not 2/3 of the season.
For 2/3 of the season Elliott has been very good.

From Enoch Root in another thread:

1st 11.: 3-8-0 .882 3.36
2nd 12: 5-4-2 .901 2.49
3rd 11.: 8-1-1 .922 2.20

.901 and .882 during 2/3 of his first 34 games played. That's 2/3 of his season. It's fair to say he sucked for 2/3 of his first 34 games played (he's at 36 now).

His current save % is up to .905, which speaks to just how good he has been as of late.

[Enoch Root]

ALL goalies wil have a stretch where they go .900 or so, it isn't that big of a deal. The only terrible stretch was the first 11

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

^ The Chimera goal yesterday was on the weaker end of the spectrum

But regardless, Elliott has been phenomenal as of late. 15-4-2 in his last 21 games... that's simply amazing.

EVERY goalie lets in softies, it only becomes an issue when there are too many of them (like in the first 11 games of the season)

Look at Mrazek two games ago. Lots of people on here think he would be a way better goalie. Fact is that Elliott's numbers are better this year. Also, I thought he looked weak on all 3 goals the Flames scored.

Then yesterday, Greiss was standing on his head for a while but still looked weak on at least 3 of the 4 goals he let in.

Fans are always going to be hard on the goalie because they see all of his flubs. And the thing is, almost every goal, on every goalie, is a mistake on their part (more or less).

I think that, due to the bad start, people are being too hard on Elliott, and he has been pretty damn great forr the past 3 months.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

From Enoch Root in another thread:



.901 and .882 during 2/3 of his first 34 games played. That's 2/3 of his season. It's fair to say he sucked for 2/3 of his first 34 games played (he's at 36 now).

His current save % is up to .905, which speaks to just how good he has been as of late.

You are too reliant on save % in your analysis. He's had some excellent games with low shot totals and a couple good goals. Or where pucks went in but he nonetheless played well and won.

The time periods are broken up to favour your point as well. but he's had 23 games over .920 save%, out of 36 games where he's goalie of record. That's about 2/3 of his games with a very good save %.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

ALL goalies wil have a stretch where they go .900 or so, it isn't that big of a deal. The only terrible stretch was the first 11

Carey Price save% from Dec 16 to Feb 12 (more than 20 games) was sub .900

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Carey Price save% from Dec 16 to Feb 12 (more than 20 games) was sub .900

trade the bum

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

EVERY goalie lets in softies, it only becomes an issue when there are too many of them (like in the first 11 games of the season)

Look at Mrazek two games ago. Lots of people on here think he would be a way better goalie. Fact is that Elliott's numbers are better this year. Also, I thought he looked weak on all 3 goals the Flames scored.

Then yesterday, Greiss was standing on his head for a while but still looked weak on at least 3 of the 4 goals he let in.

Fans are always going to be hard on the goalie because they see all of his flubs. And the thing is, almost every goal, on every goalie, is a mistake on their part (more or less).

I think that, due to the bad start, people are being too hard on Elliott, and he has been pretty damn great forr the past 3 months.

Nope. I'm going to disagree.

The fact of the matter is that as the goaltender there are certain expectations.

Brian Elliott, in the beginning was letting in a minimum of one easily savable goal per game.

Now many would say: "So what? Its just one goal."

No. It isnt.

It is a lack of trust. A lack of faith. Defenders cant trust their goalie to make that save. So they overplay defence, underplay offence, tighten their grips, dont make that pass.

Brian Elliott's 'Guaranteed Muffin per Game' caused a lot of the problems that ailed this team in the beginning.