Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
Can't buy that argument - if it takes longer to develop goalies, then it must take longer to develop them in Europe as well.
If we are short of goalies, it is because we are not developing anough of them (or, maybe it's just a slow period, a statistical ebb - which is more likely).
Instead of trying to institute a protectionist program, let's work harder at developing more of them.
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the problem isn't the goaltenders we are developing, its that the rest of the world is catching up.
We had an unbelievable number of goaltenders coming out of Quebec due to the popularity of Patrick Roy, since Dominik Hasek we have started seeing the same in European goaltenders. We have also started seeing more defensemen come out of Europe since Lidstrom became a star as well. Now whether or not these players have inspired a new generation of players, or NHL teams are simply expanding their scouting to these areas is hard to say, but it is most definitely part of the progression of the game.