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Old 11-05-2013, 05:00 AM   #114
FlameZilla
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What I like about the acquisitions of Berra and Ramo is the acknowledgement that most goalies take a few extra years to develop.

Whereas forwards often successfully break into the league at 20 to 24 years of age, and defenders at 22-26, many solid goalies are 26-29 before they find their feet and win a starting job. As a result, lots of young goalies are journeymen until they get those extra years of experience & composure.

Kipper was in that age bracket & had spent many years in obscurity until the right opportunity found him when he happened to be ready for it. Giguere was another one who kicked around the league for awhile before he showed the ability that had made him a top-ranked prospect. I see Al Montoya is now starting to show some consistency at the age of 28, and he's putting up numbers that show why he was once considered a top 6 pick.

Berra isn't just some beer league free agent. He was a 4th round pick & won the Swiss equivalent of the Vezina twice in a row before we acquired him. At 26 he's at the age where goalies start to live up to their potential. He's roughly the same age as Hiller was the year he came over (1 year older, I believe).

I don't see any reason to panic and find another goalie just for the sake of it. Some of us seem to be forgetting that we're rebuilding, and no longer in 'win now' mode. Despite our better-than-expected start we're already off the pace in our division & the wild card spot.
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