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Originally Posted by ComixZone
Freaking why? Halak was buried in the AHL last year
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The Islanders are a dumb team. Halak didn't play himself out of the NHL. Greiss is younger and they love their JF Berube for some reason. Ironically Halak pulled a 2015 Ramo and finished the season leading the defensively inept Islanders in SV% with a .915 (which also would have led the Flames).
Halak is an elite and consistent regular season goaltender who, when he's on, is simply unstoppable. He also has a career playoff SV% of .924 across 28 starts.
The only reason someone wouldn't want Halak is because they are under this size obsession assuming you have to be 6'3" or taller these days. It's true Halak is short but it has never impacted his save-making.
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Rittich has exactly 1 pro year where he played in a tandem in the AHL.
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I watched the vast majority of Rittich's AHL season and I am confident he is good enough to be an NHL backup right now. A good one, too. At some point you have to grow a pair and promote guys to the NHL. Promoting Rittich not only gives us a chance at developing a potential starter, but leaves more starts available for Gillies and Parsons in the AHL. If Rittich fails you can always re-evaluate and sign a Karri Ramo. Unproven backup goaltenders can steal you games just as "proven" starters can lose you them.
Goaltending is unpredictable but from what I have seen Rittich is good enough to play in the big leagues as a backup. And I know Halak is a strong NHL starter, regardless of the delusional Islanders' handling of him. And if a guy like Rittich develops into a starter it's a better endgame than settling for a veteran backup mercenary.