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N26 · 09-21-2018, 02:41 PM

I still think Gillies is progressing towards being a good NHL goalie. His progression is at a steady, normal rate.

There was a moment or two when we thought he might get there at an exceptional rate but he didn't. Goalies rarely do. Look at most of the goalies considered top level in the NHL

Carey Price 4 years junior --> great rookie season --> 2 difficult years --> breakout year

Pekka Rinne 2 years backup in Finnish league --> 3 years AHL --> breakout

Bobrovski 2 years Russian 2nd division --> 3 years KHL with average stats --> great rookie season --> difficult sophomore season --> breakout

MA Fleury 3years in junior slightly above average stats --> alright rookie year -->lockout with average stats in AHL --> tough year --> breakout

Lundqvist 4 years in SHL (mostly good stats) --> great rookie year --> continued success

Luongo 4 years in junior average stats --> ok rookie year --> ok second season --> breakout

Vasilevsky 3 years Russian junior leagues --> good KHL year as as 1A/1b goalie --> 2 years split seasons as backup and AHL goalie --> breakout

Hellebucyk 2 years NCAA (great stats) --> good AHL year --> good year split between AHL and NHL --> up and down year as #1 in NHL --> great breakout

Corey Crawford 4 years junior (good stats) --> 5 years AHL (average stats) --> breakout

Holtby 3 years junior --> 3 years AHL (with 2 good NHL callups) --> split AHL/NHL season -->good NHL season --> breakout

And so on. Only Hellebucyk and Lundqvist got to their breakouts quite fast and only Lundqvist did it smoothly. Hellebucyk's 2016-17 led to the Jets giving Steve Mason $8 million dollars.

Gillies looks like this:

2 years USHL (ok stats) --> 3 years NCAA excellent stats --> season lost to injury --> ok AHL season --> good AHL season with ok NHL callup

I see progression. I am happy with Gillies. He has a 2 year-contract and I think that's perfect. If the progression is not there by the end of the contract then we cut him loose perhaps.

I am happy with him being a 60 game AHL goalie this year. Or maybe he and Rittich platoon the backup role (1 up 1 in the AHL) until one of them definitively grabs it. Or maybe he backs up Smith this year. All of those scenarios can potentially take him to the next step.

I am not discounting the possibility that he is our number one goalie next year. It could happen. His progression has been pretty good and he can make enough progress this year to get there.

I can't see any reason to bring in Dansk to complicate the situation. Behind Smith we have three goalies with NHL potential, one who has lost his way (McDonald) and one who probably isn't going to get anywhere close (Schneider). Too bad about the last two but I am happy with the situation on the whole.

09-21-2018, 02:41 PM	#26
N26 Scoring Winger Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Paradise Island, Bahamas Exp:	I still think Gillies is progressing towards being a good NHL goalie. His progression is at a steady, normal rate. There was a moment or two when we thought he might get there at an exceptional rate but he didn't. Goalies rarely do. Look at most of the goalies considered top level in the NHL Carey Price 4 years junior --> great rookie season --> 2 difficult years --> breakout year Pekka Rinne 2 years backup in Finnish league --> 3 years AHL --> breakout Bobrovski 2 years Russian 2nd division --> 3 years KHL with average stats --> great rookie season --> difficult sophomore season --> breakout MA Fleury 3years in junior slightly above average stats --> alright rookie year -->lockout with average stats in AHL --> tough year --> breakout Lundqvist 4 years in SHL (mostly good stats) --> great rookie year --> continued success Luongo 4 years in junior average stats --> ok rookie year --> ok second season --> breakout Vasilevsky 3 years Russian junior leagues --> good KHL year as as 1A/1b goalie --> 2 years split seasons as backup and AHL goalie --> breakout Hellebucyk 2 years NCAA (great stats) --> good AHL year --> good year split between AHL and NHL --> up and down year as #1 in NHL --> great breakout Corey Crawford 4 years junior (good stats) --> 5 years AHL (average stats) --> breakout Holtby 3 years junior --> 3 years AHL (with 2 good NHL callups) --> split AHL/NHL season -->good NHL season --> breakout And so on. Only Hellebucyk and Lundqvist got to their breakouts quite fast and only Lundqvist did it smoothly. Hellebucyk's 2016-17 led to the Jets giving Steve Mason $8 million dollars. Gillies looks like this: 2 years USHL (ok stats) --> 3 years NCAA excellent stats --> season lost to injury --> ok AHL season --> good AHL season with ok NHL callup I see progression. I am happy with Gillies. He has a 2 year-contract and I think that's perfect. If the progression is not there by the end of the contract then we cut him loose perhaps. I am happy with him being a 60 game AHL goalie this year. Or maybe he and Rittich platoon the backup role (1 up 1 in the AHL) until one of them definitively grabs it. Or maybe he backs up Smith this year. All of those scenarios can potentially take him to the next step. I am not discounting the possibility that he is our number one goalie next year. It could happen. His progression has been pretty good and he can make enough progress this year to get there. I can't see any reason to bring in Dansk to complicate the situation. Behind Smith we have three goalies with NHL potential, one who has lost his way (McDonald) and one who probably isn't going to get anywhere close (Schneider). Too bad about the last two but I am happy with the situation on the whole.