Quote:
Originally Posted by GranteedEV
And yet it is a fact that Niemi has a Stanley Cup as a starter. Which is more cups than Price, Bobrovsky, Bishop, Rinne, Varlamov, Lundqvist, Rask combined (Rask might have one as a backup but that hardly counts). He was a "Cup-caliber goalie" in his prime. It's a low bar.
|
Niemi is, by a country mile, the worst goalie in the modern era to win a Stanley Cup, playing on arguably the most stacked team of the modern era. He's the Trent Dilfer of the NHL, and just because Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl, doesn't mean you should aspire to have Trent Dilfer at quarterback.
When people talk about 'all you need to do is get in and anything can happen', that's only the case if you have someone who can make big saves steal you a game or two every series.
Varlamov, Bobrovsky and Price haven't been to a Cup Final, but Rask, Lundqvist, Bishop and Rinne all have, and their respective teams would've have gone as far as they did without them.
The Canadiens have been an AHL team for five years and are consistently kept relevant by Carey Price.
A goalie isn't the only thing a team needs, but it's the only thing this team needs. The only way we're getting a centre better than Backlund is if Jankowski becomes one. Unless you want to trade some core players, the best way forward is to go get a top flight goalie and let the chips fall where they may.