Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperMatt18
Tim Thomas had a .938 save percentage that season - the 4th best single season number in NHL history.
Then followed that up with a .940 save percentage in the playoffs.
Thomas at his peak for that 4-5 seasons stretch was much better than an "average goalie".
Even Osgood had some weird ability to step it up in the playoffs - he was a career .916 save percentage come playoff time. From that same era two of the best goalies ever in Roy (.918) and Brodeur (.919) had very similar numbers in the playoffs. He was very average in the regular season with only a .905 career save percentage in the regular season but came up big in the playoffs.
Niemi is the one that is decidedly average - but that Chicago Blackhawks team was stacked.
I'm not sure you need an "elite goalie" but you certainly do need "elite goaltending" for that playoff run. Even it if's just a guy riding a hot streak.
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If you don't have an elite goalie, then you better have an elite 18 player group to make up for it. That, or a system that beats the other systems. Some teams win or get to the Cup Finals by one of the three. The Flames do not have an elite, goalie, they did not have a forward group that could score, and the system implemented by GG got us swept when we made the playoffs.
It really depends on the forward group and what system Peters wants us to do.