We're really comparing Kari Ramo With Fleury? I like Ramo as much as the next guy, but c'mon there's no question who is the better goalie there. Then with Hiller, he's done little to prove himself in the playoffs either. Outside of the one awful series against the Flyers where neither team could prevent a thing Fleury has been fine in the playoffs, last year he has a .915% and 2.40 GAA (almost the same as his regular season numbers). The Pens just ran into a hot Rangers team, and couldn't get a sniff against Lundqvist.
There are only five active Stanley Cup winning goalies -- Cam Ward, Anntti Niemi, Corey Crawford, Johnathan Quick, and Marc-Andre Fleury. Had to figure that worked into negotiations pretty heavily.
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
Exp:
This signing is a head scratcher. If he happens to have another bad playoff, the Pens are stuck with a contract they won't be able to trade away. It's even more troubling that they don't have anyone in their farm systemto replace him in a few years time.
Maybe Rutherford had a heart to heart discussion with his players to see if Fleury still has their confidence. It's the only reason I can think of for this contract extension.
Fleury's save% was .915 last year. Ramo was .911. And at the beginning of the year he wasn't that good. So, yeah, I maintain that he's not a "big step down". But then, I've never liked MAF since the world juniors.
Fleury's save% was .915 last year. Ramo was .911. And at the beginning of the year he wasn't that good. So, yeah, I maintain that he's not a "big step down". But then, I've never liked MAF since the world juniors.
MA Fleury has 295 wins, over 500 games played, 50+ play-off wins, a Stanley Cup, was a member of Team Canada at the Olympics, had better numbers last year, has better numbers this year.
Ramo hasn't even played 100 NHL game total, was 30th in SV% last year and has played in 0 NHL games.
Ramo may have had a better second half of the season last year but for a team like the Penguins who are in win now mode going with the guy with a much, much better track record, who is playing better now and has shown he can win with the team in the NHL is a much better option and a big step up.
He would have likely got $7 million plus as a UFA. Not that bad of a deal and really who else is out there? The Pens have collectively choked in the playoffs lately including Sidney Crosby.
I think the criticism stems from the view of many that pretty much any decent goalie would have the same record or better with the run support of the Pens.
Statistically, he's pooped the bed twice in the playoffs
Last playoffs was his second best playoffs, better even than the cup winning year...you would still think that 2 out of 3 bad years would factor in a bit more though.
Cap hit is currently 13th among goalies next year, which sounds about right...
Quick, Price, Lundqvist, Rask and Rinne are obviously in another bracket; I'm not saying he is any better than the glut of solid goaltenders, but it's hard to say he's much worse (except maybe Bobrovsky and Niemi).
Will be interesting to see Niemi's contract.
Other than the seven guys I've mentioned, who would be an obvious upgrade?
Halak? Hiller? Brodeur? Anderson? Probably just swapping the deck chairs, and perhaps paying an extra premium...
He would have likely got $7 million plus as a UFA. Not that bad of a deal and really who else is out there? The Pens have collectively choked in the playoffs lately including Sidney Crosby.
Honest question: From who?
There are not a pile of markets who will be looking for a goalie in the summer and trying to compete for the playoffs. San Jose comes to mind, but I would think they would shy away from someone with a spotty playoff record like MAF considering the other problems on their team.
I don't even see another team paying him the money he got now, barring a playoff miracle, which is far from a sure thing.
I understand re-signing him, because there aren't many options available, but what did he do to deserve a raise?
It's not really a raise when you look at it as a percentage of the salary cap. When he first signed his $5 million cap hit contract in 2008-09 the cap was 56.7 million.
If you compare the actual money he is receiving this season ($5.75) to what he is getting in his new contract ($5.75), it's exactly the same.
