I think when someone criticizes Vladar on that first goal, they are either being incredibly unreasonable or are just demonstrating their negative bias. That's a shot few goalies are going to save. Even went in off the post, and it was a clear uncontested shot from the slot where Vladar had to readjust. That's just an elite shot and move, and it was because Solovyov just got schooled. Great example of a veteran player seeing who he is up against. Solovyov will learn for next time, but that was part of having a raw rookie.
I wonder if the Flames aren't mimicking the Oilers somewhat here. I can't help but think back to Dubynk, who I thought was going to be a really good starter. Then he just never managed to get himself on-track in Edmonton, and even started regressing. It took him a little while, but eventually he won the Vezina. I remember reading something that his goalie coach (I think in Minnesota?) was saying, about how Dubynk's time with the Oilers created bad habits in his game that took a while to iron-out. Dubynk learned not to trust the players in front of him, so he would start feeling the need to cheat. This created gaps that the opposing team would take advantage of, and one symptom of that was all the unnecessary movements in the crease.
I can't help but think that with how the goalies seem a little erratic at times, I wonder if it is a symptom of them cheating a little bit after being hung out to dry often. Anyway, just something to chew on and maybe look for in the upcoming games.
As for who should start, I think the Flames need to know what Vladar is. I don't think there are many teams that are going to pony up any assets for him at this point, so you need to show how good he can be - or not. Maybe the Flames need to figure out what he is as well. Will he be a great 1A tandem with Wolf for a while? Is he just a backup? Is he a #1 starter in his own right? I don't know that. He certainly shows it at times, and he was certainly trending that way when the Flames picked him up.
I want to see Wolf. I am mostly about the rebuild at this point, and Wolf is a piece of the future that has arrived today. I just think that organizationally, that the Flames are better off to give the bulk fo the starts to Vladar and try and figure out what they have in him before making a move with Markstrom (potentially) or dumping Vladar for peanuts (Giguere?), or whatever. I would like to see him being tasked with starting a good 5 or 6 games in a row (minus the back-to-back) and seeing what happens.
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