Goalies

[Surreylily]

Your comments and reasons please.   

[Surreylily]

I don't think either of our two young guys are quite up to NHL stndard just yet.  A couple of more years.... maybe???

Sammy, I think is the more naturally talented and athletic.  He's also the least menatally and emotionally mature of the two.   Far, far too erratic.  He doesn't seem to understand the difference between arrogance/ignorance/confidence.  He's just not ready to play at this level.  When he first came over, he had little regard for the rules and got benched for his antics.  I think he relies a little too heavily on the influence of his countrymen.  His attitude reflects that of Kuzy's whe he first came here.  Even with Ovi's mentoring it took a couple years for Kuzy to grow up.
 

VV appears fractionally slower in comparison, in his reaction times, but his positioning and recovery seems to be slightly better.
It's his epic collapses that bother me.  I think he lacks the mental strength that is integral to this position.  Also  I am concerned about his lack of preperation before a game.   He let's in far, far too many early goals.  However, I feel less stressed when he is in goal.   Go figure?!

I dont't think either of these guys are ready for this level.


I dont know where else to look.
Some suggestions would be great???


 

[alta]

https://novacapsfans.com/2022/05/18/capitals-current-goaltender-depth-chart-and-projected-assignments-for-2022-23-season/

[Mickstix]

I'd look for a new goalie coach before I did anything else. Then trust their opinion. Be hard to swallow reupping Sammy at 2mil a year, but he's probably got the most upside, imo. I'd make Fucale the backup.

[justwincaps]

If you can, find a true #1 goalie, a new goalie coach and make Fucale the backup.

If you have to keep one of the goalies, VV is cheaper and Sammy - despite years of having the most "upside" - isn't worth the $$ we'd need to spend on him given our cap situation.

[richkrt99]

If you can, find a true #1 goalie, a new goalie coach and make Fucale the backup.

If you have to keep one of the goalies, VV is cheaper and Sammy - despite years of having the most "upside" - isn't worth the $$ we'd need to spend on him given our cap situation.

Finding one shouldn't be too hard, it's affording a true #1 we will struggle with.
Hey....I bet Mike Smith from Calgary will be available next year.  He'd fit right in with our team....you know....since he's OLD.  40 years old.
Nope...he's signed through next year with CGY.  Their #1 Mikko Koskinnen is a UFA though.  Made $4.5m this season.


On a side note....I was looking at Edmonton's roster and their top 6 forwards are signed, and 4/6 of their D, but man, they have 6 UFA forwards and 3 RFA forwards for next year.  That's 9 of their 18 forwards, plus 2 of their 6 D that need contracts this summer.  Their GM got some work to do this summer.

[alta]

Ain’t nothing gonna happen until after someone wins the Cup, so… be patient. Caps fans should be used to that.

[BlackIce]

Goalies??  We don't need no stinkin' goalies!!


Nothing says more about the current state of the NHL than an 8-6 game in the Stanley Cup semis.  It's like the old NHL all-star games.

[Ozzies09tc]

I'd look for a new goalie coach before I did anything else. Then trust their opinion. Be hard to swallow reupping Sammy at 2mil a year, but he's probably got the most upside, imo. I'd make Fucale the backup.

I voted for VV and Other


With a better goalie coach and a more seasoned goalie to mentor VV he could become a viable goalie.

[alta]

welp, Vtec is gone. That means the Caps are going to trade for someone because they ain’t got this covered from within, yet

[richkrt99]

Ain’t nothing gonna happen until after someone wins the Cup, so… be patient. Caps fans should be used to that.

When you say "used to that" - Do you mean.... Used to waiting the longest because we are usually out in the first round of the playoffs? 

[richkrt99]

welp, Vtec is gone. That means the Caps are going to trade for someone because they ain’t got this covered from within, yet

I am sure it will be someone old....cause....we need some more mature aging players on this roster 

[alta]

When you say "used to that" - Do you mean.... Used to waiting the longest because we are usually out in the first round of the playoffs? 

 

[alta]

this team traded off Vtec for ONE draft pick   


 

[alta]

that’s that, Sammy is a UFA and would “likely demand $3-3.5M”…

https://novacapsfans.com/2022/07/11/capitals-do-not-tender-qualifying-offer-to-ilya-samsonov/

Now they definitely need a #1 because they don’t have that in the system. I’m guessing Fucale will be #2.

[Mickstix]

I guess that makes sense if Sammy wanted 3+ mil.. The dumb thing was trading VV for a 7th round draft pick (where'd I get that idea?)  Don't think he was even making 1mil.?  I don't mind Fucale being there, if that's what they do. But he's still a wild card as well. A not young wild card at that. Gonna be funny if they spend a bunch of money on a goalie and this goalie coach breaks them too.. Caps haven't had a decent goalie since Korn left. Coincidence? 

[Beaglefan2]

I think there were some other issues with Sammy - maybe he and Kuzy together were bad influences for each other.  Just pure speculation. 


My bet is that they go after Gibson and I guess that is my hope as I was not impressed by Kempfer.  I honestly don't see much difference between him and Sammy as they can both play well in stretches, but give  up way too many bad goals.

[BlackIce]

Hmm ..... the Caps just discarded both their NHL goalies.


Wilson is probably out until calendar 2023.


Backstrom is out until (when?  ...... forever?)  I wouldn't be surprised if the plan is to pull a Kucherov and keep him out until next season's playoffs (if they can make it).  That's 9.5 million of cap exemption that they can use to fill the roster with any number of skaters.  And who knows if Backstrom can EVER return as more than a faint shadow of what he used to be?  That strategy in turn would allow them to spend for a goalie.  They just use all their cap money on goaltending and Backstrom's exemption to fill in the last few spots on the skating roster.


If it were any other team, the competitive circumstance the Caps find themselves in would SCREAM for a teardown/rebuild.  But that isn't the Caps' MO, at least as long as Ovechkin is on the roster.                                                                                                                     

[richkrt99]

I would certainly hope the Caps intend to spend Backy's available relief on new assets but the comments made by GMBM scare me ...."Planning for him to return and will need the cap space for it" or something to that effect.
I would think realistically it would be very late in the season before Backy was able to return and then at what level so I would just force the issue and spend the cap relief money elsewhere.  Chances are he may never return and if he does and you postpone it by a month or two until playoffs then so be it.


As for GT... I was NOT impressed by Keumper either.  He had some great moments but also some flaky ones.  He would not be my first choice, but then I really don't know what the choices are at this point.


Passing on Sammy....meh, at $3.5m I'd have to pass on him too.  Never know....he might return at less money depending on what FA offers bring, but I'd assume someone out there picks him up.  He could become great at some point for someone, but after the last 3 seasons with him, I'm not distraught with his departure.


Caps have so many needs to fill.  They will need a D man to replace Schultz.  He was more solid than I expected from him over the past two seasons (especially with injury history) but not sure I want him back at age 32 at $4m/yr.  We pretty much have our top 4 plus TVR but we need one more.  I am fully ready to let Kempny walk...think he is done.  Irwin is an FA and you can keep him around as a bargain fill-in but I don't see him in the top 6.

So many social engagements needs to fill, so little time money...

[Beaglefan2]

Supposedly, Kempfer is coming our way. Don't love that and we have certainly screwed up the goalie options over the last few years.  I was rooting hard for Colorado and every time somebody got a decent shot on Kempfer I just cringed.


Regarding Backy, my theory is that Caps ownership is not happy about putting him on LTIR and having to pay him, plus pay another $9 million with the Cap relief.  I think there has been some coaching to get Backy to say he will be back, when they know he is done.


Caps ownership and management has two main traits - loyalty to their guys no matter what, and watching the bottom line. While they know they have to spend to the Cap, they don't buy out big contracts and they max out ticket price increases every year.