Changing Goalies for the Shootout

[RadioGaGa 162]

So, the Leafs played decent tonight, battle back and get to SO. They pull Toskola (who has an AWFUL SO record in his career, 2-7 I think they said) and bring in Cujo.

Ducks score 2, on shots that he barely moved on...and the Leafs lose 2-0 in the SO (3-2 Final Score).

Regardless of record in SO, and whatever....isn't it a dick move to change goalies for the shooutout?

What do you think?

[kosydar 0]

I like the idea in this case for a few reasons. First, Toronto (and Toskala ) have been bullshit in shootouts every season since the lockout. Wilson said in the media that he was going to be trying out a few things, such as using all rookies. Granted he used Kaberle as the second shooter, but still, I like him trying new things. I'm sick of seeing Antropov, Ponikarovsky (who is without a doubt the worst shootout shooter ever) and Blake go every time. Its a game against a non-conference opponent, so I have no problem doing whatever for that extra point. I'd go so far as to say that every Leafs fan expects to lose every shootout, and I had at least a little hope during this one.

The one part I dislike about it in this circumstance is that he put in a 40+ year old goalie cold. Seems like it'd be smarter to put in a much younger goalie cold than a decrepit one.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I like the idea in this case for a few reasons. First, Toronto (and Toskala ) have been bullshit in shootouts every season since the lockout. Wilson said in the media that he was going to be trying out a few things, such as using all rookies. Granted he used Kaberle as the second shooter, but still, I like him trying new things. I'm sick of seeing Antropov, Ponikarovsky (who is without a doubt the worst shootout shooter ever) and Blake go every time. Its a game against a non-conference opponent, so I have no problem doing whatever for that extra point. I'd go so far as to say that every Leafs fan expects to lose every shootout, and I had at least a little hope during this one.

The one part I dislike about it in this circumstance is that he put in a 40+ year old goalie cold. Seems like it'd be smarter to put in a much younger goalie cold than a decrepit one.

But in normal circumstances with no vested interest (ie: not YOUR team involved)...you'd be against it.

[kosydar 0]

Its hard to say. Is it Garon from Edmonton that is really good at shootouts? If their backup was playing that game and was playing decent, and it went down to a shootout I'd have no problems putting Garon in. But if the backup stood on his head the entire game I'd leave him in. Its a tough one, but I'd say in most cases I'd go with the goalie who got me into the shootout.

[Law Goalie 147]

Yeah... Garon lead the NHL in shootout SV% by about, oh, .200 last year. His SV% in the shootout was better than almost everyone in the league OUTSIDE the shootout, in fact. Roloson was nowhere near that.

I don't have a problem with changing as a tactic. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if a team like Edmonton eventually sent out lefty and righty goalies on a situational basis in shootouts, like relief pitchers in MLB. The 14-inch-blocker-side rule would definitely be in jeopardy if you matched a lefty shooter against a full-right goalie, and the opposite...

Being 'cold on the bench' isn't really an excuse any more - anybody at that level should be physically and mentally ready to go at a moment's notice.

[Chadd 916]

Being 'cold on the bench' isn't really an excuse any more - anybody at that level should be physically and mentally ready to go at a moment's notice.

That's absurd

[RadioGaGa 162]

Muscles get cold/stiff sitting still for 2 hours...any ANY level.

[hockechamp14 0]

Being 'cold on the bench' isn't really an excuse any more - anybody at that level should be physically and mentally ready to go at a moment's notice.

That's absurd

x2

The best any goalie can do is take maybe a few minutes to get moving during the break between the third and OT if he might go in for a shootout. Of course goalies and hockey players being as superstitious as they are, not going to happen!

[salla5 0]

Maybe taking a page out of the Gordan Bombay handbook for winning. ^_^ except the whole winning part.

[mrusse01 0]

I don't think it's a great idea...but you've got to try something with how bad the Leafs have been in them.

I always thought it would be a good idea to have like a starting rotation for the shootout; you just post say 5 names and tell everybody those are our first 5 shooters for the next X number (I'm thinking a good number, 20+ say) of games. That's it, no second guessing if you're going to be picked, no trying to figure out who's been 'hot' lately, you just trot the same guys out every time, and re-evaluate it after a decent number of games.

[NYRfan 0]

The solution? Well, the talking heads on the NHL channel were talking (i'd say joking, but I have my doubts...) about the possibilty of a strip of ice being put behind benches like a bullpen where goalies can warm up......simply stunning.

[hamstercaster 2]

I don't like the idea of sending a cold goalie for the shootout. Sure they're pros and they should be ready for anything but still. Goalies get groin pulls when they're warm and all so I can only imagine what could happen if he was to stretch very far when cold. He's really got nowhere to go to warm up and at best, he can only stretch in the corridor that leads the the locker room. I just think that shootouts should worked on in practice from time to time in order to help the goalies manage that part of the game better. A game breakaway is one thing but a shootout is something totally different because the player is not pressured and has all the time in the world to make his deke/shot

[Law Goalie 147]

Being 'cold on the bench' isn't really an excuse any more - anybody at that level should be physically and mentally ready to go at a moment's notice.

That's absurd

Maybe, but that's the expectation. As much as people like to joke about Scott Clemmensen's many years of easy money, being a backup goalie is by all accounts a pretty unenviable job.

Of course, if the coach has an ounce of sense or regard for the safety of his backup, he'll send the guy down the hall partway through the third to let him warm up in a half-serious way before pulling the shootout switch. That was the stupid part - Wilson just suddenly deciding to do it with no warning. I can't decide if it was a good idea poorly planned or some kind of half-baked test.

[eddyo57 0]

i agree with Law Goalie here... my coaches in the recent years and everyone i ever talk to always says that a goalie should be ready to go in even with 5 secs left in the 3rd in a 0-0 game with a penalty shot comin down. you never know what can happen. but also seeing as a shootout is semi-"planned" seeing as they do the ice and what not. a fair warning in the overtime that you might go in for the shootout, not for injury but for shear hope of trying something new, would be nice

[mrusse01 0]

Being 'cold on the bench' isn't really an excuse any more - anybody at that level should be physically and mentally ready to go at a moment's notice.

That's absurd

Maybe, but that's the expectation. As much as people like to joke about Scott Clemmensen's many years of easy money, being a backup goalie is by all accounts a pretty unenviable job.

Of course, if the coach has an ounce of sense or regard for the safety of his backup, he'll send the guy down the hall partway through the third to let him warm up in a half-serious way before pulling the shootout switch. That was the stupid part - Wilson just suddenly deciding to do it with no warning. I can't decide if it was a good idea poorly planned or some kind of half-baked test.

To be fair, Wilson apparently had talked it over with both goalies prior to that game, and had told CuJo to be ready. So it wasn't completely out of the blue. I'm not sure at what point in the game he told him he'd be going in for the shootout, but Joseph couldn't have been totally surprised by it.

Another thing worth noting...in that game the Ducks didn't have a single shot on net after the 8 minute mark of the 2nd period so Toskala wasn't exactly piping hot back there...and he'd also already given up a breakaway goal to George Parros of all players.

[Jordan 13]

I just saw this thread... I was at that game, and I was sitting n the Leaf end, on side about even with the top of the face off circle. in other words i had a good view.

All I can say is that Cujo looked like a 40+ year old guy that had been sitting around for three hours. It was awful!

Hope Shania didn't see the game!

[tamtamg 12]

i don't know about this move by bombay; putting in a cold goaltender against the leading scorer in the tournament.

-D2: The Mighty Ducks

sorry, I couldn't resist putting in the quote.