Does Stalock get the start tonight?

[Cbrower91]

Personally I think he should, I think the sharks have a game or 2 in hand on la. Time to se if the kid is ready

 

[Cmon_WTF]

I think he should but don't think he will.

 

[KillerVee]

I think he should but don't think he will.

^^ This!

 

[Cbrower91]

I think he's ready personally. May as well give him a shot. It makes Niemi a huge trading asset if stalock is ready

 

[sjrules99]

I would love stalock to get the chance, but if they make the PO's, Id surely rather have niemi in nets. He just won the cup, so nerves are not an issue and I don't think he'll blow a series the way a total rook with 10-20 games of experience (by then) might. I wouldn't mind if he gets 4 or 5 starts from here on out (depending on how long antelope needafuckie is out) to give him a taste, but I wouldnt take his 29 minutes of minimal challenge as any kind of sign and every two points means a ton.

he could start vs. florida (2nd night of B2B) on feb 9 or pitt/detroit (another B2B) but the sharks have a challenging schedule coming up and they really need as many points as possible. niemi remains much more reliable (look at his jan performance as POTM).

 

[rares]

Niemi was only great in the playoffs against one team -- the Sharks.

He sucked shit (like he always does) against PHI... it was basically the battle of whose goalie sucks less and CHI won in the end.

He has a ring but he hasn't proven shit in terms of being any kind of good/great playoffs goalie.

 

[Nimesis23]

They absolutely need to start the kid. The biggest thing that pissed me off about getting Niemi and Nittymaki is that the only successful group of players the Sharks have drafted over the past 10 years has been the goaltenders. And yet, when the time came to find a new goalie with the departure of Nabby, they didn't go to that pipeline, they went outside the organization. The team hasn't drafted a GREAT forward or defense in a looooonnnggg time but it was always accepted that they were drafting quality goaltenders. That move made no fucking sense to me at the time and it still doesn't. The team needs to use its goaltending prospects and stop wasting cap space on expensive outside acquisitions at goalie. The money saved could be used to bring in better defensive players. (Unless of course Doug decides to throw insane dollars at shitty players like Wallin and Huskins again...)

 

[bdave]

Giving Stalock the start is not a bad idea at all and could make the team work hard knowing they have a rookie goalie in net that they need to protect. There needs to be a change of scenery in Anaheim with this team. Every time they go down there they get beat up so time to try a different approach. better be a 60 min effort tonight after they didn't show up for 40 last night. No excuses and what better way to do that than sticking a rookie goalie in and making sure he feels comfortable back there by playing your guts out up front. Stalock is more than capable of stealing a show anyways, just a matter of time before he gets to that level is all.

 

[SJVP408]

They absolutely need to start the kid. The biggest thing that pissed me off about getting Niemi and Nittymaki is that the only successful group of players the Sharks have drafted over the past 10 years has been the goaltenders. And yet, when the time came to find a new goalie with the departure of Nabby, they didn't go to that pipeline, they went outside the organization. The team hasn't drafted a GREAT forward or defense in a looooonnnggg time but it was always accepted that they were drafting quality goaltenders. That move made no fucking sense to me at the time and it still doesn't. The team needs to use its goaltending prospects and stop wasting cap space on expensive outside acquisitions at goalie. The money saved could be used to bring in better defensive players. (Unless of course Doug decides to throw insane dollars at shitty players like Wallin and Huskins again...)

Great point. Although they did make use of their goalie talent by trading Kipper and Toskala, the only goalie they really used up to this point was Nabby.

Edit: oh and Toskala for half a season.

 

[rares]

Niemi gets the start according to the blog, as expected.

It's also mentioned that Nitty is close to returning so that was probably the last we saw of Stalock for a while.

 

[sjrules99]

yeah, that makes sense... Alex is likely better served as the #1 goalie is worcester the rest of this year. Hopefully dougie trusts him and niity to hold the fort next year assuming no major changes or signings. I think that might be the cause behind the 2 year deal for niity and 1 year one of niemi. Gives stalock 2 full pro years to develop and then a veteran backup/platooner in his first pro season in niity. Then, 2 years from now would seem to be his time... Of course, what ever happened to griess? Will he be dead and forgotten???

 

[Likewall32]

Niemi was only great in the playoffs against one team -- the Sharks.

He sucked shit (like he always does) against PHI... it was basically the battle of whose goalie sucks less and CHI won in the end.

He has a ring but he hasn't proven shit in terms of being any kind of good/great playoffs goalie.

Its like you crawled into my brain and read my every thought!! (he barely outplayed a 3rd stringer)

 

[Cbrower91]

I would love stalock to get the chance, but if they make the PO's, Id surely rather have niemi in nets. He just won the cup, so nerves are not an issue and I don't think he'll blow a series the way a total rook with 10-20 games of experience (by then) might. I wouldn't mind if he gets 4 or 5 starts from here on out (depending on how long antelope needafuckie is out) to give him a taste, but I wouldnt take his 29 minutes of minimal challenge as any kind of sign and every two points means a ton.

he could start vs. florida (2nd night of B2B) on feb 9 or pitt/detroit (another B2B) but the sharks have a challenging schedule coming up and they really need as many points as possible. niemi remains much more reliable (look at his jan performance as POTM).

Well in that theory Huet shouldve started all the playoff games for the Hawks last season. if your going to go with a guy to be your #1 give him a chance and if he runs with it let him go.

I have no worries about Stalock starting in the playoffs, due to his college experience and his experience in the AHL. He has won with inferior teams playing in front of him at all levels.

He can steal games and series, if they can turn Niemi in to a top 3 or 4 dman, that helps stalock that much more and in turn helps the offense