Let's pile on Khabibulin

[anotheridiot]

It was definitely a look ahead game for the hawks. I think the best save Khabi made all year was the one he was sprawled out on the ice and the Pred could not lift the puck. Now whether Raanta is ready or not he is gonna be tested.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I don't think this thread is fair. Everyone knew he's been washed up for years. Why did they sign him if they knew he was washed up? Why not just call up Antti Raanta? Whomever decided to put Khabi on the roster & leaver Raanta off the roster should be the one getting piled on IMO.

 

[gmalis1]

Everyone loves the backup goalie. Let's see how Antti does. If he fails, then what?

Good luck to him.

 

[anotheridiot]

I don't think this thread is fair. Everyone knew he's been washed up for years. Why did they sign him if they knew he was washed up? Why not just call up Antti Raanta? Whomever decided to put Khabi on the roster & leaver Raanta off the roster should be the one getting piled on IMO.

I understand letting Raanta getting acclimated to north america and letting him play alot of games. I just thought there were a few other options out there when they settled on Khabi. I really think part of it was having a backup that was not much of a threat to Crawford. They offered Emery more money so we really dont know why he picked leaving the championship team other than a chance to better his career. I think the hawks were pretty confident that Emery would have resigned and they just panicked when he didnt.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I understand letting Raanta getting acclimated to north america and letting him play alot of games. I just thought there were a few other options out there when they settled on Khabi. I really think part of it was having a backup that was not much of a threat to Crawford. They offered Emery more money so we really dont know why he picked leaving the championship team other than a chance to better his career. I think the hawks were pretty confident that Emery would have resigned and they just panicked when he didnt.

I agree, I just don't think it's fair to pile on Khali when we've all known he's been washed up for a while now. Seems that's an error made by management if anything. Not saying Raanta should make the roster but if people hate Khalibuilin so much then wouldn't it have made sense to either have signed someone who was cheaper or more capable. Also, if the current situation is so bad, Raanta is putting up some good numbers with the IceHogs.

IDK, just doesn't seem to be worth piling on anyone. I think if the situation with the backup is so bad, Hawks have options.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Everyone loves the backup goalie. Let's see how Antti does. If he fails, then what?

Good luck to him.

If he fails he fails. We won't know unless he gets a chance to prove himself .

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

LOL I've been calling him "Khalibulin" this whole thread. Sorry guys, been watching too much WWE as of late and I was thinking "Great Khali"

 

[gmalis1]

Antti Raanta---14 games played, 7-5-0 record, 2.83 goals against average, .914 save percentage.

The save percentage is pretty good. The rest, pretty mediocre.

I'm just saying.

He will be an improvement over the Bhulin swiss cheese...plenty of holes.

 

[anotheridiot]

I think we all agree the Khabi signing was more of a knee jerk reaction when Emery left. We also lucked out he pulled his groin or whatever to be able to put him on the long term injured reserve because his salary handcuffed the hawks.

I dont think many AHL goalies have good records its an offensive based system with guys wanting to score to get called up. Corey was never above a .90 save percentage even tho his GAA was just over .259.

Corey Crawford hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com

We know Crow will get Colorado, wonder if there is a game or two on this 7 game trip to see Raanta in the net.

 

[JBM73]

The problem with Khabibulin is that he's not good enough at this stage to be an NHL starter, but he's even less effective in a back-up role. Injury aside, I think he'd be an adequate fill-in if Crawford got hurt, but he's clearly terrible in the role of spot starter.

Having said that, I don't think we'll see him back with the Hawks.

 

[averagejoe]

I don't think this thread is fair. Everyone knew he's been washed up for years. Why did they sign him if they knew he was washed up?

Not disagreeing, but in defense of Khabby, his numbers in Edmonton started to improve slightly over the last 2 seasons. Last season he had very limited play, but his GAA improved to 2.54 and his .923 SV% was the best he's had since 1998!

My view is that goalies have hot seasons, and then cold seasons. IMO few have steady seasons from year to year. So I feel it's best to catch a goalie after a "cold" season. It's not like the Hawks gambled on him as their starter. I don't fault the Hawks for taking a chance on Khabby, it was worth a shot. (And I think that shot got by him too. Boom!)

But knowing what we know now, it's time for a change.

 

[averagejoe]

P.S. I also have the opinion that goalies need to be categorized like other positions. Just as you have defensive forwards, or physical forwards, I feel that there are at least 3 types of goalies.

Some need a steady barrage of low-risk scoring chances to get in a rhythm. That might be Khabby.
Other goalies have to deal with high-risk shots, followed by lengthy periods of being a spectator as play happens at the other end. (This is a Coach Q/Hawks type of goalie.)
And then there are goalies that are exceptional in shoot-outs, which is important in today's NHL.

I'm rambling....

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Not disagreeing, but in defense of Khabby, his numbers in Edmonton started to improve slightly over the last 2 seasons. Last season he had very limited play, but his GAA improved to 2.54 and his .923 SV% was the best he's had since 1998!

My view is that goalies have hot seasons, and then cold seasons. IMO few have steady seasons from year to year. So I feel it's best to catch a goalie after a "cold" season. It's not like the Hawks gambled on him as their starter. I don't fault the Hawks for taking a chance on Khabby, it was worth a shot. (And I think that shot got by him too. Boom!)

But knowing what we know now, it's time for a change.

I agree, it was worth experimenting for backup but he's clearly not what they're looking for. Time to move on. Raanta perhaps?

 

[gmalis1]

Now that Antti Raanta has 2+ games under his belt, has two wins and a save percentage around .916, what ARE the Hawks gonna do with Khabby?

StanB pretty much said he will cross that bridge when he comes to it, alluding to the fact that Khabby isn't ready yet to come off the injury list (if he ever will).

I like the kid so far. He's square to the puck, seems very agile, has great positioning, has very good rebound control. He's a little undersized but he has enough quickness to compensate for that.

The Hawks seem to play well defensively in front of him and from all the interviews with Rannta and about him from the other players he seems to be a very likable and happy guy to be around.

Q has confidence in him that he won't cost you a game, so look for him to get more occasional starts including this weekend in yet another back to back.

I'm just curious about the options the Hawks have regarding Khabby. Release him? Sent him to Rockford? Keep him on LTIR indefinitely? What are the cap considerations with all of the above?

So far, Khabby's been horrible and Raanta's been Emery-esque as the backup. Puts the Hawks in a great position.

 

[anotheridiot]

I guess they try to make him retire or trade him for a late draft pick. When Huet was sent away all his salary counted against the cap. Buyouts only can happen from June 15-30. The team sits today with a 1.195 million cap space. I say they try to hole Khabi out as long as possible since injuries are not specific. He keeps getting paid and most probably wont complain since he knows how bad he has been playing.

 

[gmalis1]

I guess they try to make him retire or trade him for a late draft pick. When Huet was sent away all his salary counted against the cap. Buyouts only can happen from June 15-30. The team sits today with a 1.195 million cap space. I say they try to hole Khabi out as long as possible since injuries are not specific. He keeps getting paid and most probably wont complain since he knows how bad he has been playing.

Actually, when the Hawks sent Huet to France, his salary DIDN'T count against the cap under the collective bargaining agreement at that time. That was the entire reason for sending him there, was to get his $6 million off the books. Since the lockout and the new CBA, Khabby's salary will count against the cap even if he is exiled.

I think the Hawks have to eat his contract UNLESS he voluntarily retires (see the Ilya Kovalchuk story), in which case the Hawks would be on the hook for just a fraction of his contract.

Can we agree that so far, in a very limited sample size, Raanta is lights out better than Khabibulin?

 

[JBM73]

Raanta helping keep Crawford fresh - Chicago Blackhawks Blog - ESPN Chicago

 

[JBM73]

I think the Hawks have to eat his contract UNLESS he voluntarily retires (see the Ilya Kovalchuk story), in which case the Hawks would be on the hook for just a fraction of his contract.

Can we agree that so far, in a very limited sample size, Raanta is lights out better than Khabibulin?

Perhaps they can convince him to stay on LTIR for the rest of the season. I think that's the best option, as he will only count against the cap if they actually have cap space at the end of the season. I can't remember whether or not he has a NMC.

As to your last question, oh god yes.

 

[anotheridiot]

Perhaps they can convince him to stay on LTIR for the rest of the season. I think that's the best option, as he will only count against the cap if they actually have cap space at the end of the season. I can't remember whether or not he has a NMC.

As to your last question, oh god yes.

I like the way the team congratulates him, its sincere, joking, really happy for the kid. Thats the kind of goalie players just try harder to keep pucks away from, really the key to a backup in this league. I'm not saying the team does not like crawford, I think they grow tired of him pouting after turnovers. Mistakes happen, if you cant stop the shot you didnt do anything to help the situation.