Hockey

[Zurvan]

[ QUOTE ]
Can somebody find me a worse goalie than Nikolai Khabibulan?

3-8, 4.09 GAA, .843 Save %, $6.75 Millon per year.

Yes, the team in front of him is not playing well, but not nearly this bad. He's getting into a habit of giving up weak goals, especially in the first 5 shots of the game.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can't blame any of this on Khabibulin. Any goalie looks bad behind that team. If you wanna complain about the amount of money you're paying one guy, look at Aucoin. He's overpaid. Not a stud D-man at all.

And if you want a worse goalie, look in Atlanta. They've had 5 (I think) this year.

[Triumph36]

What? Aucoin was playing 30 minutes a game on Long Island and thriving. He's an excellent defender - maybe not a true #1, but certainly a top pairing guy. The whole Blackhawks defense is new, so they'll need some time.

Khabibulin has always given up weak goals. He's very streaky - on Tampa it looked like he was becoming solid, but now things have come apart. Khabibulin isn't the type who will play better under a big contract.

[mblax10]

[ QUOTE ]

Can't blame any of this on Khabibulin. Any goalie looks bad behind that team. If you wanna complain about the amount of money you're paying one guy, look at Aucoin. He's overpaid. Not a stud D-man at all.

And if you want a worse goalie, look in Atlanta. They've had 5 (I think) this year.

[/ QUOTE ]

Auccion has been fighting a groin injury all season and has missed a handfull of games and was less than 100% in many others. He hasn't played bad despite this.

Have you watched any of their games this season? Khabibulan is playing much worse than the defense surrounding him. When your allowing tons of goals on weak shots, the goalie being out of position, or when the goalie leaves fat rebounds is it the defenses fault?

If he wasn't injured, I would take Keri Lehtonen in a heartbeat over Khabibulan. The last 2 seasons he has been the best goalie in the AHL and he will be a stud. He should even put up good numbers with Atlanta's poor D.

[Zurvan]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Can't blame any of this on Khabibulin. Any goalie looks bad behind that team. If you wanna complain about the amount of money you're paying one guy, look at Aucoin. He's overpaid. Not a stud D-man at all.

And if you want a worse goalie, look in Atlanta. They've had 5 (I think) this year.

[/ QUOTE ]

Auccion has been fighting a groin injury all season and has missed a handfull of games and was less than 100% in many others. He hasn't played bad despite this.

Have you watched any of their games this season? Khabibulan is playing much worse than the defense surrounding him. When your allowing tons of goals on weak shots, the goalie being out of position, or when the goalie leaves fat rebounds is it the defenses fault?

If he wasn't injured, I would take Keri Lehtonen in a heartbeat over Khabibulan. The last 2 seasons he has been the best goalie in the AHL and he will be a stud. He should even put up good numbers with Atlanta's poor D.

[/ QUOTE ]

I forgot about Lehtonen - he'll be good.

I know Aucoin isn't 100%. I just don't see him as a number 1 D-man.

[rusty JEDI]

Aucoin was +29 last year.

That is probably top 5-10 in the NHL.

He is a number 1 d-man.

Save %age should show that Cabbagebulin is having a bad year.

rJ

[imported_The Vibesman]

I didn't see much of Aucoin when he was in Vancouver, when he played for the Islanders I thought he was good but not spectacular. He seems to have built his rep on a few solid seasons.

As for Khabibulin, he may be seeing a lot of rubber, but regardless, that save % is brutal. I know that bad defenses give up a lot of strong chances, but without having seen any Blackhawks games yet this year, I'd have to say it doesn't look like he's playing well. If folks that watch the game say he's out of position and allowing soft goals, I could believe it. You'd have to wonder why though, as Khabibulin was a legitimate top goaltender at one time. Work ethic perhaps?

Lehtonen is a stud. He'll be fine, I think.