Eliot: Watching the goaltending scenarios play out in the NHL playoffs

By Darren Eliot – 

Looking at the goaltending in the playoffs, several interesting scenarios have played out. Remember when the St. Louis Blues were anointed unbeatable when they acquired Ryan Miller? Struggles down the stretch and a first-round exit later, and now the news out of St. Louis is that the Blues re-signed back-up Brian Elliott. Conversely, Miller will hit the free-agent market and the Blues won’t be suitors.

In Anaheim, Ducks head Coach Bruce Boudreau played goaltender roulette and exited in the second round, despite holding a 3-2 series lead over the L.A. Kings. In fairness to the Boudreau and the Ducks, veteran Jonas Hiller had long since fallen out of favor after his 14-game winning streak that happened right around the trade deadline. The organization thought about trading him then, but he was playing so well they decided to ride it out with Hiller one more time.

Then Hiller’s play hit rock bottom. In comes 24-year-old rookie Frederik Andersen, who played well during the regular season – his second in North America and first in the NHL. He wasn’t nearly as sharp in the post-season in replacing Hiller and then went down with an injury. In comes 20-year-old John Gibson, who performed terrifically well in three late-season starts for the Ducks after playing his first year as a pro for the Norfolk Admirals in the AHL. Boudreau went with Gibson over Hiller in Game 4 versus the Kings and the Ducks down 2-1 in the series. Gibson won the next two – the first by shutout – only to lose in seven games.

That’s a tough situation for the kid, but tougher for the team. Long-term, Gibson will be fine and has star potential. In the moment, the Ducks were in a difficult position, having obviously lost confidence in Hiller along the way. That unsettled feeling permeates a team and the playoffs are not a time for uncertainty. Of course, that is exactly where the Montreal Canadiens find themselves now as they head to New York down 2-0 and without superstar netminder Carey Price. The Habs opted for the same tact as the Ducks in going with 24-four year old Dustin Tokarski – over veteran back-up Peter Budaj. Like Gibson, Tokarski fared well, but lost 3-1 at the hands of the Rangers’ Henrik Lundquist’s 40-save performance.

And what of Hiller and Budaj? Passed over for kids in the minors as they continue to hold down the spot on the end of the bench and be expected to act as supportive teammates? I’ve been there and that is a situation that will test anyone’s sense of team and not something a team wants to contend with during the playoffs. It is best resolved in the off-season, which typically arrives sooner under these circumstances.

As I fear it will for the Canadiens and their fans in the Eastern Conference Final.