Let's Go Blues

Is not that good. With the exception of the first month of the season, he has been pretty average, you have to admit.

You can say the same thing about the whole team.

He has been disappointing. He's let in more soft goals that I figured he would and he's not always stepped up when his defense has been awful (which has been quite often). It's 40 plus game though. I'm not going to rush to judgement right away. This guy steps up in big games (Olympics, last year's playoffs). He may be one of those guys that coasts for awhile...

At this point, the best we can hope for is a Mason-eque run down the stretch.

Let's also be honest. It's incredibly difficult to stop the puck when a.) you're getting screened by your own defensemen who aimlessly slide across the middle of the slot in feable attempts to block shots or b.) you're screened by opposing team forwards who your defense allows to freely skate in and around the crease however they see fit.

I'm sorry, but maybe I'm just used to the old school method of clearing the lane so the goalie can see the puck. But I continue to get frustrated night after night by these two things in particular. Someone needs to step up and clear that crease area. Especially on the penalty kill.

Halak has let in his fair share of soft goals this year, no doubt. But he's also not getting the proper amount of support from the defensive corps. It's embarassing when you don't defend your own crease in these situations. Get in there and knock those guys are their asses!

strocklen083 wrote:Let's also be honest. It's incredibly difficult to stop the puck when a.) you're getting screened by your own defensemen who aimlessly slide across the middle of the slot in feable attempts to block shots or b.) you're screened by opposing team forwards who your defense allows to freely skate in and around the crease however they see fit.

This.

I can't recall how many times we seem to let the opposing team waltz across our blue line.

I think Halak hasn't been as good as he can be, but I wouldn't say I'm disappointed.

dmiles2186 wrote:This guy steps up in big games (Olympics, last year's playoffs).

THIS.

Halak is fine... he's just bored because he's a money, high stakes player.

he also got incredibly lucky in a couple of games during that 9-1-2 start, could have easily been 7-3-2 without the Bruins hitting 1000 posts and the phantom goal that got called back against the Rangers.

I'm not worried about Halak one bit.
I'll waste my energy complaining about the real reason this team is struggling...lack of offense due to some injuries and some underperforming forwards and a crap power play.

When that said team is struggling to score goals, it is also deflating to have to battle back from at least one soft goal every game...not disagreeing with your Curt, but he lets in at least one softie every game, it seems.

Carl Racki wrote:When that said team is struggling to score goals, it is also deflating to have to battle back from at least one soft goal every game...not disagreeing with your Curt, but he lets in at least one softie every game, it seems.

How is that not disagreeing with me?

To be fair, couldn't you say that about almost any goalie in the league? Goalies allow "stoppable" shots all of the time.
If Halak hardly ever allowed a soft goal, we'd have won 2/3 of our games this year...but that's asking the impossible of any goalie. Goalies allow soft goals from time to time. It happens. I bet if you break down each goal scored, I would bet even the best goalies in the league allow a "stoppable" goal at least once every other game.

I'm not saying Halak shouldn't be better though, I think he can and will be better...and for us to be a cup contender in the coming years, he needs to be better. But to finish 6th, 7th or 8th in the west? He's been good enough for that...it's the offense that is to blame for us not being in the top 8 right now.

But I get where you are coming from...there is very little room for error on this team right now. I just think it's unfair to blame the goaltending, because soft goals are going to happen, I don't care who is in net.

I'm telling you, they got Halak for three reasons:

1. He's young
2. He'll be the #1 goalie and make a ton of starts
3. He'll be $ in the playoffs

curt's right... goalies let in softies all the time... We're Blues fans so every mistake is magnified to catastrophic proportions.

If he lets in a ton of softies in the playoffs, then I'd worry.... However, if the Blues play better D and control the puck more, he won't have as much to do.

If the blues were even middle of the pack on the powerplay and goals for, no one would be talking about Halak.

He hasn't been vezina good, but he hasn't really been bad either.

not_a_wings_fan wrote:If the blues were even middle of the pack on the powerplay and goals for, no one would be talking about Halak.

He hasn't been vezina good, but he hasn't really been bad either.

If he were 30+, maybe I'd be worried about his inconsistencies.
But he's 25 years old. His best years should be ahead of him yet.

A young goalie with high expectations who is a little inconsistent in his first full year as a starter?

Yeah...that never happens.

Carl Racki wrote:Is not that good. With the exception of the first month of the season, he has been pretty average, you have to admit.

I'm just going to say you are wrong. The reasons have already been stated by others.

theohall wrote:

Carl Racki wrote:Is not that good. With the exception of the first month of the season, he has been pretty average, you have to admit.

I'm just going to say you are wrong. The reasons have already been stated by others.

Halak is going through a stretch of games where he hasn't been great (4 goals allowed in 8 of the last 15 games). But it is what it is...15 games. Before that his numbers were fine.

wth where's the delete post option?

goon attack wrote: If he lets in a ton of softies in the playoffs, then I'd worry.... However, if the Blues play better D and control the puck more, he won't have as much to do.

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