Let me begin this post by (re)stating one thing - I am not now, nor I will I ever be, a big Pittsburgh Penguins fan. In fact, in recent years I have come to dislike them to a pretty good extend. When I really think about it, it's not the team I dislike, they really have not done anything to warrant that, but it's the fans and the sudden rise to popularity that the team has experienced that has grown this dislike in me.
Now regardless of that, I am not incompetent when it comes to hockey. I watch sportscenter, pay attention to what is going on, and even play fantasy hockey. What I want to talk about today is what is going on with the goalie situation for the hometown Penguins.
Before this year, Marc-Andre Fleury was the no-brainer starting goalie. However, 6 games into the season, it is no longer that clear who the starter is.
Fleury has started 3 games this year, and has not done well at all. He has allowed 10 goals on 68 shots in those games. Those are not good numbers. Fleury's backup, and now competition, Brent Johnson has also started 3 games, and has allowed 4 goals on 85 shots. He is 3-0 while Fleury is 0-3. Those numbers right there are the reason that Johnson got the call for tonight's game against the Senators.
It is unclear whether coach Dan Bylsma is simply riding the hot hand or seriously considering making Johnson is starter. My guess would be that he still has Fleury on his mind as the starter, but just does not want to sit a player that has helped the team win all 3 of their games this season.
Here's the deal folks, Brent Johnson is 34 years old. He has been around since 1998 and has a career 124-100 record with a save percentage of .904. Fleury is 25 years old with a career 148-109 record and a .906 save percentage. The age surely favors Fleury, and the numbers do as well (not by much, but they do).
The Penguins have a lot more invested in Fleury than they do in Johnson, and Fleury has proven that he can come up big when it counts the most. He was huge in their playoff run to the Stanley Cup 2 seasons ago, and it's going to take a whole lot more than 3 games to have the team take away his job.
I am totally on board with everything I just said, and I think that the Penguins should start putting Fleury between the pipes every night.
That is mainly because he is on my fantasy team, but I do seriously think it would be best for the team as well in the long run.
Let's Go Bucs.