handicapping the goalies: St. Louis
One more from the archives of Laurie — because it’s just too much fun to not post. In 2003, Laurie griped about the Blue’s inability to develop (or keep) a decent goalie. Here it is, 2007, and the Blues are depending on Manny Legace and Curtis Sanford.
Actually, Legace’s not bad. And he’s a damn sight better than what they were working with in 2003; much as Laurie and I both like Freddy Brathwaite, he’s not going to be your #1 goalie… And his backup was?
Yes, Brent Johnson, last seem rumored opening doors for Olaf Kolzig. Who’s career GAA of 2.55 wouldn’t seem so bad, except it’s the average of a bunch of 2.1-2.20 seaons and a bunch of 3.5-3.8 seasons, with nothing really in between…
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 16:02:32 -0800
To: sharks@plaidworks.com
From: Laurie Sefton <lsefton@plaidworks.com>
Handicapping the goalies: St Louis:
I really have to star wondering what it is about the St Louis
organization in that they don’t seem to be able to draft, develop,
and then *keep* their goalies. The last one who wasn’t traded away
while he still was on top of his gam was Ed Staniowski, which takes
the Blues back to the mid 70′s. The it’s a series: Davidison, Liut,
Millen, Joseph–heck, even Grant Fuhr made a pass through St Louis,
while a number of other goalies, including Riendeau, Casey, Hrivnak,
Hebert, and Jablonksi wandered in and out for a quick pass–that’s
not an exhaustive list, since I want to finish this before the game
starts. I haven’t counted it all up, but they may exceed the Sharks
in “your name here” goalie jerseys
So, what do they make noises about, after Freddy Brathwaite carried
the Blues through the first part of this season? They talked about
*trading* him! Luckily, someone in the organization developed some
sense and let Barrasso ride off into the sunset.
Fred Brathwaite: The Stats
Age: 30, Ht 5ft7, Wt 174, Catches: Left
Year Team Lea GP W L T Min
SO SA GA GAA Sv%
2002-03 St. Louis NHL 26 11 7 4 1463
2 578 64 2.62 .889
2001-02 St. Louis NHL 25 9 11 4 1446
2 543 64 2.24 .901
2000-01 Calgary NHL 49 15 17 10 2742
5 1181 106 2.31 .910
1999-00 Calgary NHL 61 25 25 7 3448
5 1664 158 2.74 .900
Saint John AHL 2 2 0 0
120 0 70 4 2.00 .940
1998-99 Calgary NHL 28 11 9 7 1663
1 796 68 2.45 .910
National Team CAN 24 6 8 3 989
2 - 47 2.85 -
1997-98 Manitoba IHL 51 23 18 4 2737
1 1492 138 3.02 .900
1996-97 Manitoba IHL 58 22 22 5 2946
1 1695 167 3.40 .900
1995-96 Edmonton NHL 7 0 2 0 293
0 140 12 2.45 .910
Cape Breton AHL 31 12 16 0
1699 1 858 110 3.88 .870
1994-95 Edmonton NHL 14 2 5 1 601
0 292 40 3.99 .860
1993-94 Edmonton NHL 19 3 10 3 982
0 523 58 3.54 .880
Cape Breton AHL 2 1 1 0
118 0 50 6 3.05 .880
TOTAL NHL 229 76 86 36 12638
15 5717 559 2.65 .902
Ephemera
Flexibility: *** 1/2–he has to be flexible, given he’s playing a
bunch of different styles
Crankiness: *–very, very, mellow
Maintenance: *–just a really nice guy
Against the Sharks:
2002-2003
GP W L T GAA SV%
1 0 0 0 0.00 100
2001-2002
GP W L T GAA SV%
N/A
2000-2001
GP W L T GAA
3 1 0 1 2.81
1999-2000
GP W L T GAA
2 1 0 0 0.65
1998-1999
GP W L T GAA
1 0 0 1 2.77
According to the Blues sheet on NHL Total Access, Brathwaite is now 5
ft 8. Unless someone smacked him repeatedly on his head before taking
his official height, someone’s nose is longer than Brathwaite’s tall,
which I put at 5ft5, which is his OHL height.
Brathwaite hasn’t been able to buy a break during his time in the
NHL. He played for an Edmonton team that had gotten too old and too
expensive (and therefore, traded off) and it showed. He was put up on
the altar of “it’s all the goalie’s fault” and landed in the minors.
He was playing for the Canadian team in the Spengler Cup when he was
hauled out of IHL oblivion to play for the Flames during that season
where they might have gone through more goaltenders than the Sharks
ever did.
Brathwaite won the hearts of the fans in Calgary, and was able to
train under Vernon and Fuhr. Vernon and Fuhr’s styles don’t have a
lot in common, except that they both are good examples of how a
goalie doesn’t have to be 6 ft 4 to be effective. Moreover, they’re
both gregarious and relaxed (for goalies) before a game. Unless
you’re Glenn Hall, making pre-game anxiety an art form is not the
prescription for a long term relationship. Both veterans imparted a
number of tricks of the trade to Brathwaite, and if you watch him
play, you can see Vernon and Fuhr peeking through. Not a bad pair to
emulate.
So, what does Calgary do? Time to trade Brathwaite, more as a player
to be named later, to St Louis. St Louis really, really thought that
they were in the race for Hasek, and did a “don’t repaint your just
yet” on Brathwaite. Then the season began, Hasek was in Detroit, and
St Louis had Brathwaite and Johnson on the ice.
Brathwaite will likely not end his career with St Louis, but wherever
he ends up, he’ll be a fan favourite, and he’ll play goal with
everything he has.
Brathwaite’s not a 60 game a season goalie, which means the later he
plays this season, the more likely he’s going to be tired and let in
the odd goal. And even though all you have to be is taller than the
crossbars, at his height, he’s not able to take up a lot of the goal.
He’s gotten over a tendency to fall to the ice and swim, but if he’s
down, he leaves a lot of goal exposed. He’ll hug the posts, so a
wrap-around isn’t a good percentage shot, as well as shots over both
shoulders.
Brent Johnson: The Stats:
Age: 25, Ht 6ft2, Wt 198, Catches: Left
Year Team Lea GP W L T Min
SO SA GA GAA Sv%
2002-03 St. Louis NHL 25 12 8 4 1352
2 572 53 2.35 .907
Worcester AHL 2 0 1 1
125 0 125 8 3.84 .881
2001-02 St. Louis NHL 58 34 20 4 3491
5 1293 127 2.18 .902
2000-01 St. Louis NHL 31 19 9 2 1744
4 676 63 2.16 .900
1999-00 Worcester AHL 58 24 27 5 3319
3 1815 161 2.91 .910
1998-99 St. Louis NHL 6 3 2 0 286
0 127 10 2.09 .920
Worcester AHL 49 22 22 4
2925 2 1402 146 2.99 .890
TOTAL NHL 120 68 39 10
6873 11 2668 253 2.20 .905
Flexibility: ****: He has to be–he’s playing butterfly
Crankiness: *: He’s been pretty quiet-even going back to his OHL days
Maintenance: ** 1/2: Long term high ankle sprain causes worries
about whether he’s going to be fragile. On the other hand, I’d rather
have his ankle than his head needing tending.
Against the Sharks:
2002-2003
GP W L T GAA SV%
1 1 0 0 1.00
2001-2002
GP W L T GAA
4 3 1 0 1.75
2000-2001
GP W L T GAA
1 1 0 0 1.00
What you might not know: Bob Johnson, Brent’s father, played 12 games
for St Louis in the 72-73 season. He ended the season 12-6-5, with a
2.52 GAA.
Johnson sprained his ankle back in September in training camp and
opened the season on the IR. He returned in December, and has since
carried his weight with the Blues, playing better than league average
in all areas. The length of time he spent out, and the location of
the sprain does raise questions about how effective Johnson will be
later in the season, when all the little dings and nicks start to
wear.
The plan in St Louis was to bring in Johnson and have a veteran
around to help Johnson along. So far, he’s shown he really didn’t
need an NHL mentor. Johnson, even though he ran into a few bumps
during his sophomore season, ended with a 2.18 GAA, which is
impressive by any number of standards.
Johnson’s one of the taller goalies in the NHL, and plays to his
height and size. He’s playing a modified butterfly these days, which
helps to take advantage of his height. He takes up a lot of area in
front of the goal, which forces shooters to come in close to make a
play. It looks like he’s being broken of his habit of taking a
stroll behind the goal, which lead to pucks being stolen and shot in
the goal around him. He’s also learned that to get the puck out of
the crease, *get the puck out the crease*–they don’t award style
points for puck-handling. Johnson would try one too many moves, and
once again, the puck would be stolen and shot past him.
Given Johnson’s modified butterfly style, and suspect ankle, his
five-hole may not close as quickly as it could. As he still likes to
puck-handle a lot, he doesn’t tend to get his stick side up as often
as he should–he can be beat with a high shot on the stick side. If
he takes off for a tour behind the net, the puck can be stolen and
shot in before he can react.
–
lsefton@plaidworks.com
“All the best defencemen have goalie eyes.”
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