Cloutier having surgery; out four months

[Madferret]

Cloutier having surgery; out four months
TSN.ca Staff

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Dan Cloutier will undergo knee surgery to repair a damaged Anterior Cruciate Ligament, the team announced Tuesday.

Cloutier injured his knee in the first period of the Canucks game at Anaheim on Sunday, November 20th.

Cloutier will have the procedure done on Thursday, December 15th and is expected to be out of the Canucks lineup for up to four months.

Alexander Auld has been starting in Cloutier's absence and has a 10-6-1 record with a 2.61 goals against average and .907 save percentage.

The Canucks did get some good news on the injury front in that winger Matt Cooke will make his return tonight, his first game back after missing 17 with a broken jaw. Captain Markus Naslund will also play, despite being hampered by a nagging groin injury.

Do you run with Auld or is it trade time Canuck fans?

[TimmyTabasco]

Auld is alright as backup..but then who else do we have?

Time for a trade

[Iced Tea]

Maxime Ouellet has been called up but the Sportsnet suits are talking about Canucks having to make a trade.

Who to trade for a goalie though? A spare Buffalo goalie has been mentioned but he isn't worth giving up Jovo for. Do the Canucks pull the big trade with Florida?

[TimmyTabasco]

Maxime Ouellet has been called up but the Sportsnet suits are talking about Canucks having to make a trade.

Who to trade for a goalie though? A spare Buffalo goalie has been mentioned but he isn't worth giving up Jovo for. Do the Canucks pull the big trade with Florida?

Noronen could be a choice

-Prusek on waivers?
-Lalime on waivers?

If the Canucks want to go with a tandem, they have to get someone better than Ouellet

[Madferret]

Oh Lord stay away from Lalime. You're better with a piece of swiss cheese in nets..

[Iced Tea]

Noronen could be a choice

-Prusek on waivers?
-Lalime on waivers?

If the Canucks want to go with a tandem, they have to get someone better than OuelletFrom Sportsnet, "A native of Beauport, Que., Ouellet has appeared in eight career NHL games with Washington and Philadelphia.". Why doesn't the Canucks just call up McVicar; he's got nearly the same experience. :rolleyes:

I'd pick Prusek over Lalime, just my opinion, no searching for career stats.

Noronen this season:
GP W L OT PIM SA GA GAA Sv Sv%
2005 - 2006 4 1 2 0 2 77 12 4.26 65 .844
5 season w/Sabres 67 22 31 6 153 2.64

[slapshot™]

Regardless of who the Canuck organization get...it's going to have to be another backup and not a number one netminder. At some point Cloutier will return from surgery and he is THE man for the Canucks (signed a big juicy contract at the start of the season - didn't he?). So, whoever they get as a stop-gap measure is going to have to play second fiddle when he returns.

Or, whoever they get is going to have to battle Auld for backup for when Danny-boy returns (or you get a 3-way battle for netminding duties as the Oil are going through right now).

Yes, no?

[TimmyTabasco]

I'd pick Prusek over Lalime, just my opinion, no searching for career stats.


Oh yeah, as would I :D

Prusek is a capable backup/tandem netminder. He was playing well earlier in the season.

Noronen is also cheap. He hasn't played all that well, but I think could do well with a change in scenery. Plus isn't Miller back now?

[Iced Tea]

Regardless of who the Canuck organization get...it's going to have to be another backup and not a number one netminder. At some point Cloutier will return from surgery and he is THE man for the Canucks (signed a big juicy contract at the start of the season - didn't he?). So, whoever they get as a stop-gap measure is going to have to play second fiddle when he returns.

Or, whoever they get is going to have to battle Auld for backup for when Danny-boy returns (or you get a 3-way battle for netminding duties as the Oil are going through right now).

Yes, no?Good point but maybe the Canucks can find someone to take Cloutier off the Canucks next season. I can hope, can't I?

At least with Cloutier gone, that frees up cap room. $2.45 million per year for Cloutier. So $2.45 million/82 games means $29,878.05 per game. 29 games played so 53 left. 53 times $29,878.05 = $1,583,536.59 of freed up salary.

I figure the Canucks will see how the rest of December goes and maybe part of January, and then if Auld can't do the job, Nonis will do what has to be done. Maybe trade Cloutier to the Blues because Cloutier laid up in a hospital bed can still play better than the current Blues' goalies. :D

[Yoata]

This is excellent news for Nuckle fans.

[TimmyTabasco]

This is excellent news for Nuckle fans.

Speak for yourself

This really messes up what the Canucks can, and cannot do under the cap

Now they can't trade Cloutier until he is healthy, which will be spring.

And, if they do get a replacement..Cloutier will still be there waiting to get right back in..

So I don't see why this is such excellent news

[TimmyTabasco]

This is excellent news for Nuckle fans.

Speak for yourself

This really messes up what the Canucks can, and cannot do under the cap

Now they can't trade Cloutier until he is healthy, which will be spring.

And, if they do get a replacement..Cloutier will still be there waiting to get right back in..

So I don't see why this is such excellent news

[Yoata]

Speak for yourself

This really messes up what the Canucks can, and cannot do under the cap

Now they can't trade Cloutier until he is healthy, which will be spring.

And, if they do get a replacement..Cloutier will still be there waiting to get right back in..

So I don't see why this is such excellent news

Obviously because it means the proven playoff choker is out of the lineup, hopefully for good.

If he's out for 4 months, he's done for the season, that means they can replace him, and at worst they might have to waive him and whatever's left on his salary late in the year.

That = great news for Nuckle fans.

[KB in Kelowna]

There is now cap room to manoever with. However there is till the question of what to do with Dan and his second year of his deal come spring time.

[TimmyTabasco]

Obviously because it means the proven playoff choker is out of the lineup, hopefully for good.

If he's out for 4 months, he's done for the season, that means they can replace him, and at worst they might have to waive him and whatever's left on his salary late in the year.

That = great news for Nuckle fans.

Thanks for explaining that, and apologies for jumping the gun :D

So do you think Nonis will bring someone else in, to tandem with Auld?

[Yoata]

Thanks for explaining that, and apologies for jumping the gun :D

So do you think Nonis will bring someone else in, to tandem with Auld?

No worries.

I think, despite what he says publicly, that he's looking hard for a #1 goaltender, but I do think he'll be patient about it and give Auld a chance to shine. If he's smart he won't rest the Canucks' playoff chances on the kid, especially if he falters down the sretch, he should know the expectations are high.

[Yoata]

I wonder what it would take to pry Fernandez or Roloson out of Minny, preferrably Fernandez, I think he's a highly underrated netminder.

[PDO]

I wonder what it would take to pry Fernandez or Roloson out of Minny, preferrably Fernandez, I think he's a highly underrated netminder.

Two most under-rated Tenders in the league.

Fernandez is a UFA and may be available to several teams near the deadline. Even then, I'm not sure if Minnesota would deal to a divisional team.

[TimmyTabasco]

Two most under-rated Tenders in the league.

Fernandez is a UFA and may be available to several teams near the deadline. Even then, I'm not sure if Minnesota would deal to a divisional team.

Isn't Roloson a UFA too?

Fernandez would be the better choice of the two. He is younger.

But yeah, not sure if they would deal to the Canucks. Unless ofcourse they were totally out of the running

[Yoata]

http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/12/247788.html

On Tuesday, backup Chris Mason pulled a groin in the pre-game warm-up and No. 3 Brian Finley went in the net with defenceman Jamie Allison dressed as the backup goalie. :eek:

[TimmyTabasco]

http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/12/247788.html

On Tuesday, backup Chris Mason pulled a groin in the pre-game warm-up and No. 3 Brian Finley went in the net with defenceman Jamie Allison dressed as the backup goalie. :eek:

Yeah, the preds are in some trouble with the netminders.

Vokoun won't be out long, but you'd think they may also want to look for some depth :D

[Iced Tea]

Who you callin' injury-prone?
Dan Cloutier's agent takes exception to perception of his client, blames new rules

Ben Kuzma, The Province
Published: Thursday, December 15, 2005

The agent for Dan Cloutier believes the manner in which his client suffered a season-ending injury needs addressing, not the notion that the Vancouver Canucks goaltender is injury-prone.

According to the Canucks, Cloutier sustained a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Nov. 20 when bowled over by Anaheim centre Rob Niedermayer. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed that Cloutier requires surgery, which will be performed today. He'll be sidelined four months.

"This thing keeps coming up that Danny is injury-prone," agent Roland Thompson said Wednesday. "How can you be if you're just one of two goalies to have three straight 30-win seasons?

"If you look at the number of games that Danny has played and the number of injuries in the league -- he's the 17th goalie to go down this year -- does that mean he's injury-prone?

"It means somebody [Niedermayer] fell on him in front of the net. That's the issue that should be addressed."

Thompson believes a crackdown on obstruction has backfired because forwards now boldly storm the crease knowing defenders can't hold them up. The end result is mounting goalie injuries.

"You either make the crease way bigger or you have another semi-circle and inside that circle it's the old rules," Thompson said of allowing defencemen to play opponents physically.

"Guys are getting clobbered. I was at the Detroit game on Monday night and at both ends of the ice guys were driving the net and goalies were flying."

Cloutier had two weeks of pain-free rehab sessions off the ice, but it was a different story when he skated Sunday.

"That's when a light went on and it was: 'Wow, I still can't do anything, '" added Thompson. "He's down. But to rehab it and come back now -- knowing he's not going to be the same -- the heat from the press is going to be all over the place and that can destroy him, too.

"At least he can start next season 100 per cent."

Cloutier was 8-3-1 this season with a 3.17 goals-against average and .892 saves percentage. He's under contract for $2.5 million US next season which should make for an interesting offseason.

Canucks general manager Dave Nonis will take a wait-and-see approach to his goaltending needs. Alex Auld is shouldering the starter's role while Maxime Ouellet and Wade Flaherty -- who would need to clear waivers -- are best backup options within the system.

However, by the March trade deadline struggling teams will want to free up salary cap space. The Canucks are $2.3 million under the $39 million US cap and will need to add at least a proven backup because Auld will need relief. That scenario, or acquiring a starter, could make Cloutier trade bait.

"I said to Danny if for whatever reason over the summer it's not you, you're going to be No. 1 somewhere and away we go," said Thompson.

"It's part of the game, part of life and he understands that."

Injuries Season Games Missed
Concussion 2005-06 5

Hip flexor 2003-04 2

Groin strain 2003-04 3

ACL tear left knee 2005-06 59 *

MCL sprain right knee 2002-03 17

Left ankle sprain 2001-02 9

Right ankle tear 2003-04 4 **

* -- Season-ending knee injury Nov. 20, 2005

** -- Season-ending playoff injury April 11, 2004

Total games missed in four seasons: 99Link (http://www.canada.com/theprovince/story.html?id=d66824ce-777a-45fc-88f1-741a240f477a&k=88164)

I altered the injuries part to make it easier to read.