Leclaire

[Mel]

Leclaire is the best goal tender in the league right now!

All he needs now is a better haircut. :nod:

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/nhl/profiles/players/65x90/2844.jpg

[KB in Kelowna]

Leclaire is the best goal tender in the league right now!

All he needs now is a better haircut. :nod:

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/nhl/profiles/players/65x90/2844.jpg
I would give credit to Ken Hitchcock's system and Ace Ventura's hairstylist.:laughing:

[AtLossForWords]

Another shutout for this guy tonight...

Hitchcock might have something to do with it. When you put in a defensive system favorable to goaltender, he tends to excel. However Hitchcock definately didn't turn nothing goaltenders into something. For example, he never made a good goaltender in Philly through his system.

I think it's really just Leclaire developing. This is a guy who was a first round draft pick and is proving why now.

[Mel]

However Hitchcock definately didn't turn nothing goaltenders into something. For example, he never made a good goaltender in Philly through his system.

Esche? Chechmanek?

[AtLossForWords]

Esche? Chechmanek?

Thanks for proving my point.

[Mel]

Thanks for proving my point.

hmm maybe I misunderstood what you were saying.


Wouldn't you agree that those guys benefitted by playing under Hitchcock? By benefitted I mean put up better numbers than they should have.

The Hitchcock system made them better goaltenders stat-wise. But where are they now?

I think Leclaire is better than either of them dont' get me wrong, but I also think he's going to reap the same benefit they did as long as Hitchcock is the coach.

[charlio lemieux]

Ya Chechmanek had numbers comprible to Hasek's for a season or two under Hitch.

[AtLossForWords]

hmm maybe I misunderstood what you were saying.


Wouldn't you agree that those guys benefitted by playing under Hitchcock? By benefitted I mean put up better numbers than they should have.

The Hitchcock system made them better goaltenders stat-wise. But where are they now?

I think Leclaire is better than either of them dont' get me wrong, but I also think he's going to reap the same benefit they did as long as Hitchcock is the coach.

What I said was goaltenders in Hitchcock's defensive system should excel, but he can't turn a nothing goaltender into something.

Cechmanek and Esche are good examples of this.

Cechmanek was a reasonably talented goaltender who may be guilty of a little number inflation, but still had the ability to be a good solid goaltender behind a good team. Cechmanek was a guy who could've excelled even on a Vancouver team in 02-03 playing a good offensive system, and was somewhat disinterested defensively.

Esche however I believe is a goaltender that Hitchcock couldn't make. Esche had some talent coming into the league and made some flashy saves here and there, but he didn't have the right head for the game. Even during Hitchcock's time in Philadelphia, I remember Philly needing a goaltender after Esche was believed to be the number one guy.

[TimmyTabasco]

Yeah, he's playing well

Its about time, since he has had a lot of potential

What about Norrena? This guy is a decent goalie..I bet TB is kicking themselves over that trade

[wildboy26]

He leads the league in shutouts with 7. Norrena is also a great goalie. They are one of the best goaltender tandems in the league, if not the best tandem.