What’s been lost in the great start that Marc-Andre Fleury is having is the fact that the Penguins don’t have a reliable backup. And what happens if for whatever reason, Fleury goes down for any amount of time due to an injury? Does anyone in Pittsburgh want to see Jeff Zatkoff skating (or trying to) out to the cage every game?
Sure, it’s a small sample size, but so far Zatkoff has a lofty goals against of 5.06, and a meager save percentage of .818. Sure, you could trot Zatkoff out there against the dregs of the league like Florida, oh wait, scratch that. He did play ok vs. the Islanders last Friday night, but it seems like he rarely makes a clean save, each one shows and gives fans a dose of anxiety. From juggling the puck in his glove, to having to jump on top of the puck, Zatkoff’s form screams career minor leaguer, see Thiessen, Brad.
So since pseudo backup, but playoff starter Tomas Vokoun is out 3-6 months with a blood clot issue, it’s safe the say the Pens should be kicking the tires on a reliable backup goalie, especially with the issues Fleury has had in the playoffs the past few years. Plus, even if Vokoun is to return this year after missing that kind of time, how long will it take him to get back to mid-season form, or will he period? That’s a lot to ask of a 37 year old goaltender coming back from a major health concern.
I know it’s fun to play fantasy GM, but in all seriousness, if I were Ray Shero, I would kick the tires on Ryan Miller. And if Fleury continues to have a great regular season, great, but imagine having Miller to fall back on in the playoffs if Vokoun isn’t ready. If it takes a first rounder, and maybe a prospect like Simon Despres, who for whatever reason can’t consistently crack this lineup, I say do it, and throw in Vokoun as an added bonus. The Pens are d-man heavy and haven’t hit on a first round draft pick since ’05. Olli Maatta is arguably making a case against the validity of that statement, but the jury is still out. Miller’s numbers aren’t what they used to be, but look at the crap teams Buffalo has been putting in front of him the last couple years. Sometimes a change of scenery does wonders. And if Fleury isn’t brought back after this year, you now have your next goaltender for the next few years, granted Miller resigns, and why wouldn’t he? This team loves throwing money at people.
The Penguins shouldn’t play russian roulette with a season that’s going pretty well so far by only having one goaltender they can count on, especially when you don’t know what Fleury will show up in the postseason. If the Pens want to make a deep run in the playoffs, while the Stanley Cup potential window of opportunity is still half open, they need to address the goalie situation. They wont’ be lucky enough to run into less talented teams they can beat up like Ottawa and New York (Isles) every year in the first couple rounds of the playoffs. And besides, this teams expectations are championship or bust.
