Who will next year's goalie be ?

LAKingSteve said:
I don't believe for a second that they played him just to find out. They played him because they thought he was the guy that would help them win...you clearly play what you think is your best goalie.
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I know this is pointless and beaten to the ground dead horse style, but why bring in a ringer with.. whatever playoff experience (offloading uhh, Jon Quick in the meanwhile, who has some, if that's all that matters) to replace a guy who many firmly believe "saved" the season, bypassing JQ to 20 wins, having the best wins record I think since his coming up, etc. I just will.. never understand the choice to 1) bring Korpi in, or 2) even worse, start him over Copley. I just lost all graces with, and deleted TMac and Rob Block from my contacts after those decisions, esp #2. I would have loved to see Copley start the series, or for F's sake, at least a game (Not game 6; game 5 would have made me happy). At this point the Coach just looks like a bigger loser than our D, but that's just my salty goalie-fan opinion. Copley was bananas that year and should have been rewarded. Korpi will walk. Copley may have gotten slaughtered as well behind our pitiful PK, so perhaps it's unfair, but he should have gotten a start, or THE start, but we'll never know. Maybe Copley plays the same next year and he earns a playoff berth, who knows. I don't even know who our goalie's gonna be!
 
LAKingSteve said:
"As for playing Korpi in the playoffs. I think it also had to do with figuring out what kind of a player he was. They needed those 6 games to determine what to do this year"
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Not sure what you are reading. You even quoted this "I think it also had". I used the word "also", not "just". I think a fair amount of thought went into choosing what to do in goal. I was just speculating that this may have played a part in the decision. I did not say that the it was the only reason for playing him. If you do not think this played any part in the decision that is great. I cannot and will not argue with that.
 
Kings leadership determined that Korpi gave the Kings the best chance to win, and given Korpi's NHL playoff history along with Copely's lack of any NHL playoff history, it is hard to argue that they made the wrong assumption in that regard.

Additionally, Korpi did outplay Copely during the regular season while with the Kings.

The decision to stick with Korpi once he started to struggle, however, is an interesting one.
 
Outplay Copley during the regular season? If you're just looking at stats (I'm not) then.. maybe? I think you'd have to look at a lot other than that - without Copley Kings don't even come closer to trying to trade for Korpi because we'd be near bottom of the league. But with the way Cal and JQ were playing maybe any competent goalie comes in and tightens things up.. but I thought, and it's just reality, that Copley had a hell of a year with the Kings, and the bad D. I'm a "heart" kind of guy, I think Copley may have just had his heart in it a bit more, and had the familiarity with the team - I'd have gone with him in the playoffs, and if not absolutely started him game 5. I'm sure Korpi gave it his all, but uhh, yeah whatever it don't matter. I'm curious who our damn goalie gonna be? :)
 
KOPI! PEVS! said:
Outplay Copley during the regular season? If you're just looking at stats (I'm not) then.. maybe? I think you'd have to look at a lot other than that - without Copley Kings don't even come closer to trying to trade for Korpi because we'd be near bottom of the league. But with the way Cal and JQ were playing maybe any competent goalie comes in and tightens things up.. but I thought, and it's just reality, that Copley had a hell of a year with the Kings, and the bad D. I'm a "heart" kind of guy, I think Copley may have just had his heart in it a bit more, and had the familiarity with the team - I'd have gone with him in the playoffs, and if not absolutely started him game 5. I'm sure Korpi gave it his all, but uhh, yeah whatever it don't matter. I'm curious who our damn goalie gonna be? :)
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Yep, coming from a stats perspetive Korpi outplayed Copley. That said, I think Copley was a stabilizing force for sure, and I agree with you when it comes to heart. Also can't discount the fact that Copley had a heck of a season when it comes to win/loss ratio. I do, however, think had we pulled in Korpi at the point in the season when we brought up Copley, we'd have been in as good or better of a position, in terms of standing, at the end of the regular season.

I don't think Copley is a goalie who will steal games, but I also don't think he is a goalie that will give games away so perhaps that is exactly what the Kings need going forward. Perhaps he's a bit like a Chris Osgood, and we know how well that turned out for Detroit. I'd be good with testing him as the starter and then making an adjustment if needed, but it's hard to think that if a player like Hellebuyck becomes available the Kings don't do all they can to bring him over (without significantly overpaying to do so).
 
All I know it if Copley plays the same way.. hopefully better stats with better D - and same win %, they best not pull him for the playoffs for another ringer.
 
Didn’t realize the new goalie coach came from PITT but if that really does make LA appealing for Jarry then I’m all for it. Seems as good as any other option all considerations balanced out. (Cost for Helleybuyck now and moving forward; quality and age of other FAs like Anderson, etc.)
 
Can you imagine what a great defense can do for a goalie's confidence.
 
Ice24 said:
I really don’t believe it matters. With this team as it is right now, no goaltender is going to win a series against a team like Edmonton without players that can grind and yet have some skill. Just my thoughts as the resident expert.
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Bertuzi is available
 
Why do so many people hate Copley? He did a great job,just make sure the other goalie is decent too.
 
kingrussell said:
Why do so many people hate Copley? He did a great job,just make sure the other goalie is decent too.
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I don't think many *hate* Copley, he did save the Kings' season after all. I think most fans really like him for that.

But we - I'll call us realists - don't think he's the next coming of Hasek. The only reason the Kings made the playoffs with him in net was their (very much) elevated offense coupled with his decent performances. Yes, he was definitely a positive influence on team defense, but his .903 sv.% is absolutely nothing spectacular and if we're being realistic, he's only achieved his cult status with some because of Quick and Cal's absolutely terrible, almost Cloutier-level performances with the Kings which made Copley *look like* the next coming of Hasek.

That being said, I think there is some rationale behind "don't invest too much into goalies", at least if cap space is a problem. They're simply not to be relied upon too much with a few (prohibitively expensive to acquire and pay them) exceptions.

The Kings need to stop dreaming of Quick's past performances in playoffs - they were God-like and are a thing of the past. Spending gazillion of dollars betting on a goalie to bring similar level of PO game...I don't know, I'm not convinced about it. I think Copley paired with someone that performs the best during training camp could be enough of a plan for next season - if we end up with two goalies capable of consistent ~.910 performance now that another elite two-way center was added and a full season of Gavrikov - and then worry about more serious upgrade after Kopitar's contract is up. Note that Hellebuyck will be a UFA after next season, too, though as I said earlier in this paragraph - there's no guarantee that an 8 million goalie will "bring it". This year his playoff performance was on Korpisalo level, for example.
 
I think Copley was awesome and taking the oppurtunity (underdog kinda thing?) and running with it, but the Kings management clearly doesn't.

Bollocks said:
Korpisalo level, for example.
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ouch
 
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I think it's pertinent to remember that, despite his season saving play last season, Pheonix is an average, career AHL/ECHL goalie who has only had a minute sniff of the NHL over his entire career.
 
This is likely a stretch and would take too many assets, but since Blake likely has to trade Arvi anyway for a goalie wonder if a deal for Saros could be reasonable? Reunite Arvi with the team that had to give him up due to the expansion draft?
 
It's going to be Copley (who was 24-6) and someone else TBD. Don't expect a big name this season. Next year, probably give the cap increase and reduction in payroll due to Kopi likely taking a cheaper deal.
 
From Dennis Bernstein:
Some LAK intel: With PLD deal behind them, turning focus to acquiring a 2nd goaltender with NHL experience. Don't expect big ticket move by GM Rob Blake - looking at $1-1.5M price tag to pair with Pheonix Copley. A couple of names will surface by the time we leave Nashville.
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Bollocks said:
I don't think many *hate* Copley, he did save the Kings' season after all. I think most fans really like him for that.

But we - I'll call us realists - don't think he's the next coming of Hasek. The only reason the Kings made the playoffs with him in net was their (very much) elevated offense coupled with his decent performances. Yes, he was definitely a positive influence on team defense, but his .903 sv.% is absolutely nothing spectacular and if we're being realistic, he's only achieved his cult status with some because of Quick and Cal's absolutely terrible, almost Cloutier-level performances with the Kings which made Copley *look like* the next coming of Hasek.

That being said, I think there is some rationale behind "don't invest too much into goalies", at least if cap space is a problem. They're simply not to be relied upon too much with a few (prohibitively expensive to acquire and pay them) exceptions.

The Kings need to stop dreaming of Quick's past performances in playoffs - they were God-like and are a thing of the past. Spending gazillion of dollars betting on a goalie to bring similar level of PO game...I don't know, I'm not convinced about it. I think Copley paired with someone that performs the best during training camp could be enough of a plan for next season - if we end up with two goalies capable of consistent ~.910 performance now that another elite two-way center was added and a full season of Gavrikov - and then worry about more serious upgrade after Kopitar's contract is up. Note that Hellebuyck will be a UFA after next season, too, though as I said earlier in this paragraph - there's no guarantee that an 8 million goalie will "bring it". This year his playoff performance was on Korpisalo level, for example.
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Never said he was next coming of Hasek nor do i think he is,I just don't think he gets enough credit for how well he played
 
Clif said:
This is likely a stretch and would take too many assets, but since Blake likely has to trade Arvi anyway for a goalie wonder if a deal for Saros could be reasonable? Reunite Arvi with the team that had to give him up due to the expansion draft?
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Should we not be asking for Kopi and Doughty to participate in this drive to secure a goaltender and help us to the promise land? Lets be real, Doughty is no where near an 11 million dollar a year player anymore, Kopi on the other hand at 10 mill is much closer, but we could make that up in his next extension, when the Cap grows. I would believe he has a least 2 years left in the tank. When I see what the devils paid out for Meier, we got a bargain with Dubois. We cannot go into the season with any of the free agents on the board if we plan to make a move up this year. Yes Copley did save last season, but we have to be real and at best he is a decent backup at this stage of his career. A Connor Hallebuyck (30) and Carter Hart (24) has got to be what Blake must look at. If we are talking future, Hart is the obvious choice being just 24 years old and the younger of the 2.

We did not do well in the draft as far as goaltending goes, I understand the top 2 were gone at 54, but maybe a move up was a possibility or not giving away that Montreal pick and including ours instead. Not bashing the Dvorak move, but goal should have been a priority. Maybe there is a young goaltender that still has not met expectations out there in the AHL, that we can take a chance on.

Still time to do things out there, obviously a very very hard task with the cap where it is at. Let's get something done..........
 
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