NYIntensity wrote:
Discuss it, please. Post a convincing argument that a world class goalie gives you a better chance at winning the cup, please.
It gives you a better chance of making the playoffs, IMO, and that's about it.
It seems to me that a lot of people are downplaying the importance of great goaltending in the playoffs because over the past few years, Cup winning goalies haven't been exactly world class goalies. But there is no set way to win a Cup. All because Chicago won a Cup with Niemi in net doesn't mean we (or other teams) can follow the same exact formula to equal success. You work with what you have. A lot of fans suggest that we could trade Miller and get something exponential in return, but I can't recall the last time that happened. Especially involving a goalie. You aren't going to trade Miller and get an Ovechkin, Kane, Crosby, or a Sedin-esq player. It just doesn't happen. And why not? Because those teams aren't going to trade away their best players. They realize what they have and they are going to build around those players.
And in our situation, we have one of the best goalies in the league so we are going to build around him. Having a goalie like Ryan Miller only improves this team's chance at winning a Cup, it doesn't hinder it. I don't think I need to go into great detail as to why that is, we have all seen him play.
And you said that you think all having a goalie like Miller does is give the team a better chance at making the playoffs and "that's about it." I'm not sure I'm following, because getting to the playoffs is half the battle. After that, anything can happen. We've all seen it. And it's not like once Miller gets us to the playoffs that his play is no longer effective.
I understand the notion that people think it's more important to have more offensively gifted guys instead of a great goalie, and while I can agree with that to an extent, I also disagree. I think people are underestimating the importance of great goaltending and solid defense. And I also don't believe we would ever be able to acquire the proper components in a trade involving Miller that would compensate his absence. Trading him just doesn't make any sense. And it's never going to happen, unless Miller wants out.
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