Straw poll: Alex Auld

by **Jyrki21** on Mon May 30, 2005 2:33 pm

I'm having an argument on Offthepost.net about Alex Auld. I'm one of his biggest fans, but a guy on the board (he's one of those Vancouverites who hates the home team, an occurrence far more common in Vancouver than any other Canadian city, unfortunately) has insisted for two years now both that Auld will amount to nothing, and that the Canucks gave up too much to get him.

I keep reminding him that a 2nd and 3rd rounder is by no means a king's ransom in the NHL, and that Auld has consistently played well throughout his young career, particularly in the NHL. He keeps insisting that the draft picks were too heavy a price to pay for a "backup." (He apparently thinks that Alex should be winning Vezina trophies in his early to mid 20s, and also apparently doesn't realize that the Canucks did not acquire him to be a long-term backup).

In my mind, particularly given Auld's progress/potential, the trade is a no-brainer. The draft picks turned out to be two guys called Tuomas Pihlman and John Adams, which only reinforces how good the trade was, in my mind.

So let me ask people who don't spend all day trying to annoy Canuck fans, but actually have a vested interest in the team's fortunes. Is there any possible argument that Auld could have been a bad acquisition?

Here's the argument: http://offthepost.net/viewtopic.php?t=8011&start=52

by **rikster** on Mon May 30, 2005 3:50 pm

Hey Jyrke21.......

I voted in favor of the trade, but must admit that I'm not sold on Auld yet......

I'm not sure he is quick enough , he seems to take a long time to recover and gets tangled up with his feet....

Having said that, I did see an improvement in that area in a game I watched this year...

I think it will be an interesting year for goalies what with the equipment size reductions, all bets should be off on guys like JS Giguere and others who play with monster sized equipment......

Did you notice the Quebec goalie in the Memorial Cup?.....Looked like he had a 2 X 4 across his shoulders .......

Take care.....

by **jchockey** on Mon May 30, 2005 4:35 pm

i voted 'i suppose,' but only because like rikster i'm not sold on alex auld yet.

but i do remember another good young nhl goalie who had poor numbers in the minor leagues. i can't remember his name though.

by **yammi** on Mon May 30, 2005 11:11 pm

Auld has done OK so far, but sometimes I wonder how he does it because he seems to take longer than most guys to recover and to get back on his feet after he goes down on a shot.

Also, if Auld is projected to be such a hot goalie, then why did the minor league journeyman Flaherty have a significantly better GAA and SV% for the Moose than Auld?

I worry that sometimes the Canucks are seduced by and put too much emphasis on goalie height ... Irbe was a great little goalie for several years for Carolina after he was tossed overboard here for being short.

by **Cookie La Rue** on Mon May 30, 2005 11:52 pm

I think it's pretty easy thinking but if Pihlman and Adams don't turn out to be real NHL players and Auld not either it was a meaningless trade anyways.
We will get to know this in a few years but right now i would do the trade again just because the Canucks have to do something for the position in goal.

by **the Cunning Linguist** on Tue May 31, 2005 8:25 am

How many NHL games has Alex Auld played in? Let this answer = A

How many NHL games have the other two guys played in? Let this answer = B

If A > B, then it's a no-brainer...

If B < = 0, then A >> B, and Razz has succeeded in baiting you once again and you should probably just ignore him. Life is just better that way. I prefer to get him onto partypoker.com and take his e-money away... he's too cheap (and so am I) to play for real money...

by **Mozy** on Tue May 31, 2005 8:44 am

im not sold on auld either but you have to admit when he stepped in for clouts in the first round against calgary he carried us through the triple OT and through to game 7...if it wasnt for that stupid penalty we could have had a chance in that final OT so he cant be all that bad

by **Madcombinepilot** on Tue May 31, 2005 11:35 am

While Aulds recovery time may be suspect, everyone should remember that it takes longer for goalies to develop than skaters. heck, look at Mattola.......

I am with rikster on this though, with the changes in goalie equipment, it will change the playing field for who are the top goalies in the league....

by **Jovorock** on Wed Jun 01, 2005 4:45 am

I haven't a clue who who Philman and Adams are, but who does the Canucks have for a backup after Clouts? Flaterty is a proven AHL'er but not proven for the big show.

by **Mozy** on Wed Jun 01, 2005 7:20 am

with the changes in goalie equipment, it will change the playing field for who are the top goalies in the league....

i dont think that will be the case...i think the the goalies that are good will continue to be good for the simple reason that its not all about the size of equipment...i mean are you suggesting that marty wouldnt be number one anymore because someone cut down the size of his pads...maybe dipietro will be more crappier than he already is because his pads are already huge and to cut them down would bring him to tears but i think that you will only see a fluctuation in goalie goodness among the bottome string goalies

by **mattola** on Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:34 pm

feritflame wrote:
with the changes in goalie equipment, it will change the playing field for who are the top goalies in the league....

i dont think that will be the case...i think the the goalies that are good will continue to be good for the simple reason that its not all about the size of equipment...i mean are you suggesting that marty wouldnt be number one anymore because someone cut down the size of his pads...maybe dipietro will be more crappier than he already is because his pads are already huge and to cut them down would bring him to tears but i think that you will only see a fluctuation in goalie goodness among the bottome string goalies

marty has the smallest pads in the league. its guys like Gigurere, Auld, and Snow that will be affected greatly

by **Madcombinepilot** on Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:57 pm

i mean are you suggesting that marty wouldnt be number one anymore because someone cut down the size of his pads

Not by any means was I suggesting that Mr. Small Pads would no longer be one of the best (arguably THE best).

I am saying that who the best are will probably change, because some of the goalies are not masters of 'skill in goaltending', but are masters of a different craft, that of 'angle and pad size'.....

both crafts are used to stop pucks... Its just that for a while one craft overshadowed the other. I guess when we compare Giggy and Garth's number after nex tseason, then we will know for sure.

by **mattola** on Wed Jun 01, 2005 4:00 pm

Madcombinepilot wrote: I am saying that who the best are will probably change, because some of the goalies are not masters of 'skill in goaltending', but are masters of a different craft, that of 'angle and pad size'.....

I happen to be the master of covering ALL the net by sheer girth.....

Madcombinepilot wrote:
Not by any means was I suggesting that Mr. Small Pads would no longer be one of the best (arguably THE best

he is THE BEST imo

by **Mozy** on Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:38 pm

he is THE BEST imo

He is i was just suggesting that there actually isnt going to be a lot of change in the rank of goalies because the crap ones have big pads and will become crappier and the good ones have small pads and things wont change for them

by **Cookie La Rue** on Thu Jun 02, 2005 1:10 am

Couldn't it be that the pad size of each goalie is also depending on the length of his shinbone, so larger goalies will automatically wear bigger pads.
I doubt that it'll change much in terms of the quality of a goalie.