Heading into the season, goaltending expectations were nothing shy of the Calgary Tower. Jacob Markstrom came in second in Veznia Trophy voting, and Dan Vladar had established himself as a true backup. Things have not been playing out as expected, but that does not mean it is too late for the starter to get back on the horse. In fact, things may be finally turning the corner for Markstrom.
This is What We’ve All Been Waiting For
I would argue that Markstrom’s performance against the New York Rangers was one of his best. Sure, he let in a softy on that second Philip Chytil goal, but there was no defense helping him out in the neutral zone. You can blink at the wrong time, and it’s over.
There were flashes of last season in that performance. He handled the high traffic in front of his crease and has no issues tracking the puck. There were more technical and mechanical aspects of the game that couldn’t be measured, which was certainly better than previous performances as well.
If there is a time for Markstrom to turn the corner in his game, it’s now. The All-Star break marks the unofficial start of the second half of the season. He has had 34 games to settle into his crease. Maybe the slow start is his way of preserving the energy for the late spring run. There may be a method to this madness.
The Real-Life Effects
This is just me spitballing here. After all, I am no head coach.
Marky and his beautiful fiancee, Amanda, are welcoming their first child next month. First and foremost, congratulations. This is such an exciting time for the pair! We all know what they say about the transition into parenthood.
“You’re never more tired than you are when you become a parent.”
Something tells me the workload from last season would like to chat.
Markstrom is not one to step down and put anything ahead of his job. I don’t think he would allow himself to miss a start due to being tired or adjusting to life with a newborn. Would it make sense for him to remain the primary starter during the adjustment, or will you let him rest and give Vladar some games?
Sutter is known for riding his hot goaltender into the ground. I guess it all depends on who the hotter goaltender is.
Call it What You Want
People will always focus on the stats over performance, and that’s their jam. It works for some people, but there should also be a fair balance of the eye test.
There isn’t a reason to push a goaltender controversy narrative when neither goalie has given us a reason to believe there is one.
The Calgary Flames face off against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday at Little Caesars Arena at 7 p.m.
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