In hockey, there's just something about the goalie mask that lends itself to a very different personality than that of any other position on the ice.
Over the years, a slew of quirky athletes who would probably be out of place anywhere else in the sport have proven simply remarkable between the pipes. Names like Ron Hextall and Billy Smith come to mind when discussing the odd habits — and sometimes even odder personalities — of those who have flourished in the net. Whether these quirks are coping mechanisms for dealing with the job or simply the nature of the position, one thing is for certain: goalies are just different than other players in the NHL.
In comparison to other hockey stars, who are constantly rotating on and off the ice in 30 to 60-second shifts, the goaltender is responsible for manning his post from start to finish — assuming nothing goes terribly wrong. Unlike in baseball, there is no bullpen to come in and clean up his mess. More than anyone else on the ice, the goalie is a lone soldier, anchored as the last line of defense.
The psychological pressure that accompanies the position wears greatly on goalies over the course of a long season. This hardship combined with the physical demands of defending the twine means that the bulk of goaltenders will only start 50 to 60 of the 82 games in a season.
This trend makes a netminder like the New Jersey Devils' Martin Brodeur an invaluable asset. The all-time leader in career wins, Brodeur played in 70 or more games in every season since 1997 until the first major injury of his 15-year career caused him to miss the bulk of last year's season. Brodeur annually ranks among the top of the list in games played, and he is now fewer than 20 games away from surpassing Patrick Roy for the most overall.
Brodeur, though, is the exception to the rule. Many clubs choose to platoon two men in the net, either because neither is obviously better than the other or simply to keep both goaltenders fresh for the stretch run and the playoffs. Both situations can be nerve-wracking for a goalie since he doesn't know exactly when his next start is going to come.
So, when the rare opportunity arises for the Devils' backup goalkeepers to vacate their spots on the bench, it isn't always easy for them to be sharp. When New Jersey squared off against the Boston Bruins last Thursday, it was announced that Yann Danis would be making his first start since last April as a member of the New York Islanders, and his first ever as a Devil.
Danis proved more than up to the task, racking up 31 saves as the Devils topped the Bruins 2-1.
"I was waiting for this one for a while," Danis said in an interview with the Daily. "You know, you think about it and it's definitely good to get the first one out of the way. The only way to stay sharp is to work hard in practice and try to approach practices the same as games. You want to make sure you keep that edge so when I do get the start that I'm ready."
Danis' first start of the year served as a perfect contrast to the goaltending situation in Boston, where Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask have split the time on the ice a little more evenly. Whereas Brodeur had played in every game for the Devils up to Thursday night's showdown at the TD Garden, it was just Thomas' eighth of the season. On Saturday, Rask was back in the net to face the Edmonton Oilers, pitching a shutout as the Bruins collected their sixth win of the season 2-0.
"I think that he has played well, especially after that game in Philadelphia," Bruins coach Claude Julien said in a press conference after the win over Edmonton. "He deserved another start. It was a good chance to do that today. We are in New York tomorrow. With having back-to-back games there was an opportunity to give Tuukka a start.
"We feel confident with him in net," he continued. "He has matured so much in the three years that I have seen him here. He is committed to doing the job well."
Thomas was back in the net on Sunday, when the Bruins fell 1-0 to the New York Rangers. With a 22-save effort, though, Thomas definitely looked sharp, proving that Julien's strategy of using both of his goaltenders regularly is, at least for the time being, paying off. After a slow start to the season for Thomas, Rask and the entire Bruins squad, Boston's goaltenders have improved their save percentages to .910 and .915 respectively, and the Bruins have climbed to within four points of the division lead.
The Bruins may not have all the kinks worked out just yet, but they have proved that having a goalie whom you can trust — no matter who it is — is crucial to the success of any team. Simply knowing that the player between the pipes is going to get the job done provides a huge boost of confidence to the rest of the squad, which clearly shows in the rest of its play. When a goalie — or goalies — is performing poorly, the adjustments that a team might try to make to compensate often result in disappointing losses.
Regardless of whether it is Brodeur, Thomas or any combination of goaltenders shouldering the workload, it is absolutely imperative that teams have a reliable goaltending situation if they hope to be contenders. Just as great pitching is said to win the World Series, so too can great goaltending single-handedly win the Stanley Cup.
