With Cam Ward backstopping the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup championship after coming off the bench during the 2006 playoffs, ESPN.com's Damien Cox looks at this year's backup goaltenders who could become go-to guys during this year's playoffs...The late arrivals...
Steve Valiquette, 30, New York Rangers, 12 games played: The 6-foot-6 Valiquette, an L.A. draftee way back in 1996, has played for 13 pro teams, including a year with Yaroslavl in the Russian elite league in 2005-06. He has played as many games this season with the Rangers as he had in all of his previous seasons as a pro, giving Henrik Lundqvist the occasional breather.
...with the way Vally has played down the stretch, I wouldn't feel that all hope is lost if god forbid Lundqvist gets injured or if he falters in the playoffs.
...Valiquette has come a long way this year towards establishing himself as a respectable goaltender in the NHL. Before the season started the Rangers backup goaltending situation was viewed as a negative, even as late as January Curtis Joseph was rumored to be going to the Rangers. Now it is perceived, at least to this Ranger fan, as a strength.
1 comment:
I think Valiquette has been great. however, if he has to play in the play-offs then for me all hope would be lost.
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