Ryan Wilson: Goalie insurance Goalie insurance

I haven't been on here a lot in recent months but it seems like on a lot of this you're just changing the date on the article. We know Fleury sucks and he's overpaid.

This is the only blog that Gunner has ever written that I agree with. Bravo sir.

So the defense does nothing at all to help Fleury and it's all on Fleury? Yes he played bad, but this blog seems to lay it all on him when the entire team was bad. Where was Sid? Where was Malkin? But you only write about one player that played bad? Can we get a new writer in here please? One that isn't a reason most other fan bases hate us. Never giving blame to the stars on the team that took a game off.

So the defense does nothing at all to help Fleury and it's all on Fleury? Yes he played bad, but this blog seems to lay it all on him when the entire team was bad. Where was Sid? Where was Malkin? But you only write about one player that played bad? Can we get a new writer in here please? One that isn't a reason most other fan bases hate us. Never giving blame to the stars on the team that took a game off.
- Zac_O

Yeah, Sid was -3 I believe and zero shots. One of the BJ's goals he was standing there and could of cleared the puck and didnt.

They did not care last night...none of them...and the owners love it. Lots of money to be made tomorrow night.

Yea, fleury needs to be better, but you also can't expect the 25th ranked defense to go very far in the playoffs, regardless of offense. Win or lose, I hope they realize a change on defense is needed.

Your charts indicate that he is in between Cary price and Braydon Holtby... yet your blog indicates he is but average. What is it? Both?

Yea, fleury needs to be better, but you also can't expect the 25th ranked defense to go very far in the playoffs, regardless of offense. Win or lose, I hope they realize a change on defense is needed.
- drummer829

Their 1st ranked offence makes up for that....but Im not sure it can all playoffs, no matter how far they go. I believe in them though.

They dressed like 15 or 16 different d-men this year. Players and pairing were different alot of nights. I really think that was a big contributor to the 25th rank.

No goalie in the league could have won that game behind that defense last night (and the offense's lack of defensive support).

Their 1st ranked offence makes up for that....but Im not sure it can all playoffs, no matter how far they go. I believe in them though.

They dressed like 15 or 16 different d-men this year. Players and pairing were different alot of nights. I really think that was a big contributor to the 25th rank.
- MattStrat

I think the pens have a great chance if they can face the leafs and senators. Not saying they'll be easy matchups, but those teams also have mediocre D and I feel the pens offense can actually carry them through those teams. I am worried about the caps and canadiens though. Littler better D with goalies who can stand on their heads for a series to steal games

Two outstanding games, one meh game, and one bad game and we're up 3-1. Listen, he hasn't been a world beater, but in aggregate, he's been average and he's outplaying Bobrovski. I agree, you don't want to pay 6 mil a year for goalie insurance, but lets assume we could unload Fleury at the trade deadline. What would we have done with that cap? We weren't gonna get a mid pairing caliber player for him straight up. And I trust him a hell of a lot more than Jeff Zatkoff or Thomas Greiss. Goalie insurance is a specifically this year luxury and I'm glad we have it.

And like someone said above, the charts have some really good goalies doing really poorly at 5v5 sv% after 4, count them, 4 games. I'm not saying ignore the bad games, but you can't ignore the good games either and say a career back up can reproduce that. Matt Murray had several sub 900 performances last playoffs as well.

Tristan Jarry is ready when needed.

Yea, fleury needs to be better, but you also can't expect the 25th ranked defense to go very far in the playoffs, regardless of offense. Win or lose, I hope they realize a change on defense is needed.
- drummer829

I'm not sure where you get 25th?

I see them as 17th...

They need to get Murray back in there. So much for getting the brooms

Ugh why didn't you worn us about Bylsma. it's chaos over in Sabreland
JERKS!!!

This blog was the biggest load of self-serving bullshart that I've read here in a long time. We fracking get it, RW... you're not a Fleury fan & you'll entirely ignore everything that goes on in the game & pay attention to absolutely only the fancy stats. You ignore the effort of the other 5 skaters in front of the goalie since standing around and looking at the puck & waiting for someone else to actually skate is not quantifiable in a chart. Just keep ignoring when players simply don't do the work & only pay attention to charts that support your narrative like a toddler with his fingers in his ears & his eyes squeezed shut yelling "I can't hear you!". I guarantee that you couldn't have named me a single goalie in the history of the game that could have won that tire-fire of a game last night with any more certainty than Flower did.

Especially considering that you'd probably find a way to ignore that all every team has to do to knot 5 on Murray is shoot at his glove side high all night & watch him flail away at the puck like one of those wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube men.

Ugh why didn't you worn us about Bylsma. it's chaos over in Sabreland
JERKS!!!
- ImThatGuy

I'm pretty sure if any Sabres fan ever brought up Bylsma we would have given you guys our full thoughts, no penny charged.

To say the same Penguins have been in front of Fleury the whole time is simply not true. Look at game 1 and game 2 compared to game 3 and game 4.

Game 1 and Game 2, the Penguins boxed out their net. Most chances were from distance and the rebounds were cleared out.

Game 3 had a couple goals from rebounds that Columbus shot/pass off his pads and then the Penguins were never there to clear out the rebounds.

I can't find one goal in game 4 that was a bad goal for Fleury. Goals 1 & 2 went off Penguins. Fleury made several saves on goal 3 before they slapped in the rebound as all the Penguin's skaters watched. Goals 4 & 5, Fleury came out to challenge the shooter and Columbus outworked the Penguins to slap in the loose pucks in embarrassing fashion. Goal 4, Sid could have easily poked it away, and Goal 5 Maatta was too busy holding his popcorn watching Columbus score to bother taking the stick away.

Fleury made saves on breakaways and stopped every first shot, but thats as far as he is going to get when his crease is surrounded by unchecked Blue Jackets waiting to put in rebounds.

You're weren't really watching the game if you point to goaltending as the main issue in last night's game. The Penguins were terrible. Its not a big deal, I think they'll rebound and be just fine for Game 5, but stop using Fleury as the goat. His great play brought wins in the first 2 games where the Penguins were outworked for long stretches.

Yeah, Sid was -3 I believe and zero shots. One of the BJ's goals he was standing there and could of cleared the puck and didnt.

They did not care last night...none of them...and the owners love it. Lots of money to be made tomorrow night.
- MattStrat

It's amazing to me. Sid Plays 21 minutes with 0 shots on net goes -2 and is 48% on faceoffs. But the story the next days is "Backup goalie is an average goalie at best". Nothing about the stars and leaders of the team not doing their part. And that wouldn't even be fair to say. Malkin and Kessel has 2 and 3 assists respectively. But Sid Maatta Sheary Daley(to a smaller extent) all play bad but it's all on Fleury.

Ryan Wilson should resign or be fired by Hockey Buzz for egging on Fleury. Without Mark Andre, the Pens would be toast by now. He saved Games 1 and 2. Game 4 it was bad D, bad crosby, bad Malkin. Schultz was invisible. Most forwards except Kessel, Guenzel were present only in body. If Hainsey and Kuhnackle are your scorers, you are not going to win any games whatsoever. So many turnovers and errors by the defencemen, I lost count.

Take the day off today and prepare to play hard to WIN.

Oh, fire Ryan Wilson, enough back stabbing Fleury

To say the same Penguins have been in front of Fleury the whole time is simply not true. Look at game 1 and game 2 compared to game 3 and game 4.

Game 1 and Game 2, the Penguins boxed out their net. Most chances were from distance and the rebounds were cleared out.

Game 3 had a couple goals from rebounds that Columbus shot/pass off his pads and then the Penguins were never there to clear out the rebounds.

I can't find one goal in game 4 that was a bad goal for Fleury. Goals 1 & 2 went off Penguins. Fleury made several saves on goal 3 before they slapped in the rebound as all the Penguin's skaters watched. Goals 4 & 5, Fleury came out to challenge the shooter and Columbus outworked the Penguins to slap in the loose pucks in embarrassing fashion. Goal 4, Sid could have easily poked it away, and Goal 5 Maatta was too busy holding his popcorn watching Columbus score to bother taking the stick away.

Fleury made saves on breakaways and stopped every first shot, but thats as far as he is going to get when his crease is surrounded by unchecked Blue Jackets waiting to put in rebounds.

You're weren't really watching the game if you point to goaltending as the main issue in last night's game. The Penguins were terrible. Its not a big deal, I think they'll rebound and be just fine for Game 5, but stop using Fleury as the goat. His great play brought wins in the first 2 games where the Penguins were outworked for long stretches.
- jrmjames67

RW doesn't understand that "standing around and doing nothing waiting for someone else to do something while bad things happen in your defensive zone" isn't something that can be quantified in a chart that he uses.

RW doesn't understand that "standing around and doing nothing waiting for someone else to do something while bad things happen in your defensive zone" isn't something that can be quantified in a chart that he uses.
- ScienceJesus

Seriously. I like reading some of the advanced statistics he points out. However, based on this article, it makes you wonder if he watched the game at all.

Seriously. I like reading some of the advanced statistics he points out. However, based on this article, it makes you wonder if he watched the game at all.
- jrmjames67

Watching the games tells you when to throw charts out & when to use them to back up the eye test or to see if you're missing something. The eye test & the charts go hand-in-hand.

Fleury was not good last night. Objectively, he wasn't. His rebound control was bad, and his positioning on at least 2 goals was poor.

However, placing the bulk of blame on him for last night is just wrong. The defense was porous, letting CBJ drive the net at will, and the forwards backchecking was, in general, very poor. The Blue Jackets were able to gain the blue line easily and weren't pressured while in the offensive zone. A fantastic goaltender may have been able to keep the GA to 3, but the Penguins, as a team, didn't deserve to win last night.

Regroup, focus, and win Game 5.