Peter Budaj With A Little Perspective

by Joe @ MHH on Oct 15, 2008 2:49 PM MDT in News Comment 34 comments

This was a great comment in the Game Recap below, so much so that I think it deserves its very own post:

Budaj 0-3-0 SV% .824 GAA 4.38
Giguere 0-3-0 SV% .851 GAA 4.38
Theodore 1-0-0 SV% .824 GAA 4.02
T. Thomas 1-0-0 SV% .897 GAA 4.02
Kiprusoff 1-1-1 SV% .826 GAA 4.90
Biron 0-2-0 SV% .800 GAA 6.35
Khabibulin 0-1-0 SV% .882 GAA 4.08
Toskala 1-1-1 SV% .860 GAA 4.36
Leclaire 1-2-0 SV% .850 GAA 4.23

Through Tuesday's games. There are some large names on that list, many of whom have been cited as much better than Peter Budaj, and yet they have similar statistics. Jose Theodore, Adrian Dater's long lost love, sucked so bad in his first game he got pulled (and got a no decision). He's since improved, but come on.

And boy, is that Jean-Sebastian Giguere a horrible goaltender.

Great work by Americanario to point out those stats.

Now, per Bob's question in the Game Recap:

By showing he is among the bottom of the barrel, even with the big names, and that his save percentage is tied for 2nd to worst, how does that show he is not the problem, if I’m reading you correctly? Just saying, “Lookie here, these guys suck too so far,” just doesn’t do it for me. Sorry.

The statistics above indicate that 1) Peter Budaj is performing comparably to goalies in the league whose positions as starters are not challenged by anyone, and 2) that it's so early in the season (three games) that these stats can be misleading.

No doubt, Budaj's numbers and record are crap. But he's performing comparably to other starters at this early stage in the season. Comparing him unfavorably to some big names while ignoring the struggles of others is misleading. Things will improve, people. They have to.

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Comments

OK, now I want to see each and every one of those goaltenders in lingerie.

MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.

by Bob in Boulder on Oct 15, 2008 2:55 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Rowr.

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe @ MHH on Oct 15, 2008 2:56 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

MY EYES! MY EYES!

Now and then we had the hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be PIRATES.
-Mark Twain-

by Americanario on Oct 15, 2008 6:19 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I will admit those numbers provide a disalarming perspective, so good job with that Americanario. Just curious, how do Bryzgalov’s numbers stack up? Heck, I’ll look them up:

2-0-0, .953, 1.50

Ouch. Why tf didn’t FG make a play for him before Anaheim put him on waivers again? Seriously.

MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.

by Bob in Boulder on Oct 15, 2008 3:05 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

First of all...

…it’s “disarming,” not “disalarming,” you boob. You and Woody just love to make up words, don’t you?

Secondly, I thought it was pretty well known – didn’t Phoenix have an earlier chance at Bryzgalov because they had a worse record than we did? That’s generally how waiver claims work, right? Plus, if he had even fallen to us, what was FG supposed to do? The situation with Theo was unknown, he had Budaj as a backup, and Bryzgalov was released from Anaheim exactly because he didn’t want to be a backup. Think, Bob, think.

Raycroft gets the start tomorrow night, though, right? I mean, that’s a given.

by Dan Winkler on Oct 15, 2008 3:32 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Raycroft is starting Thursday

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Oct 15, 2008 3:36 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

So, legit question here

Raycroft plays lights out tomorrow and gets a shutout. Is he your new number one guy? Or do you give Budaj XXXX amount of time in a regular number one rotation (3 out of every 4 games or so) before pulling the plug? If so, how much time?

MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.

by Bob in Boulder on Oct 15, 2008 5:54 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Personally

I was going to start grading Buds after 6-7 starts, but not make an initial prognosis until after 10.

The thing is, he’s dug himself in a hole, but if he breaks this slump and heads out of it we’ll all look back on this as much ado about nothing. If he hasn’t improved at all after another three starts then i’d start examining giving Raycroft more playing time.

In all reality i think 20 games is the real amount of time needed to make a rock-solid judgment, but no one’s patience will last 20 games.

I believe in Peter Budaj

by Jibblescribbits on Oct 15, 2008 6:58 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

20 games is rather risky when you’re not sure about a goalie. I wouldn’t want Raycroft starting 20 games or so in 25 just to see if he has potential to be a no.1 guy.

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Oct 16, 2008 2:37 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Raycorft is a bit different though. He had 19 games last year and performed pretty poorly to say the least. And he hasn’t had a sv% of .900 since before the lockout.

Budaj, on the other hand, played 35 games last year and was solid, if unspectacular.

Patience is the key. It’s far too early to tell how a goalies season will pan out.

And if Raycroft pulls off a shutout, then Budaj is still the starter. Else we get into the same moronic situation we have had since the lockout – constant chopping and changing. Hopefully Granato has more patience than Q.

by pingu on Oct 16, 2008 5:39 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

hehe

“boob”

Man I’m messed up today. I need a massage…

by ShaneG on Oct 15, 2008 4:29 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Disalarming is as much a word as most of those used by your boob president over the past 8 years. Second, yes Phoenix was able to nab Bryzgalov via waivers because of their waiver position. However, FG could have tried to trade for him before he was put on waivers, considering the fact that Anaheim eventually settled for nothing in return. It would have been called foresight, seeing as Theo was in a contract year and Budaj is relatively unproven.

Finally, I know you were as skeptical about Budaj as anyone, so don’t you agree that taking a shot at Bryzgalov would have put us light years ahead of where we are now?

PS: Dan and I are friends. Can’t you guys tell?

MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.

by Bob in Boulder on Oct 15, 2008 4:51 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Politics don't belong in hockey.

by SlamDunkTheFunk on Oct 15, 2008 5:00 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry, I was embarrassed to be making up words like dubya does. My bad.

MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.

by Bob in Boulder on Oct 15, 2008 5:55 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Budaj vs Bryzy

Finally, I know you were as skeptical about Budaj as anyone, so don’t you agree that taking a shot at Bryzgalov would have put us light years ahead of where we are now?

I know I’ve come off as one of the (ok possibly THE) biggest Budaj supporter here. but I wanted FG to go after Bryzy. I still like Budaj, and think he can be a solid goalie, but I think Bryzy has the chance to win a Vezina. I thought not trading for him last season was a mistake.

I believe in Peter Budaj

by Jibblescribbits on Oct 15, 2008 5:29 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was fricken praying to Roy that they would try to trade for Bryzgalov before Anaheim put him on waivers. And now, in hindsight (at least so far) we were right back then. I agree about Bryz’s potential. Heck, he stoned the heck out of us in the playoffs a few years ago. I’m wondering how many folks in Anaheim think they kept the wrong guy?

MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.

by Bob in Boulder on Oct 15, 2008 5:38 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Considering

JS Giguere won a cup and a Conn Smythe, in seperate years, probably not many.

But yeah Bryzy is a stud (and Phoenix’s season turned around almost instantly when he got there last season)

I believe in Peter Budaj

by Jibblescribbits on Oct 15, 2008 6:55 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually

I’m a huge, HUGE fan of Budaj, but it seems the point of most of my posts is to mock things in subtle ways or be Captain Obvious. I’ve never really dug into the Budaj debate because it’s three games and it’s completely ridiculous. I’ll let you be take the title, but I’m that guy with his head poking out behind the curtain on the big stage. Actually, that sounds creepy. Just take it uncontested!

by SlamDunkTheFunk on Oct 15, 2008 8:18 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

This has really gotten out of hand. IT’S OCTOBER!!! We’ve had 3 games of an 82 game season!! Sheesh!

Everybody take a deep breath and chill. This means you too Mike…

by Mrs @ MHH on Oct 15, 2008 3:45 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

NEVER!!!

InYoFace Phadouche! InYoFace

by InYoFace on Oct 15, 2008 4:23 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Get back in your hole!!!!

It will put the lotion on its back or it will get the hose again!!

Colorado Avalanche: Gellin' and Propellin'!!!

by Mike @ MHH on Oct 15, 2008 4:33 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

THANK YOU

And I’m SO up in arms about saying thank you I felt the need to use Caps Lock. I just had to be riled up about something, too.

by SlamDunkTheFunk on Oct 15, 2008 5:03 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

but then....

what do we do with all these pitchforks and torches?

by jd21 on Oct 15, 2008 3:50 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Throw

them at Bertuzzi?

by Drakenlot on Oct 15, 2008 5:55 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I say we turn them on the landed gentry!

Mir ist egal.

by Selanne on Oct 15, 2008 7:31 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

help help I’m being oppressed!

by TheRed on Oct 16, 2008 3:22 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's coming...I can feel it...yep, sorry I've gotta do it...

LOUD NOISES!

I DON’T KNOW WHAT WE’RE YELLING ABOUT!

I killed a guy with a trident.

I pooped a hammer.

Great, now I’m snickering in my office and everyone thinks I’m nuts. It took me a month last time to trick them into thinking I was normal again.

by ShaneG on Oct 15, 2008 4:02 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Here’s a hint: handing out free massages won’t trick anybody into believing you’re normal….

Colorado Avalanche: Gellin' and Propellin'!!!

by Mike @ MHH on Oct 15, 2008 4:32 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

The statistics above indicate that 1) Peter Budaj is performing comparably to goalies in the league whose positions as starters are not challenged by anyone, and 2) that it’s so early in the season (three games) that these stats can be misleading.

1) Comparing Budaj to other players who suck means nothing to people who actually WANT him to play well. That argument only works when you’re talking to Dater (or his lover, DD).

2) Stats don’t indicate that stats are misleading. That just sounds wrong.

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Oct 15, 2008 4:41 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I think they broke up. Read their blog posts…. It might be mike or joe’s turn now

by TheRed on Oct 16, 2008 3:23 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I am single. Ladies…

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe @ MHH on Oct 16, 2008 9:45 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

All relationships go through turbulent times. It’s how you grow as a couple. At some point they’ll both look back on this time and laugh while they swing together on a porch somewhere in New Hampshire…

Colorado Avalanche: Gellin' and Propellin'!!!

by Mike @ MHH on Oct 16, 2008 10:27 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

A little MORE perspective

I want Budaj to succeed as much as the next TRUE Avs fan, but comparing him to those goaltenders is not fair, nor does it even matter what they have done 3 games into this season.

First of all, almost everyone one of those goalies has established themselves as bona fide number 1 goalie.

Second, Theodore and Kiprusoff have won the Vezina Trophy.

Third, Giguere has won the Conn Smythe trophy, for a losing team I might add! The first one to do that since 1987 when Ron Hextall did it for Philly.

Fourth, Giguere and Khabibulin have their names on the Stanley Cup.

And except for little flashes of greatness here and there, Toskala, Biron, and Tim Thomas are just as unproven as Budaj.

Leclaire had a career year last year for Columbus, but if Budaj played in the defensive minded system that Ken Hitchcock and the Blue Jackets employ, there is no reason to believe he couldn’t put up those kind of numbers as well.

So there is a “little perspective” to those numbers Americanario put up.

"I can't hear Jeremy because I have my 2 Stanley Cup rings plugging my ears!" -Patrick Roy

by Derek B on Oct 15, 2008 7:09 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

All I know is that Budaj and JS Giguere are KILLING my fantasy team. I KNEW I should’ve gotten Fleury instead of Giguere, I just knew it, right after pressing “draft”. Now I’m stuck with that bum of a goalie all damn year. And no one wants him now, the Ducks suck. Not even for Miller, or Ellis.

Go Avs!

by Mike, (Avs Fan) on Oct 15, 2008 7:11 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs