Frei's Take On Budaj
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Apr 1, 2009 7:23 AM MDT
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Terry Frei has a great piece on Peter Budaj today in the Post, and it comes on the heels of AD's solid blog entry about a week ago. Some of the highlights:
With the Avalanche mired in a seven-game losing streak and vying for the worst record in the NHL heading into tonight's home game against Phoenix, the 26-year-old is facing an uncertain future. His contract expires after this season, and his play won't have anyone — in Colorado or elsewhere — knocking down his door, although his 2008-09 salary of "only" $800,000 doesn't set a daunting benchmark.
I've seen some speculation out there that the Avs might not even tender Budaj a qualifying offer and just let him walk away. Fat chance. If he's not traded before, he will certainly get his QO from the Avs (I believe $880,000 is the minimum). You don't let assets like that walk away.
Avalanche coach Tony Granato conceded that Budaj hasn't taken advantage of his chance this season, but added: "Is he still going to be a good goalie in this league, at this level? Yes. No doubt about it."
Granato added, "If you look at a lot of elite goaltenders in our league right now, they faced situations and years like this as well. (Boston's) Tim Thomas, for example, who's having an MVP year. Hopefully, what Peter's learned from this year will help him in the future."
In 2006-2007, Tim Thomas had a 3.13 GAA and a .905 Save Percentage for a Bruins team that finished with 76 points. That's not a far cry from Budaj's 3.02 / .893 numbers he's putting up so far this year. In fact, through that season, Thomas had career numbers of 3.00 / .909. Budaj? 2.80 / .900. Thomas' amazing late-career breakout doesn't guarantee that Budaj will do the same, but it should at least illustrate that it is certainly possible to dramatically improve one's game - especially if the team in front of you get's better.
It has certainly been a disappointing season for Budaj, but it is not the end of the line for him. He is certainly nearing a crossroads; will he make the step up as a legit NHL goalie or is he going to start shuffling around between teams and to and from the minors? Through the haze of suckitude this year, there were still some real flashes of talent from Budaj, and I still think he has the ability to turn the corner on this. I'm not even convinced - as AD is - that Budaj is done in Denver. His status - like that of several other players - is going to depend on who is running the team. Wherever he plays next year, though, it's likely to be on a better team than the sorry lot he's mixed up with this year. And you never know - a Thomas-like development may just be in his near future...
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Interesting
This from Frei’s article:
. . . Wojtek Wolski, who has missed the past two games because of illness, won’t play against the Coyotes, and Granato said he would undergo further testing “to find out what’s going on there.” . . .
What and odd comment… “what going on there”?
And then this from a DP comment, which reminded me about Granato’s recent comments to the media regarding Wolski:
…And Granato saying Budaj can be elite and criticizing Wolski? I mean, I agree that Wolski hasn’t been consistent this year, but I believed he could have phrased his comments a little better, because I believe Wolski deserved better. Wolski being incosistent may be a result of his poor coaching…
So, putting two and two together and coming up with three, I wonder if Wolski took exception to being called out through the media and has decided to be done for the year. Total speculation, but if it did happen the avs wouldn’t want to admit it until if and when they were forced to.
Oh yeah, or he could be sick.
He is one of Denver's most eligible bachelors....
perhaps he’s been having to many late nights and “caught” something?
MHH: Like the Avs organization, we’ve now officially lost our minds.
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
The NHL is littered with cases of goalies taking just a little longer to reach their potential. Not just Tim Thomas either. Budaj is still pretty young, and there’s plenty of time for him to mature enough mentally to get his game back.
I think 95% of his problem is mental at this point. I think he has confidence issues, and that he hasn’t been able to learn how to shake off a bad goal the way other very good goalies can.
It might have something to do with the enormous, collective and exasperated sigh let out by the entire Avalanche fan and media base every time he gives up one of those bad goals. He puts too much emphasis on them because everybody else puts too much emphasis on them. At least that’s my theory.
Go Avs! Let's get some goals!
The one thing that helps Tim Thomas that I haven’t seen with Budaj is his ability to go into the “unconventional” to make saves. Budaj (as noted by Dater)…tends to stick to “technique”
Hasek (hate him as I do) is another one of those goalies that threw “technique” into the wind, and it did him well. Now I know this won’t work for EVERYONE…but Budaj is going to have to make some changes if he wants to secure a number 1 spot anywhere
Yeah, but
theres also plenty of goalies who used the butterfly technique to great effect. Asking someone to play like Thomas or hasek plays is a recipe for disaster, very few will succeed using their style. All he has to do is learn to drop the technique when he absolutely has to to make a save and he’ll be much better.
The Savage has spoken. Let it be done
"Two roads divurged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference"
R. Frost
Q-offers
The notion that the Avs would fail to extend an offer to Budaj is nonsense. Just give the man his $735,000 offer sheet and let him go to arbitration. He may get $880,000 or even a little more, but the Avs WILL keep him under contract for the next two years.
Unless FG is determined to keep him longer, there is no reason to offer him more than 2 years at $735K, and little reason to worry about the arbitrator’s decision.
iawtp. Budaj is at least an excellent backup, and he still could break through. what needs to be fixed is the other half of the goaltending equation — Harding? That swedish FA goalie, Gustaffsson? Lehtonen? Craig Anderson?
Too Much Hack
Jeff Hackett is a great goaltending coach when he’s taking a reclamation project like Theodore. However, I think that he’s over-coached Budaj. Budaj is too mechanical these days. He’s like a robot, and he doesn’t rely on instincts.
In my opinion, Budaj is and should be done here. Not because he can’t hack it, just that he needs the proverbial change of scenery to get his career back on track.
"When the one Great Scorer
Comes to write against your name
He counts not that you won or lost
But how you played the Game"
--Grantland Rice
"Will I wear a hoodie? Absolutely. In fact, I can't wait to see my hoodie." --Coach Josh McDaniels
Very interesting take about Hackett. Just curious, are you a goalie? I see you must be a Bronco fan too? Wtf is going on in Dove Valley right now? (sorry to go off topic)
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on Apr 1, 2009 2:44 PM MDT up reply actions
I Was a Forward
When I played, but no matter where you are on the ice, you gotta rely on your instincts, IMO. I just think that Budaj has been trained to not do that here.
As far as Dove Valley – what a nightmare. Of all things to happen this offseason, a QB controversy is definitely not what I saw coming. I just hope it ends soon. I’m tired of it all.
"When the one Great Scorer
Comes to write against your name
He counts not that you won or lost
But how you played the Game"
--Grantland Rice
"Will I wear a hoodie? Absolutely. In fact, I can't wait to see my hoodie." --Coach Josh McDaniels
It could happen
We may have no other choice.
"When the one Great Scorer
Comes to write against your name
He counts not that you won or lost
But how you played the Game"
--Grantland Rice
"Will I wear a hoodie? Absolutely. In fact, I can't wait to see my hoodie." --Coach Josh McDaniels
Interesting
I think you may have a point here.
I think Budaj could use a change of scenery. The majority of the fanbase has clearly turned on him. The only way he’ll cut it here is to stay on as a unquestioned backup goalie, being a good soldier for someone else, and regain his confidence.
Then, after 2-3 years, if something doesn’t work for that other goalie the fan base may have forgiven him and be willing to give him another chance.
That said, that’s a lot of time where Budaj would be sacrificing his goal just to make it as an Av. I wouldn’t blame him for looking for a fresh start.
by Jibblescribbits on Apr 1, 2009 3:36 PM MDT up reply actions
It's too bad
I really like Budaj, and I really do think that the guy has the talent. Sometimes it just needs to be in the right place for it to manifest itself.
"When the one Great Scorer
Comes to write against your name
He counts not that you won or lost
But how you played the Game"
--Grantland Rice
"Will I wear a hoodie? Absolutely. In fact, I can't wait to see my hoodie." --Coach Josh McDaniels
I wondered the same thing, i never get to see Boods play much what with living in Australia and all but has he changed his style around lately or has he always been so technique based. Has hackett told him to rely on his technique too much or does Boods do it because thats what he’s always done?
The Savage has spoken. Let it be done
"Two roads divurged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference"
R. Frost
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