2008-09 Lake Erie Monsters Season Review -- Goaltenders

by Angélique C. Murray on May 2, 2009 11:13 PM MDT in NHL News

After an inaugural season that saw the Lake Erie Monsters finish with a record of 26-41-6-7 and a sixth place finish in the North Division, a playoff position was set as a goal for the 2008-09 season. Unfortunately, the Monsters fell short of their goal. They were eliminated after game 76 of the regular season. Whether it was due to the numerous call ups by the Colorado Avalanche and injuries of their own, it was an up and down season for Lake Erie.

The Monsters finished with a 34-38-3-5 record in 2008-09, 11 more points then in 2007-08. It was an improvement, but they still could only manage a sixth place finish in the North Division. Despite the injuries and the 15 players recalled to Colorado, one thing remained consistent, the goaltending. Only two men would man the crease this season for the Lake Erie Monsters, Tyler Weiman (pictured) and Jason Bacashihua.

Tyler Weiman was selected by the Avalanche in the fifth round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Weiman spent four seasons with the Tri City Americans (WHL). In his first professional season, he helped lead the Colorado Eagles to their first Central Hockey League championship in 2004-05. He spent the next two years mired in places like San Diego (ECHL), Lowell (AHL), and Albany (AHL). Heading into his fifth year as a professional, Weiman had only seen one game of NHL action and that was in mop up duty.

Tyler Weiman finished the 2008-09 season with a 21-20-2 record, 2.46 goals against average and a save percentage of 0.915. Weiman's eight shutouts led the league. He was one of two Lake Erie Monsters to participate in the AHL All Star Game (Kyle Cumiskey was the other).

Jason Bacashihua was acquired from the St. Louis Blues for a conditional seventh round pick in 2007. The man called "Cash" finished with a 5-11-2 record in 2007-08. He was somewhat of a hard luck loser this season finishing with a 13-21-3 record, 2.77 goals against average, and a save percentage of 0.905. Bacashihua did win eight consecutive starts from February 16th to March 8th. He earned AHL Player of the Week honors during that stretch.

Both Weiman (RFA) and Bacashihua (RFA) will become free agents on July 1st. It's unclear what their future will be with the organization. The Avalanche decided late in the season to keep the goaltenders in Lake Erie for their playoff run. Yet by that time, the Monsters had been all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Making offseason decisions for the goaltending position will be interesting for Colorado as both Peter Budaj (RFA) and Andrew Raycroft (UFA) are free agents. The Avalanche also have to make decisions regarding London's (OHL) Trevor Cann and Michigan's (CCHA) Billy Sauer by June 1st and August 15th respectively.

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nicely done.

I’m really curious to see what the Avs do here

Hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas.

by David Driscoll-Carignan on May 3, 2009 8:51 AM MDT reply actions

Yes very nicely done.

I’m really scared shitless to see what the Avs do here.

The 2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Slumpbusters

by Jibblescribbits on May 3, 2009 9:14 AM MDT up reply actions

Me too. (on both the scared shitless and the job well done parts)

2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity

by Mike @ MHH on May 3, 2009 8:48 PM MDT up reply actions

I would think they might keep Cann and Weiman. Weiman did have a tough time in the AHL All Star Game. Sauer is a huge question mark but I think worth a try.

by eve on May 3, 2009 10:41 AM MDT reply actions

I’m not sure there’s a goalie alive who doesn’t have a hard time in all-star games

The 2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Slumpbusters

by Jibblescribbits on May 3, 2009 12:27 PM MDT up reply actions

I’m not a Sauer fan, but they have to give Cann a shot for sure. The real interesting thing to me will be who they choose, Cash or Weiman. I’m hoping Weiman.

by thedoctor on May 4, 2009 9:38 AM MDT up reply actions

It seems unlikely that Weiman is gonna be the Avs’ next goalie, and i surely expect the Avs to replace Rayzor with a capable starter and see how Budaj does after his golf-training.

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on May 3, 2009 3:46 PM MDT reply actions

It's a shame...

…that both Josh Harding and Cory Schneider are property of Northwest Division teams. Those are the types of goalies the Avs need to properly begin their rebuilding efforts, as opposed to signing a more veteran goalie that’s looking for somewhere to start (Craig Anderson, Ty Conklin). Do I have faith in Pierre Lacroix’s ghost to follow this plan? Not at all.

Above Average.

by Don Balls on May 3, 2009 5:27 PM MDT reply actions

Welcome to MHH!

2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity

by Mike @ MHH on May 3, 2009 8:49 PM MDT up reply actions

Thanks Mike…I’ve been lurking for awhile, I love that there’s a site I can visit every day for Avs news. Keep up the great work.

Above Average.

by Don Balls on May 3, 2009 10:34 PM MDT up reply actions

That sounds about right, but in saying that you have to accept that the Avs won’t be contenders for at least another season. And I like to believe that we’ll have another NW-division banner up on the rafters next year.

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on May 4, 2009 1:56 AM MDT up reply actions

We all would

but then again most of us thought the Avs were going to compete this season as well.

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.

by Americanario on May 4, 2009 11:09 AM MDT up reply actions

I like to believe that Mrs. is gung-ho for a three-way with Scarlett Johannson, but that doesn’t mean it’s at all likely to happen.

2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity

by Mike @ MHH on May 4, 2009 11:58 AM MDT up reply actions

Only if Ryan Reynolds is involved too…

by Mrs @ MHH on May 4, 2009 2:26 PM MDT up reply actions

That really wouldn’t be a three-way, now would it?

2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity

by Mike @ MHH on May 4, 2009 3:51 PM MDT up reply actions

I think she’s leaving you out.

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.

by Americanario on May 4, 2009 5:29 PM MDT up reply actions

Ahhh, that would explain it…

2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity

by Mike @ MHH on May 5, 2009 9:22 AM MDT up reply actions

I’ll be honest with you, after living through the lousy Quebec years, and seeing the way the Penguins and Capitals rebuilt themselves, I’m more than willing to sit at the bottom of the division for another year or two if there’s an actual plan in place to rebuild. No more trading first round picks for aging defensemen (and I love Foote, but that was terrible). No more signing guys over 30 (Tucker). No more bringing in Project: Headcase goalies. I know that Matt Duchene and whoever we are able to grab in the draft next year aren’t on the Crosby/Ovechkin level, but given time and patience, we can get some great young prospects in there to complement Stastny, Wolski (who I still think the world of), Shattenkirk, Cohen, and Gaunce. The trick is, there has to be a willingness at the top of the organization to accept where the team is at, and I wonder if that’s there.

Above Average.

by Don Balls on May 4, 2009 2:50 PM MDT up reply actions

Wonder no more: it ain’t. (IMO).

2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity

by Mike @ MHH on May 4, 2009 3:52 PM MDT up reply actions

I suspect you’re right, as long as the Ghost (and ego) of Pierre Lacroix is running the show. If they botch this pick (by either trading it for something other than extra high picks, or not taking Duchene if he’s still available), I’m going to have a cow.

Above Average.

by Don Balls on May 4, 2009 6:52 PM MDT up reply actions

I’m going to have a cow.

I’m sure that would hurt…but you know Mary had a lamb, and Old McDonald had a farm, that one had to have hurt.

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.

by Americanario on May 4, 2009 7:44 PM MDT up reply actions

Touche

Above Average.

by Don Balls on May 4, 2009 9:10 PM MDT up reply actions

I just realized that his post from Jori is meaningless without an accurate breakdown of who has the better paintjob on the mask.

Any pics out there in Erie Land?

2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity

by Mike @ MHH on May 4, 2009 3:53 PM MDT reply actions

I completely agree

all goaltending comparisons must include accurate mask breakdowns, how else do we know who’s better, yet another reason Roy is better than Brodeur, Roys masks were cool, Brodeur never even had the team logo, and felt that he is more important than the team in the end.

The Savage has spoken. Let it be done

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference"
R. Frost

by Savage33 on May 5, 2009 1:17 AM MDT up reply actions