More on Aubin
As I understand it, Aubin's signing is pretty much what you would expect, pure insurance for training camp, considering that Quick and Ersberg have zero NHL experience, LaBarbera has yet to play a full NHL season and Cloutier is...well, Cloutier. So it's basically a half-million-dollar insurance policy.
In a little while I expect to have details on next week's rookie camp plus, potentially, news of a hiring in the organization.
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About Rich Hammond
Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at rich.hammond@dailynews.com.
So this is what were working with...so far.
I'm "hoping" for some big surprises but not holding my breath.
TSN.CA Scouting Report
JS Aubin
Assets: Displays a great glove hand and agility. When on his game, he is rarely noticed in the crease and quietly effective.
Flaws: Tends to get hurt often. Is not big, especially for a stand-up goaltender. Needs to avoid giving up bad goals at the worst possible time. Lets soft goals bother him.
Career potential: No. 2 goalie.
Dan Cloutier
Assets: Is extremely competitive, which usually rubs off on his teammates in a positive way. Has the size and technical skills to be a starting goalkeeper at the NHL level.
Flaws: Loses concentration at times, especially when there's an abundance of traffic in front of his crease. Needs to shed his underachiever tag in order to get over the hump in the NHL.
Career potential: No. 2 goaltender.
Jason LaBarbara
Assets: Has a tremendous amount of size for the goaltending position and fills up most of the net. Is capable of making spectacular saves from time to time.
Flaws: Needs to find a level of consistency in order to move up the ladder. May be limited to backup duties in the NHL due to questionable lateral mobility.
Career potential: No. 2 goalie.
All info from TSN. No scouting report available on Quick or Ersberg as yet, just basic stats.
Thanks for the update Rich. Aubin had a nice run towards the end of the 05-06 season but for some reason Maurice pretty much refused to play him in the second half of last year.. There seemed to be somthing between those two going back to their time with the Marlies..
Paying 6.2 million for a potential #2 guy, nice. At least Labs and Aubin will make less than a million per season
As DL said a # of times - after blowing through 5 goalies last year - once the Kings had "average" goaltending (insert Sean Burke) they became a better, different team. The D responded based on confidence that the goaltender back in the pipes could make at least the "basic" stops. In 2007 it's become a "buyer's market" for goalies. Aubin was odd man out in Toronto once Toskala arrived. Here, he's a backup plan. Sort of like earthquake insurance. So...with Cloutier, JLB, Aubin, Ersberg, Quick, Bernier, et al in camp, may the best goalie win. Beyond that, DL will have the AHL & ECHL stocked with goalies to call up. Talk about a GM who learned his lessons from last season. Oy vey!
Is Aubin on a 2 way contract? In fact, can you tell us the contract situation with all our goalies?
Aubin's deal is a two-way deal. Cloutier and LaBarbera are under contract through 2008-09. Ersberg and Aubin are signed through 2007-08 and Quick signed a three-year entry-level deal out of college.
I would be more optimistc if they signed CuJo or Robert Esche. But I guess any competition can't hurt
They will be going into this season in better shape in goal imo. Clouts will have the shortest leash in history.
Congrats on the hiring, what's your offical title?
For Rich Hammond: If you had to guess today, how would you see the goalie situation shaking out? Who stays with the big club, who goes to the minors?
Looks like the Kings have hired former Captain and Adolf Hitler lookalike, Dave Lewis!
http://kings.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=336391
The Kings Just announced Dave Lewis as new assistant coach.
I like this move, with Lewis being an experienced coach himself this will make for a lot of experience and professionalism behind the bench. This should really help the young guys get settled in with the new additions.
I am really excited about the upcoming season and am looking forward to Labs surprising a lot of people in the crease (hopefully).
Ex-Sportswriter...unless Cloutier shows in training camp that he's not ready to play in the NHL this season, I would expect LaBarbera and Cloutier in the NHL with some combination of Quick, Ersberg and Aubin in the AHL. That's the only reason I don't get the Aubin signing. If the plan was to sign a veteran goalie for insurance, then why sign Ersberg? I'll have to think this one through more...
As I see it Ersberg is a gamble. He's been good abroad and on the International stage but needs to prove himself in North America. Aubin has decent numbers when you look at his stints in the AHL. So he's a good AHL goalie and so-so NHL guy that can provide a basic level of competence for the team. Unlike Brust and Fuji.