Official Ray Emery Or Alexander Salak Thread

[TheChicagoFan]

Discuss who you think will win the backup role and why here.

 

[dabynsky]

I think a lot depends on whether the Blackhawks think Salak would accept going to AHL. If they have the option of keeping both of them, I think they will take that option unless Salak really outplays Emery. And if they know they can't keep both, then I think they will take Salak unless Emery really outplays him.

 

[HawkWriter]

Something important to remember...Emery is not on this team as of right now. There are 29 other teams that can still sign him besides the Blackhawks and I have to think he will jump at the first team that makes a 1 way contract offer. We saw it happen when we signed Sopel from Detroit.

I think Emery is the best option, but I still think it is 50/50 for reasons stated in the other thread.

 

[bobferg]

Emery will have to be a stud in camp to make this team.

If he is average, or barely outplays Salak then I doubt he makes the squad. Hawks seem to go with upside over experience more often then not.

 

[HawkWriter]

Emery will have to be a stud in camp to make this team.

If he is average, or barely outplays Salak then I doubt he makes the squad. Hawks seem to go with upside over experience more often then not.

Yes and no. I'll compare the back up job to a job on the 4th line.

Would you rather have Mayers or Morin on the 4th line? While Morin might be the "better" player at this time and obviously have more upside, Mayers makes the most sense. Mayers knows his role on the 4th line compared to Morin. Putting Morin on the 4th line would most likely slow down his development.

I think the back up job has nothing to do with upside and more with a steady person to lean on when need be. It is hard to determine who exactly fits the role of back up for the Blackhawks at this time.

 

[DewsSox79]

It should be Emery. Again, Salak needs seasoning in the states. He needs to play everyday. Emery has been in the NHL, he knows the program. If Crawford goes down, Emery has the NHL experience for the time being, and than you can start Salak here and there. Salak cannot be sitting there on the bench rotting away.

 

[Jntg4]

I'd say Salak... not sure either will be really solid though.

 

[DMelt36]

With the way our goalie situation has gone the last few seasons, I wouldn't be surprised to have Ray Emery to be our #1 by the postseason, and to be a complete stud.

He's shown the ability to be a #1 goalie in the past, particularly when he backstopped Ottawa to the Cup finals and with what he did in Anaheim last year. Sounds like he's bounced back from that awful hip condition, and I'm very happy the Hawks have first dibs on him.

 

[derosabomb]

i want more black players.... go emery!!!

 

[tbo41fan]

Give Salak a year in rockford

emery is backup


thats my prediction anyway

 

[bobferg]

Yes and no. I'll compare the back up job to a job on the 4th line.

Would you rather have Mayers or Morin on the 4th line? While Morin might be the "better" player at this time and obviously have more upside, Mayers makes the most sense. Mayers knows his role on the 4th line compared to Morin. Putting Morin on the 4th line would most likely slow down his development.

I think the back up job has nothing to do with upside and more with a steady person to lean on when need be. It is hard to determine who exactly fits the role of back up for the Blackhawks at this time.

So with this train of thought do you let Salak play in the AHL for the next 3 seasons? Crawf's contract isn't up until then?

 

[HawkWriter]

So with this train of thought do you let Salak play in the AHL for the next 3 seasons? Crawf's contract isn't up until then?

No, because the hope is that Salak could challenge for the #1 job eventually and could become a back up. Take a look at how Schneider and Bernier have been brought into the NHL, I think that is the route to go if you can afford the time. The Blackhawks can afford to have a guy like Salak season in the AHL. Also, he gains a lot of experience being a starter in the AHL...just take a look at Crawford. Is anyone here afraid of a sophomore slump with Crawford? My guess would be no, and a lot of it has to do with the fact that he was in the AHL for 5 years as the starter.

My guess is that Salak, if he is in the NHL this year, is probably going to have a lot of up and downs. Playing lights out for a couple games and then giving up a weak goal or two in another game. A goalie like Salak isn't used to sitting on the bench. It is a whole different mental state for a goalie to be a back up versus a starter.

 

[LonghornBob]

I think we all need to sit around and congratulate ourselves on knowing our shit because even the people with whom I disagree in this thread really know some effing hockey.

My gut is twisted on this one. I think that IF HE KEEPS HIS HEAD ON STRAIGHT (which is a HUGE if), Emery is clearly the choice, if not the best guy on the roster. He's obviously talented, he's done it at this level, and he's carried a team to a Cup Finals. None of that keeps him from going mental.

I'm still not sure he can't end up being the #1 on this team if he stays on the wagon.

Salak needs time to get accustomed to the game that's played here, and I don't know that right now I want to count on him as the every day guy if Crawford goes down. I think he can be a starter in the league, but I'd like him to get some time at Rockford first.

My vote would be to have Emery on the bench here, getting the occasional second game of a back to back start, as starter insurance if Crawford goes down, with Salak in Rockford getting all the ice time we can give him.

Next year Emery is going to take a starting job somewhere and Salak will have gotten a full year on the ice with the Hogs and will be in a much better position to back up Crawford and/or start if we need him to do so.

 

[Capt. Serious]

The dude has played in North America.

Salak played for Rochester in 2009-10. (48 games)

 

[DewsSox79]

No, because the hope is that Salak could challenge for the #1 job eventually and could become a back up. Take a look at how Schneider and Bernier have been brought into the NHL, I think that is the route to go if you can afford the time. The Blackhawks can afford to have a guy like Salak season in the AHL. Also, he gains a lot of experience being a starter in the AHL...just take a look at Crawford. Is anyone here afraid of a sophomore slump with Crawford? My guess would be no, and a lot of it has to do with the fact that he was in the AHL for 5 years as the starter.
My guess is that Salak, if he is in the NHL this year, is probably going to have a lot of up and downs. Playing lights out for a couple games and then giving up a weak goal or two in another game. A goalie like Salak isn't used to sitting on the bench. It is a whole different mental state for a goalie to be a back up versus a starter.

There is a big difference from the AHL to the NHL. So to dismiss a sophmore slump due to your reasoning is amusing.

 

[HawkWriter]

There is a big difference from the AHL to the NHL. So to dismiss a sophmore slump due to your reasoning is amusing.

No kidding there is a big difference from the AHL to the NHL...that isn't the point at all.

Look at goalies that have gone through recent sophomore slumps. They did not know how to be a professional and playing in the AHL you are able to gain that professionalism. Big difference between the AHL/NHL...but an even bigger one between AHL and Juniors/College. They did not know how to mentally prepare for the next season. With all the seasoning that Crawford has gotten in the minors, 5 years as a starter...I don't see an issue with it at all. Being in the minors that long just helped to prepare that much more.

 

[LonghornBob]

I like Crawford but I need to see him do it at a high level, all season, this year before I'm comfortable scoring two and counting on a win with him in the net.

As stupid as it sounds I felt like Khabi could pretty much steal games for us and I was never that worried even against breakaways. I always thought "eff it... Khabi will stone 'em."

I think I'm gonna go watch Pekka Rinne highlights.

 

[southern_cross_116]

Conventionally, I think that it is a no brainer, if Emory shows that he is fit, then you go with the veteran this season, until what point he (and it can be any vet really) - pulls a Huet.

I have no issue with Salak, but he would have to have a great camp. I disagree that Salak is in pretty much the same situation as Niemi was -as I think Salak is signed past this season, and Niemi was going into an RFA season after the 2009-10 sason, so that was a matter of seeing if he could cut it at the NHL level. I suppose it also helped that the Hawks started the 2009-10 season in Finland, Niemi's home country (and Niemi being the only Finn on the team that season -and maybe even in the organization) -they took him over to Finland. It turned out his performance kept him in the NHL (hard to demote a guy who kept posting shutouts (relative to how many shutouts Hawk goalies had gotten relative to that particular season).

 

[HawkWriter]

^^^ When comparing Niemi/Salak I was mostly just talking about the experience that they have had in Europe and the AHL. I just wanted to make sure we are on the same page there. You are correct that their contract situations are different.

In the year the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, Niemi was kept over Crawford for one reason - waivers. Crawford could be sent down and called up with no worries at all. Niemi would have had to pass through waivers to be sent down; a risk the Blackhawks didn't want to take. I actually think Crawford outplayed Niemi in the pre-season but it just made the most sense for the Blackhawks to take the other route. Maybe just like this season, the Blackhawks had to make a decision that had little to do with the players performance on ice.

 

[icehogfan08]

I dont know who wins right now, it could be a toss-up. I think I would feel a bit more comfortable with Emery.