Should Brian Elliott Be Starting More Games?
I first want to start out by expressing how excited I am to be back at the Bluenote Zone. This has been and always will be my ‘home’. I started my writing here, for the most part, and I am glad I get a chance to come back and start again!
Now onto why I’m writing today, there is a question I’ve been asking myself for a few weeks now, as Jaroslav Halak has regained his position as the number one goaltender, should Elliott be starting more games?
Brian Elliott - TSNPhotography
Don’t get me wrong, Halak has been playing very well the last few months. He’s been dominant at times, but lets remember what Brian Elliott has done for this organization this season. If Brian Elliott didn’t have the start he had this year, God only knows where the Blues would be right now.
Elliott currently have 19-5-2 record with a league leading 1.61 GAA and the leagues second best save percentage of .940. He was the Blues only All-Star this year, and it was a deserved nomination.
Meanwhile, Jaroslav Halak has a 16-10-5 record, the 11th best .923 save percentage and the leagues 4th best, 1.97 goals against average.
Now while Halak’s numbers are very solid, especially in the last two or three months, Elliott has only played five games in the last month. Yet even with his diminished ice time, Elliott has kept his dominant play alive, keeping the Blues in every game he plays in.
So this begs the question, why has Elliott been riding the pine, despite being the better goalie of the two this season?
Jaroslav Halak - TSNPhotography
I understand that Halak is hyped as ‘our starter’ but you want the best chance to win possible, and Elliott has provided that more than Halak has this sea son.
When Halak wins, he usually starts the next game, when Elliott wins, Halak usually starts the next game, and I believe that is not fair to Elliott.
So here is my question to you, should Brian Elliott be in the net more than Halak, split time evenly with him, or should the playing time remain the same? What do you think?
4 comments
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First, I think Hitch has it right with the shutout rule. You pitch a goose egg, you get the next start.
Both guys have been awesome, but if you take out the record of the Davis Payne-coached Halak (and I don’t have them off the top of my head) then Halak’s numbers would be equal to if not better then Elliott.
Apparently Elliott has no problems with his playing time (new contract he signed) and Hitch has to do what’s right for the team, not the individual. As long as our D plays like they have been, the beer vendor could probably post a win.
Yes, 5 shut outs in the last 11 starts is clearly hurting this team and Halak deserves the bench.
Yes Elliott’s numbers are better overall, but in the last three months neither gives you a better chance to win, they both are playing great. If its not broke don’t fix it. There is no need to change a thing.
If Halak wasnt playing just as well as Elliott I can see this as a valid question to ask, but since he is playing as well as Elliott and has for the last 3 months I don’t really understand why this needed to be brought up.
I will say if Halak falters at all, with how important home ice will be in the playoffs this will become a very valid question, but until that happens I am happy with exactly how things are going.
Im not sure how much home ice is going to mean. Yes the Blues have been lights out at home ( except for Nashville and Chicago ) and guess who we will most likely run into in the first round…..It doesnt matter where we play these two teams, until we figure out how to finish against Renne and score more than 1 againts Chicago…. oh wait, the topic is Halak or Elliott… Play the hot hand. Jaro and Ells have both been outstanding however, expecting them to allow 1 or less a game to win is putting a huge amount of pressure on them. Putting more pucks in the other teams net is the issue…