Faceoff Factor

Comments

1. Let's Go Pens @ Myspace

   Jan 5, 06:56 PM

   Conklin is just on acid right now! Sick. What else can be said?

2. Ashley Gallant

   Jan 5, 08:36 PM

   The perfect ending to a great day!

3. DaBich

   Jan 6, 07:45 AM

   What a roll, keep going Pens!

4. Michael

   Jan 6, 09:31 AM

   What Conklin is doing is nothing short of amazing.

   I didn’t imagine that he was even capable of anything remotely approaching this.
   How is this happening?

   Could his career actually be blossoming all of a sudden, out of nowhere?

   If he keeps playing anywhere near this level, I can’t help but see him as the #1 goalie for years to come.

   Again, I find this to be just an amazing development .. the surprise of the season, for sure, at the very least. I mean .. this guy steps-up from absolutely out-of-nowhere and off-the-wall!

   How old is he, and when did he first play in the NHL, and which NHL team originally drafted him?

5. Matt Bodenschatz

   Jan 6, 11:23 AM

   To everyone, I agree Conklin is just spectacular right now. He’s not an amazing goaltender positionally (he sits deep in the need, then tends to chase pucks around, etc) and his saves aren’t necessarily the most pretty, but he stops shots, and that’s what this team needs.

   Michael, Conklin is 31 years old and was a former NCAA college goaltender who came into the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers as an undrafted player. His first season in the NHL was 2001-02, putting him roughly at age 26. He worked his way from the backup goaltender into the starting goaltender role 2003-04. Then, after the lockout, he came back and split duties with another goaltender. The Oilers went on to the Stanley Cup, but Conklin didn’t see much time until the newly-acquired undisputed starter Dwayne Roloson went down with an injury. When Conklin got his chance, he failed miserably and mishandled the puck in horrible fashion and basically put it in his own net.

   That play essentially cost him a job in the NHL for a while. From Edmonton, he moved to Columbus in 2006-07, where he played 11 games for the Blue Jackets, who then traded him to the Buffalo Sabres at the trade deadline. He played another five games with the Sabres. He then became an unrestricted free agent and signed with Pittsburgh, a team he felt would give him a chance to compete for the backup role, if not the starting role.

   His career stats can be found here.

   As you can see, he has been good, but not spectacular throughout his career.

   So, the question is, is he a late-bloomer, a goalie who never really was given a chance, or an average goalie riding a hot streak? I would say it’s a combination of all three.

   Conklin has had to battle his way into playing time throughout his career. And, even when he was a starter, there always was someone looking over his shoulder just waiting to pounce on his mistakes. Maybe he wasn’t given the opportunity he deserved — especially after his Stanley Cup finals blunder two years ago.

   With that being said, he is looking very solid in net right now. There is no way this is the “true” Ty Conklin, as it’s hard to imagine him being a goalie who gives up just two goals per game on average and saves nearly 94 percent of shots faced. But I do think he is better than he has looked in the past.

   He’s riding an unbelievable waive of confidence right now and is on the verge of becoming a folk hero in Pittsburgh the way Johan “Moose” Hedberg was back in 2001. If this continues, he WILL remain in Pittsburgh when Fleury returns, and, at the very least, will split time with Fleury. And, if his play continues like this through the end of the season, he may do one of two things: set himself up to be traded to a team needing a starter, or allow for Shero to trade Fleury for a platoon-type goaltender and a scoring forward. Personally, I want nothing to do with trading Fleury, and I truly think it is way to soon to even consider Conklin as a viable starter for this team long-term.

   I hope that helps you, Michael. Keep in mind that many goalies go through hot stretches, especially when traded and/or recalled from the minors. Heck, I believe Brian Boucher had a string of three or four shutouts in a row two years ago — where is he now? Conklin is looking great right now, but be cautiously optimistic when thinking of the longterm.

6. DaBich

   Jan 7, 09:16 AM

   I think you have it on the mark, Matt, but still, it IS unbelieveable what he is doing. HOWEVER, and that’s a huge HOWEVER, I want to see how he plays against teams like New Jersey, The Rags, and Ottawa. THEN we’ll see just how good he is.

7. Matt Bodenschatz

   Jan 7, 09:55 AM

   Well, here’s the thing, Dabich, he’s playing over his head. Even if he was to play and defeat some of the best teams in the conference, that wouldn’t change. He’s hot right now, just as Patrick Lalime was when he began his career with the Penguins, and just as Johan Hedberg was in 2001. Conklin is an NHL-caliber goaltender, but he’ll cool down eventually. Hopefully he can continue to ride high for a few more weeks, though.

   Again, I like Conklin — he reminds me a lot of Ken Wreggett. Both goalies werent’ spectacular at anything, but both just fought their way in net and did what needed to be done to win. Nothing spectacular, nothing super pretty, nothing exciting. They just get the job done. That’s what the Penguins need.

   When Fleury returns, this is still his team, but Conklin should be the backup if his play remains even remotely close to where it is now.

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