Goalie Announcements (Oct 30)

We're surely to have a good number of eliminations this week and most of those will be touched upon in tomorrow's Newsletter, so I won't harp on it too much here in this afternoon's blog post.  Nevertheless, we should still have some opportunities for teams that need to qualify, to do so.  Let's see what we've got to finish the week.

The Buffalo Sabres are finally ready to give Robin Lehner the crease again, as the Swede is finally over an ugly illness this week and he will suit up against the Winnipeg Jets, if all goes well, giving Jeremy his first of two shots at moving on in the survivor pool on Sunday.  The Jets won't roll over today and they send Connor Hellebuyck out for the game, giving Tony a late start in the week, as his team tries to improve on a slow start to the season.

Scott is one of those teams desperate for a win in this week's survivor pool, come Sunday, but his remaining possibility, Chicago's Scott Darling, won't be getting the start for the Blackhawks, rather it will be Marcin's Corey Crawford getting the nod against the Kings, who have a decision to make... will it be Peter Budaj on back-to-back nights or summer pick-up Jack Campbell? Either way, no pool starts from the visitors again tonight.

Stacey M. does indeed get a start from her back-up goalie on Sunday, as Antti Raanta has been given the nod for the blueshirts tonight, as the New York Rangers will play host to the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight.  At the other end of the rink, it is expected that Ben Bishop will get the call for the Bolts, Bishop will give one more start to Dale C. this week, who is trying to stay out of the basement, early on this season.

The Washington Capitals, on back-to-back nights, opted not to play Braden Holtby in Vancouver last night, rather they saved him for Calgary on Sunday night and he'll certainly get the start against the Flames. Jeremy will get one last kick at the can with this start, but Holtby will be running into a hot Brian Elliott, who belongs to Derek B. in the pool this year.  The Flames didn't play on Saturday, so they'll be nice and rested for the reigning President's Trophy holder.

We're expecting Michal Neuvirth against Cam Ward in Carolina this afternoon in one of the early games.  Neuvirth is the 4th round pick of Tony's this season, facing Ward, a 5th round pick of Brian's... this could be a very good game, as both teams are putting goals in the net, but wins aren't always the case.

Two teams working on back-to-back days sees the Panthers and Red Wings go on Sunday and that should mean a couple of goalies that didn't play last night in James Reimer against Petr Mrazek.  In the pool, this is Eric versus Stacey C., an 8th round pick versus a 2nd round pick today, if that helps give you an idea of a possible advantage.

We know the Toronto Maple Leafs will be going with Jhonas Enroth tonight on back-to-back nights, but the goaltending situation in Brooklyn has gotten muddy with the news that Jaroslav Halak is now on the trade market, thanks in part to his agent publicly criticizing the 3-goalie system they have in place.  I wonder who else said that... hmmmmm!  No one has Enroth, but there is plenty of interest in the Islanders net, we'll see who they go with.

The Ottawa Senators are also in a pickle of a goaltending situation, but they should have Craig Anderson back with the boys, but whether or not he is ready to go will be another story, given the tough week he has had, personally.  On the Oilers' side, Cam Talbot has been given the nod, which Marcie will approve of, as her team is in the thick of the mix at the top of the table.