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About This Page: This is a discussion on LA Kings Talk within the LetsGoKings.com forums, at Los Angeles Kings Hockey Fan Forum. I have been a fan forever, but I know that when it comes to understanding what makes one goalie better than another, the nuances escape me.
In fact, when it
I have been a fan forever, but I know that when it comes to understanding what makes one goalie better than another, the nuances escape me.
In fact, when it comes to discussing prospects, I take the very, very little I see and add it to everything I read much smarter people say and then just parrot it out on the boards so I look smart.( I am sure I am the only one that does that, right? Ya , right)
So, with that disclaimer, I am asking for real evaluations on Ersberg.
I know that it is very early and it is absolutely impossible to tell how he will do down the road, but on his mechanics, what do you see?
I do not remember when the last time I watched the Kings play where I did not cringed every time a shot went on. He just seems to always be in the right place at the right time and gives off the confidence that he will stop the puck.
So, is he an NHL goalie? What is his potential? We rate prospects all the time, where does he fall? Did we just get lucky and sign a number one? Or is his luck about to wear out?
He's very cool, he doesn't get jumpy when someone's about to shoot. He doesn't react too quickly, he waits for the shooter. He's not on his knees before the shot is taken; and if he does go down, he's up very quickly. He seems to be able to read the play and the shots and anticipate where the puck will come from, even with a screen.
He looks like he is completely blank behind the eyes. So instead of relying on thought processes, he simply relies on reflexes. A great thing for a goalie.
he's very, very quick. reactions are good and smart, and he doesn't overreact, as labarbera sometimes does and gets himself out of position. his glove is very quick. his post-to-post is much faster than jlb's or cloutier's. he does not give up huge rebounds, and when he does give up a rebound, he's good about directing them out of traffic.
he's also really small. he has to come out to challenge the shooter, because he just doesn't occupy all that much space in the net. that makes him susceptible to the cross-ice pass, because there's a wide-open net from the opposite angle. that's why his lateral movement is so important.
i like the guy, but i'm not ready to see him anointed just yet. let's see how long it takes other teams to sort him out.
__________________ I'm the King of Rock & Roll. If you don't like it, you can lump it.
I liked the fact that he didn't give up many rebounds. He seemed calm and composed. Made a couple of great saves on deflections. Overall, I think he is solid. We'll see how he does through the end of the season.
What impressed me the most was his rebound control. Granted, a few got out there, but for the most part he was good at covering the puck up; when he couldn't cover the puck up, he swatted the puck to a safe area.
And as the others have said, he's very quick. He relies more on reflexes than positioning, which likens him more to Felix Potvin.
However, that comes with a problem as well; like Potvin, he stays in the net. He didn't come out to cut down the angles.
He's also not very aggressive with the poke check, nor does he defend his crease well if a player's pestering him.
__________________ It's a gift, and a curse. - Monk
he's very, very quick. reactions are good and smart, and he doesn't overreact, as labarbera sometimes does and gets himself out of position. his glove is very quick. his post-to-post is much faster than jlb's or cloutier's.
*snip*
I'll take a wait and see approach with evaluating Labarbera until he's healthy again. You can't know for certain just how bad his side-to-side motion was affected by the hernia injury he played with so the on-ice performance or supposed inability we see might not be entirely accurate because of it. The overreaction that you noted could also be related to overcompensation on his part to cover for his inability to slide from one post to the other.
I'll take a wait and see approach with evaluating Labarbera until he's healthy again. You can't know for certain just how bad his side-to-side motion was affected by the hernia injury he played with so the on-ice performance or supposed inability we see might not be entirely accurate because of it. The overreaction that you noted could also be related to overcompensation on his part to cover for his inability to slide from one post to the other.
Two years ago was his first extended stay in the NHL with 29 games. I'm not going to fault or overly criticize any guy getting his first real cup of coffee at the NHL level.
I might be in the minority with my opinion, but I also feel he's improved as a player during these last two years and he's looked more than competent when he wasn't suffering under the effects and/or after-effects of rib and hernia injuries this season.
What impressed me the most was his rebound control. Granted, a few got out there, but for the most part he was good at covering the puck up; when he couldn't cover the puck up, he swatted the puck to a safe area.
And as the others have said, he's very quick. He relies more on reflexes than positioning, which likens him more to Felix Potvin.
However, that comes with a problem as well; like Potvin, he stays in the net. He didn't come out to cut down the angles.
He's also not very aggressive with the poke check, nor does he defend his crease well if a player's pestering him.
I agree that his ability to control rebounds is excellent. Making most of his stops while still on his skates seems to make that possible. Most goalies who go down too soon, like JLB, can't react quickly enough while on their knees.
What I really like his his ability to read the flow of play. Even thru traffic he seems to be in the right place at the right time. That type of goaltender's intuition cannot be taught. In addition, he possesses a good glove and demonstrates quick lateral movement.
Coming out further to play angles can be taught, as can the judicious use of a poke check. He is young enough to learn these skills.
Two years ago was his first extended stay in the NHL with 29 games. I'm not going to fault or overly criticize any guy getting his first real cup of coffee at the NHL level.
I might be in the minority with my opinion, but I also feel he's improved as a player during these last two years and he's looked more than competent when he wasn't suffering under the effects and/or after-effects of rib and hernia injuries this season.
his constant over-commitment, poor skating & puck control, and his pads made out of flubber have ZERO to do with any sort of injury whatsoever.
Ersberg/Goalie Eval question 
fansince67
