Edmonton Oilers Shouldn't Be Quick to Count Out Gustavsson
The Edmonton Oilers may not have the most solid backup option behind Cam Talbot, but Jonas Gustavsson’s struggles do not completely rest on his shoulders.
In six starts this season, Gustavsson has gone 4-1-2, posting a 2.90 GAA and .893 save mark. While these aren’t the most spectacular numbers, they’re not too shabby for an Oilers backup netminder with a non-playoff calibre defense in front of him.
Gustavsson plays an incredibly unorthodox style, where he will do whatever it takes to stop the puck. He doesn’t stick to a butterfly or stand-up style, and instead, adjusts his technique based on the shots he faces. While he is able to make use of his stick well and acommodate to the plays, there are times where he lets in soft goals that he should definitely have.
“The Monster” stands at 6-foot-4, and a lot of times, this complicates things when it comes to getting down quickly. While he does take up a lot of space in the net, he can’t necessarily get down in time, and this creates problems when it comes to opponents shooting low.
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Due to his struggles of late following an outstanding performance in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Wild on Dec. 4, some are pushing for him to be waived. This would then make Laurent Brossoit the team’s backup behind Cam Talbot. Because Gustavsson hasn’t proven consistency, and with Talbot being overplayed, the Oilers need a solid #2 as soon as possible.
However, Edmonton was in a similar scenario last season. They traded Anders Nilsson for his inconsistent play in net, and then called up Brossoit to become the team’s backup netminder. In his starts, he fell apart and wasn’t a reliable option.
If he had an impressive training camp this season, calling him up would be a no-brainer. But he showed signs of struggle early on and didn’t make the cut. He’s thriving in the AHL, and it’s better to have him there. With Bakersfield, Brossoit can continue to win games, develop skills and build confidence.
Putting him in the troughs of the NHL would lead to him having to adjust to a faster, rougher game. This would lead to him likely surrendering more goals, losing critical games and even worse, losing any confidence he has.
Therefore, with fans thinking that waiving Gustavsson is the best option moving forward think again, and this time, factor in Brossoit’s performance, not Gustavsson’s.
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