Vancouver Canucks Recall Rookie Michael Garteig
Few Vancouver Canucks fans expected Michael Garteig to dress for an NHL game this season. But, illness and geography have conspired to make it happen.
An illness has forced the Vancouver Canucks to go deep into their goaltending charts today.
Ryan Miller is battling the flu like Jacob Markstrom was battling the puck last game. In other words, he’s not winning that battle.
Rookie ECHL goalie Michael Garteig has been recalled from the Alaska Aces, despite being third on the depth chart behind Utica Comets starter Richard Bachman and his rookie backup Thatcher Demko.
#Canucks recall goaltender @michaelgarteig from the @Alaskaaces. https://t.co/OGOuoW3uGZ pic.twitter.com/8UpFcCynYc
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 17, 2016
I made the case previously that the Canucks need an affiliate closer to home because of situations like this. However, even in the unlikely event that Garteig plays, we need not be panicked.
There are two reasons to resist panic if we see Garteig’s NHL career start tonight.
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First, and this is definitely not a spoiler, the Vancouver Canucks are not very good. I can even eliminate “very” and say they are not good. They are, perhaps ungood — you know, if that was a word. Simply, Garteig can’t do much damage to this team’s chances, except slightly increase their chances at a good lottery position.
(Actually, let’s forget Garteig. Where’s that UBC kid? Can we just have Matt Hewitt start a couple games?)
Second, Michael Garteig might surprise you. He has always surprised me. His numbers, in an admittedly lower calibre league, are much better than either Demko or Bachman right now. In six games Michael Garteig has a .916 save-percentage and a 2.52 goals-against average for the Alaska Aces.
Richard Bachman, in eight games with the Utica Comets, has an .872 save-percentage and 3.66 goals-against average. Demko has played five games and has a .878 save percentage and a 3.39 goals-against average.
Clearly, these are not straight comparisons. And the Utica Comets, like their parent club, are charging towards the basement of their league. That is going to adversely impact the stats of the goaltenders.
Nonetheless, Michael Garteig has transformed himself from secondary prospect to star at every level of hockey he has played.
Perhaps he will do the same, starting tonight. Probably not. But I’m giving this optimism thing a try.
Michael Garteig could make his debut in a Vancouver Canucks uniform tonight.
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