Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA

McKenna’s Mailbag: Answers about COVID’s impact on the Olympics and Hall of Fame goalies

Mike McKenna
Mike McKenna(MikeMcKenna56)
Nov 20, 2021, 13:56 ESTUpdated: Nov 20, 2021, 13:59 EST
McKenna’s Mailbag: Answers about COVID’s impact on the Olympics and Hall of Fame goalies

Putting me on the spot! The simple answer to your question – in my eyes – is Curtis Joseph. He played 19 seasons in the NHL, is seventh all-time in regular season wins, was a three-time all-star, and owns 63 playoff victories. He may have never won a Stanley Cup or  Vezina trophy, but Cujo’s longevity and consistently excellent play should land him in the Hall of Fame. He wasn’t just good. He was outstanding. Also keep in mind that Cujo had 96 ties – that’s an extra 50 wins in today’s NHL. I think he’s the best goaltender not in the Hall of Fame.

As for the most deserving, Tom Barrasso tops my list, followed closely by Mike Vernon. Barrasso won the Vezina (top goaltender) and Calder (rookie of the year) trophies with the Buffalo Sabres in 1983-84. And he did it right out of high school! Barrasso was a trailblazer for American goaltenders. He won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins and sits 20th all-time in wins. Barrasso belongs.

Marc-Andre Fleury will be inducted first ballot.

I’m trying to follow along with your question, so please forgive me if I’m not understanding it correctly. I believe you’re asking if players on teams that haven’t had to reschedule games should be allowed to go to the 2022 Beijing Olympics. That’s if games have to be rescheduled.

Let’s say more teams than the Senators are forced to postpone games. I can’t see the NHL being flexible on this. Either the Olympic break happens for everyone, or not at all. And here’s why: let’s say four teams postpone three games each. With the travel involved and visiting teams accounted for, there’s a good chance half of the NHL is impacted in some form or another. 

And I think that’s the critical threshold – if the Senators remain the only team to postpone, NHL players are headed to Beijing. If it turns into three or four NHL teams – I’m not as optimistic. Personally, I wouldn’t be OK with some players from select teams going. It’s all or nothing.

This is a bad goal, end of story. Yes, it’s an incredible shot. And Sorokin’s RVH is technically sound. But two things stand out to me: one, Hornqvist is too far away for Sorokin to be relying on a stationary blocking RVH. Two, Hornqvist doesn’t have any pass options in the slot area or backdoor. There is no reason for Sorokin to be protecting against a pass in this scenario.

To me, that means Sorokin was comfortable on this play and let his guard down. He’s also lacking awareness but not knowing exactly where the threats are on the ice. Had he known the slot area was completely devoid of opposing players, he would have been much more likely to defend against Hornqvist on his edges. I think this was the perfect time for VH to be used. Not as a preventative block – rather as an active save selection. Sorokin would have been able to stay square and cover the top corner.

During the season, goaltenders rely almost strictly on their team’s goaltending coach. To go outside of the organization for on-ice help would be taboo. There also isn’t enough time for it to happen during the season.

In general, most goalies have a coach they train with in the summer. Someone they trust and go to for years on end. For example, I trained with Chris Economou for nearly 20 years. What goaltenders can do in-season is work with an external goalie coach through video. It’s so easy to access. I know some goaltenders continue to bounce ideas off their summer coaches during the season – but it’s kept on the down low. Goalies don’t want to undercut their in-season coach.

One thing goaltenders can do during the season is work with mental coaches that they employ. That’s pretty common.

My blades are profiled however the steel arrives. I don’t change it. But I am very particular about the hollow of my skates. I’ve used 3/8″ for years.

Gaborik’s retirement is pretty simple. He’s been unable to play due to injury since 2018 and his contract finished at the end of the 2020-21 season.

Phaneuf has been done for a while but COVID delayed his plans. He wanted to announce it in Toronto – being Captain of the Maple Leafs meant a great deal to him – and with travel restrictions it just wasn’t possible until recently.

Yes, I’ve read the NHL rule book cover-to-cover. I wanted every detail possible when I played. There is always an advantage to uncover, or gray area to lean on when given the chance. As the years went by, I’d usually just read the updates. There’s really no excuse to not know the rules, especially when they’re so important to your job.

It’s been in the news recently, but I always loved the white-tape-only rule regarding the knob of goalie sticks. I had our coaches use it a few times on opposing goalies just to mess with them and try to keep them honest. It’s such an archaic rule, but it’s still in the book. I loved sticking it to players that refused to read.

In youth hockey our team was never shy to call out an illegal curve. Even in pee-wees I was looking for an edge. When I saw a kid on the opposing team using a Sher-Wood 5030 Coffey pattern, they were in trouble. I knew that pattern had a ¾” curve, when at the time ½” was the maximum allowed. It never failed.

MORE FACEOFF.IN YOUR INBOX.
CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER
Keep scrolling for more content!