|
Pa-ving the way to what? Jets recall Pavelec |
|
|
|
|
|
Today, in a controversial move, the Jets recalled goalie Ondrej Pavelec from the Manitoba Moose.
To do so they placed Ben Chiarot on IR and will run with three goalies. The cesspool between the pipes for the Jets has been nothing short than their Achilles' heel since moving from Atlanta and for most people the main part of that cesspool has been Pavelec.
Let’s be clear, I have no issue with the man, I don’t know him nor do I need to, but his on-ice performance is all that matters right now. That being said, I think many fans are missing the point of this move by head coach Paul Maurice and GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.
This is not about Pavelec being the ‘answer’ or the ‘solution’ to the Jets this season. He’s not here to come in and save the season and bring the team back into playoff contention. If he was that kind of player and management had the belief he would never have started the year in the AHL.
This is about damage control and nothing but that. It’s about helping and supporting a goalie who will likely be the short-term future of the franchise between the pipes. More importantly it’s about preventing any further damage to the psyche of that goalie.
Sure Jets fans have fears about the move, all of them based on five years of recurring nightmares between the consistent sub-par play and odd short-term bursts of unsustainable brilliance. How do those compare to now? Back then patience was abundant and fans were prepared to taste the ripe fruit from the draft and develop model and for many 6 years seems enough time to start picking that fruit. It was picked and it’s not ripe, not even close.
At five-on-five, Hutchinson is the third-worst in save percentage for goalies who have played 500 plus minutes. Hellebuyck sits just ahead of Henrik Lundqvist and Jonathan Bernier and just behind M.A. Fleury. With a team that plays decent enough enough strength hockey but with low events in the offensive zone having less than average goaltending is nothing short of crippling.
The pressure is mounting and Pavelec is the release valve.
The challenge here is to protect Hellebuyck from damage between the ears. If Pavelec is there who the attention is off Hellebuyck it’s now firmly on him and perhaps some breathing room is created, even a safe space.
No we have no way of knowing who starts tomorrow in the recent rematch against Arizona. Some would suggest that putting Hellebuyck in is the right move, test him when he’s down and see what he’s made of right? Others would suggest that he might even need to sit up high and se the game from a different angle, and let Hutchinson back up Pavelec.
Again, we’re not looking at numbers but at the unknown, and that’s between the ears. The psychology of sports is a fascinating thing and no one knows what conversations have happened between coach, player(s) and management. We’re guessing and my guess is this, Hellebuyck knows he’s not there and he’s okay with this move.
Pressure is a funny thing, when you have never operated in it you find out something about yourself. Right now I imagine Hellebuyck is learning a lot but he’s also right on the front line- taking all the heat. He may be ready for the games but he might not be ready for the dealing with the results. That’s one advantage Pavelec has over Hellebuyck, he had heard the criticism and faced the music often and given his contract scenario why not let him shoulder that load now.
What’s the downside? He flames out and things stay the same? At least Hellebuyck is not taking that heat and scorn. He wins, the team gets a boost and perhaps a bit of a toehold on the steep and slippery wall of confidence?
Ondrej Pavelec was sent to the AHL in his contract year making $5 million a year. There is no intention of re-signing him if he does something brilliant, at least not in Winnipeg. This move, even if he runs the table on the rest of the season is not going to change the Jets goaltending future. It might affect the rest of the team though and for the better and that matters too, more than worrying about the variables with Pavelec.
Desperate times require desperate measures and certainly the Jets with their frail psyche and frustrated coach appear to be desperate. There’s no downside here because basically this team is hovering just above rock bottom.
If you want to be upset challenge the plan that put the team here in the first place- what as plan B if the development wasn’t going according to schedule? Certainly what we’ve see for most of this season from the Jets is not part of any plan. A good plan always has a contingency action for when risk don’t plan out. That’s where your real scorn and frustration should lie Jets fans, not the player but that he’s the only hope and option to shake things up or settle them down.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
Join the Discussion:
»