Marc Andre Fleury’s numbers this year are worthy of an All Star Game nod, but he did not make the initial roster and that is perfectly fine. The game means nothing and the few days off he gets are way more important.
Here is a breakdown of the workload of Cup winning goalies since the 2004-05 lockout:
The average is 61.5% (433/705)
Marc-Andre Fleury is on pace to play 81.0% (34/42) of the games this year. That would come out to a 66 game season. That is too much with a competent backup on the roster.
The Penguins need to start using Thomas Greiss more often. Not every team has the ability to turn to a backup goaltender with the kind of numbers Greiss has.
Here are the top 10 goalies in EVSV% from 2012-present.
His sample size isn’t huge, but it’s large enough to not be scared off from giving him a semi-regular work.
Marc-Andre Fleury has put together a nice regular season to this point. But none of it will matter and nobody will care if he is gassed come spring time and doesn’t produce at a similar rate for the playoffs.
Give the man a rest.
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The Penguins made a waiver claim yesterday. They claimed Mark Arcobello from the Nashville Predators. Arcobello only played four games for the Predators. His larger NHL sample size has been compiled as a member of the Edmonton Oilers.
Here is Arcobello’s career to this point
He has been an offensive player everywhere he has been and his NHL point totals are pretty respectable. In 82 career NHL games he has 12 goals and 31 points, otherwise known as your average Brandon Sutter point output for a season.
He was slightly above average in the possession department when compared with his other Edmonton teammates.
Not all points and possession are created equally however. You need context. How a player is used becomes the most important variable when trying to understand their success or failures.
In Edmonton Arcobello was put into a top six role playing center with such players as Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, David Perron, Alex Hemsky, Nail Yakupov and Teddy Purcell. Not a bad grouping of players to find yourself with.
When you take into consideration the quality of teammates Arcobello has had you can understand why he has hit the waiver wire twice despite his OK point totals and decent relative possession numbers. He was given tremendous resources and had so so results.
In Pittsburgh it is almost certain he will not be afforded these same luxuries so it would be wise to temper your offensive expectations of him.
Answer the following questions about Mark Arcobello:
Is Arcobello better option than Sill/Adams/Ebbett?
Did he cost anything?
Is it a major move?
Will it hurt to see what he can bring the Penguins?
At the end of the day there is no harm in scooping him from the waiver wire to see what he can provide.
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The Big Guy still looks great
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