I have made my thoughts known on this topic for a while. I have done so using objective data and the most modern and reliable methods for analysis that we have for the goaltender position.
No matter what angle you take on Marc Andre Fleury, he isn't worth the money. You can look at save percentage, even strength save percentage, home plate save percentage, quality starts percentage etc.. and you can't find one that says that Fleury does nothing more than fight to be league average.
The best that is said about Fleury is his win total, but much like pitchers in baseball, win totals are more of a reflection of the team than the individual.
You can choose to ignore the data, but it doesn't lie and it isn't spun in a way to trick anybody. I'm not misleading anybody to make a point. I have used all the information and data available to come to conclusions that are accurate. Liking a guy's personality or where a player was drafted don't come into play here. Performance is all that matters. The data is compiled based on performance.
When you are looking to improve your roster and find that extra piece to put you over the top (extra third line F/Top 6 winger)and don't have the cap space to do so, it usually comes down to not maximizing value at other positions. The goaltender position is one where many teams pay a premium for non-premium results. The Penguins aren't alone in this, but they didn't have to continue down that path.
Walking away from Marc Andre Fleury and going with another goalie wasn't nearly as risky as people make it out to be. They have a guy on their roster right now who is more than capable of league average goaltending, in fact he has played way above that level the past few years.
The difference is that he isn't a "brand name". Executives in hockey are still overly cautious in playing the "unknown". Just look how long the Penguins stuck with slow unskilled D men as opposed to letting their younger more skilled guys play.
It was never about finding a guy that is significantly better than Fleury, it was about getting somebody who can do what he does for much less. Greiss more than fits that bill.
I don't have anything new to add. Just the work I have done in the last year. It's one thing to spew out narratives with no evidence backing it up. It's completely another thing to research things and share your findings.
Do Penguins Play Better With Backup Goaltenders In Net?
Home Plate Save Percentage. Fleury doesn't make as many big saves as you think
Marc-Andre Fleury and quality starts in the playoffs
A Flower That Has Lost Its Bloom
Quick and Fleury Have Something In Common: Bad Contract Value
Balancing Goaltending Investment vs Acquiring Depth
James Reimer Contract Great Example of Value
The case against high priced long term goalie investments
I also wrote the Pittsburgh Penguins chapter in the Hockey Prospectus 2014-15 book in which I go into detail about Marc-Andre Fleury. You can purchase that book
here
Here are some articles from outside sources:
Penguins' New Regime Makes 1st Massive Mistake with Marc-Andre Fleury Extension
Fleury routinely outplayed by backups
Marc-Andre Fleury, playoff disaster, is holding Penguins back from Stanley Cup
You can say you use analytics, but actions speak louder than words. The Penguins actions spoke loud today.
Thanks for reading!
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