Let’s see how the Montreal punditry is reacting to Jose Theodore’s recent struggles.
First, Pat Hickey:
(A)fter he was yanked during Tuesday's 8-2 loss to Carolina, the goalie described his current troubles as a "slump."But Gainey and Theodore appear to be giving the goaltender a bit too much credit. His play has steadily eroded and his goals-against average has gone up to 3.46 after hovering around the 3.00 mark for most of the season. His save percentage, which has seldom been higher than .890, has dropped to .881.
Earlier this season, Theodore and company could point to other goalies who struggled with new equipment and the "new" NHL, but many of those goalies have adjusted. A case in point is New Jersey's Martin Brodeur, who was named the NHL defensive player of the month yesterday. He's one of the big reasons the Devils are among the teams who jumped past the Canadiens in the standings last month.
Whatever the reason, Theo has been a shadow of the goalie he was. This isn't a 10-game slump - it's a lost season. Whether it's about the pads, the psyche, the new rules or some unknown, undisclosed injury, he isn't right.For now, with a playoff mountain to climb, Gainey has to stay with Huet. We've seen it too many times: Theodore lets in a soft goal, the team sags, the game slips away. Huet was not flawless last night. He was B.T.J. - Better Than Jose.
For now, that's all that matters. Huet has been far better than Theodore. According to the numbers, Yann Danis was better than either. If Theodore starts in Ottawa tonight, there should be an investigation.
Lastly, HabsBlog doesn’t say much, but sometimes pictures can do all the talking.
