For those not familiar with my previous work on the Daily News blog, the “player evaluations” are a usual end-of-season feature, in which I’ll give a brief rundown of each player’s season, from my perspective, and then open it up to everyone to comment and “grade” that player’s season. We’ll take all of the players who appeared in at least one game with the Kings this season, and we’ll do a few per day until all have been discussed. It’s alphabetical order, but it’s almost fitting, in a way, that we would start here…
JONATHAN BERNIER
This season: 3 games, 3-0-0 record, 1.30 goals-against average, .957 save percentage.
The good: Well, a lot. Twice, the Kings called up Bernier for a road game and he flew in from the East Coast the night before the game. The results? He beat Dallas 2-1 in a shootout and beat Nashville 2-0. Then, two nights later, he helped the Kings record their only regular-season win over the Canucks in an 8-3 romp. Bernier looked poised and confident, and in the AHL, where he spent most of the season, he was named Goalie of the Year and has the Monarchs on a playoff run.
The bad: Bad? Bernier started three games and won all of them. Even in the game in which he allowed three goals, he shutout the Canucks for the first 32 minutes and didn’t give up a goal until the Kings led 5-0.
Going forward: It’s about to get very, very interesting. Terry Murray made a point of saying, two days after the end of the season, that Jonathan Quick is his No. 1 goalie, but if Bernier looks as strong, in training camp and preseason, as he did this season, the Kings are going to have a very difficult, but good, situation on their hands. It’s all up to Bernier at this point. His play will dictate how closely the Kings have to evaluate their goalie situation next season.
I am excited about Bernier just like everyone else. But I worry that some people on this site already think that he is a star NHL goaltender. He is not and he has proved little in the NHL. He has been doing well in the AHL but as well all know, that doesn’t necessarily translate to nhl success (think labs
).
So I encourage some Bernier fans to calm themselves and lower their expectations. With this level of excitement, they’re setting themselves up for dissapointment…
[Reply]
vas deferens Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 5:43 pm
@Sev The Kings Fan From Montreal, lababs was a stud in the ahl…
[Reply]
variable Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 1:19 am
@vas deferens,
i know what yr name refers to…
it’s funny in a disturbing way…
it’s definitely original…
but por que why go..eh, um…there…?…:)
[Reply]
KingFanMGM Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 7:38 pm
@Sev The Kings Fan From Montreal, it’s all about his “technique”. He is a properly trained, future-stud, goaltender.
Yes, there are always going to be fans pining about the next best thing, but Labarbera never had solid technique.
[Reply]
Sev The Kings Fan From Montreal Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 7:04 am
@KingFanMGM,
agreed but remember that goaltenders are “fragile”. Careers can easily be ruined by bad circumstances… This is why I agree with Kings management in being very slow to bring him into the NHL.
[Reply]
Matt George Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 11:53 am
@Sev The Kings Fan From Montreal,
My excitement is tempered with reality.
He simply hasn’t been in the NHL enough to even vote in this poll.
Much, much, more to prove before we get too happy here.
[Reply]
I went with a very high B+, mainly because 3 games is too small of a sample. But going into next season, the competition is going to be awesome and Quick/Bernier tandem will only strengthen the team.
[Reply]
txkingsfan Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 6:57 pm
@Steve McQueen, I completely agree. He was definitely pumped for those three games, but we saw first hand what the night-in, night-out toll takes on a starting goalie. Quick will be better for it in the future but he showed some fatigue and wear towards the end. Also, Bernier is a new goalie in the sense that opposing players have not had the chance to see him first hand, figure him out, find the flaws in his game, etc. Opposing players knew by the end of the season that above Quick’s glove was a soft spot. I’m pumped about a Quick/Bernie tandem. Ersberg appears to be the odd man out unless he explodes in Manchester. Then again he’s got Zatty, Jones, and a few others right behind him. For those of us who suffered through the post-Hrudey years (Berthiaume, Potvin, Storr, Checkmanik, Lababs, Garon, etc. etc.), having too many good goalies in the system is not a bad thing!
[Reply]
Deadmarsh Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:33 pm
@txkingsfan, and Fiset, Huet etc etc.
[Reply]
3 games is not enough to evaluate a player on, imo.
[Reply]
RLane420 Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 9:28 am
@Lady, I think you are supposed to evaluate his season not the 3 games. See how in the good portion of the post it states that he was goalie of the year in the AHL and is leading his team in the second round of the playoffs. I think you are supposed to take that into account. No player can be graded on 3 games. You may not have been able to see those games down in the AHL but when an award like that is givin out it usually is for good reasons.
[Reply]
3 games is not enought o evaluate a player on, imo.
[Reply]
My prediction for next season is this. Quick starts as the #1 guy. Bernier will still get his fair share of starts. By mid season Bernier will have taken over the #1 job. This is not a knock on Quick I just feel that with the pressure he will have competing for playing time with Bernier he is going to falter and Bernier will thrive
[Reply]
Kris Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 5:07 pm
@barrhaven fan, I’m almost with you. Only difference is I think mid season it will become more of a 1A and 1B kind of thing.
Thanks Rich! Can’t wait to get to the E names.
[Reply]
number 6 Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 6:25 pm
@Kris,
for Ersberg?……. i suppose
Hey be nice. I think he’s probably a better goalie then he got a chance to show. Or maybe it’s for Eugeni Malkin? Oh yeah, he’s on another team.
[Reply]
This is going to be fun! Love guessing how everyone else voted and then seeing the results.
[Reply]
I had to give him an A. You’re right it’s a small sample, but we can only reasonably judge him on what we saw. Every single time he was called on he fulfilled the maximum expectations. Would I have liked to see him play a few more games? Probably, though the year in Manchester seems to have helped. Still, I can’t grade him down because management didn’t call him up often… that’s kinda silly.
[Reply]
There is no reason to make a call between the two Jonathans till next April. Start platooning them in October and then ride the hotter goalie in the playoffs.
[Reply]
there really should be an “Inconclusive” or something to that effect…
Obviously “Goaltender Of The Year” in the A, means an A for that body of work
[Reply]
I went with an A based upon just how well he played in the three games he had this year. He was excellent; how can you knock his GAA and save pct? Still tho, I totally agree, three games doesn’t make an NHL goalie. Bernie has a lot to prove yet but the future is certainly bright for this great young goalie. What he is doing in Manchester is amazing. I truly think the Monarchs have an excellent chance of winning the Calder with their AHL Goalie of The Year.
My prediction, Quickie comes in as the No 1 but will be beaten out by Bernier in camp, especially if both play in camp they way they played in March & April. This isn’t a knock on Quickie by a reach. There is no doubt in my mind that the Kings would not have made the playoffs without Quickie, absolutely no doubt. But, as has been said in other posts, Quick appeared to be worn out during March & the playoffs. TM has said that he probably overplayed Quickie down the stretch. Regardless, Bernier is working on something, a tangible that Quick it would appear has not yet overcome, mental toughness.
The fight for No 1 will be a great competition between the two and I can hardly wait for it to happen. My guess, they’ll both split the time with Bernier getting about 50 games. Since my crystal ball isn’t always that accurate (otherwise I’d invest more money in the Fla Lotto) I’ll do just what every other Kings fan is doing right now…….
GO MONARCHS!!!
[Reply]
Sure maybe 3 games as a king this year is too small to grade “his season with the kings”. But this is how I think about it. He played a dominant season in the AHL all year, called up and did an A+ job of what he was asked to do in the NHL when he was asked to do it. This time when he got sent back to the NHL after playing perfectly his game in the AHL didn’t step a beat. Call me crazy or something but I recall one of the few negatives people talked about with Bernier was his mental side of it. There was no attitude, no sulk or even dip in his stats. His four game sweep in the playoffs for the AHL while the kings made the playoffs too he had a save % of nearly 97. What more does a kid have to do to get Rich to give people the option of giving him an A+ ?
In short, I give Bernier an A+. I can’t wait to see him and quick push each other to be the best they can be next year.
[Reply]
Moondoggie Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 4:50 pm
@typicaljs, I think that was about as good a read as you can get……
[Reply]
Bob Bobson Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 5:19 pm
@typicaljs, +1 to Moondoggie’s thoughts. The mental side that Dean-o said was lacking last year seems to be just fine this year. Excellent point. Yes it is a small sample size and it is way too early to tell but I like what I have seen so far.
[Reply]
I gave him a solid B because of what he did in the NHL. If we’re talking about his overall season, I’d give him an A, as in AHL MVP.
He only played three games… wait until he plays 20+, at the least. Remember that LaBarbera won those first 5 games back in 2005-06? Then… he sucked, and was worth [less than] a 7th round pick.
Bernier has SOOOOOO much potential, and looked nice in those games against Dallas, Nashville, and Vancouver this year. But I can’t really say much until we know he’ll be able to sustain it.
[Reply]
deelo Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 5:01 pm
@Kevin Y,
Modin was worth less than a 7th round pick as well
[Reply]
MR King Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 7:08 pm
@deelo,
I really hope by that you mean Modin was a steal.
[Reply]
Kevin Y Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 8:35 pm
@deelo,
At the time we got him, yes. He did a good job the first few games with us, and the first few postseason games. He was kinda hidden in the other games.
However, at least we keep this 7th round pick
Unfortunately, it’s because we didn’t win the Cup, but Hornqvist was the NHL’s “Mr. Irrelevant” in 2005, and he scored 30 goals this year!
[Reply]
Quick and Bernier as a tandem next season is very exciting.
If for no other reason, I believe the coaching staff will have much more confidence in Bernier than Ersberg. No offense to Ersberg, but it was clear there was no faith in him, which is the reason Quick played in 70+ games this year.
With a backup that everyone in the organization has confidence in, Quick is going to play a lot less and hopefully be that much more fresh for the playoffs next year.
That being said, Bernier definitely has the potential to emerge as the number 1 next year.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:37 am
@Aaron, You hit it right on the screws Aaron, close the column, nothing more needs ta be said.
[Reply]
This kid is it. Sorry Quick, you aren’t so quick and soon to be backup. Thanks for the good season tho and the eventual choke job.
[Reply]
number 6 Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 6:30 pm
@Alen,
Geez, not just to you Alen, but everyone who knocks Quick. Have you never had a difficult period in your life where you maybe weren’t performing up to standard? I mean, if one looks carefully there were Three Major Issues here. 1) Olympic break which played havoc with his rhythm, and goalies for sure are creatures of rhythm. 2) Having a baby. No snide remarks please to the effect that that’s no big deal. It’s immense, if one hadn’t figured that out already. 3) He was clearly overplayed by TM. I don’t give a toss what Brodeur or Fleury or anyone has done. THEY are on the east coast. It’s like half the travel of the Kings – henceforth JQ.
I have no doubt that given a bit of refocusing on his weaknesses that developed in the last third, JQ could not only reproduce what he did in the first half, but maybe even improve on it.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 7:43 pm
@number 6,
Yes!an improvement for a goalie who’s entering his second season as a #1 is not unheard of.I say he completes what he did this season in fewer games,with more rest towards the end of the season.42 wins would be nice.
[Reply]
kingsfan23 Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 10:28 pm
@Alen, i have to agree with number 6 on this one. next year there won’t be another olympic break to get him off his rhythm, i don’t think he’ll be having another baby (which, let’s face it- it’s hard enough for ANYONE to handle a new born, let alone an NHL goaltender, what with all the sleepless nights, etc.), & finally, he’ll have a trusted backup which will allow him well deserved rest if & when needed. another thing- had he not played so well early on, the kings may not have even made it to the playoffs. lastly, he set a club record this year, most wins in a season by a kings goalie. that being said, i think he is a great goaltender, just needs to rest up from the season & work on fixing some little things. as a side note, i think the competition between the two jonathans will be great for both of them. it’ll push them both & i think we’re gonna have two awesome goalies on our hands!
[Reply]
Alen Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 11:56 pm
@kingsfan23, I hope by next year he won’t be our #1 for long. An average goalie performance in the last 3 games of the series would have had us playing Chicago today instead of watching from the outside. I’m tired of all the excuses for the guy. That’s all they are. Saw this crash coming a while ago. His numbers were just never that good and they went really bad towards the end. Guy couldn’t crack the 90 save percentage in the playoffs. That’s horrible. .884 save pecentage and his 3.5 gaa is not even close to mediocre. It’s like early day hockey numbers. Guy was all over the place and never in control.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:20 am
@Alen, Luongo’s #’s weren’t that great either.The diference in why Luongo is going to the next round is because his team scored when it counted.Go ahead and willfuly ignore Quicks importance to this team.I’ll bet next year your eating crow.Hopefully I’ll be the one to rub it in your face.
Alen Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 2:23 am
I won’t be eating crow. I guess going into the 3rd with a 3-2 lead wasn’t enough for good old Quick. Or when they took the lead and Simmonds made it 4-4 that wasn’t enough for Quick to make one damn big save all game right? I’m sure the team was playing extremely hard when he kept eating soft goal after soft goal in game 5. Luongo’s #’s were great when they mattered and they were great AGAIN today. Luongo’s team also scored cause our goaltending was horrible. Atleast half of those goals were soft or Quick was just ALL over the place. Quick does have an important role on this team. Backup role next year with about 20 starts will be important enough.
Steve Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:48 pm
@Alen, they would be playing the Sharks.
puck73 Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:49 pm
@Alen, It’s amazing how fast people on this site want throw Jon Quick away like he is garbage. Am I saying that he is for sure going to be the #1 guy next year,NO ..That remains to be seen. But I think its safe to say that he and Bernier will be our guys next season and that is a great thing because niether one of them are in their prime yet. Also, I will say this..Jon Quick is very competitive and he is not going to give up his position without a fight and thats one of the big reasons why DL likes him so much. Personally, I dont care who wins this battle, I am a Kings Fan and may the best man win.
[Reply]
One more thing I’d like to point out: if he makes the NHL roster, he’s gonna lose a lot of starts.
Bernier’s three games came in between starts in Manchester. If he makes the NHL roster for good, if he’s the backup, he’ll be getting starts in between, here and there. But he won’t be playing like every night like he did when he got his few NHL starts this year.
That does concern me, because I want to make sure he’ll be at his best when he DOES play for us. If he doesn’t get the same regular action that he did this year, I’m not sure he’ll shine as much as he did in those three games.
Yes, a 1.30 GAA is nearly impossible to sustain over a whole season (especially in the “new” NHL), but how good will Bernier be if he gets in 30 games at most?
And also, consider the AHL schedule: they play three games in consecutive nights very often. If Bernier’s not playing all those consecutive games, it’s up in the air.
[Reply]
number 6 Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 6:36 pm
@Kevin Y,
Kevin, are you sure you want to bring up very realistic possibilities? I mean that could punch a hole in people’s ideas of trashing Quick. Then how do they react if Bernier dips?
Sorry for the vinegar in my remarks, but I’ve had it with people trashing Jonathan Quick. How would the trashers feel if They were the ones reading this stuff about themselves. My guess is they’d appreciate it if someone took a bit more care as to what their circumstances were and more importantly what their potential might be.
Jonathan Quick has now played a season and a half for the Kings. Was he good in the playoffs. No, not great except for two games. But his overall dip of play would be about a month and a half. I don’t think that’s so bad at all if you’ve been excellent for the major part of a year and a half.
[Reply]
Kevin Y Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 8:32 pm
@number 6,
I absolutely think Quick was the reason we were a playoff team this year. Without him, we don’t finish 100 points, and probably finish below Calgary.
Realistically, the Kings are gonna have an open competition for the two spots. Quick and Bernier are the two likely candidates to win the #1 job. Quick’s gonna be up, since they aren’t gonna throw himi to the curb after his performance this season, and they want Bernier up.
They don’t want one of those two to be stuck in Manchester for the bulk of the season, but they aren’t gonna want to split the time 50/50, either.
The Kings don’t wanna be in a position like the Blackhawks or Capitals. CHI signed Huet when they still had Khabibulin. They basically told Bulin “see ya”, and were ready with Niemi. Now, Huet hasn’t seen much time recently (after tonight, he’ll probably start Game 2?)
Same thing with the Capitals, who went with Theodore for the most part, but then gave the job to Varlamov. The Kings don’t want to have two good goaltenders and be forced to split the time and risk alienating one of them.
[Reply]
MR King Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 7:11 pm
@Kevin Y,
This is my concern as well. If JB is played as a back up that means hes not getting as many starts. I really hope that (breaks between games) doesn’t affect his overall game because what I’ve seen of Bernier (AHL and NHL) has been incredibly impressive.
[Reply]
I gave him an A. Since we are asked to judge what he had accomplished with the Kings this year. Going 3-0-0, with 1 shutout is impressive. Even though it is only for 3 games.
Going forward, I will reserve my opinion until he performs for an entire season at the NHL level.
His AHL accomplishments so far is impressive, how that will translate to the NHL is anyone’s guess.
Remember just 2 years ago, the Kings had another AHL goalie of the year on the team. And we all know how that worked out.
Ed
[Reply]
i voted B plus cause he did let in one soft goal….incomplete should be a choice on the players who played less than 10 games…
[Reply]
The fact he didn’t play more than 3 games in the NHL is no fault of his. He was the best in the AHL at his position. Had a ton of shut outs, including one of his 3 victorys in the NHL. He is now 5 – 1 in the AHL playoffs including a shut out.
How on earth could anyone give this guy less than an A?
[Reply]
neil Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 5:23 pm
@KC23, i voted based on his time with the Kings NOT the whole season..Rich..are we voting on his NHL time or the whole body of work??
[Reply]
Hmmm, 3-0, 1 shutout (quick had 4 all year). Best goalie in AHL. Even other teams announcers say he has perfect technique. If he doesnt become a top NHL goalie its because of the team hes on.. Dont worry, he will be #1 goalie by mid next season, but who knows with everyone giving Quick all this credit. Out of all starting goalies his numbers were mediocre. Kings allowed one of the fewest shots in NHL. I just hope they give Bernier a good chance and reward him for good play
[Reply]
uh…i gave him an “a”…
this is one of the easiest grades to give…
what else could he have done…?!
[Reply]
number 6 Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 6:40 pm
@variable,
Oh, variable, just got to your remarks. You can probably tell by my comments above that I’m just a wee bit fed up with people not just responding to Bernier, but using it as an opportunity to go at Quick. Hasn’t that gotten a bit old now?
Niemi has already given up 4 to the nyuks in a period and a half. How bad does Quick look now?
btw, I gave him an a as well for the same reason
Ooops, scratch the above…. now it’s Five goals in a period and a half. Gads, Quick’s starting to look like Terry Sawchuck now
[Reply]
variable Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 8:53 pm
@number 6,
i don’t get where the quick haters come from…
all jq did was play better than any other goalie we have had for years…
[Reply]
number 6 Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 9:07 pm
@variable,
I think you and I are on the same wave length. Was fixing dinner and watching the Chi-Vanc game (as you probably gathered) and thinking Exactly the same thing. This guy gives us the best play we’ve had in years…. and by that I don’t mean two or three years, and all some people can do is complain. Is that the human condition? (not to get too deep here)
HawKings Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 11:01 pm
@variable, and number 6 as well, I know there are many others, but it is good to see posts I can more easily relate to and that don;t make me want to throw my computer through a wall.
I will never understand the Quick bashing, by those I affectionately call the pathetics such as ….(I am not naming names as I respect the rules, but they are out there and most know who they are). And let’s not forget all of that goal production that he was getting during that stretch at the end. But that type of thought would be contrary to their agenda.
I gave Bernier an A for the 3 games he played in, and his work in Manchester. I hope he is everything most hope he will be and if he is, our future looks great, especially if Quick continues with his growth as an NHL goalie.
As for Quick,I think Quick did an excellent job, FOR HIS FIRST FULL SEASON IN THE NHL (not yelling at you guys) and I will give him an A when the time comes. Will he be a great goalie in the NHL? I have no idea as again, he has only played one full season in the NHL and the books are full of goalies that have one hot year only to fizzle out afterwards. Along these same lines, I have no idea of Bernier will be a great NHL goalie.
I really don’t get even rooting for one to achieve over the other. I choose, at this stage in their young careers to root for both of them to be their best, to push each other to become, hopefully elite NHL netminders. Maybe one will stand out head and shoulders above the other (and I do not care which one) or maybe the hockey gods look down on our Kings and they will each be at the same high level, with one of them, unfortunately being moved. But great goalies, and I hope they are both equally great, bring back elite talent, which ultimately benefits the team. Which is ultimately my agenda.
Dominick Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:53 am
I totally agree with this set of posts.Variable,number 6(I’m not a number,I’m a free man),and HawKings excellent posts.
variable Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 1:38 am
@HawKings…
excellent perspective…
complete agreement…
we have no idea what will be…why go plaxico burress on ourselves and shoot one of our own legs…?!?!?
let the boys play it out…
geez…after seasons of not having any goaltending whatsoever, we now have it…and, perhaps…perhaps…then some…
the remarkable sentiment towards bernier level-jumping AT THIS POINT is not only delusional from an organizational matriculation standpoint, but…wait…i’ll stop right there…that’s exactly what it is…!
i am not saying that come training camp that jb doesn’t have a shot of at least competing with jq, but as RICH said so well, it’s worth quoting here in my post…:
“Terry Murray made a point of saying, two days after the end of the season, that Jonathan Quick is his No. 1 goalie, but if Bernier looks as strong, in training camp and preseason, as he did this season, the Kings are going to have a very difficult, but good, situation on their hands. It’s all up to Bernier at this point. His play will dictate how closely the Kings have to evaluate their goalie situation next season.”
that’s why he gets paid to do this and we don’t…:)
[Reply]
Won all 3 games in the NHL, including a shut out and a victory over a team that has dominated us for years.
Voted best player at his position in the AHL. Including a ton of shut outs.
Now is 5-1 in the playoffs including a shut out.
And people are giving him less than an A?
Ruff crowd.
[Reply]
Not to bad a bad problem to have. How about the years the Kings carried Vachon – Edwards then Vachon – Graham?
[Reply]
Okay, who is the dumba** who rated him as an ‘F’? Really?
[Reply]
number1fan Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 6:21 pm
@Mark C., Either a Nashville, Vancouver, or Dallas fan
[Reply]
wavesinair Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 6:50 pm
@Mark C., Probably Ersberg or Quick
[Reply]
Nitrohockey Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 10:57 pm
@Mark C., I would guess someone like adi. He has a one track mind. All he posts is that Quick sucks.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:44 am
@Mark C., ..it was Hazy and Ahlers.
[Reply]
I will give hima a big A. He doesn’t need to prove nothing because he have a natural talent,he’s the type were they comes once in a blue moon. He beat Dallas,that’s a impressive show of talent and then he close the door again’st Nashville (Quick can’t win a game against them) and he beat Nucks, same story TM goalie(quick) have hard time not allowing soft goals. Bernier will be Kings number one next year because he will show TM that Quick belong at number 2 position.
[Reply]
Definite A are you kidding me? How would you give this kid anything less than an A? Come on now!
[Reply]
Exactly What the top few said.
3 games is a poor sampling, but From what I saw, he looks impressive for sure. I rated B+, but I almost wish for him there was a no rating option.
[Reply]
i didnt vote f but i know of teachers who wont give a A until ALL the papers are turned in…maybe that was the case….but in reality there is always one knucklehead who needs attention…
[Reply]
iam dropping my grade…Bernier lost tonight 3 2 ..The last goal was disputed…maybe kicked in???Just Kidding about the grade drop…
[Reply]
The kid gets an “A” grade from me. Even though he only had three starts with the “big club” this season, he performed very well when called upon.
Now having said that, My grade is like a grade on a placement test; OK, you showed you have what it takes to make it through the door…next season, show me you really belong and deserve to stay. I don’t think any more time in the minors is going to help J. Bernier, if this season is any indication.
Go Kings Go!
[Reply]
Though I am a supporter of Quick, I am excited to see a Quick/Bernier tandem next season. Sorry, Ersberg….
I think the Kings are going to see great things from both of them and will reap the rewards next season, and so will we as fans, with a record-breaking season with points and wins!
GO KINGS!
[Reply]
I agree that it is only a hand full of games,and a grade may be premature,but an F.Really?Obviously we have a couple of jealous Ducksfans in our midst.
[Reply]
I gave JB a B+
Bernier and Ersberg in 2010 – 2011.
Ship JQ out…PULeeeeze.
[Reply]
JT Snow Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 9:39 pm
@Michael G,
Agreed!
[Reply]
A is the only possible grade. Or A+. You could argue that he didn’t play enough to get a final grade in the “class.” But if you’re going to give a grade, you can’t penalize him because you didn’t give enough tests. He took three tests, and aced each of them.
It makes no sense to give him a B because you think in the next class he might not do as well.
I do agree, though, with whomever said that grading Bernier has nothing to do with grading Quick. You can think both did great. I do. In fact, despite his crapping out a bit at the end, I would give Quick an A also. Hard not to, given what is essentially a historic season for the Kings, due in no small part to him.
I’m surprised no one has made a joke about the identity of the 2 people who voted “F”. There are so many possibilities. I was going to go with, “who knew Quick and Ersberg read the blog?”
[Reply]
number 6 Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 9:10 pm
@Quisp,
Quisp, somewhere in there I think there was a comment about it being the fan of an opposing team. That or maybe someone trying to convince us how poor he is…… so that His team can get a good deal on a trade
[Reply]
HawKings Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 11:04 pm
@Quisp, See my reply to variable and number 6 above as you also fit.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 1:08 am
@Quisp,
Wavesinair beat you to it.
[Reply]
I hope they split the games so Bernie doesnt get rusty sitting on the bench. that would suck after the hard work he has put in to getting his game solid.
[Reply]
Best case scenario now is to trade Quick and get an established veteran to back up Bernier. Bernier/ Quick could be disastrous to a young team.
Murray had no other choice but to say what he said re: #1 next year. Had he said anything else they would have eaten him and management alive for not bringing up Bernier when they had the chance.
Argue all you want people but you cannot keep a goaltender that played 75 games one year and then back up the next. You can’t do it!
[Reply]
HawKings Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 11:11 pm
@JT Snow, I just do not see it playing out that way. Let’s not forget that DL has been down this road before with multiple high level goalies. I cannot imagine he pulls the trigger that soon. My guess is both are on the team all of next season and likely at the beginning of the season after that. I do not know how many years DL looked at Nabokov, Kip, and Tosk before he made the choice to trade, but I would guess it was more than one year. Maybe someone like Quisp has a better idea of how many years the process took.
[Reply]
Quisp Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 11:12 pm
@JT Snow,
Quick will not be traded this summer. That would be madness. Neither goalie is going anywhere for at least another year. 2010-2011 is Bernier’s contract year. We’ll see what he does and what he gets.
And Quick may well go from 72 games to 50 games next season. Maybe less. Depends on how he responds, no matter what number you give him.
[Reply]
JT Snow Reply:
May 1st, 2010 at 11:34 pm
@Quisp,
Therein lies the problem…. If you can sit there and assume management and coaching staff don’t think Bernier is better than Quick you are not thinking straight. This is the sole reason they couldn’t bring him up. They would’ve looked like morons for how they used Quick so much and someone like Bernier played only 3 games. They have to back Quick now(ie Murray’s comments) However, you cannot allow a goaltender in the same franchise to come in and take over a goalie that played the full season basically in net and assume harmony. It will not happen.
You cannot allow Bernier to come in and seize half the games on Quick. team division, goalie division, coaching/ management division. Quick is gone within 20-25 games of the beginning of the season. Veteran goaltender to apprentice Bernier. Safest bet and also best bet for team on all levels. Think about it. Quick lost it. plain and simple
[Reply]
variable Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 1:51 am
@JT Snow,
so let me get this straight…:
it all comes down to pride and ego from terry murray and dean lombardi as the sole reason that bernier is not currently our number one goalie…?
with all due respect to the blog rules…
(okay…you know what’s coming next – some disrespect…jk…not really)…it’s hard to be respectful to a voice that adheres to the mr, burns theory of running a sports team…
wow…
that’s an interesting take, sir, to say the least…(!)
Quisp Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 8:23 am
@JT Snow,
I think (1) you’re being overly conspiratorial and (2) your cause-and-effect doesn’t really add up. Quick was promoted last year because Bernier was not ready last year. Quick was phenomenal before the Olympics and then tapered off dramatically. While I have argued pretty consistently that I thought Bernier should have been recalled, or a vet back-up should have been acquired, back in November when Murray lost confidence in Ersberg, it’s hard to argue with Lombardi’s asset-management strategy with regard to Bernier, who is of course the best goalie in the AHL this year. I always maintained that relying on Quick so heavily ran the serious risk of burning him out, and that certainly does appear to have happened.
However.
“If you can sit there and assume management and coaching staff don’t think Bernier is better than Quick you are not thinking straight.”
What Lombardi knows is this:
Bernier: technically superior (in fact technically he’s nearly perfect); excellent positioning and rebound control; history of pouting etc.; appears to have grown-up a bit; is playing phenomenally; has cultivated the calm/even-keel thing, but used to be thought of as temperamental in that Belfour/Hextall mold; has proven himself at every level but has not yet shown what he can do over a long season in the NHL.
Quick: extremely athletic; resilient personality; competitor; technically not 100%, but has worked very hard to correct this, and did for most of the season; mediocre rebound control; may not be able to handle a huge workload; may have focus/concentration issues; trumps Bernier in NHL experience, has played more games in a single season than most ever will; was a huge part of one of the most successful seasons in franchise history.
Look I love these guys, but I also was a huge fan of Storr and Stauber. Both of whom ended up as excellent goalie school instructors.
“This is the sole reason they couldn’t bring him up. They would’ve looked like morons for how they used Quick so much and someone like Bernier played only 3 games.”
They know Bernier is better, so they couldn’t bring him up, because they would have won more games and would still be alive in the playoffs, and this would make them all look stupid?
I think we all know that when a coach or GM makes a change that results in better results, it doesn’t make them look stupid.
“They have to back Quick now(ie Murray’s comments) However, you cannot allow a goaltender in the same franchise to come in and take over a goalie that played the full season basically in net and assume harmony. It will not happen.”
There are of course plenty of examples of exactly this happening. Harmony comes from winning. Disharmony, from losing.
You cannot allow Bernier to come in and seize half the games on Quick. team division, goalie division, coaching/ management division.
It’s not marriage, where it’s a little harder to swap wives on a week to week basis, depending on who is the hottest that week. It’s dating. Not only is it NOT a problem to play the other goalie when one goalie is struggling, it’s expected.
If next Christmas Quick is 17-3 and Bernier is 10-10, you think Murray is going to play Bernier because he’s “better and we all know it?” Murray will go with the goalie who is winning. And everyone will get it. And there will be no conspiracy.
“Quick is gone within 20-25 games of the beginning of the season. Veteran goaltender to apprentice Bernier. Safest bet and also best bet for team on all levels.”
I don’t think so, for all the reasons I just gave. But I would also point out that you are arguing against yourself. If it will cause team disharmony to play Bernier over Quick, it will also cause disharmony to ship Quick out.
“Think about it. Quick lost it. plain and simple.”
OMG is IS so simple when you put it that way!!
Quick did not play well or consistently down the so-called stretch. Neither did Luongo, or that Brodeur loser. Meanwhile, Boucher is hot hot hot, and Bryzgalov (sp?) is sitting at home. Halak (!) is the best goalie in the world right now. Nabokov (he of the repeated collapse) is on a roll. Go figure.
rontheking Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 11:17 pm
@JT Snow,
Nice breakdown Quisp! You saved me a lot of typing!
I particularly liked the wife-swapping analogy–except I don’t think dating is the appropriate comparison for your conclusion.
I prefer to think of the Kings as an unnamed but not unknown religious sect who are allowed more than one goalie and/or wife at a time.
But as you said, number of appearances for each will probably depend on the performance of each Jonathon in turn whose performances/fortunes will undoubtedly ebb and flow over the course of a long season and–dare I say–playoffs. (I won’t mention the spector of injury so as not to jinx anyone)
Hopefully the Kings will be able to keep both of their wives happy for as long as possible before one of them storms out the door, a goalie scorned, puck-bags in hand.
Berni came in and beat the two teams that Quicker could not(Nash and Van), on the road even, after a late night flight. That says a lot to me. It doesn’t mean that Berni is all around better than Quicker, but it shows that Berni can be leaned on in clutch situations and stand tall. That alone has a lot to say about Berni’s worth to this team. I believe in a couple of seasons Berni’s name will be in everyones mouth in the league. There is just something about those french-canadien goalies! Must be in the water up there! !!!GO KINGS GO!!!
[Reply]
I can’t give Bernier a grade based on 3 games played up here unless I’d watched his games in Manchester. You can’t use box scores and occasional reports from 3000 miles away to decide how a player’s season was.
I personally think Bernier deserves a shot at the #1 spot in LA next year, but if TM doesn’t think so then maybe he and the coaching staff see something we don’t see?
And let’s remember that Bernier is still just a kid, and has a history of immature reactions to demotions in the past. Perhaps he’s not ready yet? What’s the hurry?
The problem this year was not that Quick wasn’t good enough. It was just that he played too much. Give him more games off next year and the Kings will make it out of the first round.
[Reply]
RLane420 Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 9:58 am
@Paul from Oxnard, You cant give a grade based on being awarded for being the best at your position…..really! Did you see all of Ovies games and are you saying you cant comment on him being a great player because you didnt. I didnt see all of #99 games but I can give him an A+++ on his career.
[Reply]
Paul From Oxnard Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 6:45 pm
@RLane420, Bernier hasn’t had a career much less an NHL season. And yes, I saw most of Ovie’s games. I have center ice and I usually watch the Caps unless their game conflicts with the Kings.
[Reply]
I love the people who gave him an F. Goalie of the year in the AHL isnt the same as the NHL. But I think it deserves more than an F grading. Giving Bernie an F is based solely on your love of Quick, I am glad you were not my teacher in school. I am also glad you are not the coach or general manager.
[Reply]
RLane420 Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 9:44 am
@RLane420, His AHL info is mentioned for a reason. You are supposed to evaluate his season not his NHL games. As for saying I didnt see those games so I cant grade. Well I didnt see all of Ovie, Cindy Crosby, or the Sedin sisters games and I dont need to to say they had A+ regular seasons. The proof is in the stats. I am sure the AHL doesnt give out the player of the year awards based on popularity. Getting an award for being the best player at his position means he had an A season in my book.
[Reply]
I would just be curious to see the explanation for whoever gave him an F!?!?!?!
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 11:09 am
@Diablito93,
I gave him an F,because I’m a stupid Ducksfan who worships Bryan Gayword.
Signed
A lame Duck.
[Reply]
yes he was only in 3 games, so my A grade was simply for those 3 games only; you don’t grade him on anything else, therefore an A! next year will be interesting indeed!!!
[Reply]
Damn Rich…please figure out a way to fix the username and email address issue. I just commented and forgot to put the info in..AGAIN!
I know, it was a worthless point anyway..but still!
This kid derserves the highest marks possible. I haven’t seen a defenseman come into the league and dominate like this since Leetch. I think he’s a better defender than Leetch was. The sky’s the limit for Doughty.
I’d like to make a comment about the idea of DD needing to fight before he can earn the respect of his peers.
I don’t recall seeing Nicky Lidstrom drop the gloves too often.
You earn respect from your peers by playing the game the right way and giving it your all ever night. Doughty has certainly earned the respect of everyone in the league.
[Reply]
this kid is the future not quick.
[Reply]
You can only grade him based on the opportunity he was given. AHL Goalie of the Year, NHL 3-0, 1.2GPG, .957GAA. He played to the highest level possible for what he was allowed to do. I don’t understand any grade lower than A. Its not appropriate to give a student a B if he got 100%, because he wasn’t allowed to take the Honors class.
[Reply]
If Bernier wasn’t sent back down to Manchester, the Kings would still be playing.
[Reply]