First, the regularly scheduled Stanley Cup update… After its days with Slava Voynov and Andrei Loktionov in Russia, the Cup has now reached Slovenia and Anze Kopitar will have his day tomorrow (it’s now evening in Slovenia). Make sure those accordions are tuned… Also, it’s time for the annual player evaluations. For those who aren’t familiar, I’ll go through the Kings’ roster and evaluate each player in terms of what we saw this season and what we might expect next season, and then you can vote for a “grade” and we’ll see, at the end, which players graded best. Going alphabetically, we’ll start with Jonathan Bernier
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JONATHAN BERNIER
This season: 16 games, 5-6-2 record, 2.36 goals-against average, .909 save percentage, 1 shutout.
The good: In his second full season as Jonathan Quick’s backup, Bernier was arguably as good as any No. 2 goalie in the league. His season got off to a rough beginning. His first start came in the second game of the season, in Berlin after a long night of European travel. His second start came at home, after Terry Murray decided to start him after Quick’s three consecutive shutouts. Bernier hit his stride in late December, when he allowed two or fewer goals in four consecutive starts. Bernier is a technically sound goalie whose economy in movement allows him to get in good position and swallow up shots.
The bad: Bernier started 22 games in 2010-11 and the plan, heading into this season, seemed to be to get him at least that many starts. Murray even raised some eyebrows in training camp when he indicated that he would go with the “hot hand’’ in goal. Quick, however, got off to a brilliant start and Bernier quickly got relegated to spot duty. Bernier started only 13 games and appeared in three others. For a 23-year-old goalie, one with great potential, that’s not enough on a personal level. On the ice, Bernier is still prone to uneven stretches, particularly in terms of controlling rebounds.
Going forward: Decision time is nearing for Bernier and the Kings. He has one more year left under his current contract, and with Quick having signed a 10-year contract extension, it’s clear that he’s the Kings’ goalie of the future. It’s reasonable to think that the Kings might now look to trade Bernier, but his name has come up in trade talks over the past year, and the Kings have been less than impressed with the offers. It’s highly possible that the Kings will keep Bernier as an insurance policy at the start of the season, then look to move him at the trade deadline or next summer. To his credit, Bernier has been a good teammate and has not publicly bemoaned his lack of playing time.
He’s a great goalie who could be a #1 on any other team and he never (publicly) complains about not playing. That is the definition of a team player and a great teammate. As a Kings fan, I’d love to see him stay on as a backup, but I really hope he gets the opportunity to be a #1 goalie somewhere else.
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Krusher Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 10:44 am
@Tyler, Somewhere far away because he will be good and I don’t want to face him 6 or even 4 times.
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tkecanuck341 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 12:02 pm
@Tyler, Bernier & 2nd to Chicago for Saad, Emery, & 1st.
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562kevin Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
@tkecanuck341, Why would we want emery if we have a great young prospect in jones? I’d look to trade for another goal scorer.
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mrbrett7 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
@562kevin, You’re not going to have Jones backup Quick. That’s why.
However, I don’t want Bernier anywhere in the Western Conference.
tkecanuck341 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
@562kevin, Jones isn’t ready for primetime yet. Maybe in 2013-2014. Emery only has one year left on his contract at a cap hit below Bernier’s, which would allow Jones to come in as backup after next season.
Brandon Saad is one of the strongest LW prospects available, and Chicago is in desperate need of solid goaltending. Works out well for everyone. I’d be down for Paajarvi from Edmonton as well, but they don’t have anyone that can hold us over until Jones is ready, as Khabibulin is 42 years old. Chicago made more sense.
Caleb C Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
@Tyler, the not complaining about playing time is the reason I said B+ and not just a B
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Munchrat Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
@Caleb C, Exactly my rationale for giving the same grade.
When he becomes a #1 starter in a year or two, he will have a chip on his shoulder that will give him an intangible edge. He is a Stanley Cup Champion and that is going to make him confident throughout his career.
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variable Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 3:04 pm
@Tyler,
i would like to see jb prosper somewhere in the east, if he’s traded…
i agree with RICH, – jb will probably traded sometime between the begining of next season and the trade deadline…
remember, goalies go down at the beginning of every season – hopefully it won’t be quick – and then bernier’s value escalates…
patience is the only way to go with jb – either wait for a deal that you can’t refuse or wait it out…
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Brett Reply:
July 12th, 2012 at 11:50 pm
@Tyler, I think Bernier has shown that he can be a great goaltender but we just haven’t seen enough of him to be sure and that was because of the 2011- 2012 season we had a coach change and we couldn’t score any goals but we did get to see that Quick was keeping us in a place of a possible win even when scoring just one goal! That was why he was chosen to stay in as the permanent goaltender but Bernier wasn’t given ample chances to prove his worthiness because we were desperate to make the playoffs we didn’t have the luxury of playing Bernier in many game because we had to make the playoffs to even hope to go anywhere. So I believe that he will get more chances this year the 2012 – 2013 season if there is no lockout that ruins the season or shortens it to a splinter of a regular season but if he does get a regular season this year he will probably get more chances especially if we are getting the scoring like we got in the playoffs and after getting Carter near the end of the season. If we are scoring I believe he will get his chance to prove his worthiness or he will show that he is not the Goaltender everyone thought he was. he doesn’t cover the net on rebounds like Quick or any of the other high placed goaltenders now that may be because of his lack of play and being stuck in in bad situation were he wasn’t ready and lets all be honest here. Confidence is a goaltenders necessity if he lacks confidence then it is going to show , now the only way to get confidence is to play him but if he doesn’t do well then his confidence may get shot to hell immediately! Then what? he won’t be worth anything on the market at the trade deadline but I believe if they tell him in advance that he is going to get opportunity if we play well up front and on defense then we will have time to be ready for his big spotlight debut and do well and if they work with him in practice then he should do well. I think it is in the teams best interest to give him an opportunity this year so that everyone can see what his value is and if he does well then we should trade him so that he can have his shot and be able to get his chance to play on a team that could use him! we don’t need 2 great goaltender it’s not fair to the number 2 guy he deserves a chance!!!!
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Bernier is a good team player. It will be tough to give him up and he has earned a shot at being a #1 somewhere as long as it not in the west. Unless we get a high 1st rounder.
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A record of 5-6-2 leaves much to be desired.
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mike Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:01 am
@kingsofsb, Record sucks, yes but it didn’t help that they couldn’t score much last season. 12-13 games isn’t much of a sample size. Quick was so hot for the whole season, you couldn’t give Bernier much of a shot.
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CT King Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:21 am
@kingsofsb, Quick’s record wasn’t much better before the Carter acquisition (24-17-11). After Carter showed up Bernier rarely got on the ice getting only 4 starts. Bernier also lost 1 start where he game up 1 goal and lost 3 games where he gave up only 2 goals. He only gave up more than 3 goals in one of his starts. Focusing on record is not a true measurement of Bernier’s ability and is one of the reasons Quick didn’t win the Vezina.
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Shuchuk Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
@kingsofsb, look at his GAA and save %, just like Quick his W/L total was the result of them NOT SCORING GOALS for long stretches of the season. Nobody was shut out more often than LA last year.
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Gary Livingston Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
@kingsofsb,
Yeah, that record doesn’t mean much at all. His other stats are pretty great.
Even Quick’s wins/losses doesn’t reflect his other stats.
That’s what happens when your team can’t score.
I gave Bernier an A. He’s an awesome goalie and greater teammate.
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mikie ja Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 8:17 pm
@kingsofsb, all this talk about trading bernier will go nowhere..folks when we scored 3 or more goals he was 5-0-1 and in the 6 loses he played ok..dl will not trade him a draft picks/or a backup goalie…doesnt make sense..lets see how sutter uses him and remember quick will play 60 plus games next year…seems to me bernier is ok with his situation and he is a great teammate…by the way this team is solid lets not mess with it……
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B for Bernier!
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Howe9 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, I’m giving him an A. But just a warning – I’m giving everybody an A. We just won the Stanley Cup & it wouldn’t have been possible without every players contributions.
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I gave him a B+ because I was torn between the skill i’ve seen (massive potential that he is beginning to realize and you can see in his game), the uneeven marks (Rich highlighted rebounds), and what his role on the team is (he’s been the backup, so his grades must be ranked relative to his opportunity given).
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Shakes Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 10:16 am
@Shakes, I forgot to add the i gave him a B+ versus just a B because there seems to be good intangibles there… from an outsider’s perspective he seems to be a good teammate who has been just as happy as the “regular players” with the team’s success. As a fan who likes to think of this team as being a family growing together, this is awesome to see
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spidey35 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
@Shakes, I also gave a B+. The plus is for being a good teammate and not complaining about playing time.
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I give him a ‘C’ for C ya later!
Seriously though, I have to hand it to Bernier for being a good teammate in an otherwise awkward situation. At any point he could have made drama but he didn’t. Instead, he chose to get on board the fright train known as the Quick Express and ride that puppy all the way to a ring. That kind of patience will go a long way towards helping him keep whatever #1 job he eventually lands.
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Michael J. Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 10:49 am
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com),
Be careful there by anointing him as a #1 somewhere before he earns it. Don’t go Canuckfan on us and assume its his birth-right (or draft right in this case).
I think he’s going to hang around a bit longer than most think. DL wants to get maximum value for him, and thats a ways away.
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Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 10:57 am
@Michael J., LOL. Okay, no anointing. I guess I should have said ‘#1 job he EVENTUALLY lands.’ Oh wait, I did!
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Michael J. Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:57 am
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com),
Are you suggesting that I read your posts more carefully?
vinny Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:06 am
@Michael J., i was thinkin the same, especially since the market for him seems to have thinned out..chichago, sure, toronto maybe, islanders maybe, and maybe winnipeg too. then theres what those teams might offer, and im not too sure it’ll be something dl will wanna do
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variable Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 3:07 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com),
same grade given…
dl is holding all the card….
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It will be tough for DL to pull the trigger on a Bernier trade knowing goaltending is the one area in which the Kings would be vulnerable to injury. Jones will probably be a good backup eventually and possibly even at present but he’s never played an NHL game.
If JQ gets hurt it would be different than if a forward or defenseman went down as players could be moved around (Carter or Lewis could play center) with Toffoli, Pearson, Vey, and Czarnik (who has played some wing in the past) available in Manchester. There’s depth on the blueline with Muzin, Hickey, and DD2 available. Campbell could also be pressed into service if necessary.
JB could fetch some picks or prospects and in the long term it makes sense to move him but it’s going to take a lot of guts for DL to do that now.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 10:31 am
@Crown Royal, In theory, maybe the Kings could get the other team’s veteran backup in an attractive trade for Bernier as their starter–as long as the salary cap hit isn’t much.
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Crown Royal Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 10:34 am
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
Yeah, that would make sense. Still a problem if JQ went down with a knee etc. A backup who probably wouldn’t be as talented as Bernier trying to take the Kings to another Cup.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 2:53 pm
@Crown Royal, This is, of course, the kind of problem most teams have.
variable Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 3:11 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
+5….
i’ve said it before, it’s a very good option re: veteran backups…a parallel move if a deal is a struck….
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CT King Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:34 am
@Crown Royal, I’ve watched Jones for 2 years in Manchester. He’s not ready. If Bernier goes we must get a veteran backup to sit and watch Quick. Jones can be incredibly frustrating to watch as he just seems to forget how to play in net for weeks at a time. Look at his stats for the last two years and you see long stretchs of inept performances. Great kid but he loses his ability for months at a time. January and February last season he went 2-8-1 with a 3.25 GAA. 2010-11 was the same. Feb 26 – April 1, 0-5-0 with a GAA above 3.00.
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Crown Royal Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:49 am
@CT King,
Good point. It may be a problem of focus and hockey maturity which time might cure. The Kings liked his potential enough to have him backup JQ and JB during the playoffs instead of Zatkoff.
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Seems it would be hard to get value for Bernier if he was traded. Between Quick playing lights out and the team struggling for most of the year, Bernier did not get a lot of starts. During our fantastic play off run, Kings had enough down time for Quick to rest up and play every game. Sitting the pine is hard for anyone, especially a young guy. Rich’s analysis is spot on, as always.
Going into the season, I thought Bernier would get more than 25 starts but the way things played out there were good reasons to play Quick so often.
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With Bernier I bet we still would have won the cup. Would we have made the playoffs is the question! But he is awesome, and was expected to be our #1. Now it’ll be sad to see him go and crush it for another team, but so be it. If we can get a good Defenseman for him to replace Green or Mitchell…we might be on to something. Maybe Tuka Rask breaks his earlobe and somehow we get Chara in the deal…or I would love to see Volchenkov as a King. Siccck.
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CL Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 10:36 am
@Clint, I don’t know if they still would have won the cup. Quick stood on his head when the team really needed it. I mean, imagine if McDonald (I think) had been able to score on one of his early Game 1 nearly-empty-net shots that Quick magically blocked with his pads. Sure the Blues got swept, but who knows if a timely goal when the Kings were completely outplayed during the first 10 minutes of Game 1 would have made it a completely different series. At several times in games and series, the Kings seemed to come out slow, Quick completely destroyed the confidence of the other team, then the Kings got to work and won. If Bernier (or Quick) played merely ‘very well’ in those key moments, who knows what would have happened.
That’s not a hit on Bernier at all, I just think it can’t be overstated how timely and fantastic Quick’s play was in the postseason.
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ChiTownKingsFan Reply:
July 6th, 2012 at 1:31 am
@Clint, I stopped reading after the first sentence.
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I can see Bernier being traded and being replaced by a cheaper back up, with the cap savings going to King’s raise. That’d leave King at roughly a 1M cap hit, which is not unreasonable. I’m sure the sticking point for King though is a one-way deal. He’d never clear waivers.
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tkecanuck341 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 12:47 pm
@FKA PakiFro, Unless King decides to hold out, he’s going to be making $591,667 next season (currently salary + 10%). 3-4 months of decent play does not warrant consideration beyond the standard qualifying offer, nor does it give him room to negotiate for a one-way deal.
Since we have Brown, Gagne, Penner, and Clifford all available on the LW, King will compete for the 4th line spot against Clifford. If he starts making demands, he can go play in Manchester for $55k/year.
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Buggy Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 2:41 pm
@tkecanuck341,
King has done more in 3-4 months than Clifford has in 2 years.
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tkecanuck341 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
@Buggy, I agree. King has much higher top-6 potential than Kyle Clifford. At this point, it is still only potential. With the pending CBA talks and uncertainty about where the salary cap will be for the next few seasons, the Kings will unlikely give an 80% raise to a 22-year old with 4 months of NHL experience. My estimate is that he makes 600k-650k tops.
Bernier’s goals against & save percentage were very commendable. Remember, he played many of his games earlier last season when the Kings weren’t even scoring 2 goals a game. No support. His record reflects that lack of support…as that lack of production also affected Quick’s wins-loses at 1 point. Until the Kings went on a winning streak under DS from January to March.
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gave him a C, but would rate him at a B-. consistency is the biggest factor for JB at this point to me. a solid #2 (with hopes of being a #1) should be able to come in at any time and the team not miss a beat, the same as if the #1 was playing. i still think JB, just like Quick, is the type of keeper that plays better with a consistent workload. since JB doesn’t get much of a workload it obviously makes it tough for him. this upcoming season there are two very big reasons to play him more. first, the obvious trade rumors and being able to truly showcase him to maximize his value. JB has earned the right to make a play for a #1 spot with JQ the Kings keeper for the long-term. second, Quick played more games and will have less rest this offseason than ever before. giving Bernier more starts and earlier in the season than ever before, will help insure that Quick is fresh for next spring/summer.
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rogiesbackup Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
@Whiskeypete, Which is why when Bernier gets a start he should play at the most three straight games no matter who the opponent is. The result is win – win situation for him and quick…he gets more consistent, Quickie gets rested PLUS Quick gets hungrier to play!!!
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Grade…..H…….For Hot wife!!!!!
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Off topic….But reportedly Doan’s agent has contacted the Red Wings asking them to make Doan an offer. Won’t make a decision until Monday
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Kings Fan In Temecula Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 12:01 pm
@Anthony, wow, from scorching phoniex to good old detroit, gonna be quite the change, sounds desperate to me
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Anthony Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:18 pm
@Kings Fan In Temecula, Yeah no kidding. I thought I had a reason to not like the guy after the phoenix series, but seeing him in the winged wheel gear is gonna make it really hard to like him
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Grade O for over rated.
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Pesus Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:42 pm
@Puckn-A,
I dont see how you can call him over rated, or under rated with the lack of playing time.
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Puckn-A Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
@Pesus, .910 Save % over his career on a defensive oriented club equals over rated in my opinion.
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if bernier wants to be a #1 guy he has to prove that he’s ready for it. So far in his NHL career he hasn’t. Jonathon needs to be much sharper at the beginning of this coming season than he has over the past two seasons. At this point DL will not recoup his investment in Bernier via trade with another club. I don’t know if the Kings would be offered a #1 pick right now.
If JB wants to be a #1 guy somewhere else, he needs to start playing like one with the Kings. Only then will another GM be willing to part with what DL wants in return. Otherwise, the Kings will keep him fr the entire season and attempt to sign his as a RFA.
The criteria for RFA draft pick compensation in 2011-12 is as follows:
•$1,034,249 annual cap hit or less: No compensation
•$1,034,249 — $1,567,043: Third-round pick
•$1,567,043 — $3,134,088: Second-round pick
•$3,134,088 — $4,701,131: First and third-round pick
•$4,701,131 — $6,268,175: First, second and third-round pick
•$6,268,175 — $7,835,219: Two first-round picks, a second and third
•$7,835,219 and higher: Four first-round picks
My guess is that any offer sheet for JB would be in the Second-round pick range, which is not much less than the Kings can get now for a backup with a 5-6-2 record. I see no harm in keeping him until his stock rises. Bottom line: If Jonathon wants to be a #1 he needs to proove he is to the rest of the league while he wears a Kings’ uniform.
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Cortex949 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 10:55 am
@Michael J., I think u can throw out the win loss record due to most of his starts were when we couldn’t score more than one goal every 5 periods lol. I do agree he needs to clean up his early season starts tho. Seems shaky till he gets in a few games
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puck73 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 10:58 am
@Michael J., Very good points, thank you.
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variable Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 3:55 pm
@Michael J.,
nice breakdown….good points….
i’m coming from the side of the kings getting as much value for him via trade..,that means you wait for another team to have a injury early on next season….you get an offer that you can’t refuse or you wait for the trede deadline when there will be a list of teams probably out of the playoff picture, looking to rebuild….
the rfa is a perfectly valid route we can go, but, probably and ultimately, diminishes jb trade value…
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For some reason so much worry about playing time for second gollie – I have never seen as much talk as about Bernier. They talk about it on East Coast and CAN. And no, with Bernier in goal we would not win the cup – his reaction is way slower than first goalie needs in NHL, particularly to win consistently. .909 saving percent – these numbers Quick had when he came in NHL from minors. Bernier is not even close.That is why Kings did not get offors for him. I hope he improves during off season.
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puck73 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:01 am
@Alberto, Agree with this post. He is still growing, amd we still own his rights for at least another 3 or 4 years.
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Kenny44 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:28 am
@puck73,
I would like to see more playing time for Bernier early in the upcoming season, to help ameliorate any potential Stanley Cup hangover symptoms for Quick.
How ’bout this effin’ team, eh?!
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Really hard to put a fair grade to bernier with so few starts last season. I give him an “A” for hanging in there with a great attitude. He shouldn’t be traded until we have a back up we can count on big time.
Let’s face it, having bernier as our back up is one of the strongest insurance policies the kings have right now.
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Orphios Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:03 am
@jess,
I agree completely. However, I must confess I would move for him the right package – solid #1 pick and a legit top 6/top 4 prospect under age 22
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Michael J. Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:46 am
@Orphios,
Would you give up a #1 and a legit top ^ prospect for a backup with a 5-6-2 record last season? No way I do that deal.
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tkecanuck341 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
@Michael J., I consider Bernier (as do most to be one of the top 3 goaltending prospects in the league, behind Corey Schneider and Jacob Markstrom. He is also NHL ready this year for most teams. If I’m trading him, I’m expecting to get a top 10 NHL-ready forward prospect in return (Brayden Schenn, Jonathan Huberdeau, Yevgeni Kuznetsov, or Magnus Paajarvi).
Since most teams will be reluctant to give up their top prospect, then I am expecting a former 1st round pick that is maybe 1 year away from the NHL (Sven Baertschi, Chris Kreider, Brandon Saad), and an upgraded draft pick.
For example:
Chicago: Bernier & 2nd for Saad, Emery, & 1st
Calgary: Bernier & 3rd for Baertschi & 1st
Edmonton: Bernier & Hickey for Paajarvi, Khabibulin, & 2nd
Washington: Bernier for Kuznetzov
Florida: Bernier, Hickey, & 1st for Huberdeau, Clemmensen, & 2nd
Philadelphia: Bernier, Hickey, & 1st for Schenn, Leighton, & 2nd
The prospect going the other way is negotiable (doesn’t have to be Hickey).
tkecanuck341 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
shat should read …(as do most)…
tkecanuck341 Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
typing fail….”THAT should read”
Puckn-A Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 12:12 pm
@jess, I wish you were my teacher/boss with that grade.
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jess Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
@Puckn-A,
He is being graded on his attitude and support. Really hard to grade on performance when there is so little to go on. It would be like someone asking you to say something brilliant with 1 sec. on the stopwatch.
Now that we have a team that knows how to score goals, I think bernier will look a lot better in net.
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Puckn-A Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
@jess, I’d go as far as agreeing he will be better but wins aside his GAA was average and his Save % was one of the worst in the entire league. We know the Kings played great defense but that Save % has got to be better.
rogiesbackup Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 7:11 pm
@puckn-A, regarding your save percentage; how do you get better save percentage when every time you set foot on the ice it was a month ago. You’ll always be rusty every time you play!
HockeyNerd Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:34 pm
@jess, Exactly! Your starting goaltender going down is much more of a blow than a defenseman or a forward. There was once a time (well 44 other seasons) where having 2 excellent goaltenders was a luxury we could not afford, there were serious holes to fill. Your point is that this is no longer the case, we do not desperately need anything. If you need money to eat and you have 2 sports cars you had better sell one. If you are rich, why not keep one in case you need to take the other to the garage?
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Before you vote you may want to consider:
When the Kings scored 3 or more goals Bernier was 5-0-1.
In his 7 other starts the kings scored 2 goals once, 1 goal four times, and 0 goals twice.
Of his 6 losses three were by the score of 2-1 and his other OT loss was 1-0.
B+ or higher. Other than a slow October he did what you want your backup to do give the team an opportunity to win
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:25 am
@Mr Harm,
That is why I have him a B+. I didn’t know those exact numbers, but I knew the Kings hung him out to dry several times. That Jets game in particular. He was outstanding.
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rogiesbackup Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 7:15 pm
@FKA PakiFro, That Jets game!!! Oh man he was awesome. One can easily forget how good one is when he only plays a handful of games. We have depth in all areas including goaltending…….let’s not take that for granted.
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rogiesbackup Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 7:14 pm
@Mr Harm, Bravo!!!!
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Poorman
Helllloooo
Just nod if you can hear me..
Is there anyone home….
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jess Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 11:14 am
@King Cobra, haha!
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I gave him an A. Was there a better clear back up in the league? The blues goalies are good but they split time. Who’s the 1 and 2 there? With more starts I think his numbers would of been better. Dont think he ever complained about playing time, if he did we never heard about it. Pretty impressed with this young kid who has been the #1 everywhere he’s been. He gonna be a good goaltender in this league, maybe great.
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PP Anybody? Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
@Pesus, Tuukka Rask.
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B plus
Bernie plus he is ok by me
Go Kings Go!
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Tough one, but I give him a B. The potential this guy has is a huge upside for the franchise. Whether or not he can live up to it with Quick being an MVP and owning the LA net is another story. Hold on to him and have a strong RFA next summer (and insurance during the season). The goalie situation is good for the team and the front office. Here’s hoping Bernier has every intention of taking the #1 spot next year! Go Kings!
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Yes! I was waiting to start voting on these. It’s always interesting to see how we all think so alike that a bell curve develops, then again I love me some math. Go kings!
P.s. CHAMPS
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Solid backup…we arent going to get much for him unless we see some injuries. DL won’t allow to get screwed and dont be surprised if he signs with us next summer. Grade B
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First off, thanks to all who replied to my posting of my mother’s fall yesterday. Thank you all for your well wishes & support! Now on to Bernier. I graded him a solid B. Needs to improve his save percentage and rebound control. There is no need for DL to trade him any time soon unless DL is made some kind of offer her can’t refuse. I expect Bernier to be here at least to the trade deadline if not through the entire season. I think too many of us Kings fans place his value too high as compared to the rest of the league right now. He is a team player that never complaines publicly at least & that goes a long way. His time will come to be a #1, but he will have to wait for it and earn it at the same time.
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Tough grade due to lack of activity so I gave him a C. Basically an average grade for average play..He didn’t improve off of last year, but didn’t get the chance to.
We value JB a lot higher than teams do in the NHl because we know where he was drafted and in his brief opportunities has shown he can be a #1 goalie in this league and perhaps become a special goalie.
Other teams see a former 1st round pick who hasn’t played any meaningful minutes in the NHL. Is it because of JQ or because the Kings don’t think much of Bernier’s play?
You have to look at it from that point of view when thinking what he can bring back in a trade. I think he’ll bring back a pick and or a prospect..not much more on his own. the market is not great for teams looking to give unproven guys the keys to the store in goal.
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JB will be a star one day soon! Like most goalies, if they can’t play more then 3 games in a row, their talents will never shine! He has proven it at ever level he’s played in!!! If Quick gets injured, he will be our back bone to victory! If he’s still a King come March!
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i gave him a c+ because he was so awful at the start of the year. you all know we lost that game to the sabres in europe because of him; the old “he doesnt play enough” thing doesnt apply because it was the second game of the season. we all knew before it even started going in to that game agaisnt new jersey after quicks 3 shutouts that he was going to lose it for us again. then there was that awful goal he let in on the first shot of the game against the capitals. you can pretty much go down the line and look at all his 13 games and pick out several goals that dan cloutier could have saved. no wonder weve only recieved petty offers from other gms, the guy has like 15 career wins hes the equivelent to that johnson guy on the penguins. he just was not good enough to recieve all these compliments you kids give him all the time. c+ at best because he is a good teammate.
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Shakes Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 12:33 pm
@7MILforHickey,
i give you a C+ for your alias
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I Give him a B+.You gotta have a solid backup. If he is not crying for more ice time, then no need to make a move. I see him getting more work to give Quick some rest. Kings have a good problem: they have more talent than spots in the lineup. Many teams have holes to fill, Kings have many guys ready to step in.
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Season = C
Attitude = A
Potential = We’ll find out on another team.
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Oh come on folks. A “B”? Seriously? Talk about seeing with your heart. I gave him a “C”.
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HockeyNerd Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
@KC23, A B as a BACKUP. I am rating him based on what he was EXPECTED to do, which was give Quick a rest very occasionally and play well in those games. You cannot compare Bernier’s B directly with Quick’s A. Those are apples and oranges.
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nykingfan Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
@KC23,
I don’t understnd it either.
He played sparingly and that’s being kind. Are we basing this on potential or his peformance this year?
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HockeyNerd Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:09 pm
@nykingfan, His performance as a BACKUP. He is a B backup. He is far from a B starter.
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nykingfan Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:57 pm
@HockeyNerd,
These grades are obviously subjective, so it’s all about giving your opinion.
I would venture to guess that of all the backups in the NHL this year that were with the team the whole season, he played the least of anyone.
It’s not his fault, but I think most NHL goalies including backups could have basically done the same as he did in those limited number of games. The old adage is the more you play, the more weaknesses your opponents find in your game. His gaa and sv % were good, but his record was a game below .500. It’s an average season that he had. Not bad, but not great. I consider C average.
KC23 Reply:
July 6th, 2012 at 7:38 am
@KC23, I was comparing him to other back up goalies. He is no better than a C. You wanna talk better than average back ups then you are talking Schnider in Vancouver, Rask in Boston, Elliot in St. Louis. Bernier is no where near those guys.
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B which is what most gave him. He is a very competent BACKUP goaltender. A few points:
– He has only 40 games of NHL experience so don’t hold your breath somebody is picturing him as the “answer” to their goaltending problems.
– As was pointed out upstairs: If you lose your starting goaltender for a period of time you’ve got a different problem than losing a forward or defenseman. So why not keep Bernier for a while? Sure the “premium payment” is high for this insurance (we don’t get a player we can use and Bernier doesn’t do much but watch Quick) but the point is we are in a nice position that we can well afford that premium payment.
– True, if someone is so desperate for Goaltending they’re gonna give you a Kane or Nash that’s different. I am preaching being cautious, not stupid.
–I put little stock in the fact that “he only won 5 games”. I never understood this preoccupation with matching a player with wins in ANY sport. Goalies have save percentages. Goals against averages, while not totally the work of the goalie are still reasonable statistics. Wins are not. Teams win games. Do not penalize a goalie because he did his job and nobody in front of him could score goals. Or in reverse (admittedly not a Kings issue) that a Goalie gave up 6 goals and won anyway).
Also if Bernier wants to be a starter he will need to get better at shootouts / breakaways. The potential is there but he still needs more experience. But as a backup he came in at times after sitting for weeks, and we win games we as a team needed to win while Quick got some badly needed rest. What more can you ask for? (I know, I know, a player and high draft pick in return. Don’t hold your breath. Besides then we would need a backup anyway!)
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California Royalty Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
@HockeyNerd, He only has 40 games of experience because Quick is a beast and can play as many games as you need him and he’ll more than likely be at the top of his game.
There hasn’t been much need for Bernier to play.
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HockeyNerd Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 1:07 pm
@California Royalty, I think we all understand that. But what we ALSO need to understand is that we’re not likely to get a high draft pick or a star for somebody who has NEVER been a starter at NHL level.
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Like @PW mentioned above, his season was a C, but attitude is certainly an A.
It’s not that he was all that bad this past season, he was in the best goalie of the league’s shadow and didn’t get much playing time. No matter how good a goalie is, if he plays once every 5 weeks, it’s hard to get going.
I don’t classify him as a C level goalie by any means, but with the lack of minutes, it’s hard to rate him that high. He’ll get his shot some day.
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Michael J. Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
@California Royalty,
My kid brought home C’s on her report card. I sure wish her attitude was an A.
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Hard to judge a backup goalie unless there’s quite a bit of time sharing, which Burner didn’t get this season. Add to that the fact that when not starting, the only other times he’s going to see action is either in case of an injury to Quick (which didn’t happen this season, thankfully) or by inheriting a losing situation, and it’s a tough call.
I gave him a B for what he was allowed to give this season. I think more playing time would benefit him immensely as far as experience goes, but that’s not going to happen on this team unless… well, I’m not going to say that.
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I’m going to miss Bernier. When we draftde him I thought he was the last missing piece. I hope he excels on a team I can at least stomach cheering for as I want to wear my Monarchs Bernier Jersey still (Their old jerseys are sick)
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B+
Not a single selfish peep from him in complains to get more plying time. Great ‘team first’ attitude!!
I’d welcome him in any team, anytime.
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cup4kings Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 2:45 pm
@Gustavo, I agree 100%….B+. The attitude and him not being a distraction goes a long way. The only knock was the first part of the season, but the Kings couldn’t score either.
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His play and attitude – B+
Pushing Quick to the player he his today – A+
As with most people here, I thought Bernier was the goalie of the future and he will be missed once he gets traded. But he will always be remembered for pushing Quick to the goalie he his today. Quick completely dedicated himself fitness wise to make sure to fend off Bernier. Now look at Quick’s play. Even without Bernier being the #1, he’s directly responsible for the Kings 1st Stanley Cup….and hopefully multiple Cup runs.
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…..average goalie with good team attitude = C+….
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Wow! Lot of you think JB is a C, hmmmm, i wonder if any of you played goalie! Granted he should be ready to play…
When I played goalie and any goalie does not play 2 games or more in a row you get rusty! Once JB gets 30 games or more in one season his numbers will be better..
If Quick gets hurt and is out for say 2 weeks, watch him shine by his 3rd game in!.
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rogiesbackup Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
@Sammuch, I was a goalie too and I agree with your comment about playing consecutive games.
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the onlything we can all probably agree on in regards to jb is that time is on our side…yes it is….
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Sammuch Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 3:58 pm
@variable,
LIKE!!!!!
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I gave him an A because he’s effective and he’s got a great attitude.
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Ummmmmmm….think about it guys, we want a solid back – up goaltender to replace Bernier???!!!!
Isn’t Bernier a back – up ALREADY???!!! I don’t know but he seems pretty “air-tight” as well to me. Remember he has one SHUTOUT for the extremely limited games he’s played and yet those games are when the Kings forwards DID NOT show their creativity in finding a way to score!!! He even looks better then Halak’s back – up in Elliot. He’ great in positioning so it’s gonna be tough for him to be a “highlight film” goaltender because he makes the save look easy. Quickie is a monster, but don’t put your eggs in one basket, one injury and Bernier not having ENOUGH games to be consistent could jeopardize our chances in the play-off race, also you guys really think Quick is going to be good EVERY game??!! Believe it or not goalies, for whatever reason goes on slump as well, ask M.A. Fleury during the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. More importantly why didn’t the Pens put their back up in Johnson, simply because they couldn’t trust his play maybe he didn’t play enough to get that rhythm of playing consistently. You guys DO KNOW Bryzgalov with his big contract, right??? Uh huh, yup.
I’d like to have TWO good goalies with one OBVIOUSLY the numero uno who plays way more games but the back-up cannot just play 12-15 games a season. I’d like a goaltending problem like St. Louis, and Canucks not like Pittsburgh or Philly and heck Bernier isn’t complaining. Kings have to be prepared for the worst, a back up after all is an “insurance policy,” nice to have good insurance!!
So, to summarize we already have a good back-up that’ll get better with more playing time who knows the system and is obviously content to stay here,… AND is not complaining about the few starts. I think the best thing for Kings; count your blessing with JB before you add somebody here who HOPES to be just as good with limited playing times and will fit the organization. LOL…you guys want to trade for somebody who’ll do the same thing as JB….sit on the bench! A back up is a back up, nevertheless ALL teams need a “good” one.
I was a goalie at one point, and like Quick I played better with more games, but then you loose your edge after a week of consecutive starts and simple shots start to get by you; still your heart wants to play more and more. It’s an addicting position to play no matter how many shots a night you get it’s never enough. It’s hard to ACCEPT that you need time-off. ‘
Keep Bernier; but play him more with consecutive starts{don’t make it a culture shock every time he starts by playing him ONCE every month] to keep Quickie sharp and HUNGRY.
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HockeyNerd Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
@rogiesbackup, Thank you!!!! Everyone wants to trade Bernier…..and then we have to get a backup as part of the deal. He isn’t complaining about the lack of playing time he gets so what’s the problem? Nor do I believe that Sutter will or will need to start Quick in 65-70 games. And even if he does I want to win the other 15 games too!
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rogiesbackup Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 6:46 pm
@HockeyNerd, Problem is Sutter will play a goalie till he drops dead THEN only THEN will he play Bernier. I say keep the machine well “tuned” don’t wait till it’s dead.
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rogiesbackup Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
@HockeyNerd, The problem is we KNOW we have a good back-up vs a back-up we don’t KNOW if he’d be good with limited playing time, that’s a problem……FOR US.
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… We won the friggin cup. Everybody gets an A. Duh.
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HockeyNerd Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
@WAKingsFan, That was easy!
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I gave JB a B+. I don’t think he has had a solid opportunity to prove himself yet. He played most of his games when the rest of the team was tired and the defense stunk. He has better stick handling skills than JQ. I would love to see him as someone’s #1 goalie, but I would not to play against him. I guess you can’t have it both ways. Good luck JB next year and in the future.
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rogiesbackup Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 6:41 pm
@Debra Turull, You’re definitely correct about his stick handling skills. I predicted and still believe he might just be the next goalie to score an empty netter like Hexy. Smith looks like he’s got the skill but why hasn’t he done it yet??
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deepsea_drumz Reply:
July 6th, 2012 at 12:00 pm
@Debra Turull, I predict Jonathan Bernier will be some teams starting goalie in two years and will go on to have a pretty good career. I wish him the best when the time comes for him to move. Hope lands with a good EAST coast team so we don’t play against him every night. Hope he doesn’t land in Toronto….slow death.
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B for Bernier – he had a tough start but came on after that. He’s going to be a great goalie in the NHL soon.
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rogiesbackup Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 6:43 pm
@Dave, So, then why trade/get rid of him??? Wouldn’t two good goalies be a good thing??
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Dave Reply:
July 5th, 2012 at 8:57 pm
@rogiesbackup, only trade him for the right return. but if DL can get the proper return, you trade him because you have committed a ton of money to Quick and he’s going to play 65-70 games a year. if Bernier can net you something that helps you 80 games/year that is better than the 15 games a year he’s going to play.
there are quality veteran goalies out there that can play those 15 games for the next couple of years.
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You guys remember that Jets game with Bernier in nets??!! Wow!!! One can easily forget our depth in goaltending when he only plays a handful of games. Let’s not take this for granted!!!
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Bernier, Toffoli/Hickey and a 1st rounder for Nash!
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deepsea_drumz Reply:
July 6th, 2012 at 11:57 am
@ChiTownKingsFan, No…No…NO!!! We need Bernier for this upcoming season. Give him more starts. We’ll need him down the stretch for sure. No one escapes injuries …even goalies. If Quick should pull a groin, we need J B in net. The Caps had their #1 and #2 goalies go down. Didn’t St. Louis lose their starter too? I know Bernier willl move after next year, but Kings need him to stay.
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Keep Bernier the entire season. Give him more starts this coming season. Like 20 at least. Let Quick stay rested as season goes on. Play Bernier majority of last 15 games if Kings are locked into a playoff spot. They should finish 3rd or 4th this season or better.
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He looks like seth mcfarline
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Bernier was reliable enough when called upon as our back up goalie.. B. Hey, where’s Poorman?
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