When Does Fleury Implode?

[Shake]

hahah WOW!! Complete mental breakdown after work..let me regroup lol.

[metaldude26]

hahah WOW!! Complete mental breakdown after work..let me regroup lol.

If it's any consolation, Fleury has his mental breakdowns AT work, so you've got one up there.

[jcairns]

The worst part for Fleury is that every year he has crumbled only increases the pressure and expectations the following year. This year will be his hardest yet, especially given his contract situation. He knows it is his final chance.

For a goalie that doesn't seem to thrive under pressure... uh oh.

[suvojitde]

For me, it is somewhere between end of Round 2 (because I think PIT beats the Rangers) and the Conn Smythe, because he ain't getting the Conn Smythe because they are not getting past the big, bad Bruins, much as I would like them to, so I will have to abstain from voting!

I really hope he doesn't implode this time around but going by his reaction after the OT goal against the Flyers in their 81st regular season game (Apr 12), things are not looking promising at all!

[letangerang58]

You gotta think, if he doesn't pan out these playoffs, how long do they keep him around?

Until they can find a better replacement. They won't just drop him and run with Zatkoff next season. That would be idiotic. Unless they can replace Fleury with a better goalie then it'll be Fleury again next season. Personally I'm hoping they can sign Miller in the offseason but aside from him I don't see many other Free Agent goalies who would be much of an improvement over Fleury.

[letangerang58]

Never, because when they lose it won't be his fault. Look at their lineup, it's not deep and their defence is not intimidating.

Exactly. The Pens are essentially icing an AHL team + Crosby.

[jcairns]

Exactly. The Pens are essentially icing an AHL team + Crosby.

I somewhat agree with your statement, but that doesn't change the fact that Fleury does fine on that very same team during the regular season only to have his numbers balloon in the playoffs.

[Laendarian]

pfft I'm throwing my hat into the never caetgory, its do or die for him this playoffs and I think if he can get by the Jackets with a few good games it will give him the confidence to see it through. It's either that or he falls flat on his face from day one, I'm saying all or nothing but I figured lets gamble on all and see what happens!

[Pengwin7]

Love this thread.
Second round vs. PHI... Fleury wilts.

[Loch]

pfft I'm throwing my hat into the never caetgory, its do or die for him this playoffs and I think if he can get by the Jackets with a few good games it will give him the confidence to see it through. It's either that or he falls flat on his face from day one, I'm saying all or nothing but I figured lets gamble on all and see what happens!

That is, in part, why I didn't put a 'third round' option in the poll. If he gets to the third it is likely that he will be playing well enough to stave off complete collapse.

... of course last year's Islanders should have provided the same opportunity to get some mojo and we know how that ended up!
(fyi: the Isles had 2.77 G/G last season, the Jackets finished at 2.72 G/G this year so it isn't like they are low scoring team)

[ericdaoust]

I just heard a loud boom. Might be Fleury.

[Loch]

I just heard a loud boom. Might be Fleury.

Nah... it was a goalie though. Dipietro stubbed his toe on a coffee table and that was the sound of his leg exploding.

[fungchen3]

MAF will have his first meltdown Game 2 of this series.

[letangerang58]

I somewhat agree with your statement, but that doesn't change the fact that Fleury does fine on that very same team during the regular season only to have his numbers balloon in the playoffs.

The problem is that you're looking at the numbers. I watched those games and I can assure you that it wasn't just Fleury's poor play that killed us. Sure Fleury was part of the problem but it was also poor play from our team as a whole which sank us. Yet because those numbers were assigned to Fleury he gets all of the blame.

[agentzero]

pfft I'm throwing my hat into the never caetgory, its do or die for him this playoffs and I think if he can get by the Jackets with a few good games it will give him the confidence to see it through. It's either that or he falls flat on his face from day one, I'm saying all or nothing but I figured lets gamble on all and see what happens!

I'm with this.

What if the Pens implode...not Fleury? Like Crosby said, he had 4 bad games against the Bruins.. No one seems to be questioning whether he'll implode..

Yes, Fleury has had troubles the last 2 playoff years, but he's also won a cup, so he CAN do it.


Classic treatment of goalies. If they don't completely steal the show, they were either adequate and carried by their teams or awful and should be canned. Like pitchers in baseball, kickers in football, goalies in hockey...

I always take a stand against always bashing the goalies. They're basically not allowed a bad game. It's such a fragile position. I'm gonna go with Fleury is ready. He's a pro. Starts on a pretty good team and is older and more mature than those past years. It can only serve to help him.

I'll honestly root for the Pens only because I want Fleury to shut people up. But I have to cheer for the Habs first. If they happen to meet the Pens, Fleury sucks and he'll implode lol.