Goalies 9 times out of 10 never live up to their potential a good team defense is much more important, Scott Clemensen is a great example he played great for the Devils who have a great defensive system 2.39 GAA 0.917 SV PCT and for Florida not so good defensively 3.53 GAA 0.888 SV PCT. Same can be said for Tim Thomas he was a average goalie at best until he played behind the solid defensive team in Boston he plays amazing and wins the Vezina.

Remember these names young goalies who were deemed the next great goalie of the future.

Andrew Raycroft 2003-2004 Rookie of the year who carried the Bruins with an amazing 2.05 GAA and 0.926 SV PCT. He was traded to the Leafs for a much better prospect goalie in Vesa Tuskala (also not a top 6 foward) and might be the one individual most responsible for Toronto’s fall to the bottom of the league. In two years with Toronto SV PCT 0.885 and a horrible 3.45 GAA. He was waived, contract bought out bounce over to Colorado 0.892 SV PCT 3.14 GAA and now is serving as a backup to Luongo in Vancouver.

Jose Theodore Vezina and Hart Trophy winner for the Canadiens in 2001 0.931 SV PCT 2.11 GAA amazing play once traded to the Colorado for nothing in goalie David Abischer, certainly not a top 6 forward, over 3 years with the Aves GAA 2.91 SV PCT 0.896 and currently costs the caps 4.5 million on the cap with a unimpressive 2.96 GAA 0.899 GAA and he got benched after 2 horrible playoff games last year for AHL backup Varalmov and is only getting starts because Varalmov is injured.

Vesa Toskala 2.35 GAA 0.908 SV PCT with the Sharks and 3.26 GAA 0.891 SV PCT with Toronot last season even worse this season he is now a backup making 4 million on the cap.

Carey Price called by some in Canada as the second coming of Ken Dryden. Solid regular seasons for MTL 0.910 SV PCT and 2.75 GAA. However the young goalie could not get it done in the playoffs as we know the Flyers chased him from the pipes two years ago and last year was even worse 0-4, 0.878 SV PCT with a staggering 4.14 GAA.

Price is young and can probably turn it around and by time his career is over he might have lived up to his lofty expectations, but this Flyers team is built to win NOW. We can’t go after a young goalie like Halak with no playoff experience who is going to demand high salary in the offseason as a RFA, costing us not only the top six forward MTL is looking for but also will prevent us from signing or re-signing other players this summer.

A high price to pay for an unproven talent that might not ever be able to duplicate his regular season numbers when it games really count in the playoffs. I don’t want to see this team fall apart like Toronto who pinned all their teams success on a young goalie who never pans out. In the Salary Cap era that is a hugh gamble to take especially with a team who already is getting good enough goaltending for a proven playoff performer in Ray Emery. Who is 18-12 in the playoffs with a 2.57 GAA and a 0.904 SV PCT.

The Flyers should concentrate on adding another NHL experience D-Man to bolster the top two pairings on the blue line for another nice playoff run. Jordan Leopold is the best name that comes to mind with only a 1.7 million dollar cap hit fitting him in under our always tight cap situation should be do-able.

Giving the top six forward (Carter) in a deal to Montreal would not only be based on the worth of Halak but getting back one of there wingers as well, such as Plekanec or Kostitsyn. And, to make the money work out, someone like Gill might be in there as well.