I mean I don't think he should have been drafted at #6 last year and right now I think Andrew Ladd is looking like a bargain at #4!
Montoya totally stunk this tournament up for the USA and I was the first one on this board weeks before the tourney started asking if Montoya is up to par because of his play at Michigan, but several people came on here and said he was fine and it was the defence or the forwards for Michigan that were the problem not Montoya. Well, I think this tourney showed what those people know and Montoya was in fact struggling all along! I think everyone involved with the NYR are worried now.
right now I think Andrew Ladd is looking like a bargain at #4!
Not to get off the topic of Montoya, but no way on the Ladd thing. Olesz... Tukonen... and several others I would have taken ahead of Ladd in that position. To me Ladd looks like he will become a solid third line type forward in the NHL. Do you draft at fourth overall looking for that type of player though? I sure wouldn't.
I mean I don't think he should have been drafted at #6 last year and right now I think Andrew Ladd is looking like a bargain at #4!
Montoya totally stunk this tournament up for the USA and I was the first one on this board weeks before the tourney started asking if Montoya is up to par because of his play at Michigan, but several people came on here and said he was fine and it was the defence or the forwards for Michigan that were the problem not Montoya. Well, I think this tourney showed what those people know and Montoya was in fact struggling all along! I think everyone involved with the NYR are worried now.
He played great in the Czech and the Swedish game. He played decent in the Russian game, but it was an entire team collapse that killed it for him.
I'm not worried at all about him. He needs to be in the AHL, however. Not the NCAA.
If you're talking about his overall play in the WJC tournament, then yes. Yes, he does. If you talking about in general, its way too early to make a judgement based on one bad tournament. Give him a goalie coach, make him work hard and he'll probably be okay. Then again, poor guy got drafted by the Rangers, you know how players tend to go downhill after then join that team...
If you think Montoya sucks after having a bad week then your an idiot. Plain and simple. I guess any player who has a few bad games sucks? That would be your logic it would seem. And for the record he was the best player on the ice for US today. Guess you didnt watch the game.
If you think Montoya sucks after having a bad week then your an idiot. Plain and simple. I guess any player who has a few bad games sucks? That would be your logic it would seem. And for the record he was the best player on the ice for US today. Guess you didnt watch the game.
Montoya doesn't suck. He played a solid game, but he didn't exactly look like a 6th overall pick either. I would like the pick at 8, but how did we pass up Olesz?
He was USA's best player and AGAIN kept his team in the game. He was and is the best goalie in the 2004 draft and was worthy of his #6 overall selection.
He was USA's best player and AGAIN kept his team in the game. He was and is the best goalie in the 2004 draft and was worthy of his #6 overall selection.
I wouldn't say he was the only reason to keep his team in the game but he was an integral part of it.
I think everyone involved with the NYR are worried now.
I'm not worried about Al and I highly doubt the Rangers are either. So he didn't play his best in the tournament, look what he did last year. Anyway, he's just 18, I think we can give him a break.
If you think Montoya sucks after having a bad week then your an idiot. Plain and simple. I guess any player who has a few bad games sucks? That would be your logic it would seem. And for the record he was the best player on the ice for US today. Guess you didnt watch the game.
Lets be fair here this was not just a few bad games .. This was the national stage in front of millions of viewers on TV and live and he struggled .. Maybe it was the pressure .. not a good sign for the future .. This will stay with him, forever I am sure ...
I've seen Montoya play live a few times (since I attended a D1 CCHA school) and wrote the following regarding Montoya after seeing him play.
"Alvaro Montoya. I know a lot of you were hoping the Kings would select him last year if it came down to him or Marek Schwarz. Not sure if he was just having a bad night or what, but looking past his record of 13-4-1, his Sv% is a subpar .896 and his GAA is at 2.55. And this Michigan club is the best defensive team in the CCHA. Montoya's weakest point is his puckhandling. He mishandled the puck quite a few times, which lead to some weak goals. On one of the goals, a simple dump in was misread by Montoya, but it is tough to fault him for that bad goal since it took a crazy bounce and went right into the net as Montoya was coming out expecting to play the puck.
Montoya also had difficulty with rebounds and at some times couldn't find the puck around scrums and bodies in front of the net. I think the Rangers took a big risk selecting him 6th overall, but the draft is a big gamble anyway. From what I've seen, Montoya should take a few years of seasoning in the minors. The Rangers should learn from their past (Blackburn) and know not to rush Montoya."
For some he just has not looked like the confident netminder who can carry his team on his back and has looked nervous in net. I don't think he is close to being NHL ready YET... but could be someday. He has the tools to be a successful NHL goalie, but he could also end up becoming another Jamie Storr.
I personally think it is a HUGE gamble and a big risk selecting a goalie early in the 1st round. I did my own research and here is a list of goalies taken in the first round from 1988-2001.
I am giving the guys from 2002 and on some time to prove themselves, as I am not writing off Montoya, but posting this to forewarn most of you not to get too excited when he has one good game, and not to get too disappointed when he has one bad game.
To summarize his play in Michigan (and his play at the WJC), I would say this season he has been inconsistent for the most part. And that is why I brought in Storr's name. Some nights he looked like he has all the makings of a #1 goalie. Then the next night he looks horrible. He was brought in to the pros too quickly, but the organization still gave him the vote of confidence. Unfortunately he was never able to consistently perform at the level he was expected to reach.
I know Montoya's level of play could be better than it has been recently.
I personally think it is a HUGE gamble and a big risk selecting a goalie early in the 1st round. I did my own research and here is a list of goalies taken in the first round from 1988-2001.
Make a list of all the forwards and defensemen taken in the first round. Guess what, you get the same kind of list. Some stars, some average players, some busts.
By this reasoning, you should never take a forward or defenseman in the first round either.
Montoya's just fine. He had a horrible team in front of him, and had a bad game or two. Happens *all* the time, to *all* goalies.
Lets be fair here this was not just a few bad games .. This was the national stage in front of millions of viewers on TV and live and he struggled .. Maybe it was the pressure .. not a good sign for the future .. This will stay with him, forever I am sure ...
Millions of viewers on TV??? Not in the USA, I can assure you. Hell, there are more Canadian fans in attendance, on average, than American fans in North Dakota.
Stay with him forever? Not likely. Montoya already has a World U20 Gold Medal, and one that some will argue he won himself for the USA last year.
I am looking at this as just a bad couple weeks. Montoya has already proven himself a winner at this level. Marc-Andre Fleury did the same thing last year after playing relatively well in the NHL prior to the 2004 tournament...his career is going to be just fine.
By comparison take a look at the number of goalies taken in the first round.
And try reading my entire post. He doesn't have a horrible Michigan team in front of him and what the rest of you saw in the WJC I've been seeing him do during the season with the Wolverines.
They win as a team and lose as a team, and Montoya along with the rest of the team looked average (to put it kindly).
I've seen Montoya play live a few times (since I attended a D1 CCHA school) and wrote the following regarding Montoya after seeing him play.
"Alvaro Montoya. I know a lot of you were hoping the Kings would select him last year if it came down to him or Marek Schwarz. Not sure if he was just having a bad night or what, but looking past his record of 13-4-1, his Sv% is a subpar .896 and his GAA is at 2.55. And this Michigan club is the best defensive team in the CCHA. Montoya's weakest point is his puckhandling. He mishandled the puck quite a few times, which lead to some weak goals. On one of the goals, a simple dump in was misread by Montoya, but it is tough to fault him for that bad goal since it took a crazy bounce and went right into the net as Montoya was coming out expecting to play the puck.
Montoya also had difficulty with rebounds and at some times couldn't find the puck around scrums and bodies in front of the net. I think the Rangers took a big risk selecting him 6th overall, but the draft is a big gamble anyway. From what I've seen, Montoya should take a few years of seasoning in the minors. The Rangers should learn from their past (Blackburn) and know not to rush Montoya."
For some he just has not looked like the confident netminder who can carry his team on his back and has looked nervous in net. I don't think he is close to being NHL ready YET... but could be someday. He has the tools to be a successful NHL goalie, but he could also end up becoming another Jamie Storr.
I personally think it is a HUGE gamble and a big risk selecting a goalie early in the 1st round. I did my own research and here is a list of goalies taken in the first round from 1988-2001.
I am giving the guys from 2002 and on some time to prove themselves, as I am not writing off Montoya, but posting this to forewarn most of you not to get too excited when he has one good game, and not to get too disappointed when he has one bad game.
To summarize his play in Michigan (and his play at the WJC), I would say this season he has been inconsistent for the most part. And that is why I brought in Storr's name. Some nights he looked like he has all the makings of a #1 goalie. Then the next night he looks horrible. He was brought in to the pros too quickly, but the organization still gave him the vote of confidence. Unfortunately he was never able to consistently perform at the level he was expected to reach.
I know Montoya's level of play could be better than it has been recently.
His stickhandling is his weakest point? I would consider it a major strength. He makes the occasional bad play, but that can be worked on. I don't think you'll find many if any college players who have his skill with the puck.
We all know that not all 1st rounders make it. Some stars. Some average players. Some busts. Thats how the draft works.
Montoya was a solid pick at 6. Not the choice I woulda made, but I wouldn't consider it a reach or a huge risk as compared to the players still left. I like Olesz better, but are Valabik, Thelen, Wheeler (before him), Picard, Smid really better picks? Those were the players taken around him.
I'm sorry but I've seen Montoya mishandle the puck a number of times. In one particular game, two goals he let in were a direct result of his puckkhandling. Many good scoring opportunities have come about thanks to Montoya handling the puck. I've seen him play outside of the WJC quite a few times, and his puck control is not one of his strengths. I don't know where you get the idea it is.
I think Montoya's biggest strength is his size. His reflexes aren't too sharp and could get quicker... and his positioning still needs work as well, but that is something many young goalies need to work on.
I do think Montoya was worthy of being a 1st round draft pick... but just like Wheeler going early, I think it was a reach. I'm just telling you guys not to get too disappointed when he has a terrible night and not too get too excited when he is having a great night. Just as I said earlier, the one word that best describes his season is inconsistent. He's been up and down with his performances.
Do yourselves a favor, get the sports package for your dish network or DirecTV and watch the Wolverines play on Fox Sports Michigan. You'll be impressed by the slick moves of T.J. Hensick!
Lets be fair here this was not just a few bad games .. This was the national stage in front of millions of viewers on TV and live and he struggled .. Maybe it was the pressure .. not a good sign for the future .. This will stay with him, forever I am sure ...
How quickly people forget the pressure he faced last year and how he handled it.
How quickly people forget the pressure he faced last year and how he handled it.
Since I believe he was referring to the pressure of all the national attention, last year's games don't compare because ESPN didn't air them (well, they aired the championship game about a month after the fact). There was no big deal made in the U.S. about the tourney outside of the few hardcore hockey fans.
As for Monty's puckhandling, I agree that it hasn't been great this season. A lot of times he'll stop the puck behind the net and stand there with his back to everyone and wait until the last second to get rid of it. And more times than not it tends to result in a very weak flip along the boards that either gets blocked by the opposing player (which is how some of those weak goals have been created), or it makes it to the corner where the other team still grabs it. He doesn't seem to be putting any zip behind his clearing passes.
I don't think he sucks he had some bad games but that happens. I do think he was picked a little early and the Rangers would have been better off picking Olesz. I just hope they will not rush him like they did to Blackburn. I think with the help of a good goalie coach like the Ranger s have this kid can be something good in 3 to 4 years and the we will see if he realy sucks.
