During the preseason, there was hope that either Pascal Leclaire or Brian Elliott would step up their game and grab the starting goaltending job for the Ottawa Senators.
That never happened.
Instead, Leclaire was 1-2-0 with a 4.43 goals-against average and a .856 save percentage in the preseason and Elliott was only slightly better at 1-1-1 with a 3.24 goals-against average and a .882 save percentage.
Hardly the kind of numbers to excite Coach Cory Clouston.
“To be honest, we wanted both of them to play better,” Clouston said, “and we wanted one of them to step it up. We didn’t get that, but we’re still confident we can have at least one guy ready to go to start the season.”
With Leclaire set for free agency after this season, he must realize the implications this season holds for the rest of his career. The pressure is on for him to establish himself as a starting goalie, or he risks an uncertain future with NHL teams not wanting to sign him next summer.
If Leclaire is feeling this pressure, he's not showing it. Instead, he says he feels comfortable with how his game is prog ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Christopher Smith
Pascal Leclaire or Brian Elliott? Ottawa Senators’ Tough Goaltending Decision
October 5th, 2010 by Christopher Smith Leave a reply »
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