The Throne Room

Goalies - The Race For Number One

In the minds of many hockey fans and observers, many analysts and columnist, the biggest question regarding the Los Angeles Kings is simple: Who’s going to be in goal?

Forty Years. That’s how long the Kings have been in existence without developing a number one goalie. The closest thing to a homegrown number one stopper the team has seen it it’s history was Mario Lessard, who’s career was short lived, spanning only from 1978-79 to 1983-84. General Manager Dean Lombardi made it one of his primary objectives upon taking over for the Kings to develop a number one goalie rather than sacrificing valuable assets to acquire one. As training camp approaches, the time nears for one of a handful of promising young goalies to emerge from the pack as a legitimate, number one guy.

In 2007-08 the lion’s share of work in the Kings net belonged to Jason LaBarbera. While LaBarbera had brilliant moments, it’s fair to say that his performance overall was less than awe inspiring, posting a 17-23-2 record with a goals against average of 3.00 and a save percentage of 91% over 45 games. 6 other goalies spent time in goal for LA as well: veterans Dan Cloutier (since bought out by the club) and Jean-Sebastien Aubin, and rookies Jonathan Bernier, Jon Quick, Erik Ersberg and Daniel Taylor.

Bernier, the team’s inaugural draft pick under Lombardi’s tenure, chosen 11th overall in 2006, took the team by storm in training camp and was the opening day starter, wining his debut over then defending champion Anaheim (still hurts to say that) in London, England with a 26 save performance that earned him first star of the game. Alas, after sustaining losses to St. Louis, Boston and Detroit at home, Bernier was returned to his junior team in Lewiston, Maine in effort to prevent his confidence from being scrapped behind a porous Kings defense.

The Kings then went with the tandem of LaBarbera and Aubin for a stretch, with rookie Jon Quick surfacing for a couple games while LaBarbera was out injured. Eventually LaBarbera returned, Quick was sent back to Manchester of the AHL as was Aubin in favor of the much maligned Cloutier. LaBarbera suffered a season ending sports hernia injury soon thereafter, making way for 2006-07 Swedish Elite league goalie of the year Erik Ersberg, who stole the reigns from Cloutier as he struggled yet again. When Cloutier went down with injury, Daniel Taylor got a chance to back up Ersberg and eventually appear in his first NHL game as well.

Of all the goalies used in the 2007-08 campaign, Ersberg was by far the most consistant and most impressive, stealing wins and posting a pair of shutouts in his 14 games played. He re-upped with the club for the upcoming season just a couple of months ago.

It’s expected that LaBarbera and Ersberg will be the Kings 1-2 punch for the 2008-09 season. The team is reportedly impressed with LaBarbera’s off season conditioning program (an area considered suspect previously) and feels he is ready to emerge. Ersberg is setting out to prove that his performance at season’s end last year was no fluke. But, don’t be surprised if one of more of the kids in the system places a difficult decision on Kings management.

Bernier is back with the experience of having played for Canada at the World Junior Championships and then joining Manchester of the AHL for their stretch run and playoffs. He has stated publically that his goal is to stay in LA all year. Being the most highly touted of the Kings prospects, one wouldn’t be surprised if Bernier is sent to Manchester to play a ton of games while the Kings’ young defense corps gets some on the job training, but he is certainly capable of stepping in and winning the job outright in camp just as he did last year, but with another year of experience behind him. He looked like a man among boys at the Kings’ prospect and development camp in July of this year, even more impressive when you consider that the other keepers there aren’t exactly slouches themselves.

Joining Bernier in the Kings system will be former NCAA Standout Jeff Zatkoff from Detroit, who had a banner year for Miami University of Ohio in 2007-08 and left school a year early to turn pro. Zatkoff, who was also a 2006 draft choice for the Kings, may be a rung down the development ladder from Bernier but is considered to have excellent potential and should see lot of playing time at either the AHL or ECHL level this season.

Jonathan Quick and Daniel Taylor also return, having split much of 2007-08 between Manchester of the AHL and Reading of the ECHL. Both were outstanding in stretches, with Quick helping to lead the Monarchs push to the AHL playoffs. This is the type of “learning to win” experience that Lombardi values in his young players and Quick could challenge for a spot on the big club with a great camp. Taylor is considered more of an organizational long shot but the native of England looked great as a minor pro last season. Young Linden Rowat, a 5th round choice of the Kings in 2007, will likely return to his junior team in Regina, Saskatchewan for another season.

With the type of organizational depth the Kings have in net, there is, for a change enthusiasm that one can emerge to lead the Kings to success in the near future. While the Vets may play this season to backstop a team that will largely be kids, the current stable of prospects brings hope that one will emerge as the rest of the team grows into it’s future potential. The only worry is how to get them all enough playing time!

If you’re the Kings, this is a quality problem.

-JS

(Photo taken by the author)