The life of a backup goaltender is predicated on the ability to be ready at a moment’s notice to right the ship in times of crisis.
Ideally, a starting goaltender plays about 75% of his team’s games, and the backup is called upon to simply provide a steady presence while the main guy rests.
Injuries can strike at unpredictable times, though, and if a starting goaltender is sidelined for long stretches, it can often be too debilitating of a blow for a team to overcome.
Jonathan Quick is an elite goaltender, and when he got injured in the opening game, the Los Angeles Kings could have rapidly gone south if not for the play of Peter Budaj.
With the Kings in solid contention for a playoff berth, Budaj deserves a tremendous amount of credit for how he has responded to becoming the primary goaltender.
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The Los Angeles Times has a great story about how Budaj has played well enough this season to possibly make the All Star team.
He lead the AHL in wins last season, and he’s well on his way towards putting up the best numbers of his NHL career this season.
For some perspective, he has a Quality Start Percentage of 47.2% for his career. He’s at 60% for 2016-2017.
Yes he benefits from a defense that allows the fewest shots against per game of any team, but he’s still playing the best hockey of his career.
The fact that the All Star Game is being held in Los Angeles probably helps his case, and it would certainly be a great story if he made the squad for the first time after 11 seasons in the NHL.
Budaj is tied for 2nd in the league in SOs, 6th in GAA, and tied for 7th in wins, making him worthy of serious consideration.
However, some of his other stats don’t quite measure up. He ranks only 19th in save percentage, which illustrates how much his GAA benefits from not facing as many shots. He’s also just 13th in Goalie Point Shares despite being tied for 2nd in total games played.
All Star appearances are a fun individual accolade, and while it would be nice if Budaj got a nod, it doesn’t change the fact that he has largely saved this team’s season.
Quick being injured for as long as he has been could have proven disastrous, but Budaj has played admirably in his absence.
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With Quick not set to return until February or March, the Kings are hoping that Budaj continues his strong play. He deserves much praise for the success of this team, and if they do make the playoffs, he’ll be one of the primary reasons.