The Edmonton Oilers found their starting netminder last off-season when they dealt multiple draft picks to New York in exchange for Cam Talbot. After a tough start in Edmonton, Talbot settled in nicely and became the go-to guy for the Oilers from early December through the end of the year.
While starting goaltending is no longer a question, backup goaltending is. Laurent Brossoit (0-4-0, 3.61 GAA, .873 SV%) did not impress in five overall appearances last season for the Oilers, which raised questions as to whether he could be trusted in a full-time NHL role.
The Oilers gave themselves some insurance at this position by signing veteran Jonas Gustavsson, who played for the Boston Bruins one season ago. Is Gustavsson truly an upgrade? What can we expect from the long time NHL backup?
So…Just Who Is Jonas Gustavsson?:
If I had to describe what Gustavsson is in one word, it would probably be journeyman. The 31 year old netminder is playing for his third team in as many years, and he hasn’t exactly forced the issue for his previous team to keep him around.
This past year, his lone season in Boston, Gustavsson posted a .908 SV% in 24 tilts. A 2.72 GAA and 11-9-1 record would accompany that save percentage, which is certainly below the league average.
Gustavsson’s last memory in Boston will be an ugly one, and it was a microcosm of his stretch run in the city. In the year’s final game, with a chance at the playoffs on the line, Boston was destroyed by a score of 6-1 at the hands of the Ottawa Senators. Due to an illness to Tuukka Rask, Gustavsson was forced to start this game.
Prior to this past season, Gustavsson played parts of three seasons with Detroit. In those years, he posted save percentages of .911 (2014-15, seven games), .907 (13-14, 27 games), and .879 (12-13, seven games). Those are, to put it politely, pedestrian numbers at best.
Here is Gustavsson’s off-season targets piece, and below is his scouting report via The Hockey News:
| Assets: | Nicknamed ‘The Monster’, he has a huge frame that, combined with his butterfly style, really fills up most of the net. Has great flexibility and athleticism for a big guy. |
| Flaws: | Is significantly injury-prone. Will sometimes go down in the butterfly too quickly. Also needs work on limiting rebounds. Must also improve his stamina. Can look a bit nervous at times. |
| Career Potential: | Mammoth, quality backup goaltender, when healthy. |
What Can We Expect:
Expecting Jonas Gustavsson to come in and challenge Cam Talbot this season will only leave you disappointed. I view Gustavsson as an NHL goaltender and think he is better than some are suggesting, but he’s nothing more than a veteran backup. He’ll be able to handle 20-25 games for you but that is it.
I think Oiler fans can expect him to show up for camp with a littler desperation, because while he is the favorite there is no guarantee that he beats out Laurent Brossoit. If he does make the team, I’d expect to only see him in the second half of back-to-back games and when Talbot needs a rest.
I think it’s also fair for Oiler fans to expect to see Gustavsson play some AHL games this season, especially if his second half struggles (which were injury related) continue into the 2016-17 season.
Will He Be A Long Term Oiler?:
The thing with Gustavsson is that he is a journeyman. He came into the NHL as a highly touted European, the best goalie not in the NHL to be exact, but he has not lived up to the billing throughout his career. Sure, playing for a terrible Maple Leafs team didn’t help, but Gustavsson didn’t exactly play at an elite level with the Detroit Red Wings or Boston Bruins.
He is what he is at this point, a lower level NHL backup who can likely give you 20-25 games max per season. He’s a plug-and-play guy for a year or two before something else comes along.
In Detroit, that something else was Petr Mrazek. In Boston, that something else could be Malcolm Subban. Edmonton is hoping that their something else is Laurent Brossoit.
As I mentioned above, Gustavsson might not even make it the season in Edmonton, as Brossoit could pass him with a third consecutive above average season in the AHL. Sure, LB’s short stint last year was not good, but Brossoit has been very good in the AHL the last two seasons and is still a young and developing netminder. There is a chance LB finally makes that leap to the NHL this season, ousting Gustavsson.
So, to answer the question, no, Jonas Gustavsson is not a long term Oiler. He is what I like to call a band-aid option.
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