The Boston Bruins, also this season, used their goaltending rotation of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark in second place in the Atlantic. They have a 2-1 series lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
While using a pitching rotation worked for the season – and you can't argue it didn't – Swayman posted a 25-10-8 record with a 2.53 GAA and a .916 save percentage, and Ullmark posted a 22-10-7 record with -2.57 GAA and .915 save percentage. But when the playoffs come, the team needs to pick one guy.
There is no need for the NHL to extend the Stanley Cup Playoffs
Using a tandem rarely works in the playoffs. It's a luxury to have two goalkeepers who can win games. However, history shows that having one goaltender start every playoff game works very well.
But the history of the Bruins shows that this is something they have done. You have to go back 52 years to 1972 when Boston rode Gerry Cheevers and Eddie Johnston to the Stanley Cup. This is unusual and not the norm.
Everyone can point to Matt Murray and Marc-Andre Fleury in 2016 and 2017 when the Pittsburgh Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups. However, Murray was injured in some of those runs, and the matchups meant Fleury's play in some series. But when Murray was healthy, it was his net.
In this series between Toronto and Boston, Swayman has the edge over the Toronto Maple Leafs because of his dominance throughout the season.
Over the past two seasons, Jeremy Swayman is 6-0-0 against Toronto with a 1.31 GAA and a .959 save percentage, winning both games for the Bruins in their playoff series against Toronto.
NHL Rumors: The Boston Bruins, Linus Ullmark, and an Exciting Offseason Ahead for Both.
Although it's comfortable in the head of Bruins Jim Montgomery to answer his goalie, the Bruins are overly cautious. They made a complete 180-degree turn from last year.
We all know that Ulmark won the Vezina Trophy last season, and most would agree that this is his last season in Boston, as Swayman will be getting a raise in the summer. But last year, going into Game 5, Ullmark got hurt, and Boston waited to make a goalie change.
This season, they have no reason to keep switching goalies, especially if the Bruins go back to Ullmark and the Maple Leafs tie the series.
Although both goaltenders have played this season, Jeremy Swayman is the clear goaltender and future starter in Boston.
NHL Rumors: This summer's top 12 RFAs in the NHL
Also, their rotation is working, and Swayman hasn't started back-to-back games since February 19th and 21st this year, but Game 4 against Toronto feels like he needs to start. Swayman was supposed to start Game 2.
If the Bruins win the series and the Stanley Cup, that's all that matters. Their management and coaching staff know what is best.
However, if a goaltender like Jeremy Swayman is outstanding on one team, you have to keep playing him until the results are not there.
Source link
