Conklin to Detroit?

Question

Can someone please explain to me why detroit picked up Ty Conklin. Yes hes a good goalie and yes he was cheap, but why then do you waste your number 1 pick on a goalie, and continue to shaft jimmy howard. If they ever plan on getting Howard into NHL form then he needs playing time in the NHL. Especially now since you have McCullum that is going to be playing for the griffins, who is going to be expecting a decent amount of playing time.

Answer 1

howard might not be ready. Hollands not stupid. he knows what hes doing and he did it for a reason.

Answer 2

We need a somewhat experienced veteran backup.  Why would we not want Ty Conklin?  He held the Pens together when Fleury was out last season and accumulated much better numbers.  Jimmy Howard is nothing special, and our number one draft pick might not be ready for the NHL yet.  We need to get rid of Howard and allow McCullum to develop in Grand Rapids, or even let Ozzie mentor him.  I'm not saying Jimmy Howard is bad, but this is the Detroit Red Wings we are talking about.  I'd much rather have Chris Osgood and Ty Conklin ensuring a productive season with reliable goaltending than have Jimmy Howard assuming too large of a role and placing unnecessary responsibility and stress on Osgood.  There's no room for second tier goaltending in Detroit.  Now that Hasek's gone, it seems like Detroit is getting it done the right way.  I for one am very pleased with the way our off-season is going (other than the resigning of Andreas Lilja).

Answer 3

A draft pick (we're not talking about a top 10 pick here) is 4 years away from even being considered for the top squad.  Detroit will be back in the playoffs next year (just a hunch).  They want a goalie that has shown NHL level ability just in case (That philosophy seemed to work out OK for them last season).

Answer 4

Conklin is a good solid backup, who came cheap, and on a 1-year deal.  

If Osgood gets hurt, you want there to be someone who can step in (and look at what Conklin did in Pittsburgh; not sure they get where they got if not for Conklin's efforts).  He's not a long-term solution, but as a proven backup...makes a lot of sense.

I'd trust Ken Holland's thinking on just about any day; if he were the GM in Toronto with full authority he'd have that team in the Finals in 3 years.

Answer 5

Insurance, what if Osgood gets hurt they have Jimmy Howard and nothing.

They must feel that Howard is not ready.  As to the guy they drafted in the first round this year, he is still junior age and will be back in junior next year.  he won't be in the AHL.  If he makes it too the NHL it won't be for 3-5 yrs at least.

They seem to know what they are doing, the won the cup didn't they.