The playoffs are approaching and the Flyers have two young, solid goaltenders on the team. Controversy, anyone? While the conventional wisdom calls for the coach to name a starter and run him into the ground, Ken Hitchcock is content to take a wait-and-see approach to things.
Hitchcock said he's not afraid to use a rookie goalie as his playoff starter. At the same time, he left open the door for using both goalies in the playoffs. Terry Murray did that in 1997 with Ron Hextall and Garth Snow, and it worked until the Stanley Cup Finals against Detroit.
"Everyone is banking on you needing one goalie for the playoffs," he said. "Maybe you do and maybe you don't.
"It will not be based on past performance or something I thought two years ago. This is a clean slate, a new year."
And as for Scotty Bowman's wondering in Tampa why Hitchcock won't play Niittymaki more?
"I don't worry about it," Hitchcock said. "I am doing what is best for the hockey club."
Yes, Hitch, you shouldn't worry about it at all. What could a NINE-time Stanley Cup-winning coach have to contribute that might be worth listening to? |
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