Forget about the Colorado Avalanche importing a veteran goaltender for the playoffs. David Aebischer’s play has convinced the team it need not pursue any replacement in the trade market this season.
Two high-level NHL management sources have said Colorado will not pursue any veteran goalies who may be available, which could include Olaf Kolzig, Curtis Joseph, Sean Burke and Tommy Salo. Only a serious injury or a calamitous decline in play the next two months would force the Avalanche into seeking a trade.
“Abby’s answered a lot of questions for a lot of the guys,” captain Joe Sakic said. “We can see that he’s stepped up to another level.”
Aebischer has a 17-8-5 record with a 2.09 goals-against average and .926 save percentage.
Aebischer’s play in tight situations against good teams is what has impressed Avalanche players and management the most. He has bailed out the team recently, helping it get points when none was deserved. That has made his teammates appreciate him more.
“Abby’s been great all year,” defenseman Derek Morris said. “We have confidence in him where we don’t feel like we have to look over our shoulder after a shot is taken. We know he’s going to make the save, so we can play the man and keep him away from the net. That makes a big difference.”
Aebischer, 25, has been noticeably quicker in net than his first three seasons as Patrick Roy’s backup. His glove hand has been fast, along with his side-to-side movement. Part of that is because of an off-season workout and diet program that shed several points of body fat and added muscle.
Aebischer began a low-carbohydrate diet and went mountain biking daily to strengthen his legs. He worked hard on his butterfly style with Swiss goalie coach Bruno Knutti and continued to play a lot of badminton for hand-eye coordination.
“I feel better physically than I ever have,” said Aebischer, who also practices yoga. “[The regimen] has made me quicker and stronger. I should have done it sooner. It’s given me more confidence in myself.”
Aebischer knows many hockey people won’t start judging him, however, until the playoffs. He has only 35 minutes of playoff experience and replaces the goalie with the most postseason wins in NHL history.
Philadelphia Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock said, while it may not be fair, a goalie can’t show what he’s truly made of until he proves he can win in the playoffs.
“That’s when it’s so much more of a mental game, and goalies have so much more pressure to bear,” Hitchcock said. “It’s when you’re down 3-1 or 3-2 in a series and everybody is giving up on you, but your goaltender steps up and gets you back in it with his play. That’s when you know you really have a great goaltender.”
Hitchcock pointed to the development of Dallas goalie Ed Belfour in the Western Conference finals against Colorado. The Stars won the 1999 and 2000 conference finals in seven games.
“He won those series for us,” Hitchcock said. “Before that, he had that tag of not being able to win the big games. But he proved he could, and it’s made a huge difference in his play since.”
Asked to assess Aebischer’s play, Hitchcock said: “To me, these goalies all look the same now. Guys like Aebischer, [Anaheim’s Jean-Sebastien] Giguere, [Florida’s Roberto] Luongo, they all look so big and move the same and smother the puck the same, so there’s nothing to see after they get it.
“They all swallow the puck up. But the playoffs is when a goalie shows his true colors in a lot of cases.”
Aebischer will get a chance to show his.
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