Dearly beloved, we're gathered here to pay our respects to a goaltender faded into irrelevancy. Ondrej Pavelec is headed into the final year of his contract and it is assumed he won't be returning due to the rise of Connor Hellebuyck (not to mention prospect Eric Comrie). It was always an adventure with him, as Jets fans never knew what to expect. Would he be the goaltender who backstopped his way to the playoffs, or the one who arguably kept the Jets out in years prior? Twitter also made our time with Ondrej so fun. There was a massive rift within the fanbase on whether he was a good goalie or not.
This is why we mourn the inevitable loss of goaltender Ondrej Pavelec. May he fall gracefully into goaltender irrelevancy. Like David Aebischer, and not Rick DiPietro.
The Numbers
This chart is probably the death blow to Pavelec's time as a Winnipeg Jet. Connor Hellebuyck outshines Pavelec in nearly every category, despite about five years until his peak. For comparison, Pavelec is in the second year of his.
The Future
Simply put, players with futures aren't getting eulogized by yours truly. After the upcoming year I expect Ondrej Pavelec to go overseas to play or sign a PTO with a team needing depth. Pavelec still can be a solid enough goaltender, but the fact is, he won't ever be a number one. Consistency is key, and it's just something Pavelec is lacking in.
Finally, I made a small slideshow to show my appreciation for our former goaltender of the future. Enjoy.
I'd like to congratulate our new managing editor Phil. I can't wait to make you correct everything I type.
Be sure to give us your thoughts and feelings in the comments below.
