The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

I was kind of surprised by the lukewarm reaction of my colleagues when the Senators and Ray Emery managed to sign a three-year deal and agree to a contract. There seems to be the feeling Emery isn't that great, Ottawa still needs to search for a #1 goalie and Emery is now just overpaid backstop eating up valuable cap space.

Really?

I like Emery. He's a colourful character in the NHL in a league that needs more personalities like him (ever listen to a Joe Sakic interview?). And for my Ottawa Senators, he was the backstop for a team that made it all the way to the Cup finals. But he didn't play that great, everyone says. But really, how well did any of his teammates play? Was game five's 6-2 loss really indicative of his abilities? I don't think so. I'm not going to judge him based solely on five games.

One thing a lot of fans forget is that this guy was playing with an injured wrist since November. He's undergone surgery to repair it and will return to action for the start of the season. If he can backstop a team to a shot at the Stanley Cup with an injury, how well can he perform 100% healthy?

There are no guarantees, and of course he could end up being a perennial bust. I've just seen him get better and better each year, and at only 24 years old, there's no reason for me to think that's going to change anytime soon.