The 2009-2010 Season Report Card: Goaltenders

So the season has closed for the Ottawa Senators players and fans. It’s now time to look at the season that was and look for the positive future ahead. Here is the third and final installment on The Report Card, talking about players in the nets.

Brian Elliott: It was a a very inconsistent season for the Newmarket, Ontario product. At some points he looked like jesus, falling from the sky and into the net of the Ottawa Valley, and at some points he looked like a clown still juggling his tennis balls, even though the game was on. He took over the reigns of the No.1 job when he embarked on the 11-game and 6-game winning streaks, but epically melted down in Game 4 of the series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. I still fell Elliott has the luckier bounce over Leclaire, but he needs to play the same, game in and out. Not the Jekyll and Hyde way.

Grade: Somewhere between B and C

Pascal Leclaire: I just can’t begin how much of a up and down season this was for Pascal Leclaire. First, he starts off and leads us to a great start off the gate, re-assuring that Pierre McGuire may have actually been right. Then he gets injured on the bench. Elliott doesn’t do so well and when Pazzy comes back, he actually plays well. Than he starts sucking. Then he gets injured, at practice. Elliott comes out and wins everyone’s heart. Leclaire gets another chance but can’t perform up to his promise except for one game against Toronto. He’s left out to dry in the playoffs, until he comes back and becomes the saviour, including an INCREDIBLE!, hero-like performance in Game 5. It will be interesting to see how Pascal does next season, but I see a huge come-back season for him, coupled with the fact that now he understands Ottawa and it’s goalie doomness.

Grade: C