I cannot, for the life of me, believe that it is March 9th, with 14 games to play, and I have to even breach the subject of Cristobal Huet in a Blackhawks uniform. You read that right, folks. I have seen enough geniuses on message boards and Twatter to have to actually EXPLAIN to people why that is not only a stupid idea, but contractually impossible. This is the exact reason why people should be required, by law, to take a mental stability test, when buying a computer or using the internet. Get off the drugs, clowns.
I'm going to nip this shit in the bud, right off the bat. Huet is on loan to Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss League. He cannot be recalled until his current team's season is over, which it's not, and would need to pass through waivers, which he would. That, right there, should be more than enough to shut the brainiac couch General Managers up. Oh, but it's not...
Lets continue with this fucking non compos mentis charade, just for shits-n-giggles. Huet's last NHL season was 09-10, where he had a less than stellar .895 save percentage. This was 2 years ago, when he was facing NHL caliber players regularly. Huet is going to be 37 years old in September, and has faced AHL quality competition for 2 years. Do you see where I'm going with this? Last season, he has a respectable .919 save percentage but his GAA was 2.83, and he was swept out of the playoffs (0-4, 5.09 GAA, .832 sv%). He also played in for the French in the world championships. Six games played, 3.40 GAA. That's the Frenchie we all remember, isn't it? That's last season though, right? How did he do this season?
This season, Huet settled in with a much better 2.12 GAA, and a .915 sv%. This is AHL equivalent talent that he has FINALLY dialed into, mind you. His team is three games into their playoffs and he is 2-1 with a 2.50 GAA and .902 sv%. Not exactly the answer to all the Blackhawks problems, people. A 36 year old, AHL level goalie.
For arguments sake, let's just say his team is knocked out of the playoffs tomorrow, he passes through waivers, and is recalled to the delight of cabeza de chorlitos throughout Chicago and Blackhawks nation. The Chicago Blackhawks then have a goalie that they banished to Siberia for lack of talent, that hasn't faced NHL competition in 2 years, now at the wheel of your playoff short bus with only 13 games remaining. This is "outside the box" thinking? Let me tell you something. This is INSIDE THE MENTAL HOSPITAL thinking. How soon we forget the witch hunt to get Huet banished in the first place. The Hawks would have been better off signing Ty Conklin when he went through waivers.
Here is a novel idea. How about if the "brilliant" Hall-Of-Fame coaching staff fix the fucking powerplay to resemble something that could be called functional? How about if the defensemen not named Seabrook learn to play physical defense, and tie opponents up in front of their own net? Maybe? Please? Here is a little ode to anyone who has mentioned Huet as a solution to any problem whatsoever:
