Penguins offered Martin Gerber backup role

by Hooks Orpik on Jul 22, 2009 7:39 PM EDT in News

Reporting on translated material has gotten us into some trouble recently, but I heard this was talked about on XM radio and seems pretty credible. Martin Gerber was offered the job (report is in French) of being Marc-Andre Fleury's backup before the team signed Brent Johnson yesterday.

Gerber was a former teammate of Pens head coach Dan Bylsma back in Anaheim at the beginning part of this decade, so the Pens interest in the netminder could have stemmed from the word of the current bench boss.

Gerber decided to sign in the KHL and according to James Mirtle his new contracts comes with some pretty sweet perks that the NHL doesn't offer: a tax free salary, free housing, a travel stipend to get over there and even a cell phone. Gerber's salary is reportedly $700,000 and with the total compensation, that's obviously a lot more $$ than the $525,000 that the Penguins gave to Johnson to be the #2.

So what do you think, Gerber's not very well regarded in the NHL but if he plays well as a #1 goalie in Russia, perhaps a team would take another shot on him. If he signs in Pittsburgh and only sees about 20 games of action that's hard to distingush himself for another NHL contract next summer.

The fact remains though: play hockey in Russia and make more money or be the backup for the defending Stanley Cup champions? Interesting question, and we see how Gerber chose.

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Hmm where can I go with this? So many options. I almost feel a Sens/Leafs fan would be better suited to bash/comment, so I will just say this – good for Gerber.

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by FrankD on Jul 22, 2009 9:27 PM EDT reply actions

Well Gerber isn’t terrible. He was solid and really bandaged the Leafs.

(843): the red head has a bf
(1-843): just because there's a goalie doesn't mean u can't score

by Wrap Around Curl on Jul 22, 2009 9:47 PM EDT reply actions

I think he was admirable in Toronto (tough situation last season) but look at his history since the lockout…

Carolina: Did well in the regular season, fell flat on his face in the playoffs in ’06
Ottawa: Signed as the started, lost his job to Ray Emery, sucked hard and was banished

Hasn’t posted a sub 2.78 GAA since the lockout. Hasn’t always had the strongest defensive teams, but hey Carolina won the Cup and Ottawa for the the EC Finals so they weren’t bad all around either.

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by Hooks Orpik on Jul 22, 2009 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions

GAA is a stat for the defense. SV% is a much better indicator of a goaltender’s talent.

.905 for last year’s Leafs should have won him the Vezina.

Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.

by Chemmy on Jul 23, 2009 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Pattern?

Senators goalies, what can you say?

Ray Emery spends a year in KHL exile then returns to the NHL.

Darth Gerber is now out for redemption.

The Pens are a lot better off with Johnson, as opposed to Gerber. Once a netminder is featured, it’s hard for him to accept a backup role. Brent Johnson embraces the backup role and rocks it like a hurricane… and I don’t mean the Carolina kind.

Hockey in NC? Really?

Hartford is pissed.

by Dan J on Jul 22, 2009 11:23 PM EDT reply actions

I dunno. I agree that Gerber probably would not have been comfortable in a backup role, but if I’m Pittsburgh I’d rather have Gerber over Johnson. That’s not to say Johnson is incapable of getting the job done, but when you pin the two against each other Gerber wins.

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by FrankD on Jul 23, 2009 12:25 AM EDT up reply actions

I'd rather have Johnson

Aside from the fact that Gerber wasn’t likely to sign somewhere that didn’t offer a chance to compete for the starter’s job, there’s the whole matter of his, well, maddeningly inconsistent play throughout his career. He’s a talented but mentally weak goalie, which is not something you want on a team with championship aspirations.

P is for Latrobe.

by holiday park on Jul 23, 2009 9:36 AM EDT reply actions

I agree, I’d rather have Johnson too. If he’s healthy (which has been a concern lately) then he’s a capable backup.

Gerber’s 35 years old and while he’s been better than Johnson when he’s good, he’s also really dreadful when he’s bad.

I’d rather have the consistency from a backup goalie. The Pens dont need that guy to set the world on fire, just be calm and do the job.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Jul 23, 2009 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions

i would also have to take Johnson of Gerber. I wish nothing but the best for Gerber in the KHL as well and hope he comes back to a started job somewhere in the NHL after his Contract in the KHL is over. But i’ll hold off any further opinion till i see Emery’s Proformance with the flyers

Lifes rough, wear a helment

by lambofgad on Jul 23, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions

If Johnson is healthy...

…you guys got the better goaltender. As much as I’m sad to see him go, I’m glad he’s going to a good team (yours) rather than a bad team (LA would have been a good fit). And I’m pretty sure the Caps won’t be seeing their former teammate in net this year, as I suspect MAF will get a majority of the games against the leagues top teams, and Johnny will be playing against Atlanta, Colorado, NY Islanders, Tampa, Phoenix, and the aforementioned LA…

Good luck Johnny, you’ll be missed.

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Pivonka on Jul 23, 2009 9:58 AM EDT reply actions

also

Was there really no better photo available of Gerber available from last season? It seems like everyone’s stock Gerber photo shows him watching a puck sail into the net.

P is for Latrobe.

by holiday park on Jul 23, 2009 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

It seems to be pretty common place

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by FrankD on Jul 23, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Gerber

He would have been a very good #2 behind Fleury. I remember in the playoffs last year, where the Penguins swept, some of the games would have been blowouts had it not been for some clutch saves by Gerber. While posting an 0-4 record in the playoffs doesn’t seem great – he did face Malkin, Crosby and Hossa every night with the likes of Mike Commodore defending him. I guess I don’t know the details specifically of what went down, but I would have preferred 700K Gerber over 525K Johnson. One MAF injury and the whole season can be on your backup’s shoulders.

by Okaye777 on Jul 24, 2009 11:36 AM EDT reply actions