Sometimes, just one wheel falls off. But when all four tires detach at the same time, things just get ugly. Rolie the Goalie proved that he just couldn’t carry the starter's load last season and this point, he'll be fortunate to even be a trustworthy backup.
"Chronic overachiever" is perhaps the best way to describe this grizzled vet. He was just what the doctor ordered between the pipes after his arrival in Tampa Bay last season but he was overused down the stretch and he just plain ran out of gas in the playoffs. He hasn't lost his quickness or his athleticism, and he has adapted his game to a more economical style to accommodate his impending pension check. And with Mathieu Garon's arrival as backup, Rolie should get enough days off to be fresh for another Cup run. Still, you can expect wins in the low 30s even with time off and solid ratios all the way around. Not bad for a guy born in the 1960s, huh?
At 41 years of age, Roloson may once again be relied upon to start the majority of games for the Islanders. Just how big of a majority will be determined by the health of Rick DiPietro and whether or not the Islanders decide to sign a third goaltender. Either way, Roloson should be nothing more than a reserve. Yes, the Isles are improved, but a best-case scenario has them fighting for a playoff spot in April. And even that may be optimistic.
The Oilers goaltending situation is in a state of flux. They will carry three goalies on their roster until they can deal one of them, and the one most likely to be dealt is Roloson. No matter if he is traded or stays in Edmonton, his days as a starter are most likely over unless he is able to take over for an injured keeper somewhere.
Despite the lack of offense and healthy bodies around him, Roloson finished with 27 wins, four shutouts and a GAA under three. He was sixth in the league with 68 games, logged the seventh highest minutes total and was seventh in shots against. Now for the bad news: he'll be 38 this year and the team added Mathieu Garon, a capable goalie who could cut into Rollie's games played. As well, the team should struggle defensively with the move to a younger, relatively inexperienced team. It will be difficult for him to duplicate last season.
Roloson will try to do what he was acquired to do - bring stability to the goaltender position. He will be the number one option between the pipes, but expect numbers more along the lines of his regular season than his outstanding playoff run.
After a three-year platoon with Manny Fernandez, Roloson won a more regular job as the starter at the end of the 2003-04 season and put up solid numbers (1.88 GAA and .933 save percentage). While he's been named the starter, Fernandez remains on the roster and it's still likely the Wild will use some form of platoon. Expect Roloson to get most of the starts, but both should get consecutive starts in goal when hot.
