From going undrafted to not being offered a contract out of Development Camp to becoming the AHL Goalie of the Year and still not being trusted to be the Golden Knights’ backup, Logan Thompson is used to being doubted.
Logan Thompson is also used to stopping pucks, at every level, no matter what situation he’s placed in. With that comes an air of confidence that is undoubtedly a key trait in why he’s having success a the game’s highest level.
Following last night’s game, Thompson joined Dan D’Uva on the postgame of the radio broadcast. He was asked about his emphatic glove saves throughout the game and he took the chance to clap back at a critique SinBin readers may have heard before.
If you listen to McKenna’s goalie scout on me it’s my low stance (that could be a problem) so I’ve got to have a quick glove. I think that makes up for it by taking away the top of the net. -Logan Thompson on FOX Sports Las Vegas
On a recent episode of Goalie Interference, former NHL goalie Mike McKenna expressed conern over Thompson’s stance in the net.
Not many pucks hit Thompson in the chest and are retained, because his chest isn’t available. His goalie posture is so far forward, he’s so bent at the waist, that he plays incredibly small for someone his size. –McKenna on Goalie Interference
Thompson is well aware of the perceived issue in his stance and has had goalie coaches point it out in the past. But in the end, playing goalie is a results oriented business. As long as you stop most of the pucks flying at you, no one is going to ask how you are doing it.
And that’s exactly what Thompson has been doing during his stint as the starter with the Golden Knights. He stopped all 22 shots last night on his way to his first career shutout in the NHL and he’s now up to a 6-4 record as the starter, helping keep the Golden Knights’ playoff chances alive.
Time will ultimately tell if McKenna’s concern will slow Thompson down, but for now, Logan’s clearly getting the first laugh.
Howard
Honestly, I don’t think Mckenna is a very good analyst not with standing, he was never a good tender either. Pretty much all I can and will say.
Blitz
So all good coaches are good players? Scotty Bowman never made it out of juniors and is considered the greatest NHL coach ever. How about Deboer himself? I am guessing most of the goalie coaches in the NHL are not elite goalies. Mckenna’s assessment makes sense as he clearly laid it out with pictures of LT and another goalie of the same height. He said if you are a tall goalie use it to your advantage. Not sure why people think this is a dig and clearly it hurt LT’s feelings. Never gonna go far in the NHL these days unless you can ignore the analysis done by people paid to give it or by whatever info you read on a blog.
Shae
I would actually say that some of the best coaches haven’t beeh the best players and it’s exactly why they are better coaches: they always had to work on every aspect of the game and really think about it, while some extremely talented players don’t make good coaches because so many things were just a second nature to them, they never spent as much time picking them apart.
As for McKenna, I think his comments were obviously legit, as was Thompson’s response which didn’t dismiss the criticism, but basically said something to the point of “while I know my limitations and work on them, I also find ways to compensate and and it doesn’t hold me back from getting the job done.”
Contact Tracer
And yet McKenna was a much better goalie than you could ever dream to be. You couldn’t wear McKenna’s jock strap. What I think you could outdo McKenna at is eating donut’s Howie ….
THE hockey GOD
LT surely corrected his initial games flaws, by sliding way too out of crease to left and right.
As far as I am concerned the best measure of success is in the win , loss column. Nothing else matters. The guy is not a youngster at 25, and shows leadership skills. He’s a gamer, he just barely missed getting that “off sides” goal, too.
Howard
THG is correct, and also his quote;
“LT surely corrected his initial games flaws, by sliding way too out of crease to left and right.”
Sounds a lot like MAF who last year DID MAKE an adjustment in the area of ‘over playing” a lot less than he did in years past (sliding way out, left and right).
Speaking of adjustments (which all winner are willing to, and do make), how many adjustments did PDB make during last 2 conference finals? The answer is = ZERO.
Howard
Mckenna wrongly thinks Lehner is a very good tender when in fact Lehner at best is a decent tender. My point was “NOT WITHSTANDING” not a primary point that MUST because Mckenna was never a good tender in The NHL, means he is not a good analyst. Whether or not he was a good tender is in fact irrelevant to his position as an analyst — and IMO, I don’t think he is a very good analyst, NOT WITHSTANDING ANYTHING ELSE, fair enough?
Blitz
I think that is fair and clearer (well not withstanding the not withstanding stuff) than what I responded to earlier. I agree 100% with your RL thoughts spread out thru these posts. I think the problem with Mckenna is he isn’t honest about his thoughts on RL. Many many times when he is talking about him I’ve seen hesitation. To me it seems obvious he doesn’t say the things he wants to, then follows up with “he is a very good goalie”. Maybe that is not be too critical on VGK fan media, maybe because he knows him personally. I don’t know, but I have always thought that he is showing a poker tell with RL talk. He does get critical of him sometimes talking about a specific goal, but not as a whole. My two cents. I have always appreciate Mike’s analysis, but it is just that, one persons analysis. His comments about LT seem fair to me.
Howard
Furthermore, a good tender is not always “techincally sound.” MAF and Marty both were and have never been technically VERY sound tenders as Mckenna would define it. IMO, Mckenna analysis is basically, “by-the-book” only. Therefore, what he said about Thompson is fair, but not exactly on point in terms of results orientated.
There are guys that fit Mckenna’s definition of technically sound tenders who suck badly. Thompson rightly points out that a quicker glove can make up for other weak points.
What are the results? << first and foremost.
This is why I don't think Mckenna is TRULY a good analyst while I think a guy like Ken IS. Ken never played hockey at any decent level.
Mckenna also isn't the worst analyst either. I'd say like his tending = mediocre.
Howard
One more thing – Mckenna thinks RL is techincally sound. He is for the most part, but his glove kind of sucks, and because he is very big, once he has to slide OUT OF POSITION, he will never if rarely recover from that, and will frequently be sprawled out on the ice leaving a wide open net.
Now, compare Robin’s glove and movement to a tender of similar size, Andrei Vasilevskiy.
AV has a great glove, great rebound control and balance which is why he is basically year in and out, the best tender in The NHL.
IMO, while Thompson has his flaws, he is a better tender than RL RIGHT NOW. Long term? We don’t know yet. Thompson much like MAF, can make up for some technical flaws with superior reflex and a fast glove. RL CANNOT and really never has but for 2 years in his career – I hope I made that clear and make it clear that I don’t think RL sucks, I just think he is an average tender and nowhere close to being ‘elite’ in which Vegas fans were incorrectly ‘sold on’ according to KM.
Hdbiker7851
Thank you Howard – KM sold RL as “elite” . He is far from it and in his case his size is a liability as he completely lacks any athletic ability. He is what he is but far far away from elite.
knights fan in minny
what happened to carrier
THE hockey GOD
lower body injury in hawks game or one before that
if anyone watched calgary game last nite, the coach with held Johnny Hockey in first period, and didnt play his number one line. Although Calgary appeared to play the game, can anyone say not 100% . LAK won in OT btw.
FIX was in.
Gary
You will see more and more teams doing this as the season winds down…VGK can win games but will need help to gain ground.
Tim
A little late for goalie chatter only one of our many problems. There’s a mindset in sports beat the teams you should and you split with the teams you shouldn’t. The Knights don’t see it that way they except loses to Chicago, Buffalo, Arizona, and all the other bottom feeders as that’s the way hockey is. How many points have they given away to bottom feeders and you wonder why our star studded team won’t make the playoffs. It’s simple math and just because other teams except this is the way it is doesn’t mean the Knights have to except it as that’s the way it is. I always liked being a leader not a follower and I like think out of the box. I’ve said this all year from game one you go balls to the wall play your best players on the PP not the combinations we put out that couldn’t make a PP if they had to. What I love is we go 0-30 on the PP then we get two and then all the misses are forgotten until the next 0-30 and the vicious cycle continues. Logic says you have your best players doesn’t it make sense to use them? Anyone that puts Kolesar on the PP doesn’t have a clue but they do it over and over. Enough said wait to next year and hope somehow Patch retires and we can save his 7 million cap hit to start our retool and Theadore next man out the door followed by Karlsson and Smith. Others should go but they play for peanuts so management would have to make those decisions.