Who's going to start in the Pond tonight: J-S Giguere, the former Conn Smythe winner and the disputed number one backstopper on the Ducks, or; Ilya Bryzgalov, the slightly younger, slightly better Russian who has kept his team in the game during two losing efforts?
From a purely coaching point of view, I would have no hesitation in selecting Bryzgalov, considering his sterling numbers in this post-season, not to mention the lack of either emotion or confidence of Giguere. However, there are other factors which have to be considered:
Here's the rub.
Sitting Giguere for the biggest game of the season sends him, the team and the rest of the league a dangerous message that the club has lost faith in the 28-year-old Montrealer.
It would call into question his future as a Duck, do irreparable damage to his relationship with the coach and would limit his trade value on the open market.
Entering the final year of a deal that will pay him $4 million next season, word around The Pond is GM Brian Burke may see Bryzgalov as his goalie of the future. After all, the man who traded Sergei Fedorov for Francois Beauchemin to clear salary may just like the idea of saving far more than $3 million a year with Bryzgalov, a restricted free agent who needs a new deal after playing for $450,000 this year.
Yes, I know that the coach gets the last call and that every game is unique unto itself yada yada yada but -- BUT! -- it is also a fact that the Ducks are Burke's team. Carlyle answers to the big man alone and would ultimately concede to his boss if word came down to do so. Anaheim has made a startling turnaround as soon as Burke took a liking to Mickey Mouse ears and the team's future looks as bright as any franchise in the league. To jeopardize this future and rest it on the back of a yet-unproven Russian -- who may or may not be a number one goalie in the league -- and, by doing so, devaluing an overpaid 'tender might be too much for the former Vancouver GM to risk.
