Barrie's Crowded Crease

Clint Windsor with Barrie in 10/11

It is no secret now that the Barrie Colts are going to go into training camp with the, 'you want the job? take the job' mentality when it comes to their goaltending for the 2011/12 season. Not only will the Colts look at their trio from last season: Clint Windsor, John Chartrand and Josh Malecki, but Barrie has also added Alex Fontinos and Jack McDonald through the OHL Priority Draft but they also added German netminder Mathias Niederberger this past week in the CHL Import Draft. The finally tally if you lost count is 6 goaltenders for 2 positions in the Colts crease. and even though it is expected that Fontinos and McDonald will play either Jr. A or Jr B this upcoming season... you never know what will happen. You would like to see your 16 year old tenders push the veterans and hopefully take the back up job away. If one of the two kids do take the back up position this early in their career then you run into the argument, 'is it good for their development to be sitting on the bench for up to 3 weeks without game action?'
     The real question is why bring in/waste an import pick on a Goaltender if you do not believe he will be your starter? London's situation last year with Igor Bobkov is different than the current Barrie situation because they had a starter in the wings with Michael Houser, who arguably lead the Knights to the Playoffs this season. By bringing the German import you send one of two messages to your current duo/trio (I dont believe Malecki will ever see another game in a Barrie Colts OHL sweater). The message to Windsor and Chartrand is either; 'you guys can not do the job, so who wants to be back up' or 'who wants this more? you or our import?'

'Hollywood' Chartrand

      Personally I wondered why John 'Hollywood' Chartrand had his butt glued to the bench in the final dozen games or so and couldn't figure out who he pissed off. In a discussion with multiple Colts players, no one really gave any insight as to why 'Hollywood' was not playing considering they were not fighting for a playoff spot. Many thought ok if you are going to give the job to Windsor, why not let John play so you can rise his value and trade him in the off season.
     Valid point raised by teammates of the goaltenders. and really why wouldn't you? for the past two seasons I have heard how awful Clint Windsor is, a big goaltender who looks like a giant fish out of water when he is playing in the OHL.
     For the most part... I see these peoples point, and maybe I tend to agree with them more because I like what Chartrand was able to do in Niagara and hoped he could duplicate it with Barrie once he was traded. Going back to the main point of the article. Barrie needs to make a decision. Throw out their two drafted 16 year olds and you still have 4 goaltenders for 2 spots. Toss Malecki out because any goalie who injures himself getting dressed should try a new vocation in life. This leaves the main three. Considering the moves that Barrie has made, (adding Derek Hartwick, Reid McNeill, Victor Terreri, Ray Huether) the Colts are looking to make a big push this season, to push them over the edge the year after. And you can not do this without great goaltending. Is it Chartrand? Neiderberger? Windsor? we will soon find out, and I hope the odd one out is Windsor... Just because Johnny has a great nickname, 'Hollywood'