AHL shuttle helping some young NHL goalies

VANCOUVER -- Juuse Saros didn't have to worry about rust when the Nashville Predators came off a five-day break because he had spent that time playing with Milwaukee in the American Hockey League.
That extra work, while most of his teammates were enjoying mini vacations, paid off when a sharp Saros, 22, made 43 saves in a 1-0 win against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first game back for the Predators on Tuesday.

Staying on form during long breaks may be the most visible advantage of being able to send your backup goalie back and forth between the NHL and AHL, but it is not the only one. And, Nashville isn't the only team taking advantage of the opportunity this season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent backup Joonas Korpisalo, 23, to Cleveland (AHL) five times this season, including twice in January.

Korpisalo was back in Columbus as it returned from its break and he started Thursday in the first game back, against the Dallas Stars, as coach John Tortorella looked to capitalize on the rhythm Korpisalo created in the minors. Korpisalo made 35 saves in a 2-1 shootout victory.
For teams with a workhorse No. 1, it is easier to find playing time for a younger backup who is exempt from waivers when being sent to the AHL.
A formula that factors age, games played and professional seasons determines waiver status. Waiver-eligible players can be claimed by another NHL team when being sent to the minors.
Saros has been to Milwaukee four times this season and credits the games while there with helping turn around a season that started 1-3-0 with a .855 save percentage in Nashville before two AHL starts in mid-November.
Since then, Saros is 4-0-3 with a .960 save percentage and three shutouts in the NHL. In the AHL, he is 3-5-1 with a .906 save percentage and one shutout.
"I think it has been a positive," said Saros, who has nine starts in the AHL and 11 in the NHL this season. "Of course, it has been a lot of travel, but from the game standpoint it is good to have as [many] games as I can. You feel the rhythm in a game more, feel how the game goes, when you play more. You don't think about the game too much when you play more games."

Finding rhythm for goalies can be hard with long gaps between appearances, which is why teams with workhorse starters traditionally stick with a proven backup. Many coaches view the perfect organizational depth chart as an established No. 1 with an experienced backup capable of playing well in sporadic NHL starts, followed by an up-and-coming young goalie playing regularly in the AHL, but with enough upside to play ahead of the NHL backup if needed.
It's a model the Pittsburgh Penguins used to win the Stanley Cup in 2016, with Matt Murray starting in the AHL before taking over for Jeff Zatkoff after Marc-Andre Fleury was hurt at the end of the regular season. Fleury and Murray were the goalies in 2017 when Pittsburgh repeated.
This season, the Penguins went back to a more traditional model after losing Fleury to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. They signed Antti Niemi, 34, to play behind Murray. Niemi struggled with a .797 save percentage in his first three starts and Pittsburgh placed him on waivers. The backup job now belongs to Tristan Jarry, 22, who is 9-4-2 with a .919 save percentage since being called up Oct. 30.
For those invested in goaltender development, the younger age at which elite goalies are developing has presented challenges. Often, goalies are physically ready for the NHL in their early 20s, but are still developing mentally.
Other times, there is little opportunity for consistent playing time if they are ready. Pekka Rinne, the No. 1 in Nashville, has started 33 of 44 games this year. Sergei Bobrovsky in Columbus has started 38 of 47 games.
Sitting behind an established No. 1 for three out of every four games could stunt the development of the backup. That's where the AHL shuttle is becoming a better option.
It allows a young goalie to contribute and practice with the NHL team, learn the NHL ropes from other players and coaches but still get extra playing time as needed.

"It's helped a lot," said Korpisalo, who is 2-2-1 with a .944 save percentage in five AHL games and 5-4-0 with a .912 save percentage in Columbus this season. "It's a good thing to go there and get some games, keep the game touch. There's only so much you can get out of practice. You can always work on little things, but games are different and you learn things that you can only get in games. It gives you confidence, which is the key to everything."
While some teams embrace the use of younger goalies as backups as they continue to develop, not every team is sold yet.
Niemi, claimed on waivers, is the backup behind Carey Price with the Montreal Canadiens. Al Montoya, 32, was traded from Montreal to the Edmonton Oilers after the Niemi acquisition. In Edmonton, he replaced Laurent Brossoit, 24, as the backup. Brossoit went to Bakersfield (AHL).
The success some teams are having with the NHL-AHL shuttle for goaltenders will be noticed by other teams, so there could be more goalies doing it soon.
The key, say the goalies living it, is to embrace the opportunities presented.
When the Blue Jackets went on a League-mandated five-day break last week, Korpisalo reported to Cleveland to play a few games.
"That was pretty funny. Me and [Columbus forward] Tyler Motte were in the airport and we see all the guys going to Miami. We were going to Grand Rapids," Korpisalo said. "It happens. We've got the whole summer to chill out."