Looks like Clemmer again (updated)

It looks like Scott Clemmensen will get the start Thursday against Florida. He was the first goaltender off the ice at the end of practice today.

Devils coach Brent Sutter would not say who his starter will be, though.

"I'll let you know in the morning," Sutter said. "We're taking it game to game, day to day. You'll know on game days who's playing and who isn't. We're going decide and we're going to talk about it as coaches."

Even when presented with the evidence that he was the first goaltender off the ice, Clemmsensen avoided the question.

"Don't ask me," he said. "I don't know what to say."

Kevin Weekes claimed not to know if Clemmensen would start.

"I haven't heard anything," Weekes said. "We'll see what the coach says and then go from there."

Clemmensen has started the last two games after Weekes started four of the first five following Martin Brodeur's injury.

Sutter said both Clemmensen and Weekes will get at least one start during this stretch of three games in four days.

"We've got three games in four nights and I can guarantee you one thing: One won't play all three," Sutter said. "I want to keep them both sharp and both ready to play, so both have to play to do that. It's a situation where there's no guy who you can sit there and say he's your No. 1. They are both you're No. 1s right now."

Sutter admitted that he might go more often with one goaltender over the other if one got hot, though.

"That's a possibility, but I still think we're not talking a a situation where one guy can play the majority of the games I don't think right now until we see how it unfolds," Sutter said. "But I think you've got two quality goalies that to me are very capable of doing the job for us and both will be giving opportunities through the process."

Comments

[titans04]

my oh my how Weekes stock has dropped in record time.

[Puckster]

Might as well reward him for rebounding and getting the win, even though he was shaky on a couple of the goals that were scored.

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

i am suprised but not that suprised. I don;t think its a matter of Weekes stock dropping... i think its a matter of sutter saving weekes for Friday which is the more important game, against a pretty hot Isles team who is also a divisional rival. this team has struggled the past year and a half against divisional foes and i think its a good move by Sutter to play Clemmer against a weak Panthers team and play Weekes against a tougher opponent

[Rich]

Clemmesen just doesnt seem confident, especially on some of the goals he let in. Hopefully the win will gain him some confidence so he looks like he belongs out there and doesnt look lost in the crease.

[DS]

Our goaltenders are both brutal. It really doesn't matter which one of them is in net. The Devils' hopes are resting on the 18 skaters that are out there, not the goaltenders. Oh how things have changed since Marty's injury...now it's completely reversed.

[Kellyn]

Good for Clemmer. I don't think his letting in a few soft goals on Saturday should rob him of the start tomorrow, especially considering that his strong, focused performance in overtime and the shootout helped the Devils secure a win they desperately needed, as much for team morale as for the two points they earned.

I think we are being much too hard on Kevin Weekes and Scott Clemmensen. New Jersey Devils fans, on the whole, are a little bit spoiled because for over a decade we've had the best goalie in the game in our team's net and it is hard for any other goalie to come in and look anything other than below-average by comparison. While it may be true that Weekes and Clemmer are not on the same level as Marty Brodeur, that doesn't mean they are bad goalies, and I'll still support the Devils no matter who they have in net.

[Falcone]

Weeks will start on Friday and then Clemmer on Sat.

[JP]

Maybe it's just me but I don't think Clemmensen has done anything to show he's not confident. He hasn't played enough. If he was a mess, I don't think he would have done that well in the shootout on Saturday after giving up some shaky goals & that late tying goal. He seems like a humble guy who is realistic. If he should have made the save, he's the first one speaking up after the game saying he should have had it. I get the impression that he knows this could be his only shot to prove himself in the NHL. Maybe he's not #1 material but playing backup in the NHL is better than #1 in the AHL.

[harold]

what's the chance of getting Shanahan. 11 power play goals last season. two big shooters with him and Rolston.

[Jersey Mike]

TG any shot of Frazee coming up if the Weekes/Clemmenson combo continues to struggle ?

[titans04]

Wow - calling for Frazee at this point is a real stretch. He was slightly better than average in Trenton since the beginning of the season. No way in hell he's ready for the NHL.

[TG]

My guess is that we won't see Frazee unless there's another injury and it would have to be something minor. Otherwise, if there was another injury to one of the goaltenders, I'd guarantee the Devils would trade for a goaltender before they turned to Frazee. He's not ready yet.

[TG]

Exactly what will it take for people to stop asking about Shanahan? Others have been saying the Devils have been interested in him for months, yet, though the team has had a slew of injuries, they have not signed him.

If they had any interest in him, don't you think they would have done it already?

[HF]

the question is TG, why are they not interested in him? would he not help this team score goals, specifically on the PP...

[BH]

He's way to slow to keep up with the league anymore. It's been said time and time again that he could not keep up with rangers fourth line last year, why do we think with him missing the first quarter of the year it is going to be different. He would not benefit this team, and I'm not real sure why people think otherwise. Plus if you think Vrana and Bergfors are not getting enough ice time, signing Shannahan would only make that situation worse.

[JJ]

Because he's old and slow and would be dead weight when Rolston & Holik come back and dead contract space. Get over it people, Shanahan is NOT going to be Devil.

[Jack]

TG,

Is Weekes injured? Has his offseason injury come back?

[titans04]

No arguing Shanny is slow but where would his 23 goals have ranked on this team last year. 2nd. We certainly don't need a guy like that around here.

[TG]

Weekes is healthy. He's practicing and will play one of the next three games (unless the coach changes his mind).

[TG]

Shanahan had 15 goals in his first 40 games. Eight the rest of the season. One in the final 13.

[Jack]

Ideally, I would like to see Clemmer beat Florida, Weekes beat NYI.

And:

Sign Shanny

[Triumph]

"No arguing Shanny is slow but where would his 23 goals have ranked on this team last year. 2nd. We certainly don't need a guy like that around here."

This assumes that all goals are created equal, which they are not. You can't just insert Shanahan into the lineup and say he's going to get 23 goals, or assume he would've gotten 23 goals here. Mark Parrish's goals, pro-rated, would've ranked high on New Jersey, and yet Minnesota bought him out. A power play specialist who can't do much else is useless even to teams with bad power plays (like the Rangers had last season).

He would be a terrible addition. Notice that the 'deadline' for him to sign with a team has passed.

[NJD26]

A) Shanahan's finished.
B) If Shanahan had any interest in signing with a team other than the NYR he would have by now.

[titans04]

what I'm saying is we're rolling out guys that need a small miracle to put the puck in the ocean more than 10 times a season. I also forgot they're all lightening fast. All these pop-gun offensive guys I'm sure bring the same leadership as a guy like Shanahan too.

[Jim B]

Shanny wont hurt the team, but he wont make them any better either I dont think having shanny on the team would make the team any better or any worse.