text: Edmonton Oilers struggling back-up goalie Jonas Gustavsson placed on waivers | Edmonton Sun
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  Edmonton Oilers struggling back-up goalie Jonas Gustavsson placed on waivers
  Jan 10, 2017 • 4 years ago • 3 minute read
  Being a backup goalie in the NHL is a pretty nice gig, good money for not a whole lot of work.
  But when you do play, you better perform. Or you pay.
  Edmonton Oilers' Jonas Gustavsson, the little-used No. 2 to Cam Talbot, found that out Monday when put on waivers. The Oilers haven't announced anything but their farmhand, Laurent Brossoit, could be coming up from Bakersfield, maybe in time to sit on the bench while Talbot plays against San Jose Sharks Tuesday.
  If Gustavsson clears waivers Tuesday morning, which is likely, he could always stay for a game and back up against the Sharks, of course. Maybe Brossoit doesn't make it in to suit up for that one because the AHL Condors also have a game in Bakersfield against San Antonio Tuesday night
  Either way, the NHL backup carousel has been swinging wildly the last week. Also on Monday, Curtis McElhinney, Sergei Bobrovsky's right-hand man in Columbus, also found out he was on waivers so the Blue Jackets can take a look at their highly-regarded farmhand, Anton Forsberg.
  Gustavsson, nicknamed The Monster, unfortunately was scaring coach Todd McLellan and GM Peter Chiarelli, who signed him this past summer, more than the opposing shooters. In 331 minutes, Gustavsson has a .878 save percentage and had given up seven goals in his last 30 shots.
  Backups need to win or give their teams a chance to win when they start. Gustavsson hadn't won the trust of McLellan on that front.
  Obviously, the Oilers need somebody to give Talbot, the NHL's busiest goalie, a breather. He's started 37 of the team's 42 games. He's in much the same boat as the workhorse Bobrovsky in Columbus. He's got the nod in 34 of the Jackets' 39 games and neither team wants their guy playing 70 games.
  Before the March 1 trade deadline, the Oilers play 22 games and they have four back to backs that would require a backup playing.
  If the Oilers don't, say, put a claim in for McElhinney (.924 save percentage, 2.39 average but coming off a poor game against the Rangers this past Saturday — the day after the Jackets' 16-game win streak came to an end), they can see what Brossoit's got. So far, he'd get a C on his report card.
  Last year, he gave up 18 goals with a 3.60 average and an .878 save percentage. In 2014-15, he started once against San Jose, facing 49 shots and was outstanding. He gave up two goals in a 3-1 loss with an empty-netter.
  This season, Brossoit has played 20 games in Bakersfield with a 2.71 average and .909 save percentage.
  "His game has been inconsistent but there's lulls in every goalie's career. When he's on, he's been very good," said farm coach Gerry Fleming. "Like most young goalies, when their rebound control is off or they're not tracking the puck as well, their game's off but I thought L.B. was really good in the outdoor game we just played (in the rain last Friday vs. the Ontario Reign). Each pad by the end might have weighed 15 pounds. That speaks volumes to his character. We were down 2-0, he made some big saves and we came back to win."
  Brossoit is still one of the Oilers' best prospects and he'll be exposed in the expansion draft because he's a signed goalie for next year and they're protecting Talbot, obviously.
  "Goalies go through struggles. It's like a pitcher and a quarterback. You're not always going to strike everybody out and you're not going to throw a home run pass," said Fleming. "As a goalie, you fight through it. It's all part of the learning process in being a pro."