He isn't as lonely as the Maytag repairman but let's just say Edmonton Oilers goalie Jeff Deslauriers knows what it's like to have some time on his hands. Last year Dwayne Roloson played 63 games and Deslauriers was his back up.
This year Roloson is gone but in came Cup-winning netminder Nikolai Khabibulin. He started the first four games of the year but Monday night Deslauriers will get his first start.
"It's always exciting to play that first game" said the 25-year old. "I wanted a chance to be a bigger part of the team this year so now I have to do something when I get the chance."
He could well get more chances than he has in the past. Last year Deslauriers started seven games, but this year it could be up to 20 or more. "We're not playing him just to play him" explained Oilers head coach Pat Quinn.
"We're putting him in there because he can play. We can't afford to put a netminder in there that the players don't believe in. We talked with Freddie (Frederic Chabot the Oilers goalie coach) and we layed out a plan and we picked this game for him to play. We need to continue his development," said Quinn.
The development process for the goaltender has been, if not slow, certainly quite methodical for the 2002 draftee. The Oilers didn't have their own farm club for a couple of seasons. His playing time initially was limited in the AHL and once he got to the NHL, Edmonton had three goalies with Mathieu Garon along with Roloson.
Now it's a clear number one and two goaltending scenario and Deslauriers likes the fact it may be the same role but with more potential to play. "You can map out how you will do things but in this game things can change very fast" is how he put it. "I'm ready every game as if I'm going to start. That's the way I approach things in net."
In his seven starts the goaltender is 4-3 and in three relief appearance he has no decisions.
