Andrew F'n Raycroft

So after the games on Saturday night I decided to write up a little Andrew Raycroft time-line.  He seemed worthy of a blog article after his Saturday night performance where he turned away all 34 shots the Buffalo Sabres directed toward him.  Raycroft has had a very shakey career thus far but here's a couple highlights of it.

Andrew Raycroft was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the 5th round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft (cough Pavel Datsyuk went a round later).  anyways so his career began.  In 2000-01 he played a total of 15 games, followed by one game in 2001-02 and just five in 2002-03.  After the lockout though, things had changed.  Raycroft had become the Boston Bruins number one goalie, and he ran with it.

Raycroft finished the 2004-05 season with 57 games started and a 29 wins, 18 losses and 9 ties.  Mr Raycroft had arrived.  He finished the season and was a top finals for the Calder Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Top Rookie.  Raycroft apparently easily beat out Michael Ryder and Trent Hunter in the running for the trophy.

Raycroft followed up that season with another in Boston, which he couldn't even stop a beach ball (see picture to the right).  Raycroft had horrific numbers with a 8-19-2 record and a 3.71 GAA and a .879 SV% in his 30 games.

after that brutal season with the Bruins they decided to shop him, and for some unexplained reason the Leafs still figured it would be smart to trade for him.  They gave up Tuuka Rask, their first round pick (21st overall) in the 2005 draft.  Andrew started a Leaf Record 72 games that year with a 37-36 win-loss finish (including the OT losses yes he was just 1 game over .500).  

Raycroft still didn't post a .900+ SV% or a good GAA.

Raycroft would play one more season with the Maple Leafs, in his 19 games he was 2-9-6 and he got the toss from Toronto(3.76 GAA and .876 SV%).

Again he couldn't stop a beach ball, not even one this size :). (Maybe we can blame McCabe, he was pretty terrible too.

Raycroft then signed on with the Colorado Avalanche and thought he could possibly be a starter there.  He played 30 games as Peter Budaj had won the starting goalie bid in Colorado and played in 56 games.  Raycroft had again brutal numbers with a sub .900 SV% and a above 3.00 GAA.

After the season he was again a free agent, and signed a $500,000 contract to back up Roberto Luongo.  About mid season Luongo went down with an injury and Raycroft had to step up, and step up he did, finally looking like he did in his Calder year, Raycroft posted a 9-5-2 record with a 2.42 GAA and  a .911 SV%.  Raycroft helped to keep the Canucks a float until they could get their superstar goalie back.

Once again, the seaon ended and Raycroft was looking for employment.  Enter the Dallas Stars, who had just recently got oft injured Kari Lehtonen to be their starter they thought they may need some insurance and picked up Andrew.

Raycroft has been in two games this season, stopping 8 of 8 in relief of Lehtonen and finally got his first start Saturday night, stopping all 34 shots against the Sabres and well I felt this should be written in his honour.

This article isn't telling you to pick him up in fantasy.  So what if he's stopped 42 of 42 this year, if you haven't been paying attention this guys career has been all about inconstancy and I wouldn't trust him one bit.  If you want info on anyone else, let me know, I'll gladly write about what you guys want!