Last season the Wings invited eight goalies to training camp, by camp’s end Kevin Croswell was signed as a free agent and the Wings thought Kevin Croswell was the answer as the back up to Brandon Miller.
Well when Croswell saw action it was a disaster. He faced 35 shots and allowed 11 goals in 33 minutes of floor time and a 19.87 GAA. So it was obvious the Wings needed a quality backup going into the 2014 season. Back in September of 2013, the Philadelphia Wings made a trade with the Colorado Mammoth.
That trade gave the Wings the 12th (AJ Masson—released/signed by the Rock) and 18th (James Delaney—released) overall selections in the draft (they already had the 19th selection as well—Tucker Durkin, protected player, Team USA commitment) along with Ryan Hotaling (released) and a first round selection in 2015. In exchange the Mammoth received Drew Westervelt and the 32nd pick overall (Cameron Mann). The Wings then paired the 2015 pick with a 2017 first rounder for goalie Evan Kirk, a trade Wings fans liked, as for the time being they finally had two quality goaltenders (Kirk and Brandon Miller).
The Wings then selected goalie Don Alton from Six Nations, ON (33rd overall). The Wings are now 1-2 after back-to-back losses this past weekend. So instead of Kirk and Miller, the Wings have Kirk and Alton as the goaltending duo. Or is it just Kirk? This past weekend the Rochester Knighthawks went on a 8-0 run against the Wings, this is when a quality backup comes in to relieve the starter, but Alton remained on the bench. The Wings battled back but still lost 13-9. Alton did come in only after Kirk went down with a minor injury with 1:35 to go. On Sunday the Bandits went on a 6-0 run against the Wings, and once again the Wings battled back, but fell in overtime and Alton remained on the bench. During the run by the Bandits you could hear the chant of “We Want Miller” in reference to Brandon Miller.
Miller was given the franchise tag this past off season but has yet to be signed. What the hold up is, I have no idea. Some say money, some say the organization wants to go young. Kirk may only be in his third year in the NLL, but facing all that rubber game in and game out without some relief can age a goalie quick. The Wings have two more sets of back-to-back games this season. This weekend as they face the Minnesota Swarm (12 pm Saturday, and 3 pm Sunday), then on February 7th & 8th they face Toronto on the road and Edmonton at home.
Alton won the backup job during camp. Coaches and players saying he may be small but he is quick and can frustrate shooters easily. If this is the case, then why not put Alton in to give Kirk some relief on those eight-goal runs? In a season of 18 games and two less teams making the playoffs, a qualified backup is of major importance. The Wings can not go through another season of being below .500. If Alton is to be the backup, why not put him in to relieve Kirk even if it’s for a few minutes so he can shake it off? If Alton is not to be the backup then either sign Brandon Miller or sign a goaltender that you would be willing to put in.
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