Mathieu Garon: (almost) worth his weight in draft position

Here’s Mathieu Garon’s stats line from the last couple of seasons:

2004-05 – AHL -– 32-14-4, 2.12 GAA, .927 SV%

2005-06 – NHL –- 31-26-3, 3.22 GAA, .894 SV%

2006-07 – NHL –- 13-10-6, 2.66 GAA, .907 SV%

2007-08 – NHL –- 26-18-1, 2.66 GAA, .913 SV%

2008-09 – NHL –- 5-8-0, 3.36 GAA, .885 SV%

Here is the stats line of a very comparable player:

2004-05 – AHL –- 31-16-2, 1.84 GAA, .934 SV%

2005-06 – NHL –- 11-9-2, 2.89 GAA, .900 SV%

2006-07 – AHL –- 39-20-1, 2.20 GAA, .933 SV%

2007-08 – NHL –- 17-23-2, 3.00 GAA, .910 SV%

2008-09 – NHL –- 5-8-4, 2.83 GAA, .893 SV%

The latter goaltender is bigger, younger and cheaper. His name is Jason Labarbera, and last night the Vancouver Canucks acquired him from Los Angeles in exchange for a seventh round draft pick.

In other words, if there was any confusion as to why Mathieu Garon has not been traded by the Oilers, there shouldn’t be. It’s because there simply isn’t a market for inconsistent goaltenders that have never held down a starting job in the NHL for two seasons in a row, particularly when said goaltender is in the midst of a poor season.

With Jeff Deslauriers on a two-week conditioning stint, it’s hard not to feel that a change is coming. Deslauriers will have an opportunity to play some games, get the rust off, and show what he can do (he’s done well so far this season, but in a grand total of six games -– that’s not enough of a sample to inspire confidence) over the next two weeks. Once he returns, the Oilers have a decision to make, and unless that decision involves moving one of Deslauriers or Roloson, the obvious solution is to move Mathieu Garon.

Quite probably in exchange for nothing.