Scott Darling’s confidence dropped
Cam Ward is having a decent year as the starting goalie for the Canes. The story with Scott Darling does not ring as true. Carolina brought in Darling to take over as the long-term No. 1 goaltender, and serve as one of the faces of the franchise.
Making a big commitment to a potent backup goalie always serves as a risky move for any NHL team. However, the Canes, and the fan base, were ready to move on from the Ward tenure. Eddie Lack appeared as a failed attempt in net too.
As the season went along, Darling continued to decline. At this point, he’s carrying a save percentage well below .900, and also posted a goals against average well above the league average. There is still a chance for him to right the ship, but that clock is ticking too.
In total this season, Darling registered a record of 11-17-7, .888 save percentage, 3.08 goals against average, and zero shutouts. He’s nearly .200 percentage points below Ward’s save percentage, and the same can be said for his goals against average.