Confirmed with Link: Avs sign Czech goalie Pavel Francouz (1 year)

Cypher

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Think it’s rather clear Francouz will be the backup. He didn’t sign to start in the AHL. He signed here for next to nothing rather clearly for the opportunity to get a bunch of games, IMO.

That's kind of what we said about Mironov last off-season.

Are you honestly comfortable going into next year with Varly (coming off another season-ending injury) and Francouz as our two goalies? And a Francouz/Martin pairing when Varly inevitably gets hurt for ~30 games? Because I'm sure not.

I'd still try and get like Grubauer. Go with Varly and Grubauer next year, Francouz with some games due to injuries. Year after, let Grubauer and Francouz battle for #1.
 

cody275

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Nov 14, 2008
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Absolute worst case you end up needing to trade for a temporary guy (assuming there isn't a suitable vet in the minors).

Expecting him to be coming over to go the AHL at this point seems unreasonable.

Wedgewood, Dominigue, Leighton, etc. were all traded early in the season when goalie issues hit. They aren't the ideal level of player that you want to get, and you could give up more to get someone better, but at the same time the odds of having someone good enough to save a season if your starter gets hurt and back up struggles is also somewhat unreasonable.

Someone like Hammond / Pickard (if he isn't qualified as another option) / etc. will likely be in the AHL and can be called up should there be an issue.
 

Chileiceman

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Francouz is going to be the back up. He is one of the top 4 goalies in Europe, he'd have got paid a lot more if he stayed in the KHL. He would have had to receive some assurances to sign here. There's probably an out clause if it doesn't work out with the Avs. I don't think he'd agree to play in the AHL.
 

Pierce Hawthorne

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Yeah there's no way he's coming to North America making just 700k for the year to be a starter in the AHL.


He's the backup for next year. I have no worries about it either. Varly will probably get hurt again at some point but the injury he suffered this year was not related to his groin at all.


As long as we get a quality #3 like Hammond, I think this will work out quite well. Francouz is a rookie to the NHL but he's not a rookie to facing very good players, and he's put up simply ridiculous numbers in the KHL.


I'm not really worried about him coming over and struggling massively.
 

Tommy Shelby

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Love it. I remember a few of us entertaining the thought of acquiring him in the Olympics thread awhile back, glad it came true.

Has the potential to be a really good signing. If he adapts to the NHL without many hiccups I see no reason why he couldn't end up as our #1.

I have a strong feeling we sign either Hutchinson or Sateri in July as the 3rd stringer. Hutch because he really badly wants to be an NHL goalie and can see the opportunity there with Varly's inevitable groin problems and Francouz's uncertainty at the NHL level.

And Sateri because Parkkila was his goalie coach from 08/09 - 09/10 so it makes a lot of sense.
 

returnofthemack29

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He did not feel like he wanted to. Urine. The day before the world championship to Denmark, goalkeeper Pavel Francouz could have exhaled that this meta klapla. He has a contract with Colorado Avalanche in his pocket, the club announced it on his website Wednesday night. The contract is valid for one year and is one-way, the amount of Colorado has not yet been published.
I got home at home for NHL goalie posters. This is a huge thing for me. But the signing of the contract is just the beginning of the journey, "the euphoria of the official goalkeeper hinders. He is well aware that when he shows up before the seasons he will have to show the club that he is the right one.

"By going through almost everything in Russia, I'm ready for all possible scenarios and situations. I will try to be mentally resilient and honest to train. If there is a chance in the NHL, one has to be lucky, it has to come together. The way to the NHL is still complicated and thorny, but I still dream of a nice end, "the Frenchman wishes.
Frenchman KHL was the best goalkeeper in the three years of the competition when the Czech Republic and Russia were preparing for the Olympics, and Russian journalists bombed coach Oleg Znarok with questions about the national team goalkeeper. Does Pavel Francouz be afraid? How about him? Can you overcome it? This was a big topic. And proof of the position he has built in Chelyabinsk.

He wanted to leave the sea a year ago, but then the club did not release him. He heard resolute no. The contract is a contract, we will not break it. It was the Tractor's answer.
So? The 27-year-old goalie bumped into another great season, ending 94.6% in the base and 94.9% in the play off. The treaty in Chelyabinsk was over, and there was nothing to hinder the way to the sea.
"But Chelyabinsk tried hard, wanted to keep Pavel and offered a very decent contract. When Paul was more or less decided to leave for America, St. Petersburg called for a significant offer, "said goalkeeper Spider, Robert Spallenko.

And the Russian giant, that is, it means a completely different financial valuation. "He preferred his boyhood dream before the money, he wanted to fight the NHL. The hat down in front of him, because financially St. Petersburg was somewhere else, can not be compared at all, "said Spalenka.
"Money is important, but not the main one," Sport Invest, quoted his goalkeeper as saying.
The award-winning one is in the Semjon Varlamov club, which will expire at the end of next season. He is able to pick up the match, on the other hand he has health limits. He is often injured. Jonathan Bernier and Andrew Hammond have finished the contract and both are heading to the free-market market, which gives Czech goalies a fairly good chance of capturing the NHL.
"I've been doing my personal scouting as it goes. The advantage is that the farm team will be right in Denver, so both teams will be together. I was in touch with the Colorado management, a conference call was held, with Joe Sakic (General Manager, Colorado), his assistant, and the goalie coach. I felt they were really interested in me, "the Frenchman explained, why he chose Avalanche.
The new stage for the Czech goalkeeper begins.

Francouz odmítl balík z Petrohradu. Porve se o NHL v Coloradu! - iSport.cz

I translated the article. Sounds like he’s at least receptive to playing in the AHL.
 

cgf

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Only negative thing I can say about this guy is his pads game. All-white pads are soooooo boring.

Should send him to the AHL until he can step his game up like Spency did...or Varly gets hurt and we actually have to play our back up...
 

Foppa2118

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Sakic gave this away a bit when he was so non committal about Bernier when asked during his presser. One of the best options he could have taken. Kills two birds with one stone. Brings in a vet backup, and gives an unproven goaltender with NHL potential a look before Varly becomes a UFA. Great signing.

Still a bit of risk as a backup since he's unproven in the NHL. I would expect them to bring in a solid #3 now too, just to be safe. With that last game from the Hamburgler I'm not sure it will be him though.
 
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ArWKo

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Does anyone reliably know his height/weight?

I've been checking out the Oilers board thread on Kosiken and some of their fans are bummed about them giving Kosiken 2.5 or whatever with us signing Francouz for 700k but for those who defiantly defend Chia they are really hammering on Francouz being small (and apparently smaller every time it's brought up, last I saw someone said he was 5'10" 150lbs.
 

EdAVSfan

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Does anyone reliably know his height/weight?

I've been checking out the Oilers board thread on Kosiken and some of their fans are bummed about them giving Kosiken 2.5 or whatever with us signing Francouz for 700k but for those who defiantly defend Chia they are really hammering on Francouz being small (and apparently smaller every time it's brought up, last I saw someone said he was 5'10" 150lbs.
6’1”, 180
 
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Drury_Sakic

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You think they'll really run with a 28 year old rookie as the #2 to start next year? I mean, his numbers in the KHL are great but there's still a gap between that and the NHL. I would have thought this would have been the #3 signing.


Maybe Hamburgler gets a contract as well? I suppose Bernier could still re-sign, but I doubt he signs a contract that could potentially see him be the third goalie.
 

Khokhlach86

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He has good statistics in the KHL, but you need to know 2 things:

1) almost all the teams in the KHL, even SKA and CSKA play defensive hockey, so there are few goals, few dangerous moments, etc.
2) after the season 16-17, many Traktor fans wanted the contract with him to be torn, because the second goalkeeper is a young local guy and he played no worse than Francouz. And even in the playoffs of this season, Francouz several times remained in reserve.

Therefore, yes, the Czech goalkeeper is good, but not as good as the statistics say.
 
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DanishAvsfan

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One of the things I found interesting about that article was that he said that it played a role in his decision that the AHL club was close to the NHL club. Perhaps it will be a competitive advantage when trying so sign other Euros and College playes.
 
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PAZ

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His numbers are damn impressive and he did lead the KHL in SV%, but to put it in perspective the KHL has 14 goalies that have over a .930 SV%, and 33 goalies with over a .920 SV%.

That being said, this is a great signing. If this signing works out and he just becomes a quality backup, that's a huge win. Acquiring assets for nothing will go a long way in building a sustainable team.
 

billybobjoe2112

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His numbers are damn impressive and he did lead the KHL in SV%, but to put it in perspective the KHL has 14 goalies that have over a .930 SV%, and 33 goalies with over a .920 SV%.

That being said, this is a great signing. If this signing works out and he just becomes a quality backup, that's a huge win. Acquiring assets for nothing will go a long way in building a sustainable team.

They may have a bunch of goalies with great numbers, but he's the best two years in a row
 

chet1926

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Goodbye Bernier. Don't let the door hit you. Seriously glad to see Bernier getting the boot. Outside that one 10 game streak he was very sub par, like less than .900sv% bad.

Don't know much about Francouz but numbers are good. And like others have said one of the best goalies in Europe didn't sign to be the AHL guy. He will be getting NHL time and Bernier will be on another team.

I also think they need to be pursuing other options as well for potential long term fixes. But this was a nice risk free signing, that has potential for higher upside move.
 
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Hesher

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Yes! I wanted this guy ever since it was mentioned during the Olympics he's likely to come to the NHL next season. Btw, his name literally means French in Czech language.
 

Tommy Shelby

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"He preferred his boyhood dream before the money, he wanted to fight the NHL"

...I like the guy already...

Can't wait for him to superhuman us to a Stanley Cup and then as Buttman is handing the Cup to Landy, Czech Frenchman comes out of nowhere and feeds Gary a huge knuckle sandwich buffet to his smug rat face. Then skates off into the sunset, never to be seen again but cemented as a legend and a hero.
 
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Avs71

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Aug 12, 2008
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Goodbye Bernier. Don't let the door hit you. Seriously glad to see Bernier getting the boot. Outside that one 10 game streak he was very sub par, like less than .900sv% bad.

Don't know much about Francouz but numbers are good. And like others have said one of the best goalies in Europe didn't sign to be the AHL guy. He will be getting NHL time and Bernier will be on another team.

I also think they need to be pursuing other options as well for potential long term fixes. But this was a nice risk free signing, that has potential for higher upside move.
It’s hard to be so blunt about Bernier like this. Yes, he was bad in the playoffs, and bad for a large part of the season. But if he didn’t step up on that 10 game win streak, the season would have crashed and burned midway through like the previous year. I’m glad they won’t be re-signing him, but he was well worth bringing in just for that 10 game win streak alone.
 

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