Confirmed Signing with Link: [WSH] G Darcy Kuemper signs with the Capitals (5 years, $5.25M AAV)

[tucker3434]

I’d have done that deal in Colorado. It’ll be bad in 3 years, but who cares. Win now. Kuemper can.

 

[Midnight Judges]

I've come around on this. Compared to the other choices, this is just fine.

 

[deckercky]

I'm surprised a proven starter only got 250K more than Campbell despite playing over double the games and consistently putting up much better numbers.

Maybe teams were wary because of his eye injury?

Age is a big reason why Campbell got almost as much despite being much less prove . Campbell's contract ends when he's 35, while Kuemper's contract ends when he's 37.

 

[PAZ]

You cannot consciously think that Georgiev at $3.4 is anywhere near as good as Kuemper at $5.3 (even considering age and the $$ difference). Goaltending will be a question-mark again for the AVs and an honest review suggests it’s a clear weakness again.

The Avs probably lose a few extra games in the regular season, but Kuemper was the weak link in the postseason and he's only getting older and slower.

Georgiev has to basically play above .900 SV% to match Kuemper's postseason play, which isn't too difficult. With Georgiev or Kuemper the goaltending would've been a clear weakness, but at least Georgiev has potential and gets paid less to keep the majority of the team intact.

 

[trick9]

The Avs probably lose a few extra games in the regular season, but Kuemper was the weak link in the postseason and he's only getting older and slower.

Georgiev has to basically play above .900 SV% to match Kuemper's postseason play, which isn't too difficult. With Georgiev or Kuemper the goaltending would've been a clear weakness, but at least Georgiev has potential and gets paid less to keep the majority of the team intact.

...Yet he wasn't able to do it this season facing mostly non-Playoff teams.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Keumper signs on first day of free agency and gets 80 posts.

Jankrok signs a week later when everyones on vacation and gets 350 posts.

Lol.

 

[PAZ]

...Yet he wasn't able to do it this season facing mostly non-Playoff teams.

He also wasn't playing on the Avs, was unhappy with the situation, and needed starts. Unless your name is Hunter Miska you're going to have inflated goalie stats. You can look at the 2021 Kuemper + Grubauer versus 2022 Kuemper + Grubuaer and see a fairly obvious trend.

I'm not saying Georgiev is going to be a top 5 goalie next year, but he should post average starter stats.

 

[StephenPeat]

The Avs probably lose a few extra games in the regular season, but Kuemper was the weak link in the postseason and he's only getting older and slower.

Georgiev has to basically play above .900 SV% to match Kuemper's postseason play, which isn't too difficult. With Georgiev or Kuemper the goaltending would've been a clear weakness, but at least Georgiev has potential and gets paid less to keep the majority of the team intact.

Georgiev over a pretty extensive sample size in the NHL can’t do this during the Regular Season but you expect he will during the Post-Season? It’s not like the teams Kuemper played on over the years were markedly better than the Rangers yet his STATs are still superior. It’s possible you should temper your expectations for Georgiev.

 

[zappa4ever]

Keumper signs on first day of free agency and gets 80 posts.

Jankrok signs a week later when everyones on vacation and gets 350 posts.

Lol.

any Maple Leaf farts and that's gonna generate 100+ replies.

Lol.

 

[PAZ]

Georgiev over a pretty extensive sample size in the NHL can’t do this during the Regular Season but you expect he will during the Post-Season? It’s not like the teams Kuemper played on over the years were markedly better than the Rangers yet his STATs are still superior. It’s possible you should temper your expectations for Georgiev.

He's literally had 1 season out of 5 where he posted below .900 save percentage, and he had a .935 save percentage in the playoffs this year. I'm not disagreeing that Kuemper is a better regular season goalie and may be in next years playoffs, but given how bad Kuemper was in this years postseason run it won't change much even if Georgiev sucks.

 

[StephenPeat]

He's literally had 1 season out of 5 where he posted below .900 save percentage, and he had a .935 save percentage in the playoffs this year. I'm not disagreeing that Kuemper is a better regular season goalie and may be in next years playoffs, but given how bad Kuemper was in this years postseason run it won't change much even if Georgiev sucks.

In the two games he played!!

If this is the strongest point of the strongest argument you can make it’s not a good one.

 

[StephenPeat]

He's literally had 1 season out of 5 where he posted below .900 save percentage, and he had a .935 save percentage in the playoffs this year. I'm not disagreeing that Kuemper is a better regular season goalie and may be in next years playoffs, but given how bad Kuemper was in this years postseason run it won't change much even if Georgiev sucks.

In the two games he played!!

If this is the strongest point of the strongest argument you can make it’s not a good one.

 

[PAZ]

In the two games he played!!

If this is the strongest point of the strongest argument you can make it’s not a good one.

I mean there’s literally the rest of the post which provides a stronger argument and more context. My point was he never sunk those 2 playoff games like you’re suggesting he would.

 

[LOFIN]

In a vacuum, would I rather have Kuemper still instead of Georgiev? Yes. Not at that term and money though, would rather roll the dice with Georgiev. End of story.

 

[trick9]

I think Avs are banking on Francouz to take over if Georgiev experiment fails. That or that they can dump him at the TDL and acquire a better goalie if need to be.

 

[Chiarelli]

I thought very highly of kuemper prior to him being traded to the avalanche. I believe kuemper was quite good but his best years are behind him. He does not play well under pressure and in big games (although he did as an underdog).

I watched every game last year and he is a below average starting goalie and let’s in some very soft goals both shots on blocker side and moves to the net. I expect this contract to look bad in year 1.

Thanks for everything DK but the Avs dodged a bullet here.

 

[Asinine]

I don't care how obtuse I come across as, Darcy Kuemper is a burning tire fire of a goalie and I'll take it to the grave.

If he shit the bed 2 more games and costed the Avs the cup he was probably about to become the most hated man in the state of Colorado.

Instead the Avs played like the Hurricanes played infront of the Zamboni driver and got it done.

How this guy earned a raise and a long contract is beyond me. Nothing he did this year, including the season, was deserving of him getting more money than what he was already making.

He has no blocker, he can't move, he can't track pucks...and at least once a game he will sprinkle in a little treat for you with a completely random goal that gets let in out of seemingly thin air.

 

[CapsFrontOffice]

I'll take your word for it. You may actually understand it better than the website I used.

I was using numbers from a Caps related website [RMNB] which said:
"Monday, the Capitals decided to non-tender Samsonov a qualifying offer that would have given him a 10 percent raise of his salary last season ($2.4 million). That move would have allowed the Capitals to retain Samsonov’s rights, but the Russian netminder had the option of going to arbitration. Fearing a possible arbitrated salary of $3 to $3.5 million for a backup goaltender, the Capitals opted to let the young netminder leave the nest."

Bottom line was the Caps seemed to have decided that they were done waiting on Samsonov to develop into the #1 starter they thought they got when they burned a 1st round pick on him.

Thank You for this discussion I learnt a lot from it. Knowing this back ground noise makes the Kuemper deal make more sense. Do we pay 3 mil to Sammy or and VV maybe find their game or just sign someone we know will at least give us a better competitive chance.

 

[Neil Racki]

Kuemper should be better than what the Caps had last year. He was what, tied for 5th in save pct? vs Vanecek w the 28th best save pct. I dont think the recency of his playoff/injury play negates putting up .921 or better save pct 3 of the past 4 regular seasons.

Guy is a solid decent starting goalie. Hes not top 10 but hes not bottom 10.

Caps upgrading at goalie was the biggest need and they got it done best they could with who was available.

What the Avs are doing now or who they have has 0 relevance imo.

Win all around.

 

[flyfysher]

As an Avs fan, the money didn't bother me but the term did. A lot of Avs fans didn't give DK credit but I do and believe he's a solid pick up for the Caps.

 

[Deas]

The Avs probably lose a few extra games in the regular season, but Kuemper was the weak link in the postseason and he's only getting older and slower.

Georgiev has to basically play above .900 SV% to match Kuemper's postseason play, which isn't too difficult. With Georgiev or Kuemper the goaltending would've been a clear weakness, but at least Georgiev has potential and gets paid less to keep the majority of the team intact.

That’s a major simplification, implying all Georgiev has to do (or Frankie for that matter) is surpass last year’s playoff save percentage from Kuemper. Colorado was awesome and won anyway, but of course the save percentage risked them not winning. Maybe next year they’ll be in a series where circumstances dictate they need a save percentage of 93% to win.

With all this said Kuemper’s career is very solid. Wasn’t the playoff slump obviously connected to the eye injury?

 

[PAZ]

That’s a major simplification, implying all Georgiev has to do (or Frankie for that matter) is surpass last year’s playoff save percentage from Kuemper. Colorado was awesome and won anyway, but of course the save percentage risked them not winning. Maybe next year they’ll be in a series where circumstances dictate they need a save percentage of 93% to win.

With all this said Kuemper’s career is very solid. Wasn’t the playoff slump obviously connected to the eye injury?

Kuemper has been declining which is why many Avs fans have been wary about re-signing him. He had a poor 2020-21 season, a poor start to the 21-22 season and an inconsistent finish to the season. He had a few months of great play, but his stats this year in the regular season was inflated by playing on the Avs.

Washington is still a good team and Kuemper’s playoff slump was most likely due to eye injury, but he’s not a goalie I expect to age well considering how poor his lateral movement already is.

I agree in the sense the Avs may need more from their goalie next year, but Kuemper wasn’t going to be the answer.

 

[Silky mitts]

If Avs fans think Kuemper is below average they must think Grubauer is a dumpster fire since he couldn’t get past the 2nd round during his prime years

 

[Rosy Cheeks]

Some takes on Kuemper from fellow Avs fans in this thread is completely wrong. He had a bad playoffs but he was really good at tracking the puck and positioning all season. I saw him as Grubauer (whom Caps are familiar with) but with a better/less bad glove side.

Avs playstyle favor athletic goalies more (such as Francouz and Georgiev). I am sure Kuemper will do great for the Capitals.

 

[Sad People]

Seems like a lateral move for the Caps