Speculation: 2014-15 goaltending speculation

[Chojin]

Next year, Halak and Elliott are UFAs, while Allen will be on a one-way contract. How do you guys see the goaltending situation shaping up? Will we re-sign Halak or Elliott? Will we sign someone else? Will Allen be the backup or the starter?

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[Cassano]

I think Allen will take the reigns and they'll sign a veteran backup. The cap can be spent more efficiently for another secondary scorer, or trading for a prime time scorer.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Allen and a veteran that can play up to 40 games. Considering that, I could very well see us bring Elliott back to fill that role. That would free up a boat load of money.

 

[Chojin]

Geez, you guys are quick. Didn't even get the poll up yet.

 

[Captain Creampuff]

All depends on the end of the year. How Halak performs and how close Allen is to being ready.

 

[Chojin]

I think we're going to re-sign Halak on a short contract, probably 2 years or so, and hope that Allen can take the reins at the end.

 

[Celtic Note]

It is between UFA Starter + Allen or Halak + Allen.

I cannot imagine Army giving Allen the #1 job without spending some time in the NHL as a backup or with another guy to 1A/1B.

Also the only way he is not on the team next year is if they trade him.

 

[BigB]

Allen will be backup... the #1 is a crap shoot. I kind of wonder if they will go after Miller and dump both Halak and Elliott.

 

[The Note in MI]

I'd rather seen Elliott and Allen. Halak doesn't seem like a good example or teammate for Allen to develop his NHL game more. I think Els is a hard worker and does everything he can to push for the starting job. Halak on the other hand isn't vocal, and seems like a lazier teammate. Plus Elliott minus that bad stretch last year has been pretty darn good for us as a backup.

 

[bluesman11]

Now, I'd say Halak and Allen, but so many things could happen between now and the end of the playoffs, so my opinion could change.

 

[542365]

I think it will be Halak on a short contract splitting starts 60/40 with Allen until Allen takes over.

 

[Note Worthy]

I went Halak/Allen right now but ask this again towards the end of the season/playoffs.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I could easily see the Blues handing Allen the keys to the car like the Wings did with Howard.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

I could easily see the Blues handing Allen the keys to the car like the Wings did with Howard.

If they were ready to do that now, why not have him up as a back-up currently?

 

[bleedblue1223]

If they were ready to do that now, why not have him up as a back-up currently?

He gets more starts as the starter in Chicago. The same thing happened with Howard in Detroit who used an Osgood/Hasek and Osgood/Conklin tandem in the couple seasons before Howard played in 63 games as a rookie.

The trade market was probably way less than ideal for Halak/Elliott. Hitch and Army did say that Allen was NHL ready and he was playing himself into a spot in training camp.

 

[Jzk]

The only way I see Halak staying around is if he takes a 2m/year contract. We're going to have a lot of signings over the next 2 years even with the cap going up He doesn't justify almost 4m a year for 1 goalie.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Halak will get at least 4.5+ on the open market. Always hard to judge the goalie market in free agency, especially now with a rising cap, but people wanting Halak at a discount or short-term will be severely disappointed.

 

[frostyflo]

It is between UFA Starter + Allen or Halak + Allen.

I cannot imagine Army giving Allen the #1 job without spending some time in the NHL as a backup or with another guy to 1A/1B.

Also the only way he is not on the team next year is if they trade him.

thats exactly how I see it. Halak good and not too expensive? he'll be back for 2 years is my guess. otherwise we go after another proven starter but no way Allen gets the job as a, more or less, rookie.

too bad we will very likely have to say good buy to Ells after this year, great guy he is!

 

[GoldenSeal]

I'm going to go against the grain and play Devil's Advocate here:

Allen, like Bishop, end up traded, though Allen will be packaged for help at forward this year, possibly a rental with a sound track record. With Halak and Elliott giving stability to the net and both of them only 28 years old, I expect the Note to keep them for 3-5 more years.

With the goalie pool for the Note really deep, I expect them to be picky-choosy about who ends up with the starting/backup job because with the talent pool they have, they can be.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Bishop was traded because he had to be traded. He would've required a 1-way contract and at the time, we didn't have the budget to pay him that money in the AHL. He was also traded for a draft pick, not help. There isn't a chance that Allen gets traded.

 

[BlueDream]

UFA (Miller/Hiller) and Allen.

I doubt Halak is back. The guy has played one playoff game for us in which we lost. If he doesn't take us extremely far this season, then I don't think we'll give him another chance. He needs to do more, period. If he wants a big contract he won't be worth it at all.

 

[GoldenSeal]

Bishop was traded because he had to be traded. He would've required a 1-way contract and at the time, we didn't have the budget to pay him that money in the AHL. He was also traded for a draft pick, not help. There isn't a chance that Allen gets traded.

And next year, Allen IS on a 1-way contract. With Bishop showing top value with the Bolts this year, gurantee another team might give up some good help if, for anything else, to see if lightning strikes twice.

Mind that I'd rather see Allen in the Note, but if the right deal comes up, I can't see Army saying no.

 

[Alklha]

If we win the Cup then we will give Halák a big contract. Otherwise, I think we look to try and get him on something more reasonable (4 x $4.5m). If he isn't interested in that then we'll move onto other options.

Going after goalies in FA is going to mean either overcommitting to a good goalie (both in terms of money & years) or getting a backup and hoping Allen steps up. Armstrong had a choice to sell low on Halák or sell low on Perron and we know the option he took. I don't believe that he'll suddenly believe that Allen is ready to be a starter next season when he didn't this season.

If Halák isn't brought back then I imagine that we'll try and trade for someone like Neuvirth or Bernier/Reimer. No long term commitment, lower financial cost, the goalie trade market isn't going to be huge and we'll have 2 shots at finding our next starter.

Unless we trade for Miller before the end of the season, in which case all the above is meaningless and we'll have Miller/Allen next season.

And next year, Allen IS on a 1-way contract. With Bishop showing top value with the Bolts this year, gurantee another team might give up some good help if, for anything else, to see if lightning strikes twice.

Mind that I'd rather see Allen in the Note, but if the right deal comes up, I can't see Army saying no.

None of what you are saying is logical. We signed Allen to a 1 way contract because we wanted him on a 1 way contract.

Elliott has had 2 shots at the playoffs and we have went nowhere. He wasn't to blame, but it was pretty clear he wasn't a difference maker. Allen might be that difference maker and he is a cheaper option next season.

The only reason we traded Ben Bishop is because we were forced to. Halák and Elliott were amazing and Bishop was an UFA at the end of the season, once Elliott accepted a cheap 2 year contract then we had to move Bishop. There is no similarity to this situation at all.

 

[LGB51]

I'd rather seen Elliott and Allen. Halak doesn't seem like a good example or teammate for Allen to develop his NHL game more. I think Els is a hard worker and does everything he can to push for the starting job. Halak on the other hand isn't vocal, and seems like a lazier teammate. Plus Elliott minus that bad stretch last year has been pretty darn good for us as a backup.

I was coming here to say the same thing, I agree with every word of this post, and already have voted accordingly.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

If it's Elliott and Allen, I will literally eat a hat.

And it would be Allen/Elliott if that were the case. Elliott is a good backup, nothing more, nothing less.