Confirmed Signing with Link: [COL] Pavel Francouz signs one year deal with the Avs

mcpw · Apr 3, 2018

Pavel Francouz had the best sv% in the KHL in both 2016-17 and 2017-18. He's still playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the Eastern Conference final, 0.950 in 11 playoff games so far.

He signed a three-year contract in 2015. Last offseason, his agent already tried (without success) to negotiate a termination of his contract to go to NA (source). He's a free agent this year. At 28 years old, he doesn't have to sign an ELC, he can sign for any amount of years and AAV.

Which franchises might want to roll the dice on arguably the best KHL goalie?

update after Traktor was eliminated earlier today:

Dirty Dog · Apr 3, 2018

Can the Sabres have him please?

Siludin · Apr 3, 2018

If the Canucks aren't sold on Markstrom and don't want to bring Thatcher Demko up next season, they could take a look at Francouz.

Anders Nilsson is signed at $2m still, though, so the Canucks would have to move him or eat around half his salary to play in the minors (which may be an option - the Canucks have a ton of cap space as it stands)

Flamesfan62 · Apr 3, 2018

Calgary?

Brodeur · Apr 3, 2018

Gecklund · Apr 3, 2018

Brodeur said:
It's tough, there are limited spots available. Last year Dominik Furch was looking for an NHL gig, but no team could guarantee he'd have a spot.

Quick list (UFA in parenthesis):
----------------
Anaheim: Gibson|Miller
Arizona: (Raanta)|Kuemper
Calgary: Smith|Rittich|Gillies
Edmonton: Talbot|Montoya
Los Angeles: Quick|Campbell
San Jose: Jones|Dell
Vancouver: Markstrom|Nilsson|Demko
Vegas: Fleury|Subban

Chicago: Crawford|Forsberg
Colorado: Varlamov|(Bernier)
Dallas: Bishop|(Lehtonen)
Minnesota: Dubnyk|Stalock
Nashville: Rinne|Saros
St. Louis: Allen|(Hutton)
Winnipeg: Hellebuyck|Mason|(Hutchinson)

Boston: Rask|(Khudobin)
Buffalo: Lehner|(Johnson)|Ullmark
Detroit: Howard|Coreau
Florida: Luongo|Reimer
Montreal: Price|Lindgren|(Niemi)
Ottawa: Anderson|Condon
Tampa Bay: Vasilevskiy|Budaj|(Domingue)
Toronto: Andersen|McElhinney|Pickard

Carolina: Darling|(Ward)
Columbus: Bobrovsky|Korpisalo
New Jersey: Schneider|Kinkaid|(Lack)
NY Islanders: (Halak)|Greiss|Gibson
NY Rangers: Lundqvist|Georgiev|(Pavelec)
Philadelphia: Elliott|Neuvirth|(Mrazek)
Pittsburgh: Murray|Jarry|DeSmith
Washington: Holtby|Grubauer

Looking at your list there’s a lot more teams that could use a goalie than I thought. I could see Calgary (not as likely), Vancouver, Chicago (not as likely), Colorado, St. Louis, Boston (back up only but don’t know their prospects), Buffalo, Detroit, Florida, Ottawa, Carolina, Isles, Philly.

Brodeur · Apr 3, 2018

SJSharks39 said:
Looking at your list there’s a lot more teams that could use a goalie than I thought. I could see Calgary (not as likely), Vancouver, Chicago (not as likely), Colorado, St. Louis, Boston (back up only but don’t know their prospects), Buffalo, Detroit, Florida, Ottawa, Carolina, Isles, Philly.

Flyers have Elliott and Neuvirth keeping the seat warm for Hart and Sandstrom to get their feet wet in the AHL. Both Elliott and Neuvirth are signed for next season; Not sure if they'd consider Francouz an upgrade to the point where they might have to trade/buyout one of their incumbents. Similarly, Vancouver has Markstrom/Nilsson signed with Demko waiting in the wings.

Plus there'll be an ample supply of proven UFA backups.

Roof Daddy · Apr 3, 2018

I'd hope my Oilers throw an offer his way. Not sold on Talbot moving forward. The biggest question is what kind of contract would this guy be looking for? 2 year deal in the 3ish range, and hope to prove himself and be UFA again at age 30? Will he want a long term deal (tough to imagine a team committing to a guy unproven in the NHL)?

Interesting situation.

Voodoo Glow Skulls · Apr 3, 2018

Detroit?

They have nothing after Howard.

Yes, Coreau doesn't cut it.

Boom Boom Apathy · Apr 3, 2018

Worst team SV% in NHL

Carolina: .893
Ottawa: .896
Buffalo: .898
NYI: .899
EDM: .900
VAN, PIT: .902
AZ, DET, PHI, MTL: .904
CGY: .905

GetFocht · Apr 3, 2018

Vancouver is just waiting for Demko to hit the NHL, it might be as early as next season.

Chainshot · Apr 4, 2018

As an aside, I love that Google Translate turns him into The Frenchman in the articles I read about him.

Hoping Buffalo is kicking these tires, even if he doesn't fit the height profile so often wanted these days. If he can reliably stop pucks, do it up. They have a need.

Brock Radunske · Apr 4, 2018

Buffalo
Calgary
Vancouver
Ottawa
Arizona

Not to mention that half the teams in the league would like a back-up upgrade.

SoundwaveIsCharisma · Apr 4, 2018

Would Ben happy with the Avs taking a chance on him. Varly has shown that, when healthy, he is still a capable starter but he isn't healthy all that often. Would be a worthwhile gamble.

tony d · Apr 4, 2018

Seems like he'd be a good signing for a team. Lots of goalie needy teams in the league so Francouz should get plenty of offers. Maybe Buffalo will get him.

justafan22 · Apr 4, 2018

Boom Boom Apathy said:
Worst team SV% in NHL

Carolina: .893
Ottawa: .896
Buffalo: .898
NYI: .899
EDM: .900
VAN, PIT: .902
AZ, DET, PHI, MTL: .904
CGY: .905

Ottawa. Jesus that's bad.

Potty John · Apr 4, 2018

Would like to see Calgary go after this guy and trade Gillies.

mcpw · Apr 5, 2018

NDiesel · Apr 5, 2018

I don't see why a team like Islanders wouldn't try at least....gotta be better than Halak and Greiss.

Buffalo, Ottawa make some sense. Canes if they let Ward walk and let Darling and him fight.

Honestly don't know much about him, some good looking stats in the KHL though.

Funk21 · Apr 5, 2018

My guess he will get interest from the following teams and likely be interested in them as most have a decent team around him:
STL-Goal has been the sore spot for the team all year, Jake Allen isn't cutting it;
EDM-Talbot after one of the best season in the NHL last year was brutal to start and they had no depth;
NYI-Based on their forwards alone and their goalscoring should have been in there if they got somewhat decent tending (add two picks in top 15-could be killer if JT re-ups);
CAR-Great D core, Solid Forwards (missing a franchise 1C) but could Necas and adding a UFA like JT put them in the mix for beast of the east?

I know lots of people have suggested Buffalo and Ottawa but both are tire fires IMO, Vancouver from my understanding want to run with Demko but they may bring this guy in to basically share the reigns.

Canes · Apr 5, 2018

Hopefully the Canes look hard at him. Would probably have to move on from Ward as I don't see us buying out Darling just yet unfortunately. Still a huge gamble since we would still have zero proven starters, but I'd take it over a Darling/Ward tandem. We know both of those guys can't get it done as starters.

IceNeophyte · Apr 5, 2018

Put Malcolm on waivers.
Sign Francouz to Golden Knights.
Watch HFBoards implode.

CREW99AW · Apr 5, 2018

WithOutPaperss said:
I don't see why a team like Islanders wouldn't try at least....gotta be better than Halak and Greiss.

Buffalo, Ottawa make some sense. Canes if they let Ward walk and let Darling and him fight.

Honestly don't know much about him, some good looking stats in the KHL though.

Yeah, both Halak ( ufa) and Griess are coming off rough seasons. I would not be unhappy if Griess who has 2 more seasons, did not return.

Chainshot · Apr 5, 2018

Foppberg said:
Come down to Denver we got plenty of fellow Russians

Ummm... he's Czech.

Foppberg · Apr 5, 2018

Chainshot said:
Ummm... he's Czech.

There's a brain fart.. and then there's this.

Confirmed Signing with Link: [COL] Pavel Francouz signs one year deal with the Avs

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