Speculation: Trade Deadline Targets: Backup Goalies

[John Mandalorian]

Probably look at Anderson at 50% if he's healthy. There will be a bidding war for guys like Driedger and Ullmark.

How would that work? Toronto has practically the same needs as the Avs.

Is this suggestion predicated on Toronto acquiring a goalie first?

 

[Peter Peckerwood]

Avoid Bernier.

Due to COVID the NHL will be settling playoff OT with Nelson Mandela trivia.

I heard it was pick up sticks or tiddly winks. My bad...

 

[Peter Peckerwood]

How would that work? Toronto has practically three same needs as the Avs.

Cap situation different? I dunno. I just hope we get a legit backup yesterday.

 

[atreyuavenged]

How would that work? Toronto has practically three same needs as the Avs.

Is this suggestion predicated on Toronto acquiring a goalie first?

Toronto supposedly hates Anderson and Campbell is heir apparent.

 

[Richard88]

Probably look at Anderson at 50% if he's healthy. There will be a bidding war for guys like Driedger and Ullmark.

There seems to be more goalies available than there are teams who actually need goalies. So I'd expect some reasonable prices, at least after the first few dominoes fall.

• Colorado need a backup.
• St. Louis will want an upgrade on Husso.
• Pittsburgh need a starter/1B because Jarry is injured.
• Philadelphia need massive help in net, but they'd probably rather get someone with term rather than a rental.
• Toronto would probably want an upgrade on Andersen if they can do it, given his health issues this year.
• Edmonton would probably like an upgrade on Koskinen, Smith, Stalock... but that is easier said that done as they may need to move cap out first.

So let's say that all 6 of those get a goalie. Looking at the list above there's certainly at least 6 decent options in that group, enough to satisfy the market and more.

 

[Richard88]

How would that work? Toronto has practically three same needs as the Avs.

Is this suggestion predicated on Toronto acquiring a goalie first?

It's predicated on Toronto wanting a new starting goalie, and to make that change they'd likely have to create capspace by moving Andersen. Not many teams who need a goalie have enough capspace to take on Andersen's salary without retention, but with Johnson on LTIR Colorado could do that. And presumably in a situation like that where the Avs are facillitators for Toronto the price for Andersen would be pretty low.

 

[Oblivion Beckons]

Driegder I feel like is going to cost a decent amount to acquire. His sample size is small but the numbers are good, combine that with his age and I feel like a team going for him are going to want to sign him for the long term as their starter. Ullmark I feel a similar thing but I also wonder if Buffalo wants to keep him or if Ullmark even wants to stay.

As you mentioned Grubauer resigning with the Avs is a key factor in going for some of these guys. I hope he does so Bernier and Reimer are the most appealing.

 

[Belgican]

As long as you go with an UFA, I see enough good options here for Sakic

 

[Balthazar]

I want to live in a world where the Avs win the cup with Fred Andersen and the Leafs lose in first round with Campbell.

The drama would be out of control.

 

[sethro109]

I want to live in a world where the Avs win the cup with Fred Andersen and the Leafs lose in first round with Campbell.

The drama would be out of control.

Can the goal that eliminated them from the playoffs be off a Kerfoot turnover?

 

[AvsMakar08]

I hope Avs continue that trend and go a head and keep on trading for goalers with Washington. We always get high quality goalers from them. It will probably take 2 2nd rounders or 1st and a 2nd rounder to get a young quality potentially future #1 goaler out of Washington again.

 

[UncleRisto]

Can the goal that eliminated them from the playoffs be off a Kerfoot turnover?

Scored by Barrie.

 

[John Mandalorian]

I hope Avs continue that trend and go a head and keep on trading for goalers with Washington. We always get high quality goalers from them. It will probably take 2 2nd rounders or 1st and a 2nd rounder to get a young quality potentially future #1 goaler out of Washington again.

Isnt Holtby on his way out of town and wouldn’t that mean they’re slightly more reluctant to trade a goalie with promise?

 

[UncleRisto]

Isnt Holtby on his way out of town and wouldn’t that mean they’re slightly more reluctant to trade a goalie with promise?

I'd say he's well on his way.

 

[AvsMakar08]

Isnt Holtby on his way out of town and wouldn’t that mean they’re slightly more reluctant to trade a goalie with promise?

Yeah, you are right. I just took a peak in their boards and it looks like Caps themselves are looking for another goalie.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

I'd say he's well on his way.

So far on his way that he's on the COVID list in Vancouver!

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

David Rittich is another option for a backup now that the Flames are comfortably out of the playoffs.

He’s not amazing, or anything, but he’s always been above .900 SV%, in his career. Pending UFA, I can’t imagine he’d be too expensive.

He’s only 28 too, so if they wanted to move on from Francouz they could resign him in the offseason.

 

[willy702]

David Rittich is another option for a backup now that the Flames are comfortably out of the playoffs.

He’s not amazing, or anything, but he’s always been above .900 SV%, in his career. Pending UFA, I can’t imagine he’d be too expensive.

He’s only 28 too, so if they wanted to move on from Francouz they could resign him in the offseason.

Big Save Dave's career topped out with the stick flip SO win. Not a bad choice really, on paper a huge upgrade from Johansson and better than a lot of guys on the list for the purposes the Avs need. I don't see them moving on from Francouz unless his injury is career threatening so this would be a pure rental.

 

[Nihiliste]

Big Save Dave's career topped out with the stick flip SO win. Not a bad choice really, on paper a huge upgrade from Johansson and better than a lot of guys on the list for the purposes the Avs need. I don't see them moving on from Francouz unless his injury is career threatening so this would be a pure rental.

I think it’s safe to say at this point that it’s career threatening

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I think it’s safe to say at this point that it’s career threatening

Yep. To go this long with nothing is never good. Think about poor Wilson. Think about what Calvert has been through since he forced the NHL to start calling plays dead when folks get nailed in the noggin. I'm more worried about Frankie's post career life at this point. He seems like a good dude and if he can come back great but this is really worrisome.

 

[willy702]

With the deadline just 10 days away I thought it would be worth having a more focussed discussion thread about our trade targets. This thread is dedicated to backup goalies, and to start the discussion off below is my top 10 list of trade deadline backup goalie targets.

Top 10 Trade Deadline Targets: Backup goalies

1. Jonathan Bernier, $3m x 1

Has a winning record on a brutally bad team, at 8-6-0, with a 0.918 sv% and 2.78 GAA. He's a known entity for the Avs as well, so would be able to slot seamlessly into the organisation... assuming that he's healthy again of course. Elliott Friedman linked us to him when the Johansson trade happened.​

2. James Reimer, $3.4m x 1

If Carolina decide to move Reimer to create capspace for a forward add he would be a good option. 14-4-1, 0.905 sv%, and 2.71 GAA. His career numbers in 11 playoff games are also solid: 5-5-0, 0.925 sv%, and 2.70 GAA.​

3. Linus Ullmark, $2.6m x 1

Somehow has managed to have a winning record the last 3 seasons in Buffalo, and this season he has very good numbers: 6-5-3, 0.920 sv%, and 2.49 GAA.​

4. Chris Driedger, $850k x 1

He'd be at the top of this list if not for the fact that Florida probably don't want to move him, so it would take an overpayment to get him. Nonetheless, he's posted excellent numbers this year: 10-4-2, 0.927 sv%, 2.18 GAA. Including last season his numbers are even more impressive: 17-6-3, 0.931 sv%, 2.13 GAA.​

5. Antti Raanta, $4.25m x 1

5-4-2, .913 sv%, 3.20 GAA. Would be a solid addition, though there are legitimate concerns about his injury proneness.​

6. Joonas Korpisalo, $2.8m x 2

Hasn't had the best season, with pedestrian numbers: 8-10-6, 0.899 sv%, 3.02 GAA. However, his play in last years playoffs was phenomenal, and the hope would be that he can find that form again: 3-5-0, 0.941 sv%, 1.90 GAA. There's also the risk of losing him to Seattle if we don't do a handshake deal with Grubauer, which makes it risky to pay a high price for him.​

Note: Merzlikins could be a possibility as well, but I see that as more of an offseason move if Grubauer prices himself out so I haven't included him in this list.

7. Darcy Kuemper, $4.5m x 2

Has put up good but unspectacular numbers this year, 7-7-2, .914 sv%, 2.41 GAA. With an extra year on his deal there would need to be some significant retention to make it viable going into next season (assuming that Grubauer resigns), unless of course the plan is to treat him as a pure rental and have Seattle take him. It doesn't seem very realistic as a solution for the Avs, but would nonetheless be worth exploring as an option for due diligence purposes.​

8. Frederik Andersen, $5m x 1

Has had a relatively poor and injury-riddled year, but if he's healthy and Toronto want to move him as a cap dump to open up space for another goalie then he might be a legitimate option as a 1B/backup for Grubauer. This season he is 13-8-2, .897 sv%, 2.91 GAA. In 53 playoff games he has a 27-23-0 record, .916 sv%, and 2.55 GAA.​

9. Scott Wedgewood, $700k x 1

He has limited NHL experience, but might be a decent buy-low candidate if he can put up similar numbers to those he's posted this season, albeit in a small sample size: 3-5-3, .914 sv%, 2.72 GAA. New Jersey fans reckon he's worth around a 4th or maybe 5th.​

10. Ryan Miller, $1m x 1

He's had an up-and-down year, sometimes looking great (like the last game we played against them), but other times looking over-the-hill. His numbers aren't great, 3-8-1, .882 sv%, and 3.60 GAA, but perhaps he could be a solid enough option behind the leagues best defense.​

Honourable mentions: Alexandar Georgiev, David Rittich

Dis-honorable mentions: Devan Dubnyk

Zero of the ten got traded, only two of the mentions. This to me shows extreme skill by Joe, most of the teams would have been willing to deal these guys for the right price but the right price was way too high. I'm sure he told those willing to deal sometime late last week here's my best offer on the guys I like with the implied threat of you might get nothing for these guys if you don't get more reasonable. Only the Sharks were willing to play ball.

I'm sure many will say oh but this guy is better than Dubnyk, which may be true but in the end that isn't what Joe was dealing for. He's buying insurance which is a lot different than trying to decide on a #1 who you count on to win in the playoffs.

 

[Richard88]

Zero of the ten got traded, only two of the mentions. This to me shows extreme skill by Joe, most of the teams would have been willing to deal these guys for the right price but the right price was way too high. I'm sure he told those willing to deal sometime late last week here's my best offer on the guys I like with the implied threat of you might get nothing for these guys if you don't get more reasonable. Only the Sharks were willing to play ball.

I'm sure many will say oh but this guy is better than Dubnyk, which may be true but in the end that isn't what Joe was dealing for. He's buying insurance which is a lot different than trying to decide on a #1 who you count on to win in the playoffs.

Funnily enough it was the very last name on my goalie list, the very last name on my forward list, and the 10th on my list of Dman who we acquired. Can't argue with the prices paid though.