Speculation: What starting caliber goalies will hit UFA?

Le Barron de HF

Justin make me proud
Mar 12, 2008
16,248
3,879
Shawinigan
I expect Varlamov, Howard and Elliott to sign elsewhere. Rest I'd be leaning on staying with their current organization (esp Rinne and Lehner if he has a good year for believing in him).
 

Volica

Papa Shango
May 15, 2012
21,391
11,074
I imagine Smith will get to UFA. I doubt there's a long list of teams that'll be lining up to get him for more than a year or two. Could see Calgary resigning him short term too if things go well.

Bob and Varly for sure. Them boys going to get paid somewhere.
 

Paris in Flames

Registered User
Feb 4, 2009
15,903
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Rinne is a really interesting case to me. Nashville friends, how close are they to making it Saros' team?

Would be interesting to see if he'd be fine with a significantly lesser role but I mean...he's still...very good. So who knows.
 

danielpalfredsson

youtube dot com /watch?v=CdqMZ_s7Y6k
Aug 14, 2013
16,575
9,269
Bob is getting 10.5M from someone if he doesn't take a discount to stay in CBJ. He'd be the biggest UFA goalie in ages.
 
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StreetHawk

Registered User
Sep 30, 2017
25,607
9,435
Rinne is a really interesting case to me. Nashville friends, how close are they to making it Saros' team?

Would be interesting to see if he'd be fine with a significantly lesser role but I mean...he's still...very good. So who knows.
If Nashville extends rinne they shouldn't make the deal longer than what they have left on saros deal. You want that transition point.

Al of those guys could leave. Bob due to money and term, Talbot depends on his play this year. Smith is older but Calgary’s young goalies probably are not ready for starter role just backup. Howard I bet is done in Detroit. Same with Varly in Col.

Elliott would be a solid guy to have if you are breaking in a young guy into that starter role. I doubt hart is ready after 1 ahl season so he may leave Philly.
 

JackFr

Registered User
Jun 18, 2010
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Bobrovsky will get huge money from a team who thinks they're a goalie away from really contending. Maybe St. Louis/Carolina/Philadelphia?
 

HawkeyTalkMan

Registered User
Jun 23, 2015
6,271
3,445
Bobrovsky will get huge money from a team who thinks they're a goalie away from really contending. Maybe St. Louis/Carolina/Philadelphia?

Hextall will not make the mistakes Holmgren made. After the Bryzgalov disaster no way.
 

Ghost of Ethan Hunt

The Official Ghost of Space Ghosts Monkey
Jun 23, 2018
8,733
5,092
Top Secret Moon Base
Howard is 50/50 UFA vs. staying. As far back as mid last season there was talk of possible 2-3 yr. extension, as our G prospects aren't close to ready. That could change this year. Bernier will have 2 more years @ $3M after this season, so he's insurance/stop-gap either way. Ken Holland gets way too attached to his homegrown vets & usually gives them way too much term & $ on their last few contracts a la Jimmy's current deal. Hope he gets traded by TDL '19 & KH finds a cheaper & better substitute via FA.
 
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Cor

I am a bot
Jun 24, 2012
69,648
35,246
AEF
I think Varlamov could be a target for Carolina. I would say Bobrovsky, but I have no idea where he'd be open to going. Doesn't make much sense to leave Columbus to go to Carolina.

Like Panarin wants to go to a big US market, so it makes sense he might leave.
 

King Weber

Registered User
Apr 9, 2015
4,594
1,547
I'd be really surprised to see Rinne go anywhere. Last I heard both him and Poile are fully intent on having him retire as a Predator. The fact that he's really close with Saros should make the transition period a bit easier for him too.
 
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oilers84

Registered User
Jun 24, 2009
486
18
if talbot struggles a bit more then oilers will be looking far a new up and coming guy as well as dmen as usual
 

WTFMAN99

Registered User
Jun 17, 2009
32,835
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Bobrovsky will get huge money from a team who thinks they're a goalie away from really contending. Maybe St. Louis/Carolina/Philadelphia?

St.Louis / Philadelphia / Carolina / Calgary seem like they'd all be in the bidding.
 

thadd

Oil4Life
Jun 9, 2007
26,717
2,718
Canada
I think Talbot stays regardless. If he has a flop of a year and other teams are willing to outbid Edmonton (I doubt it) I imagine he'll get around the same $$$ for another 2-3 seasons. If he's really lights out this season and steals a bunch of wins for Edmonton, I donno. Edmonton is probably looking for a new goalie due to being unable to find the cap space to keep him.
 

Halla

Registered User
Jan 28, 2016
14,727
3,779
Id guess Rinne. Nashville will need to save money, and if Saaros is ready to take over Rinne may move on.

Blues,Flames, Flyers would all be very,very interested
 

Kevs Security

inmateMack/CanesMack/LeafMack/elMacko
May 28, 2018
1,783
2,188
Toronto, Canada
Bobrovsky: I don't think he'll hit the UFA market to be honest. Kekalainen will do anything to keep him, and if he can't, he'll just trade him like Steve did with Bishop. Not sure about his trade value at the draft, and I'm pretty sure contenders wont trade for him at the TDL unless one of the starters is out for the remainder of the season.

Rinne: Small kids etc, and he seems pretty happy in Nashville. He's also getting old, so I guess he'll play for only another year or two in the NHL. Also going in to the season with unproven Saros as your starter is not a good idea. Ideally they would be a 1A-1B tandem in the next season, both playing somewhere around 40 games. After that release Rinne or play him as your backup.

Varlamov: Guy's had some some problems with injuries, can't blame him for that. He's still a good goalie, but I don't think he'll get that starter goalie's salary anymore. Might try his luck and sign with a team like NYR, if Georgiev doesn't impress.

Smith: Just retire already, man.
Elliot: Same.

Howard: I always thought he was about as good as Reimer. Tandem-goalie for a team with young and upcoming prospect? Howard-Husso 1A-1B or Howard-Hart 1A-1B, how does that sound?

Talbot: Signs with Edmonton.

Lehner: Finally plays for a team with a solid goalie coach. Let's see what happens. Might have a career year. Possible free agent, but I don't see him as a guy many teams would target. If he plays well, I can see Isles signing him to a 3-year, $4 million contract.
 

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