Who do we target as a backup/1A?

[not quite yoda]

Who do the tabs target as a 1A who actually plays some games to Carey s 1?

I say we offer a boatload to Khudobin except he is already 34 years old. We have tons of cap space every year anyways so might as well get a strong backup for a change. Gives us a fresh Price.

Click to read more...

 

[Habby4Life]

It would be nice to give CP some rest. Khudobin a good pick, maybe Talbot?

 

[not quite yoda]

There also Crawford, he s 35 and an old Waite disciple

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Jake Allen, Blues will need to shed salary to keep AP. Won’t be many teams that can pay $4MM for a back up so hopefully get him with a pick/prospect like Mason And only signed for a year so gives Primeau another year and a trade chip at the TDL in Allen.

 

[Steve Shutt]

Needs: Low Salary, can play 25-30 games per season and win at least half of them, can handle pressure, 2 year contract (we need to expose someone to Seattle), wants to play in Canada. Dependable.

Previous experiments = Lindgren, Kinkaid, Niemi, Montoya, Condon, Scrivens, Tokarksi, Budaj

 

[bobholly39]

Yeah to be honnest I would do more of the same. so Lindgren/Primeau - or a cheap backup who can do well (but who may not). Spending 4-5M$+ on a backup like Crawford, Allen or Khudobin is insane. Those are all guys with aspirations to being #1.

I think if we're going to spend to the cap - i'd rather we spend trying to improve D or F first. Give Price his usual ~55-60 games, and have Primeau be backup if need be.

 

[Number 57]

Jake Allen, Blues will need to shed salary to keep AP. Won’t be many teams that can pay $4MM for a back up so hopefully get him with a pick/prospect like Mason And only signed for a year so gives Primeau another year and a trade chip at the TDL in Allen.

A team in need of an actual starter will offer more. We only need him as backup so we'd probably offer a 3rd rounder or something. But some teams will want to make changes in goal and he is one of the best starters available with Markstrom and possibly some younger guys like Georgiev

Halak, Khudobin, Crawford could make sense as backups unless they absolutely want to start, which I dont think they are capable of anymore

 

[Chili]

Seeing how well a rested Price is playing would make this a priority for me. Crawford would be my choice too for several reasons (career, age, hometown, familiarity with the goaltending coach, he would know Price from Team Canada as well). His preference will be to stay with the Hawks though, so we'll see. Beyond that a veteran who understands the role and is capable of playing 25-30 games would be a preference.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I wanna see Primeau as the primary backup next year.

 

[salbutera]

I wanna see Primeau as the primary backup next year.

Too young to be limited to play 20-25 NHL games, let him play another full AHL season.

Now if AHL is cancelled.....

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Too young to be limited to play 20-25 NHL games, let him play another full AHL season.

Now if AHL is cancelled.....

I’d give him 30 games. Gives Primeau experience, and keeps CP fresh. Win/Win.

 

[SnapVirus]

Why dont we use Primeau? Hes a future number one. He should be able to play strong minutes. And if were not gonma keep him long term it will build his value. And lf were going to keep him, let him learn while backing CP.

 

[DAChampion]

Maybe wait until after the Habs win the Cup before discussing free agency.

Why dont we use Primeau? Hes a future number one. He should be able to play strong minutes. And if were not gonma keep him long term it will build his value. And lf were going to keep him, let him learn while backing CP.

Primeau should play 50+ games in the AHL.

 

[Treb]

I don't think playing a young Primeau next year and starting a fan goalie war is a good idea.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Askarov would do nicely.

 

[OB5]

Primeau needs to start in the AHL. Way too soon to be talking about him being the backup. We're 1-2 years away from that.

Crowded net with a lot of fringe/future starters behind Price. Primeau, Denisenko, Lindgren and MicNiven can all make the case that they should at the very least be the starter in Laval.

Can Lindgren play 30 games and win 10-15? Maybe, but maybe isn't good enough. The Habs desperately need a goalie who can 1. lighten Price's workload. 2. give his team a shot to win games and 3. step in and provide relief if Price gets hurt.I don't think the Habs have that goalie under contract.

To predict how this is going to go: McNiven doesn't get re-signed. He was rag-tagged throughout the ECHL this year and had a pretty horrible experience, for no real reason other than the Habs didn't seem to give a crap.

Lindgren will get traded, hopefully for the backup that can do all those things listed above. As others mentioned, Jake Allen is a good option. I can see him being the backup in MTL in his contract year to prove to the league he still has what it takes. The term on the deal makes it doable.

There is no way Khudobin comes to Montreal to be Price's backup. I'd bet he signs in Washington to be a 1B to Samsonov.

 

[Burke the Legend]

Yeah to be honnest I would do more of the same. so Lindgren/Primeau - or a cheap backup who can do well (but who may not). Spending 4-5M$+ on a backup like Crawford, Allen or Khudobin is insane. Those are all guys with aspirations to being #1.

I think if we're going to spend to the cap - i'd rather we spend trying to improve D or F first. Give Price his usual ~55-60 games, and have Primeau be backup if need be.

I don't think you need to spend $4-5, should be able find a vet for $1-2. I think Bergevin is thinking like this but unfortunately pro scouting let the club down the past 3 seasons where Niemi & Kinkaid were disappointments. That said their poor performance could also be a product of the Habs' awful defence the past 3 years, even Carey's numbers suffered especially the 12 months Weber was out with that ankle injury.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Since the Islanders will likely go with Varlamov/Sorokin, I wouldn't be against signing Greiss depending on how much he wants. He can play 30 games

When the media asks Julien who's starting he can just say "ice/eiss" and leave the media confused.

 

[Archijerej]

A 1A is unrealistic and would be a waste of recources for a team that already has a 10$ million goalie.
The only possible scenario here is a cap dump like Allen, where we get some other assets to take on salary.
A dependable #2, however, is a must.

 

[BLONG7]

There also Crawford, he s 35 and an old Waite disciple

Might want to play in MOntreal too!! Would be a great fit!!

 

[LaP]

Doesn'T matter much imo. 2 years deal max Primeau can't stay in the AHL more than the next 2 years ideally.

 

[Krnage]

whats if Vasili Demchenko make the job as backup ?

 

[De Montreal]

Try and get Vince Dunn as a compensation for taking Jake Allen salary. Blues will need every cap space they need to re-sign Pietrangelo. Maybe we can send them back their 2020 2nd round pick, Charlie Lindgren and a B level prospect for them.

 

[Habs Halifax]

There also Crawford, he s 35 and an old Waite disciple

If the Blackhawks go after another goalie as their starter, does Crawford get a starter job offered from any other team? Not so sure about that. I'm 50/50 on if Crawford would want to come home to back up Price and play 25-30 games

 

[Habs Halifax]

Try and get Vince Dunn as a compensation for taking Jake Allen salary. Blues will need every cap space they need to re-sign Pietrangelo. Maybe we can send them back their 2020 2nd round pick, Charlie Lindgren and a B level prospect for them.

Dunn and Allen would be a good return depending on how low it takes to get them due to cap issues for the Blues