Goalies for next season?

[Gramps]

Below is a list of signed and probable goalie situations for next season as well as a list of UFA goalies. There seems to be four starter spots available (COL, FLA, PHX, TB) and nine backup spots (CAL, CLB, DET, MIN, NJ, OTT, PHX, MON, TB). My question is, who are the four starters to be signed and who are the nine backups?

ANA - Hiller, Ellis
ATL - Pavelec, Mason
BOS - Thomas, Rask
BUF - Miller, Enroth (rfa)
CAL - Kipper, ?
CAR - Ward, Peters
CHI - Crawford, Salak
COL - ?,Elliott
CLB - Mason, ?
DAL - Lehtonen, Raycroft
DET - Howard, ?
EDM - Khabibulin, Dubnyk
FLA - ?, Clemmenson
LA - Quick, Bernier
MIN - Backstrom, ?
MTL - Price, ?
NSH - Rinne, Lindback
NJ - Brodeur, ?
NYI - Montoya, DiPietro
NYR - Lundqvist, Biron
OTT - Anderson,?
PHI - Bryzgalov, Bobrovsky, Leighton
PHX - ?, ?
PIT - Fleury, Johnson
SJ - Niemi, Nittymaki
STL - Halak, Bishop
TB - ?,?
TOR - Reimer, Gustavsson
VAN - Luongo, Schneider
WSH - Neuvirth, Varlamov (rfa)


Available goalies:

Vokoun ufa
Nabokov nyi
Roloson ufa
Turco ufa
Budaj ufa
Elliott rfa
Giguere ufa
Smith ufa
Conklin ufa
Karlsson ufa
Boucher ufa
Leclaire ufa
Hedberg ufa
Emery ufi
Auld ufa
Harding ufa
Theodore ufa
Garon ufa

[VincentVega]

Gramps, that is a really tough question to answer, there are so many variables. I'll just give you my thoughts on a few:

CAL - Kipper, Karlsson (he did a very good job backing up last year, they should re-sign him)
COL - Elliott, ? (based on this thread, a lot of people believe Elliott will at least get the chance to be the starter)
EDM - Dubnyk, Khabibulin (why not see if your future goalie can handle it)
MIN - Backstrom, Harding (is Heckett ready yet?)
TB - Roloson,?
WSH - Neuvirth, Holtby Varlamov gets traded

[Jouko-Pouko]

WSH - Neuvirth, Holtby Varlamov gets traded

I don't see any harm in letting Holtby play another season in the AHL. He's only 21, why rush him? Also, Varlamov's trade value is so low they should just give him a 1-year contract and let him play for a year or at least until the trade deadline.

[jhonny]

I don't see any harm in letting Holtby play another season in the AHL. He's only 21, why rush him? Also, Varlamov's trade value is so low they should just give him a 1-year contract and let him play for a year or at least until the trade deadline.

I like this thread, and I hope we get more input... I know it's just forecasts and projections, but usually the Dobberite mob is generally on target, so keep going... IMO:

Philly finally goes for it and gives up Carter to do it... Bryzgalov (can speak Bob's language too)... he can foster Bob for 2-3 years and Philly fans can complain about a different topic!

Hiller in ANA is a huge question mark for me... he'll probably fall to my pick in the draft, and my gut is telling me to pull the trigger and take the chance, but at this point it could be the "make/break" choice of my FH season... any advice???

I agree with the Dubnyk #1, Khabibulin #2.

Karlsson is gonna back the Kipper again.

Avs go with Elliott, but I'd expect a decent back-up signed and he will take the #1 by New Years...whomever he is???

Hate the Washington G situ... I wish they'd just go Neuvirth#1 and Holtby#2 (and trade Varly the Band Aid Boy)... and even then, if Neuvirht gets the sniffles, expect Holtby to run the table because kid has some serious poise!!

I still see Nabokov in TB... though there's no indication whatsoever that Rolo is done... he's the pillar of consistency... you almost always know what yer gonna get, and I think that is a breath of fresh air these days. Maybe they go Rolo#1A and Nabby #1B until Nabokov warms back up into stud.

Reimer sophomore slump???

I wouldn't be surprised to see Clemmensen take the reigns in FLA... sign a cheap Turco mentor or a Garon-like back-up.

Ottawa back-up will be Lehner.


All over the place, yes, but this is why I hope more posters come out...

[VincentVega]

Ottawa back-up will be Lehner.

For Lehner's sake, I hope they let him run the show at least one more year in Binghamton.

[VincentVega]

I don't see any harm in letting Holtby play another season in the AHL. He's only 21, why rush him? Also, Varlamov's trade value is so low they should just give him a 1-year contract and let him play for a year or at least until the trade deadline.

Another reasonable direction the Caps might take.

[Jouko-Pouko]

For Lehner's sake, I hope they let him run the show at least one more year in Binghamton.

I believe the Senators have already said that will happen, so I don't think we will see Lehner in the NHL (in 2011-2012) unless Anderson gets injured.

[slow triathlete]

Lehner plays in Bingo

Harding will leave Minny

Philly will not use Carter to get a goalie, my guess is Carle or the more marketable Cobourn moved to free up a bit more salary and they possibly let Leino walk unless he comes down from the 3.5 he is looking for. Bryzgalov will cost too much and should look to Rolo or Vokoun.

Roloson is not the man. He was average at best in the conference final. Great game 7 but has everyone forgotten that he was pulled and average in a lot of the playoffs. TB played a great team game. For TB I am hoping that Stevie Y looks to Vokoun and is backed up by Smith. Smith can play well every once in a while. Vokoun loves FLA and wants to win - there is no better location for him.

[Karbinkopy]

Colorado and Philly:

I think first of all Philly is going to trade with the Islanders for Nabokov to mentor Bob. Next Philly is going to ship Leighton out to Colorado for a late round pick, basically to get rid of his 1.5 million cap hit. Colorado will also sign one of Emery, Harding, Dekanich, Desjardins, or Greiss to a 2-way deal to throw in the mix. Elliott is ensured a starter or back up role. Leighton gets his chance in camp to prove himself. Third signed guy starts off in Lake Erie but has a good chance of being called up and stealing the starters job. (Grahame and Bacashihua are both UFA's as well, Bacashihua gets resigned)

Colorado is a good team if they can get the goaltending. I just don't think they are going to get that guy this offseason. They are going to end up with Leighton, Emery or Elliott as their beginning of the season starter and will be fishing the waiver wire as the season progresses.

Vancouver:

Schneider moving depends on whether Van wins the cup this year or not. If they win then he's traded, if not then they hold onto him as a safety net as they retool for the cup next year. Van's core is all signed for next year with the exception of Ehrhoff and you know they aren't going to let him walk. Also now way he goes to a divisional rival in Colorado. (my bet is to New Jersey for 4th 2011 pick, Washington's 2nd in 2012, Alex Urbom, and Jeff Frazee)

Florida:

Vokoun, I just have this feeling that he re-ups in Florida. I don't know why, I just do.

Los Angeles:

Bernier is going nowhere before the next trade deadline and he proabaly won't move then either.

Phoenix:

The blocks will start to fall into place when Bryzgalov signs (He'll be the first to go). I think he resigns for 2 years in Phoenix either that or Colorado goes hard for him and gives him a big 4 year contract (slim chance of this though). Labarbara resigns as back up.

New Jersey:

More on Schneider trade...
New Jersey has nothing top notch in the pipeline for when Brodeur is done. 2011/12 is Broudeur's contract year and the only free agent goalie of any quality in 2012 is Rinne. The time is now for Captain Lou to act. I say he target's Schneider and is willing to move his 4th overall pick to do it. Van is going to lose Bieksa for sure and they might let Salo walk. New Jersey also has a possibility of three 2nd round pick in 2012 (2 for sure, 3rd depends on if and when Langenbrunner resigns with Dallas), so a 2nd in 2012 plus a good defensive prospect in Urbom makes sense. Now finally, Vancouver has nothing in their goalie pipeline and if they lose Schneider and resign Weiman they are still going to be one goaltender short to cover their NHL and AHL teams. That's where Frazee come in. With Schneider in their camp and Kinkaid just signed, NJ will no longer need Frazee. Frazee, Lack and Weiman will duke it out in camp to see who backs up Luongo, no real cap implication for Van cuz all of NJ players are 2-way and Bob's your uncle.

So...

Van gets:

4th overall 2011, 2nd 2012 (NJ, WAS or DAL?), D - Alex Urbom, G - Jeff Frazee

NJ gets:

Cory Schneider

Of course this all goes to hell if New Jersey resigns Hedberg.

Tamp Bay:

Resigns Roloson and Desjardin as back up. Tokarski and Janus are goalies in AHL.

Calgary:

resigns Karlsson

Detroit:

Brings back Conkblock

Columbus:

Resigns Garon

Montreal:

One of Turco, Smith or Theodore ends up as the back up.

Ottawa:

Grabs Boucher or resigns Leclaire to a much reduced 1 year contract. Lehner is starter for one more year in Bingo.

Carolina:

has said that Peters is playing in the AHL next season and that they are going to sign an experience back up that can play 20 - 25 games to keep Ward rested come season end and playoffs. They sign one of Turco, Emery, Theodore or Hedberg

Minnie:

Let Harding walk and bring Hackett up as back up. Let Endras and Kuemper battle it out for the starters role in Houston.

Washington:

Go with Neuvirth and Varlamov again. Holtby is starter in Hershey, but like this season gets a call up and shines when Neuvirth and Varlamov go down with injuries again. Holtby ends up as the eventual starter in Washington (2 years) due to his durability compared to the other two.


I think I covered them all.

[Renegade]

So...

Van gets:

4th overall 2011, 2nd 2012 (NJ, WAS or DAL?), D - Alex Urbom, G - Jeff Frazee

NJ gets:

Cory Schneider

Way too much for Schneider. I know Vancouver will try to get the absolute best out of him but they will be sorely disappointed. There just is not any market for a young stud goalie when so many goalies are out there looking for jobs.

[Gramps]

Update my list after the supposed Bryzgalov signing. I am sure we will get more answers now that Bryz has signed and free agency is a week and a half away!