Dallas goaltending predictions?

[brosal04]

With Lehtonen and Niemi both signed to massive deals... Who is the starter next year? Do they buy one out? Bring a new guy in?

[Yonald]

Wouldn't be surprised if they went after Ryan Miller.

[yougo]

Wouldn't be surprised if they went after Ryan Miller.

Could you imagine? Niemi-Miller-Lehtonen. That would have been a sick trifecta in 2010.

[Yonald]

Obviously only if one of niemi/lehtonen are moved

[ericdaoust]

They'll be bringing in someone from the outside. No way they go into next year with the same two guys.

[Axeman33]

I think they stick with them both.

[yougo]

Obviously only if one of niemi/lehtonen are moved

Adding Miller would be a stupid move from Dallas, I mean... Miller is barely a better goaltender than Niemi.

[Moses]

Nichushkin + goalie for much better goalie.

[Zorro]

This team will never win with Niemi/Lehtonen as the tandem between the pipes..

Prediction: Lehtonen gets bought out.. Fleury gets traded to Dallas..

Dallas gets their goalie and Pittsburgh gets cap roon..

[NoWayOut]

They'll be bringing in someone from the outside. No way they go into next year with the same two guys.

I think they stick with them both.

50/50 chance this is the scenario that unfolds. It's certainly a possibility as Jim Nill is not one to make rash decisions, but I get a sense from reading that he's likely to see the writing on the wall for this experiment.

Put me in the camp that thinks with the looming shadow of an expansion draft ahead teams with two good options in net are going to move one to avoid losing one. Sucks if your one of the expansion teams because I see them having a dearth of good options, as several teams with needs in net have a chance to solidify their goalie situation. I've made my choice but beyond Andersen there should be plenty of good options:

Vasilevskiy or Bishop
Murray or MAF (I am warming to MAF, but still feel like there's better options)
Gibson
Reimer
Lundqvist, maybe. Not that I think he's a bad option, just not sure he's willing waive NMC for Dallas or any place outside of NYC.
Mason or Neuvirth (Reese breathed life into Mason, and he's in Big D now)

In the end I'd like to get a younger netminder for the fact that the Stars pipeline is shallower than a mud puddle. Given the length of time it takes to develop the next one, and the cautionary tale of Jack Campbell in mind, you need loads of time here. A guy like Andersen, Bishop, or Reimer gives you a bit more time then older guys like MAF and Lundy. Lundy, and MAF to a lesser extent, make the Stars instant contenders but with a short window until goalie becomes an issue again. Gibson and Vasilevskiy are less likely to be moved and but for that fact would be great targets for a Stars team that's about to get a major infusion of young talent. That's why I like:

Andersen
Vasilevskiy -Very unlikely Yzerman would move him over Bishop
Bishop
Reimer
Gibson
Lundy
MAF/Mason/Neuvirth

After the Seguin and Sharp trades I'm dying to see what magic Jim Nill might be able whip up to fix this.

[finminer]

They have to do something but the expansion draft creates a lot of questions. I don't think it is limited to goalie though. They got pushed around by St Louis and ultimately, their D could not keep the Blues away or out of position. Goligoski is ancient and Klingberg is not a shutdown defender, which is what they need. Russell and Oduya were great acquisitions, but clearly it wasn't enough. Honka and Lindell aren't far away but they are more offensive than defensive, so I would move one of them with a goalie to upgrade. Henrik is a dream, that will never happen. Nichushkin is a good part to trade, seems like he is taking a loooooooooong time to develop, and they have other forwards like Ritchie and Dickinson who will be bucking for spots soon.

[JagrBomb]

goalie is irrelevant if they keep the same defense.

use the assets they'd spend on goaltending to acquire a top 4 D. buyout one goalie if you must but their main focus should be on D this summer.

fleury, andersen etc won't make a difference if they roll out the same D group

[Dikoi]

goalie is irrelevant if they keep the same defense.

Exactly this. They need some major help on the blueline before even thinking of looking for a goalie; they need at least a top pairing guy and maybe another top 4D.

[NoWayOut]

Dallas is going to remake the D from within mostly, but I would expect at least one addition through trade or free agency.

Goligoski, Demers, Russell, and Jo. Benn are all UFA. I could see Jordie being brought back as a cheap effective #6 or 7 D. Russell leaves, maybe right back to Calgary. Demers played himself out of town down the stretch and in the playoffs. Goligoski could re-sign but only if he takes a hometown discount, but I do think he's heard the fans who've been down on him. Add to that the prices D have been getting on the market lately and him being one of the more high-profile UFA D this summer he's going to be priced out of town. Say what you will about the contract Nill gave Niemi, he's done a masterful job of managing the cap and I don't see him getting too deep in the bidding for Goligoski and potentially scuttling other moves to improve the team because of it.

[Rodgort]

This with the same goaltending or the same d core:

Tire_fire.png

They'll make changes I think. Their goalies are likely too expensive to move or buy out, so they'll probably add a dman through trade or UFA

- - - Updated - - -

This with the same goaltending or the same d core:

Tire_fire.png

They'll make changes I think. Their goalies are likely too expensive to move or buy out, so they'll probably add a dman through trade or UFA

Side note: NoWayOut, Justified was such a great show