Who will be the goalie tandem in Colorado next year?

[BlackhawksFan]

Who do you think will be the Goalie tandem(starter/backup) in Colorado next year in 2022-23?

1. Kuemper/Francouz
2. Francouz/Annunen
3. (Other)/Francouz
4. Francouz/(Other)
5. (Other)/(Other)

Feel free to fill in (Other) with your prediction.

[Smurf54]

Wouldn't we all like to know haha. Here are my thoughts.

Colorado has learned they can win with only average goaltending - having won the Cup in spite of Kuemper's play, rather than because of it. I think Kuemper will leverage his results from this season and price himself out of Colorado, as they choose to explore cheaper options. I think they keep Francouz as a very capable 1B option, and shop for a 1A on the market. And given the strength of the team, Colorado will have candidates willing to take an affordable short term deal to either take one last shot at the Cup, or to propel themselves to a lucrative deal somewhere else. Interesting candidates include Fleury, Husso, and Varlamov, among others.

Annunen will also get a few starts, with the goal of working him into the lineup as a full-time backup in 2023/24.

It will be interesting!

[J0e Th0rnton]

Kuemper is gone unless he takes less than 5 million a season, which he was already almost making with that 4.5 million deal that just expired. That's Sakic's cutoff point regardless of how well a goalie plays. He would not offer Varlamov 5 million or Grubauer term + 5 even after a 30-9-1 with 7 shutout season.

He resigned Francouz for 2 years at 2 million for a reason. This team can win with league average or worse goaltending. Kuemper was a backup for most of his career and isn't going to waste the 1 chance he has ever had at a financial security contract. Would not surprise me if he went to Chicago

Mackinnon is due for a huge raise next year. He just gave Makar a 9 million a year deal. rantanen is making 9.25m, Landeskog was extended.

They have the following players as UFA. Kadri, Burakovsky, Nichuskin, Manson and Lehkonen is RFA and Byram's ELC expires next year at the same time as Newhook.


I have a feeling the Avs and my Sharks may be trading partners. The Sharks are currently running with 3 goalies for no reason lol, Reimer and Hill both on 2.1 million dollar deals and Kahkonen RFA from the trade with the Wild. They don't need 3 goalies and Colorado wants to keep some of that depth.

[CAN-AM Commish]

Francouz and then they'll sign a cheap backup.

[pmorrow]

I think they'll go for a tandem goalie most likely. They know they can win with average goaltending and they need space for other guys. Someone who can play 35-45 games I think is probably where they end up, unless someone takes less to play for Colorado which is entirely possible.

[Axeman33]

I'll go with option 3 and say MAF and Francouz.

[Feenom]

If Leafs don't get him then I'll say Gibson/Francouz.

[RizzeeDizzee]

It's option 3 or 4, probably 3, with my prediction for the "other" being Fleury, Husso, or Holtby.

[saucelife90]

I’m not sure how it all shakes out, but my guess is, Sakic won’t be trading any worthwhile assets to acquire another one.

[LawMan]

Agreed with the above. Sakic has realized paying for a high end goalie is too big of a risk. For every 1 Vasilevsky there are multiple: Price, Bobrovsky, .... Gibson, Murray, Helleybuck, Binnington.

Kuemper is a UFA and should test free agency, personally I think anything over $5mil is an overpay for the guy, he is a good but not great starter but some GM will probably throw $7mil at him.
That leaves Francouz (signed for 2 more seasons at $2mil cap hit) as clearly in the system. If he were to stay healthy he can be a 1A guy (50 starts) on the Avalanche BIG IF!
That leaves $4.5 mil to replace Kuemper (assuming he does not take a discount).

No idea who Sakic finds. MAF is worth more than that still IMO, on a shorter deal, though he could take a discount to chase another Cup? the guy loves winning.
Other "others"
Binnington - could work, St. Louis would have to eat salary, he is not better than Kuemper
Husso - St. Louis prefers to keep him IMO.
Reimer - would be a great option, Sharks rebuilding so possibly available on the cheap trade wise. at $2.25m he is a great trade target for several teams
Gibson - at $6.4 long term is over Sakic's threshold, Ducks would have to eat salary, on 5 years, seems unlikely.
Georgiev - could be had cheapish and create a solid goalie battle for 1A.

[kovalchuk17]

I think either Kuemper takes less to stay or Sakic trades for a (hopefully) younger 1A/1B goalie. The UFA route is highly unlikely as none of the guys thatll cost under 4m strike me as reliable for 41 starts per season.

Trade candidates
SJ: Reimer / Hill as mentioned above
Ott: Forsberg / Gustavsson
Mtl: Jake Allen
Wsh: Samsonov / Vanecek (both are RFAs, cant pay both big money right?)
CBJ: Korpisalo
Sea: Driedger

[Axeman33]

I think either Kuemper takes less to stay or Sakic trades for a (hopefully) younger 1A/1B goalie. The UFA route is highly unlikely as none of the guys thatll cost under 4m strike me as reliable for 41 starts per season.

Trade candidates
SJ: Reimer / Hill as mentioned above
Ott: Forsberg / Gustavsson
Mtl: Jake Allen
Wsh: Samsonov / Vanecek (both are RFAs, cant pay both big money right?)
CBJ: Korpisalo
Sea: Driedger

Korpisalo is a free agent. No trade required there.

[J0e Th0rnton]

I think either Kuemper takes less to stay or Sakic trades for a (hopefully) younger 1A/1B goalie. The UFA route is highly unlikely as none of the guys thatll cost under 4m strike me as reliable for 41 starts per season.

Trade candidates
SJ: Reimer / Hill as mentioned above
Ott: Forsberg / Gustavsson
Mtl: Jake Allen
Wsh: Samsonov / Vanecek (both are RFAs, cant pay both big money right?)
CBJ: Korpisalo
Sea: Driedger

Kuemper isn't taking a pay cut. He was a career backup goalie who made more than 2 million dollars a year exactly 2 years in his career and is age 32 where the last chance to sign financial security usually comes. in fact he made close to league minimum most years in the league aside from those 2 years where Arizona paid him 4.5 million.

This is his one and only chance to get a contract with the bucks and term. My guess is he ends up in Chicago

[LawMan]

Kuemper isn't taking a pay cut. He was a career backup goalie who made more than 2 million dollars a year exactly 2 years in his career and is age 32 where the last chance to sign financial security usually comes. in fact he made close to league minimum most years in the league aside from those 2 years where Arizona paid him 4.5 million.

This is his one and only chance to get a contract with the bucks and term. My guess is he ends up in Chicago

Very good points!, especially now that he has a ring would be hard to take a paycut.

[pmorrow]

Korpisalo is a free agent. No trade required there.

Korpi extended in Columbus. It was a very quiet signing. Didn't see a ton of reporting on it.