During the lead-up to NHL free agency opening on Oct. 9, we're taking a look the top UFAs at each position. Today, we're breaking down a rich class of goalies who could be on the move this off-season.
When was the last time we had a crop of UFA goalies this strong? And that's not even including those who could be on the trade block as general mangers look ahead to the Seattle expansion draft following the 2020-21 season.
Would-be UFA Robin Lehner, initially the No. 1 goalie on our list, set the market Saturday morning with the signing of a five-year, $25-million extension that keeps him with the Vegas Golden Knights. After signing back-to-back one-year deals and excelling on three different teams within the past two seasons -- and putting up incredible playoff numbers both years, too -- Lehner is now able to settle into a market for the long haul.
So, who's up next?
With a handful of bona fide starters and several veterans still in line for those looking to take the tandem approach, the goalie market is poised to be busy this fall.
1. Jacob Markstrom
2019-20 team: Vancouver Canucks | Age: 30
2019-20 stats: 23-16-4, 2.75 GAA, .918 SV%, 2 SO in 43 GP
2019-20 cap hit: $3.67M
Markstrom and the Canucks are in a tough spot. There's an understatement.
Both goalie and management have made it clear they'd like to keep the partnership going, but a flat cap, impending expansion draft, and emergence of youngster Thatcher Demko present clear obstacles in inking the veteran to a long-term pact.
Giving him the job security of a no-move clause means exposing Demko to Seattle, and that feels like a definite nope for the Canucks. Signing him without that NMC will no doubt cost a little extra against the cap -- especially considering he's got the leverage of being able to land it on the open market after another MVP-like season that saw his stock rise exponentially.
Re-signing Markstrom and playing out 2020-21 with an elite tandem will require some creativity on Benning's part -- most likely a trade -- if he's to keep both netminders out of reach of the Krakens' grasp by season's end.
UPDATE: The hurdles proved too much as Markstrom left Vancouver to sign a six-year deal with a $6 million cap hit to join the Calgary Flames
2. Braden Holtby
2019-20 team: Washington Capitals | Age: 31
2019-20 stats: 25-14-6, 3.11 GAA, .897 SV%, 0 SO in 48 GP
2019-20 cap hit: $6.1M
A decline in his own performance, combined with the elite play of his peers like Lehner and Markstrom, places Holtby in unique territory this free agency -- he's won't be the most coveted netminder of the crop, but he'll no doubt be a much-sought after man considering his track record of success (headlined by a Stanley Cup just two years ago).
It's likely we've seen the last of Holtby in Washington, but he's still very much a No. 1 in this league and would likely benefit from a fresh start as the Capitals turn to their rookie, Ilya Samsonov, going forward.
UPDATE: Holtby signed a two-year, $8.6-million deal with the Canucks on Friday, starting his new chapter out west and ending the Jacob Markstrom era in the process.
3. Anton Khudobin
2019-20 team: Dallas Stars | Age: 34
2019-20 stats: 16-8-4, 2.22 GAA, .930 SV%, 0 SO in 30GP
2019-20 cap hit: $2.5M
With the exception of those in Tampa Bay, you really can't not be a fan of Khudobin right now. The veteran was thrust into the spotlight this post-season after Stars starter Ben Bishop was sidelined, and Khudobin backstopped Dallas all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.
Every year, we learn and re-learn the importance of having a solid backup goalie (1B is probably a better description) -- both in terms of getting a team to the playoffs and then keeping them there. While age will likely halt any long-term talks, term will probably be the key for Dallas to keep him in the fold considering Khudobin's stock has never been higher. So high, in fact, that it's possible he just played himself right out of Dallas' budget.
UPDATE: Nevermind -- Khudobin is, in fact, staying in Dallas. The two sides agreed to terms on a three-year pact worth $3.5 million per season.
4. Corey Crawford
2019-20 team: Chicago Blackhawks | Age: 35
2019-20 stats: 16-20-3, 2.77 GAA, .917 SV%, 1 SO in 40GP
2019-20 cap hit: $6M
At one point it seemed like a Crawford-Chicago relationship would continue, but GM Stan Bowman said on Thursday that they wouldn't be re-signing the goalie, leaving Crawford to test the market.
His $6-million seasons are in the past, but as we saw during a short playoff run in the Edmonton bubble, Crawford's still got plenty of good hockey in him and at this point. His stated desire was to play more games and be a No. 1 somewhere -- and when he's been healthy, Crawford has still been a strong performer. After posting a .917 save percentage behind Chicago's porous defence in 2019-20, the 35-year-old could be a cheaper, shorter-term option than Markstrom or Holtby and still fill a No. 1 requirement somewhere.
5. Thomas Greiss
2019-20 team: New York Islanders | Age: 34
2019-20 stats: 16-9-4, 2.74 GAA, .913 SV%, 0 SO in 30 GP
2019-20 cap hit: $3.33M
The Islanders have gone with the goalie-tandem approach the past five years with Greiss, pairing him first with Jaroslav Halak for three years followed by Robin Lehner in 2018-19 and then Semyon Varlamov in 2019-20.
Varlamov is the clear starter on Long Island -- he's under contract for the next three seasons at $5 million per year, and got the majority of playoff starts throughout New York's post-season run this summer. That leaves Greiss to test the market for a contract, and likely land somewhere in a tandem job again. He's one of the more underrated netminders in the game, but age and the fact he's a split-starter will limit his market somewhat.
6. Cam Talbot
2019-20 team: Calgary Flames | Age: 33
2019-20 stats: 12-10-1, 2.63 GAA, .919 SV%, 2 SO in 26 GP
2019-20 cap hit: $2.75M
Considering the fate of the 2019-20 Flames, the roster that hits the ice in 2020-21 is probably going to have some key differences. But does that mean a new netminder?
Talbot said last week, via the Calgary Sun, that he's hopeful he'll receive an offer from the Flames brass.
“My status hasn’t really changed,” he said. “I’m still hopeful we can work something out with Calgary before the 9th hits, but I know they have a lot of other guys to re-sign, too."
With the Flames this year, Talbot recorded his best goals-against average since his second season in Edmonton, and matched that year's save percentage while playing second string to David Rittich.
The Flames will also explore other goalie options when the market opens, but if the bigger names are too costly, or they start losing out on others, Talbot could be someone they always turn back to after the market opens.
UPDATE: Talbot signed a three-year deal with Minnesota and a $3.66 million cap hit
7. Henrik Lundqvist
2019-20 team: New York Rangers | Age: 38
2019-20 stats: 10-12-3, 3.16 GAA, .905 SV%, 1 SO in 30 GP
2019-20 cap hit: $8.5M (bought out)
It's the end of an era in New York, as the Rangers' bought out the final year of King Henrik's contract to make room for the two younger goalies.
So, where does that leave Lundqvist? Sportsnet's Mike Johnston put together a list of intriguing potential options, should he opt to extend his career a few more seasons, with an emphasis on winning and the ability to mentor a young netminder in a crease-sharing role.
The most likely destination, it seems, is Washington. Their GM, Brian MacLellan, recently acknowledged that the Caps were seeking a veteran backup to young Ilya Samsonov and that Lundqvist was a "really solid candidate for us." Washington is close to New York and offers a chance to win the Stanley Cup, so they check off boxes Lundqvist will be interested in.
UPDATE: Lundqvist signed a one-year deal with Washington
8. Mike Smith
2019-20 team: Edmonton Oilers | Age: 38
2019-20 stats: 19-12-6, 2.95 GAA, .902 SV%, 1 SO in 39 GP
2019-20 cap hit: $2M
Like the Flames, the Oilers have struggled to find the No. 1 netminder that can backstop this offensive team into an era of strong contention. It looks like Smith, unfortunately, was not the answer. Smith put up sub-par numbers in Edmonton and continued his troubling trend of falling flat in the post-season.
9. Craig Anderson
2019-20 team: Ottawa Senators | Age: 39
2019-20 stats: 11-17-2, 3.25 GAA, .902 SV%, 0 SO in 34 GP
2019-20 cap hit: $4.75M
It was confirmed late last month that the Ottawa Senators won't be making an offer to Anderson, their primary goalie of the past decade. Anderson told reporters he intends to continue his career and has been training all off-season with that in mind.
10. Aaron Dell
2019-20 team: San Jose Sharks | Age: 31
2019-20 stats: 12-15-3, 3.01 GAA, .907 SV%, 0 SO in 33 GP
2019-20 cap hit: $1.9M
The 2019-20 season was not kind to the Sharks, who struggled mightily in many areas -- especially in net, with the tandem of starter Martin Jones and Dell, who served as backup for the second fourth year.
After starting out strong in his first two NHL seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18, Dell's numbers took a nosedive the past two years. It looks like a fresh start is in order as Dell seeks a new backup spot elsewhere.
More goaltenders to watch: Jimmy Howard, Louis Domingue, Ryan Miller
