Part 2 of this series will include Restricted Free Agent options as well as possible acquisitions via trade.
In Part 1 of this series I covered some of the more realistic Unrestricted Free Agent options for the Flyers in their quest to acquire a starting goaltender. In addition to the Unrestricted Free Agent options, there are several viable Restricted Free Agent options. The benefit of restricted free agents is that they are all young…that is, after all, why they are restricted free agents. They are often times coming off their entry level contracts, and just haven’t played enough seasons to be eligible for unrestricted free agency. The bad part about restricted free agency is that, depending on how much the player is signed for, the team is required to pay some sort of draft pick compensation.
The compensation thresholds are dependent upon the salary cap ceiling for that respective season. Since we don’t know what the salary cap will be set at for next season, the compensation thresholds have not been set either.
Last year’s compensation was as follows:
-at or below $863,812 = no compensation
-$863,813 to $1,307,812 = One 3rd round pick
-$1,307,813 to $2,615,625 = One 2nd round pick
-$2,615,626 to $3,923,437 = One 1st round pick, one 3rd round pick
-$3,923,438 to $5,231,249 = One 1st round pick, one 2nd round pick, one 3rd round pick
-$5,231,250 to $6,539,062 = Two 1st round picks, one 2nd round pick, one 3rd round pick
-$6,539,063 or above = Four 1st round picks
Kari Lehtonen
3.06 GAA .911 SV%
The former 2nd overall pick is just 25 years old and has been the starter for a predominantly bad Atlanta team for the past 4 years. That is, when he hasn’t been hurt. He has a world of talent, and has actually put up pretty solid numbers for being on a bad team. That said, it would be very difficult to acquire him. He made $3 million this past season, so there is no reason to suspect he would sign for any less than that, especially considering he has been good, and is still young. So compensation would START at a 1st and 3rd round pick. Also, I see no reason to believe why Atlanta wouldn’t immediately match any offer. Lehtonen has been their starter and I can’t imagine they have any intention of letting him leave. They do have a solid prospect in Ondrej Pavelec behind him, but I can’t see them turning the reigns over to him at this time. The Flyers would need to drastically overpay in order to make Atlanta balk at matching the offer. I would imagine something in the $5.5 -$6 million dollar range. Not only is that a ton of money for a goalie that isn’t a stud (not yet at least) but then they would need to pay Atlanta two 1st round picks, one 2nd round pick, and one 3rd round pick. The price is just too high. A more realistic option would be to allow Lehtonen to resign in Atlanta, and then attempt to acquire him via trade with players, prospects, and picks. They may pay equivalent, or greater compensation, but his salary would be far more manageable.
Josh Harding
2.21 GAA .929 SV%
Harding has been the backup to the stellar Niklas Backstrom in Minnesota for the past two seasons. The former 2nd round pick is just 24 years old and made a paltry 750k this past year. He was a bit unimpressive last year, but was very, very good this season. I think Harding has tons of upside, but more importantly, he is reasonably attainable. The Wild recently signed Backstrom to a new 4 year deal paying him $6 million a season. If the Flyers were to sign Harding to a contract paying him $2.6 million, I can’t see Minnesota matching it. I don’t think teams are too keen on paying their backup goaltender $2.6 million long term; especially when you already have $6 million tied up in your starting goaltender…also long term. The $2.6 million should be enough to make Minnesota let him walk, and at the same time it is still ONLY a 2nd round pick as compensation. Unfortunately, the Flyers do not have a 2nd round pick until 2012 (I believe). So if the Flyers truly wanted Harding they would have to work out a trade. That could be advantageous however, as they may be able to pay more in assets to Minnesota to acquire him while being able to sign Harding for less than the $2.6 million. The $2.6 million is merely the highest possibly amount under the 2nd round pick compensation threshold, which is what the Flyers would probably do if they were hoping Minnesota would not match the offer sheet.
Additionally, there are several goalies throughout the league that may very well be available for trade; either because they are backups, former starters that have lost their job, or just because the team may be going in another direction.
Jean Sebastian Giguere
3.10 GAA .900 SV%
Giguere has been one of the elite goalies in the league for the past 7 or 8 years. For his career he has a GAA of under 2.5 and a save percentage of .914. However, Giguere had a relatively poor season and Jonas Hiller managed to steal the starting job from him. Since then, Hiller has taken Anaheim to Game 7 against Detroit in the 2nd round. Giguere is just 31 years old, but he makes $6 million a year for the next two years. That is $6 million I’m sure Anaheim would rather spend elsewhere than on their backup goalie. There are a few hurdles that would need to be overcome if the Flyers were to attempt to trade for him. For one, his cap hit. The Flyers can’t take on $6 million in salary without putting some serious effort into creating some cap space. Also, Giguere has a no trade clause. Apparently, in negotiations it was something he was adamant about getting. He has a son who has an eye condition, and his doctor is in the Anaheim area. It was extremely important for Giguere to get his no trade clause so he could be near his son’s doctor. I’m sure Giguere isn’t all too eager to leave Anaheim.
Dan Ellis
2.93 GAA .900 SV%
The 28 year old former 2nd round pick was incredible for Nashville last season, his first in the NHL. He had a GAA of 2.34 and a SV% of .924. This past season he struggled a bit and was unseated by, near rookie of the year candidate, Peka Rinne. He has one more year on his deal with a cap hit of $1.75 million. He clearly has potential, and can probably be acquired at a reasonable price. However, he is relatively unproven; with only one good season so far in his young career.
Tomas Vokoun
2.49 GAA .926 SV%
Vokoun quietly had a very good year in Florida. Additionally, he has had a save percentage of .919 or higher the past 4 seasons. He is 32 years old with 2 more years left on his deal at a cap hit of $5.7 million. He should be able to play out that contract at a very high level, as well as a good portion of his next contract. For whatever reason, there were rumblings that Florida was unhappy with Vokoun and they might prefer to resign Craig Anderson and trade Vokoun. If that is true, I see no reason why the Flyers wouldn’t look into it.
Ondrej Pavelec
3.60 GAA .880 SV%
I briefly discussed Pavelec earlier when I was talking about Kari Lehtonen. Pavelec shared backup duties with Johan Hedberg this past season. Pavelec is a relatively highly regarded goaltending prospect at age 21, as he was a former 2nd round pick of the Thrashers. He was named the best goaltender in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for 2 years in a row. He also apparently asked for a trade at the beginning of this season as he doesn’t see himself getting a real shot with Kari Lehtonen in town. Pavelec, like any prospect, is a bit of a low risk high reward kind of guy; especially considering Atlanta already has a young goaltender in front of him for the foreseeable future. He can probably be had for a pretty modest price.
Cory Schneider
3.38 GAA .877 SV%
Schneider was a former first round pick of the Vancouver Canucks out of Boston College. He is just 23 years old. He is arguably the most NHL ready and highly regarded goaltending prospect in the league at this time. With Roberto Luongo in place in Vancouver, Schneider has basically had no chance at seeing NHL playing time. Luongo’s contract only has one more year remaining, and if Vancouver is able to re-sign him to a long term deal, I’m sure they would look into moving Schneider. Until then, however, I would imagine they would hold onto him as an insurance policy.
Tuukka Rask
Rask is also a former first round pick, but of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was later traded to the Bruins in a deal for Andrew Raycroft (ouch). He is just 22 years old and has only played 5 games in the NHL at this point. Like Schneider, he is one of the most highly regarded goaltending prospects. With Tim Thomas just signing a new contract this season, the Bruins may look to move Rask.
Jonas Enroth
A 2nd round pick of the Sabres, Enroth is just 20 years old. Along with Pavelec, Schneider, and Rask, Enroth is one of the most highly regarded prospects who has yet to see any real NHL time. With Ryan Miller firmly entrenched as the starter in Buffalo, and his contract taking him through the 2012-2013 season, I see no reason why the Sabres wouldn’t entertain trade offers for Enroth.
I’ve also heard rumblings that both Evgeni Nabokov and Miika Kiprusoff aren’t in the best of situations with the Sharks and Flames respectively. Both goaltenders have been in a bit of a decline the past couple years, and with early playoff exits for the both of them, those teams may be thinking it’s time to move in another direction. However, without legitimate replacements in place already…I’m not so sure it’s a real possibility. Additionally, their declining play has me a bit concerned and I’d much rather pursue some of the other alternatives I’ve laid out.
That concludes the majority of the restricted free agents and goaltenders who may be available via trade. Combine that with the Unrestricted Free Agents in Part 1, and there are a number of ways that Flyers can go about filling their goaltending void.
Be sure to check back for the third and final part of this series where I will discuss two international goaltending options as well as give my viewpoint on exactly which of these options I’d like the Flyers to pursue.
