After missing the playoffs for the second straight season, there may be changes ahead for the Colorado Avalanche this summer. One position they likely will not address via free agency however, is goaltender.
The Avalanche currently have two goaltenders under contract for next season in Semyon Varlamov and Reto Berra. A third goaltender, Calvin Pickard, is a restricted free agent, and will almost definitely be re-signed and on the roster for the 2016-2017 campaign.
With three NHL-caliber netminders on the roster, the Avalanche are far more likely to subtract (via either trade or buyout) from their collection of backstops than add to it (at least at the NHL level). If they do move a goaltender, they might be in the market for a minor leaguer, but that’s about it.
Here is a snapshot of this summer’s goaltending market:
1. Calvin Pickard
Team: Colorado Avalanche Age: 24 Status: RFA
2015-2016 stats: GP: 20 W: 7 L: 6 OT: 1 SO: 1 GAA: 2.56 SV%: .922
Whether Pickard is the best goaltender on the market is a moot point. He is definitely the most important to the Avalanche. The future in net for Colorado, locking him up needs to be a priority.
Pickard tied with Reto Berra for the top save percentage for the Avalanche last season. It became clear that the organization valued the former over the latter when they shipped Berra to the minors in favor of Pickard late in the campaign.
Unlike last summer, Pickard is unlikely to be willing to accept a two-way deal. His market is actually a tough one to define. For the second straight season, he posted elite numbers at the NHL level; but in both campaigns, the sample size was relatively small.
Estimated cost: $2-3 million per season.
2. Cam Ward
Team: Carolina Hurricanes Age: 32 Status: UFA
2015-2016 stats: GP: 52 W: 23 L: 17 OT: 15 SO: 1 GAA: 2.41 SV%: .909
It is not often that a goaltender that backstopped a club to a Stanley Cup victory becomes available on the open market. In fact, Ward is the only goalie on the market that fits that bill.
There are some reasons, however, that Ward is available. The Stanley Cup he won was a decade ago, and though he hasn’t been terrible, he has not performed at an elite level since 2011. Still, teams will be interested.
Will the Avalanche be in on Ward? Almost certainly not. Plenty of teams will be, though. He won’t command the $6.8 he made last season, but should still be in for another hefty paycheck.
Estimated cost: $5-6 million.
3. James Reimer
Team: San Jose Sharks Age: 28 Status: UFA
2015-2016 stats: GP: 40 W: 17 L: 14 OT: 7 SO: 3 GA: 2.31 SV%: .922
The only goaltender on the list that is still playing — well, his team is, anyway. Currently the backup goaltender for San Jose, Reimer has played lights out when given the opportunity since being acquired by the Sharks. He is 6-2 in his eight games in teal, with a goals against average of 1.62 and a save percentage of .938.
It’s not that he was bad with the Maple Leafs, either. Though the Maple Leafs have struggled in recent years, goaltending has been far from their weakest link. In his career, he has never posted a save percentage under .900 for a season. Prior to the trade, he had boasted a save percentage of .918, despite playing on the worst team in the NHL.
The issue with Reimer is durability. This season, he played in a career-high 40 games. Whether it be due to injury or competition, he simply has never gotten into that many games. At the same time, he has never played less than 30 contests in a season since breaking into the league in 2010-2011. Good for between 30 and 40 games, he could be perfect for a time share situation.
Estimated cost: $3.5-4.5 million per season.
4. Frederik Andersen
Team: Anaheim Ducks Age: 26 Status: RFA
2015-2016 stats: GP: 43 W: 22 L: 9 OT: 4 SO: 3 GAA: 2.30 SV%: .919
More often than not, restricted free agents re-sign with their respective clubs. Andersen represents an interesting case, however. Since the 2014 playoffs, he has found himself in a timeshare situation with John Gibson in the Anaheim net.
Though their regular season split was pretty close, it was Andersen got the majority of the work in the playoffs. That being said, Gibson (who was an All-Star last season), is locked up for the next three years at an affordable cap hit of $2.3 million/per. The Ducks may want to eliminate the crease controversy and hand over the reins.
If the Ducks do want to retain Andersen, then they probably won’t be willing to pay him much more than Gibson. If he were an unrestricted free agent, he would command far more than what Anaheim would likely be willing to pay. Unfortunately, he’s not; and while teams would be willing to give up some compensation, they likely won’t be willing to part with the first and third-round picks they would have to if they signed him to anything over $3,652,659 (note: compensation based on last year’s numbers). Don’t rule out the Ducks trading his rights.
Estimated cost: $2.5-3.5 million per season.
5. Darcy Kuemper
Team: Minnesota Wild Age: 26 Status: RFA
2015-2016 stats: GP: 21 W: 6 L: 7 OT: 5 SO: 2 GAA: 2.43 SV%: .915
Avalanche fans will remember Kuemper for seizing the net during the 2013-2014 playoffs, and leading the Wild over the Avs in the opening round. Now, that net belongs to Devan Dubnyk, with Keumper having been relegated to firm backup status.
That being said, Kuemper’s numbers have remained strong. He deserves, if not a shot at a starting role, at least a timeshare situation. Will he get it? Maybe, maybe not. If he expresses enough unhappiness, it’s possible he forces his way out of Minnesota.
Again, him being a restricted free agent limits Kuemper’s ability to cash in — also limiting his market. That being said, he could take less money for a shot at more ice time; and teams might not balk at surrendering a second-round pick to sign him to an offer sheet.
Estimated cost: $2.5-3.5 million per season.