Minnesota Wild: Backup Goaltender Options – Part Four
By Luke Ryan
Minnesota Wild have very limited cap space; as such, the likelihood of a trade to acquire a backup goaltender is probably quite low.
In all honesty, the only way I see it happening is if the deal benefits the Minnesota Wild beyond just adding a goalie. The man between the pipes would be part of a bigger deal, most likely.
That said, there are some known names available as free agents right now. Any of them could be worth a look if the decision was made not to rely on Alex Stalock or Andrew Hammond.
Given that thinking, we’ll ignore trading options and dive straight into the most NHL-ready free agency options:
Kari Lehtonen
Lehtonen held his own with a substantial workload for the Dallas Stars last season, with a 0.912 save percentage across 37 games. Whilst it’s not the highest save percentage you’ll ever see, it’s not too far under the league average and was across an almost 50-50 split workload in the Stars’ net.
More from Gone Puck Wild
- Defenseman Matt Dumba signs one-year contract with Arizona
- Minnesota Wild reach agreement with Brandon Duhaime on one-year contract
- Minnesota Wild receive mixed grades for picks in NHL Entry Draft
- Minnesota Wild draft heavy on centers and home-state selections
- Minnesota Wild open regular season at home against Stanley Cup Finalist
It seems quite surprising to see Lehtonen without a contract heading into the season.
Chances are teams may be looking to trade for younger options before bringing in the experienced head.
The log-jam in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ goalie ranks screams out for a trade, which probably holds more gravitas with most NHL head offices, the Minnesota Wild one included.
The Finn though remains a known quanitity and a useful option if those already in Minnesota fail to perform.
Steve Mason
His hefty contract and an untimely injury were the key factors in Steve Mason‘s demise last year, dealt by the Winnipeg Jets and then bought out by the Montreal Canadiens.
Over the past five seasons, Mason had a 0.930 5-on-5 save percentage. That screams out for someone to take a chance on him as a backup, possibly even in a 1-B role alongside an underwhelming regular starter.
You have to wonder though, given his previous contract, whether he’s pricing himself out of the current, rather small, free agent pool.
Realistically, Mason is a victim of a limited goalie market this season. Nobody seems to be looking for any further upgrade and he’s stuck as the odd man out.
Anders Lindback
The inconsistent option, who probably offers nothing more than some NHL experience. If it got to the point whereby Stalock and Hammond couldn’t fill the void, I’d likely consider the younger options ahead of bringing Lindback in.
That’s not a gripe on the player specifically, but statistically he hasn’t been able to deliver consistent performances in recent years in the AHL or historically in the NHL.
His 2.76 goals-against-average and 0.924 save percentage in a 16 game stint with the Buffalo Sabres back in the 2014-15 season seems to have been his NHL peak.
Related Story. Backup Goaltender Options - Part One. light
Beyond these three; I’m going to skip on Ondrej Pavelec and Jeff Glass, purely because of their age. They offer absolutely zero benefit in that they’re both a bit older than the two current backup options already expected to suit up for the Minnesota Wild.
In a pinch, they offer a viable experienced option on minimal cost and limited risk one-year deal, in all likelihood.
That wraps up all of the options I see for the backup goaltender spot. I figure it unlikely any of the above pull on a Minnesota Wild jersey this season, but it’s always nice to know the options that are out there.