When the expansion draft comes around this June, George McPhee and Kelly McCrimmon will have some tough decisions to make all over their team. They are having mock-drafts each month to prepare for the event, but there is one position that shouldn’t cause any headaches over how many solid options there are.
With each team only able to protect one goaltender, front offices around the league will have to either move a netminder before the draft, or risk losing one for nothing. While that would protect them from losing anyone else, it’s been clear this year more than maybe any other that an all-world goaltender can make your team special right from day one. Here are a few options for Vegas in net come the summer.
Pittsburgh – Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray
In what will be the most interesting situation around the league, the Pittsburgh Penguins are currently required to protect Fleury over Murray due to his no-movement clause. While they’ve said time and again that they’re fine with keeping both through the year, Murray’s play at such a young age makes him a mouth-wateringly attractive asset.
It’s in Fleury’s court at this point, as he’ll have the option to waive his clause for any trade before the deadline or prior to the draft to make him eligible. If he does, it’s not certain that the Vegas team would select him, but he’d obviously be an elite option. At 31, Fleury is having one of the worst seasons of his career, but is still a two-time Stanley Cup champion with an impressive life-time record.
The Penguins must find a way to protect Murray, or he’ll surely be the pick to start in game one at the T-Mobile Center in Las Vegas.
Carolina – Cam Ward and Eddie Lack
Before the season began, most people likely thought that Lack would be the easy decision to protect in Carolina. Then Ward went out and started the season better than he had since 2010, leading the team to a solid start and showing that he can still be an excellent goaltender in this league.
Lack recently suffered a concussion in practice, making his future even more cloudy. If the team wants to keep their long-time netminder Ward in town, Lack would still be an interesting option to at least be part of a tandem in Vegas.
Both are set to become free agents in 2018, meaning the team would either have to re-sign them or find another option after Year 1. While that’s not necessarily an issue, it does lessen their value a bit as a piece the new club can build around.
Colorado – Semyon Varlamov and Calvin Pickard
While Varlamov has been the standout in Colorado for several years now, it’s the backup that’s shown he may be ready for a bigger role. Pickard has been outstanding in his small sample this season, and at 24 is an interesting option to build around in Vegas. Through 42 career games, the former Seattle Thunderbird holds a .927 save percentage.
Varlamov, on the other hand is having arguably the worst season of his career, though is still only 28 years old and has an established record of excellence. While he’s still likely the protected goaltender, his $5.9MM cap-hit may make the Avalanche flinch and decide to move on. If they were to leave him unprotected, he’d be a great fit for the Vegas team to compete right away, with some long-term upside if you can get him re-signed in 2019.
Even outside the draft itself there are options for the Vegas team. Ben Bishop, Ryan Miller and Brian Elliott are all still unsigned as of now. With only Elliott looking like he may have a contract incoming with his current club, the Golden Knights will have a great option in net for next year and those to come.
I wonder if the Penguins would consider buying Fleury out in order to keep Murray. It has been reported that teams will be given the opportunity to buy players out prior to the Expansion Draft. If the Pens can’t find away to get rid of Fleury prior to that, they may have to buy out Fleury. If they don’t, they’ll lose Murray to Las Vegas
I don’t see the Golden Knights taking one of Ward/Lack. They might be interested in one as an expensive backup, but I doubt they’d draft one to be their starter. Also, if I were the Avs, I’d protect Pickard and worry about Varlamov later. Unless Pickard starts playing terribly, I think the Knights would be intrigued enough by Pickard to select him, whether to be their starter or a young, developing backup. Not sure of what other players on the Avs roster that would be eligible to be picked that would actually make sense taking, but if no other appealing options presented themselves, it’d be crazy for the Knights to not take Pickard if he was available.
The Penguins goalies are probably the best options, but the Red Wings will protect either Howard or Mrazek and leave the other one available.
The Wings will undoubtedly protect Mrazek. Detroit is an interesting case that deserves their own article though, due to the multiple attractive options that they’ll likely have to leave unprotected. They can only lose one, and I doubt Jimmy Howard will be it.
Some Boston talk show hosts floated the idea of leaving Rask unprotected due to his massive cap hit.
Ya well they are usually idiots. I understand the logic. Free up 7m in cap space and open up a camp battle w Subban and McIntyre especially with Pasta and Spooner among others becoming RFAs. But seriously they are not going to let Rask go for nothing when he has plenty of trade value if they were inclined to move on from him. He has been the team this year. Without him they would be a bottom 3rd team right now. The 2nd and 3rd lines are so unproductive right now. They aren’t going to waste it for 1 year of Khudobin and Subban isn’t worth protecting at this point. Chances are Boston will lose a goalie in the draft and it will be Subban. And that won’t be a bad thing. Better than losing a skater.
What would happen if a team had multiple goalies with a NMC?
No team has that . Unless maybe the stars but doubtful
Neither Lehtonen or Niemi have NMC’s. Both have NTC.
Matt Murray to Vegas plz
Not gonna happen
I’m with you trade mr arrogant no personality Murray
No Mention of Anti Raanta huh??
Article is abut teams with choices to make. NYR has no choice to make. King Henry has an NMC.
That’s the exact situation as Pittsburgh, only Murray has more value than Raanta.
Ya, the Pens it’s not so much a choice it’s how to dump Fleury so they can keep Murray or make a deal with LV in order for them not to take Murray. With NYR they have to and want to protect Henry. The likes of Raanta, cheap capable backup with short contract, will be a dime a dozen in the draft. Vegas will take one from a team that has little else to offer.
The inaugural start in T-Mobile Arena goes to….wait for it……..Philip Grubauer
That was a name I was thinking about as well but Wash has enough talent that there should be some quality skaters available to choose from where others may not and a goalie would make more sense there. Most teams have a #1 goalie in place and Ben Bishop will be a fee agent. Wouldn’t be surprised to see them take a cheap backup a couple of young guys to develop and go after a veteran like Bishop via FA. Or they could grab a pair like Grubbauer and Pickard and let them battle for #1 and bypass a veteran altogether. It will be interesting to see it play out.