The Montreal Canadiens have their goaltending locked up for the next few years, as young Charlie Lindgren has been signed to a three-year contract extension. Lindgren will be on a one-way deal through 2020-21 that pays him an average of $750K per season.
Lindgren made his first real run of NHL starts earlier this season when he stepped in during injuries to Price and then-backup Al Montoya, and acquitted himself well in his short sample. With a .929 save percentage in 11 NHL starts, and a history of success at the collegiate and minor league level (though this year has not gone as well), Lindgren looks ready to step into the backup role with the Canadiens next season. Antti Niemi, the current backup, is set to be an unrestricted free agent and is unlikely to be retained.
Signed out of St. Cloud State in 2016, Lindgren is now 24 and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the extension. The almost minimum-level salary is a perfect compliment to Price, who will start in on an eight-year, $84MM extension next season. With Price taking a $10.5MM cap hit, the Canadiens needed to save money at the backup goaltender position. If Lindgren can hold his own, this deal will be more than affordable.
Very good contract for the Habs. I firmly believe the plan for Lindgren is to have him backup Price the next 2 seasons and have him start 30ish games. It would let him build his trade value then they can deal him like Vancouver did with Cory Schneider.
30ish games each season? Seems like a lot considering they just gave Price that big contract. Aside from that, I agree about the contract. A near minimum-salary contract isn’t going to hurt them moving forward. Even if Lindgren plays terribly, stashing him in the minors or buying him out isn’t going to hurt the team too much.
That extension would be the reason I’d want Lindgren starting 30 or so games. When Price was going strong at 60+ games, he was wearing down going into the playoffs(also didn’t help that he was consistently seeing 35+ shots a game too). Letting Lindgren see 28-32 starts would let Price stay fresh for April, which at this point is what they’re really paying him for now.