The Montreal Canadiens have added some more goaltending depth to the organization, agreeing to terms with KHL netminder Vasili Demchenko on a one-year entry-level contract. The deal is for 2020-21. Demchenko recently finished his sixth season in the KHL.
The 26-year old goaltender has a .925 career save percentage through 212 regular season KHL contests, but posted his worst number at .907 in this most recent campaign.
Eric Engels of Sportsnet believes that the team is bringing in Demchenko to give top prospect Cayden Primeau some more time at the AHL level, and expects the team to bring in another NHL veteran as well to compete for time behind Carey Price. Currently, the team is looking at a Price-Charlie Lindgren tandem for next season, but given that Keith Kinkaid will be an unrestricted free agent there wouldn’t be much NHL experience in the system.
Demchenko is certainly experienced, even if it isn’t at the NHL level, but it is also unclear how much real upside he possesses at this point. The 6’1″ goaltender has never really been the best in the KHL and saw all of his numbers really take a hit this season. Perhaps he can take another step in the Canadiens’ system, but given that he does not have a European Assignment Clause in his contract it seems likely he’ll end up filling out the depth chart in the minor leagues.
Another strange move by Bergevin…
Why? They need a backup, why not take a chance? He can go to the minors with his contract you’re going to see this more and more over the next few years with the cap more than likely staying stagnant. He has a 925 career save % on a terrible team and only cost 700000 low risk signing
@Sillysundin – It has the appearance of “I *hope* this guy will be adequate enough.” If you overpay your #1, you end up stuck in this kind of situation. A revolving door of backups. TOR is doing that, and they are stuck in “if Freddy isn’t in, we don’t win.” And he isn’t as overpaid, yet, so when he comes due, it’ll be really dicey there. I’d like to see them put a better effort in scouting solid backups, rather than continually rolling the dice. Sure, Primeau is currently the heir apparent, but having just “some guy” in a Habs getup spell Carey between the pipes doesn’t come across as a sound strategy.
If you don’t land a name backup you send him to the minors it’s pretty easy, he has put up very good numbers for playing for 2 very weak teams atleast beregivin is making attempts to fill a spot they need! Dubas has signed 2 one dimensional forwards over that last 2 years when we clearly needed dmen. I’d say very low risk high reward for this signing
leafs were doing that, jack campbell is now in net firmly as the backup if there is a season left to play plus the next 2 seasons. thats the thing though with goalies none are worth 10 million, price isnt bob certainly isnt. not to many forwards or dmen making that kind of money you would say arent at least semi worth the money
Tavares!! He isn’t worth 11 million if marner wasn’t on his line he wouldn’t get near the points, and he disappears in the playoffs did with the islanders also. In the cap era you just can’t have 4 forwards making half the cap we will never contend until our team is more balanced
Low risk signing. Price is going to eat the majority of games as always, barring injury, so seems like a smart gamble, use some cap savings for help elsewhere come FA season.
Guess Lindgren isn’t cutting the mustard in talent as #1 backup soon , or as Mac mentioned another strange move by Bergevin, not his first rodeo.
Not strange at all? League minimum can go down to the minors