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San Jose Sharks Sign Goaltender Andrew Shortridge

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Wednesday: The team has officially announced the contract for Shortridge, who will join the San Jose Barracuda on an amateur tryout for the rest of the season.

Tuesday: Goaltending has been a concern for the San Jose Sharks this season, but some of those problems could be a thing of the past moving forward. The Sharks are set to add one of the top goalies in all of college hockey to the pipeline, as ESPN’s John Buccigross reports that Quinnipiac University junior Andrew Shortridge will sign with the team. San Jose has yet to confirm the entry-level pact, but Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold has confirmed his starter’s early departure.

Shortridge, 23, and the Bobcats fell short of a Frozen Four appearance in the NCAA Tournament, but it was otherwise a flawless season for the talented keeper. Shortridge posted his third straight season with a 2.36 GAA or better, but his play was far beyond that mark. The Alaska native was arguably the best goaltender in the NCAA with a stunning .940 save percentage. and 1.51 GAA. Those marks ranked first and second respectively, with only emerging UMass freshman Filip Lindberg slightly ahead in goals against. Unlike others in the college hockey landscape, which can be inconsistent in talent level across conferences, Quinnipiac plays in the impressive ECAC and the Bobcats had a contender’s schedule this year, with Shortridge facing many elite teams. The competition never phased him, as the junior goalie was all but unbeatable this year.

The Sharks hope that Shortridge’s success against tough competition continues at the pro level. San Jose needs a contingency plan after both Martin Jones and Aaron Dell faltered this year. The tandem of 29-year-old’s has combined for a save percentage below .900 and a goals against average over 3.00 this season, with Jones only marginally outperforming Dell. The Sharks opted not to make an addition in net ahead of the trade deadline, despite their success this season being in spite of their goaltending, but need a new name to compete for appearances. Jones is signed long-term, but Dell’s contract expires after next season and San Jose could look to replace him then if not earlier. Youngsters Josef Korenar and Zach Sawchenko were the uninspiring options in the pipeline prior to this signing, but Shortridge provides an immediate boost to the team’s depth and talent in net. With good size, skill, and experience, the Quinnipiac standout should be in line for a major AHL role next year, perhaps with a chance to win NHL opportunities sooner rather than later.

Trade Rumors: Johansson, Canucks, Sharks, McQuaid

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The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun writes that New Jersey Devils center Marcus Johansson could prove to be one of the best bargains at the trade deadline. LeBrun notes that Johansson’s stock has dropped due to his recent injury history, but has been back on the rise due to his recent production. Johansson has seven points in his past six games and buyers have taken notice. LeBrun reports that Johansson’s five-team no-trade list should not hinder a deal and Devils GM Ray Shero will pull the trigger, sooner rather than later, if he gets a fair offer. However, LeBrun believes there is a chance Shero will keep Johansson and try to re-sign him if he receives only low-ball offers. Sportsnet’s Elliott Friedman echoes that Johansson is for sale, but that Shero will be aggressive in the sale as he was with Brian Boyle. Friedman names the Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks, and Vancouver Canucks as teams that have already checked in on Johansson, but that will hardly be the extent of the interest by the time the deadline rolls around.

  • Friedman believes that the Canucks, who seem like an outlier among the buyers interested in Johansson, are looking to replace the production of the injured Sven Baertschi as they try to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff race. Although few expect Vancouver to be major buyers, they are still just one point out of the final wild card spot and could make some minor tweaks to stay involved. Friedman adds that Washington Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky is another forward that the Canucks have looked into. Burakovsky makes for an interesting fit in Vancouver, as the Capitals seek a replacement forward in return and the Canucks have their own talented, but underwhelming young forward on the block in Nikolay Goldobin. A deal centered around the duo seems like a possibility.
  • As for the Sharks, Friedman believes that they intend to add forward depth before the deadline. While Johansson seems to be of interest, Friedman notes that a very different style of player could also be in their sights. He believes that a reunion with Eric Fehr, currently with the Minnesota Wild, could be in store. The Wild appear to be sellers now and Fehr, who fit in well as a deadline addition for the team last year, is a logical target for both the team’s cap situation and need to strengthen their defensive play up front. Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz feels that San Jose needs to target a goaltender before the deadline. The Sharks have received poor results from Martin Jones and Aaron Dell this season – the team has the worst even strength save percentage in the league – and last nights’s game, in which Jones allowed six goals on 20 shots against the Boston Bruins could be the last straw. While Kurz comes to the conclusion that an addition in net is unlikely, he hopes the team considers all of their options.
  • Appearing on TSN 1050 in Toronto yesterday, Bob McKenzie stated that New York Rangers defenseman Adam McQuaid is very likely to be moved before the deadline. The impending UFA defender was acquired from the Boston Bruins this off-season for a fourth-round and seventh-round pick, as well as fellow blue liner Steven Kampfer, and McKenzie feels that the Rangers will move him for any package wherein they can recoup those picks or better. Friedman says similar, writing that there has been “traction” on McQuaid move. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been frequently linked to McQuaid, but the tough, stay-at-home righty should have a significant market.

Deadline Primer: San Jose Sharks

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With the trade deadline fast approaching, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? As we begin to examine the Pacific Division, here is a look at the San Jose Sharks.

The moment that the San Jose Sharks traded for star defenseman Erik Karlsson, many people felt that the Sharks would be at the top of the Pacific Division. While no one was expecting the Calgary Flames to be so dominant, the Sharks are solidly in second place and with their impressive play of late, it wouldn’t be a shock if San Jose found their way back during the team’s stretch run. The Sharks have been rolling, having won 10 of 14 games and three of those games were a streak when they were forced to play without Karlsson.

With a number of veteran players trying to hold on for another deep playoff run, including Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Sharks picked up another significant piece to their plans to win this season. The team went out a year ago at the trade deadline and picked up Evander Kane from Buffalo, eventually locking him up long-term and they followed that up by adding Karlsson during the offseason. Throw in the fact that Thornton hasn’t been 100 percent this season and isn’t the same player due to his knee injury and the need for more depth is obvious. No one would be surprised if general manager Doug Wilson tries to pry another major piece.

Record

29-16-7, second in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$6.76MM in full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 45/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: FLA 2nd, SJS 3rd, SJS 5th, SJS 6th, SJS 7th
2020: SJS 2nd, SJS 3rd, SJS 4th, SJS 5th, OTT 5th

Trade Chips

This is where the Sharks might have some problems. The team has already moved its first-round picks in 2019 and in 2020 as they moved their 2019 pick to Buffalo for Kane and then their 2020 first-rounder for Karlsson (pending multiple conditions that are likely to hold). The team has already unloaded several key young players and prospects in separate deals, including Chris Tierney, Rudolfs Balcers, Danny O’Regan, and Josh Norris. It’s been made clear that the Sharks aren’t interested in moving too many more prospects, leaving the team bare of incoming prospects, but regardless, time is running out for a number of their veterans and with the dominance of several teams, the Sharks will want to keep up with them.

Regardless, the team may have few choices. One player the team could consider moving out would be forward Kevin Labanc, who has five goals and 30 points this season, but hasn’t been able to break into the team’s top six. The 23-year-old still has plenty of promise and might be able to being in a significant return for a player who tallied two 100-point seasons in the OHL. The team also could dip into their prospect pool that has a number of talented players, including 21-year-old goalie Josef Korenar, who appeared in the AHL All-Star game this year, AHL forwards Dylan Gambrell and Francis Perron, as well as highly-touted offensive defenseman Ryan Merkley, and junior forwards Sasha Chmelevski and Ivan Chekhovich.

Five Players To Watch For: G Aaron Dell, F Barclay Goodrow, D Tim Heed, F Kevin Labanc, D Joakim Ryan

Team Needs

1) More forward depth: The team has a solid top-six, but the third line has been average at best and hardly the scoring line the team was hoping for at the beginning of the year. With Thornton ailing, the team could use a sniper, potentially who has some experience manning the center position to improve the bottom-six. Thornton has just 10 goals and 25 points in 43 games this season and looks like he’s heading for his most disappointing season so far. While Marcus Sorensen has shown improvement, the forward has just 17 points this season, while Labanc still hasn’t full proven himself to head coach Peter DeBoer. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Sharks went to the Ottawa well again, having already worked out deals to take Mike Hoffman and Karlsson from the Senators. A rental like Matt Duchene or winger like Mark Stone would force the team to adjust their lines and put some quality offense on their third line.

2) Defensive depth: With an injury, as well as poor play, coming from Marc-Edouard Vlasic, the team may want to bring in a veteran defenseman who could provide the team with some strength behind the blueline. The team has gotten surprisingly good play from defenseman Radim Simek, who the team signed out of the Czech Republic last summer. However, the team needs more help there and don’t have too much help at that position down in the AHL.

San Jose Sharks Could Pursue A Goaltender

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The San Jose Sharks are hot right now. The team has won three straight and 12 of 17 dating back to December 1st. They are within striking distance of the Pacific Division and Western Conference lead, just three points back of the Calgary Flames. After a slow start, both Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson are playing Norris-caliber hockey and the offense is among the best in the league. Everything appears to be going well.

Yet, one can’t help but notice that the Sharks continue to get poor results from their goaltending. As they countdown to the Trade Deadline next month, TSN notes that San Jose could certainly be in the market for another goalie. San Jose is dead last in even strength save percentage and starter Martin Jones is among the worst starting goaltenders in the NHL statistically this season. Jones has an .899 save percentage and 2.82 goals against average in 32 games so far, while backup Aaron Dell has struggled even more, holding an .890 save percentage and 3.10 goals against average. Both keepers are fortunate to be playing in San Jose, where the Sharks allow a league-low 28.1 shots per game, but against superior competition – such as in the postseason – Jones and Dell will be exposed if they don’t improve.

The current trade market, unquestionably a buyer’s market, is likely to feature many legitimate goalies for the Sharks. Even if the team doesn’t want to meet the price for a keeper like Detroit’s Jimmy Howard or Colorado’s Semyon Varlamov, the options are aplenty. Cam Talbot (EDM), Craig Anderson (OTT), Keith Kinkaid (NJD), Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney (CAR), and Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth (PHI) should be available for the Sharks to scoop up. While Jones and even Dell may have been better than the majority of this group in recent years, the season is more than halfway over and the Sharks keepers’ numbers speak for themselves. San Jose won’t be the only buyer in the goalie market, but they are seemingly guaranteed to land another keeper if they want one and the cost shouldn’t be too high. The team will have close to $4MM in cap space available at the trade deadline and would just have to find a way to carry three goaltenders for the rest of the season while staying cap compliant.

The more interesting question is whether the Sharks will also look into a more long-term solution, either ahead of the deadline or in the coming off-season. Jones and Dell, both 29 years old, each played well last season and were superb in 2016-17. However, if the team is losing faith in the duo, they may try to move Jones – in the first season of a six-year, $34.5MM deal – and replace him via trade or with a top free agent, such as Sergei Bobrovsky or even Los Angeles Kings rival Jonathan Quick. The team may also opt to simply upgrade his backup, moving on from Dell, who is signed through next season, in favor of a superior veteran option. So long as the Sharks play to their current level, that of a real Stanley Cup contender, GM Doug Wilson and company will have to do everything they can to give the team a shot at its first title.

Snapshots: Jones, Martinez, Kravtsov, Comtois

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The San Jose Sharks have won four of their last five games and seem to be trending in the right direction. They stand in third place in the Pacific Division with a  23-13-7 worth 53 points, but one thing that could hold the team up is the play of their goaltending.

Paul Gackle of The Mercury News writes that the Sharks rank 31st in the league in even-strength save percentage (89.85 percent) even though the defense seems to have found their game in the month of December. The root of the problem has been the play of starter Martin Jones, who just started a six-year, $34.5MM contract, who has a 2.88 GAA and a .897 save percentage in 31 appearances this year. Head coach Peter DeBoer has put more responsibility on backup Aaron Dell lately, but Gackle writes the team might start to worry whether they can count on Jones for the playoffs.

While a trade is a possibility, Gackle writes that the team’s other option would be to give some playing time to one of their AHL goaltenders in Antoine Bibeau and Josef Korenar, who was just named to the AHL All-Star game. The team could also consider trade rentals such as Brian Elliott, Michal Neuvirth, Keith Kinkaid and Petr Mrazek, but with Jones’ contract, the team is quite limited.

  • Despite being rumored to be ready to return, Los Angeles Kings head coach Willie Desjardins said that defenseman Alec Martinez is “not quite there yet,” according to Los Angeles Times’ Curtiz Zupke. Martinez has been out with an upper-body injury since Dec. 8.
  • New York Rangers prospect Vitali Kravtsov had two things going against him at the World Juniors, according to NHL.com’s Igor Eronko. The Rangers’ 2018 first-round pick played through a torn triceps during the WJC playoffs for Russia, which finished with a bronze medal. The scribe also points out that Kravtsov moved to the center position in November with his KHL team, Chelyabinsk Traktor, despite never having played that position before in his career. Despite that, he centered Russia’s first line despite just 12 games of center experience.
  • Speaking of injuries at the WJC, Anaheim Ducks announced that prospect Max Comtois will miss the next two weeks due to the fact that he played throughout the tournament with a separated shoulder. Comtois, who scored five goals and an assist in five games for Team Canada, played for the Ducks for 10 games earlier this season, but was returned to the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL. The 2017 second-round pick will return there after he recovers from his injury.

Goaltender Cameron Rowe Commits To North Dakota

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Aaron Dell, Zane McIntyre, Cam Johnson, …Cameron Rowe? The young goaltender certainly hopes that he will be the next in a line of recent stud goalies to come out of the University of North Dakota. The U.S. National Development Program announced today that their keeper has committed to join the Fighting Hawks next season.

Rowe, 17, is a draft-eligible prospect who is regarded as one of the handful of goalies guaranteed to be selected in the 2019 NHL Draft. The Illinois native is in his second season with the USNTDP and led the U-17 squad with 43 appearances last season. This year, he’s sharing the U-18 net with fellow draft-eligible stopper Spencer Knight. Knight, who many feel is the top goalie prospect in the 2019 draft class and looks like a presumptive first-round pick next June, actually began making U-18 starts last year and has outperformed Rowe so far this year. The Boston College commit may even have the inside track to starring for the U.S. World Junior squad this year. While Rowe has had a tough time adjusting to the tougher competition so far this season, he continues to get his fair share of starts next to Knight and will likely improve as the year goes on, even if he remains overshadowed.

If anything, the fact that North Dakota was interested in Rowe is proof enough that he is a talented goaltender. The collegiate powerhouse has had immense success developing goalies of late. San Jose Sharks backup Dell was the first in line, helping the team to conference championships in each of his three seasons from 2009 to 2012, in addition to several individual accolades. Current Boston Bruins’ third-string McIntyre came next and in 2014-15 won the Mike Richter Award as the best goalie in the NCAA and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker award as the best player in college hockey. Most recently, New Jersey Devils prospect Johnson led the team to a National Championship in 2015-16. Interestingly enough, Dell and Johnson were never drafted and McIntyre was a seventh-round flier. Rowe, considered a legitimate NHL prospect already, may just have a chance to be the best of the bunch.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: San Jose Sharks

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Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2018-19 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

San Jose Sharks

Current Cap Hit: $75,119,584 (under the $79.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Dylan Gambrell (one year, $925K)
F Timo Meier (one year, $894K)
F Maxim Letunov (one year, $833K)
F Kevin Labanc (one year, $718K)

Potential Bonuses

Meier: $850K
Gambrell: $425K
Labanc: $183K

Total: $1.46MM

The team has gotten great play from their youth in the last couple of years as several players have taken that next step and become regular contributors to the Sharks’ lineup. Meier may be one of the best as the 21-year-old broke out with a 21-goal season last year. The ninth-overall pick in the 2015 draft looks ready to continue a top-six role and perhaps become a key contributor there for many more years. Meier is also playing for a big payday, so if he can take that next step and develop into a 30-goal winger, he would be heading in the right direction.

Gambrell only managed to appear in three games for the playoff-bound Sharks after he signed out of the University of Denver. The 22-year-old center is likely to force his way into a forward role in the bottom-six after he posted three straight 40-point seasons in college. Labanc, who had struggled with consistency in previous years with San Jose, finally broke into a full-time role with San Jose and produced 11 goals and 40 points. He could be primed for an even bigger year, just in time as his entry-level deal will run out.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Joe Pavelski ($6MM, UFA)
F Joe Thornton ($5MM, UFA)
F Joonas Donskoi ($1.9MM, UFA)
F Marcus Sorensen ($700K, UFA)
F Barclay Goodrow ($650K, RFA)
D Joakim Ryan ($650K, RFA)
D Tim Heed ($650K, UFA)

Much of the Sharks success in the next few years will come down to the play of Thornton and Pavelski, two players that have helped carry the team during their years of success. Both players are on their final year of their deal. Thornton signed a one-year deal and only time will tell whether he will continue that career at age 39. Despite suffering a torn MCL in January, he still posted solid numbers, scoring 13 goals and 36 points in 47 games. His days of posting 80 points are likely over, but if he can prove he can still produce, he could be back for several more one-year deals. Pavelski is another matter. The 34-year-old is starting to decline, but likely wants to ink one last long-term deal. While it makes sense that both sides will eventually come to an agreement, much is depending on the success that Pavelski has this season as well.

Donskoi shows improvement as well, posting a career-high 14 goals last season. His play improved to the point that he got some playing time on the first line as he generates shots as the team attempted 53.73 percent of five-on-five shots, while the team shot just 49 percent without him on the ice.Read more

Aaron Dell Signs Two-Year Extension With San Jose Sharks

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In what will surely make the goalie market quite different this summer, the San Jose Sharks have signed Aaron Dell to a two-year extension worth a total of $3.8MM. Dell was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st. The salary breakdown is as follows:

  • 2018-19: $2.2MM
  • 2019-20: $1.6MM

Aaron DellDespite having just 45 NHL appearances under his belt at age-28, Dell has played well enough that he could have been considered a starting option on the open market. The free agent signing out of the University of North Dakota was leading the league in several categories at one point this season, and now has a .912 save percentage through 25 appearances.

Earning just $675K on a two-way deal, Dell is one of the most cost-effective goaltenders in the entire league this season. With starter Martin Jones is starting a six-year, $34.5MM extension next season, the Sharks could have a solid tandem locked up for at least two years. Though there was no guarantee he would get looks as a starter on the open market, he’s giving up the chance to become a #1 somewhere else.

With his play the last two seasons, Dell had set himself up to follow the footsteps of goaltenders like Scott Darling and go from relative obscurity as a backup to starting goaltender. We discussed the dangers of such a pursuit earlier this year, but the Sharks re-signing him means no team will have to make that tough decision. Instead, he’ll be able to continue working as one of the more reliable backups in the league, and try to help the Sharks to another Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

Kevin Kurz of The Athletic first reported that the deal was close.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Deadline Primer: New York Islanders

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With the trade deadline now just a few days away, we continue our closer look at the situation for each team.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the New York Islanders.

The New York Islanders know that time is running out for them. The team is doing everything it can to re-sign their franchise player John Tavares, but as the offseason seems to be getting closer and closer, the Islanders are also find themselves battling for one of the final playoff spots and are currently on the outside looking in. With a struggling defense and a goaltending tandem that leave a lot to be desired, the Islanders must feel a sense of urgency to make some changes in hopes they can fix their team enough to vault them into the playoffs. While making the playoffs is no guarantee they can extend Tavares, missing the playoffs certainly won’t help either.

Record

29-26-7, sixth in the Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$4,381,086 in deadline cap space
45/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2018: NYI 1st, CAL 1st, NYI 2nd, CAL 2nd, NYI 3rd, NYI 4th, NYI 5th, NYI 7th
2019: NYI 1st, CAL 2nd*, NYI 5th, NYI 6th, NYI 7th

*If the Flames miss the playoffs in 2018, the Islanders receive a 2019 second-round pick. If the Flames make the 2018 playoffs, then the Islanders get a 2020 second-round pick.

Trade Chips

Feb 13, 2018; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk (55) takes a shot during pregame warmups prior to the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY SportsWhile defense is a big weakness on this team, the biggest trade chip this team has are the picks they received from trading defenseman Travis Hamonic to the Calgary Flames in the offseason. The team has Calgary’s first and second-round picks and could dangle those assets along with their own picks and some of the Islanders young talent such as Joshua Ho-Sang or Anthony Beauvillier. The team could also consider moving some of their pending unrestricted free agents such as Thomas Hickey or Dennis Seidenberg, but would probably need a defenseman back before they weaken their defense even further. Jaroslav Halak’s expiring contract could be a piece in upgrading in goal.

Players to Watch: W Anthony Beauvillier; G Jaroslav Halak; W Joshua Ho-Sang; D Thomas Hickey; D Dennis Seidenberg

Team Needs

1) Defense

Desperate for defense, the team already unloaded a third-round pick to acquire defenseman Brandon Davidson, but the team has allowed the most goals in the NHL this season as they have allowed 223 goals this season. Injuries to defenseman like Johnny Boychuk and Calvin de Haan haven’t helped, but the team needs to solidify its defense if they want to make a playoff run. Don’t be surprised if the team tries to grab a quality defenseman to stabilize their blueline core.

2) Goaltending

While you can’t blame the goaltenders for everything as the defense doesn’t help out Halak or backup Thomas Greiss, the Islanders are desperately in need of a shakeup in the pipes. With Halak’s contract about to expire, could the team try to upgrade and bring in a Robin Lehner or an Aaron Dell in hopes that one of them might decrease the amount of goals that are getting past them?

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

How Flyers Can Deal With Injuries In Net

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Things have been going well for the Philadelphia Flyers. The team has won six of their past ten games and are firmly engaged in a battle for a Metropolitan Division playoff spot. However, the one shortcoming of the Flyers for years now has again reared its ugly head: goaltending. Philly’s goalies have performed well this season, with starter Brian Elliott holding 21 wins and backup Michal Neuvirth performing statistically even better as Elliott’s understudy. For the first time in years, goalie performance has not been a defining issue for the Flyers. However, Elliott is now out of the picture for the time being after suffering a core muscle injury earlier in the month which required surgery and could keep him sidelined through the end of March. Meanwhile, Neuvirth succumbed to a lower-body injury earlier today and had to leave the Flyers’ match-up with the rival New York Rangers. While young Alex Lyon performed admirably in relief, allowing only one goal en route to his first NHL win, the Flyers face a real possibility of being without their top two goalies for some time. So what do they do?

1) Stand Pat

It’s too early to know how long Neuvirth will be out, so the Flyers could let cooler heads prevail and wait to see what the prognosis is on his injury. If Neuvirth will simply miss a few games, the team could rely on Lyon and veteran journeyman Dustin Tokarski, acquired in October for this exact emergency situation, for the time being. Lyon, a former phenom at Yale University, has struggled in limited NHL action this season, but has been good for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms in each of the last two seasons. Now could be a good time to see what the 25-year-old brings to the table.

2) Acquire a stopgap

Perhaps if Lyon had more than three NHL appearances or Tokarski had more than 10 minutes of NHL action in the past two years, the Flyers would be willing to stick with this tandem, even if Neuvirth remains out for a week or two. Maybe if Anthony Stolarz, shut down for the season after knee surgery in September, was available they would be fine with waiting for Elliott and Neuvirth to return to health. However, the Flyers are in the middle of a playoff race and cannot afford to stick with such inexperienced options for more than a handful of games nor wait on injury timelines with the NHL Trade Deadline a week away. Instead, they could turn to the trade market and look for a short-term option. There isn’t much goalie talk on the rumor mill right now, other than the fact that the Flyers turned down a recent offer from the Detroit Red Wings of Petr Mrazek for a third-round pick. They could certainly revisit bringing in the impending restricted free agent for a tryout down the stretch. The team could also look at trading for San Jose Sharks backup Aaron Dell, who’s having a breakout year and comes with a cheap price tag for the remainder of the season. However, the Sharks are a fellow playoff-chaser and might be hesitant to move their backup unless they were getting another in return, either Neuvirth or Elliott. Other options could include Michael Hutchinson from the Winnipeg Jets (though they too have injury issues in net), Andrew Hammond from the Colorado Avalanche, or one of the many minor league keepers from Toronto or Calgary, if those teams are willing to deal.

3) Acquire a starter

Of course, the Flyers could also take this opportunity to bring in a starting-caliber goalie; one who could eliminate the worry of whether Elliott will be healthy by playoff time. Philadelphia could look at short-term starter, such as impending free agents Antti Raanta from Arizona or Robin Lehner (RFA) from Buffalo. However, more interestingly, they could also look for a long-term fit. Both Elliott and Neuvirth are only signed through next season. If they could send one or the other back in a trade, they could look to acquire a starter with term on his contract. That could be as easy as bringing in Lehner or Mrazek with the intention of extending them. Either one could do the job for a few years, bridging the gap to star prospect Carter Hart. It could also open the door to Detroit’s other goalie, Jimmy Howard, who could benefit from a change of scenery with one year left on his deal. The Vancouver Canucks could entertain moving Jacob Markstrom during a down year, though he may not be much of an upgrade over Philly’s current stable and is signed for two more seasons. One possible dark horse candidate would be Colorado starter Semyon Varlamov, who has been outplayed by backup Jonathan Bernier this season and is signed through 2018-19 at an expensive $5.9MM cap hit. For those of you thinking Carey Price though, think again.

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