Tuukka or not Tuukka. That is that question

RedOctober3829

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To the bolded, there aren't really any vet goalies worth anything on the UFA market. Grubauer, Ulmark and Rask are the best players out there and I'd be absolutely shocked if the Bruins signed the former 2 for premium prices. The UFA goalie market is guys like Mrazek, Mike Smith, James Reimer, Freddie Anderson and Dave Rittich. No one that is going to command big money and many of them are young enough that they may consider a 1 year deal at short money to try to claim the net in front of a strong defensive team and hit the market in better economic times one year closer to a fluid cap.

I'm convinced that is their plan. Sign one of those guys and Rask to short money, pair the vet with Swayman and see what happens.
Do you really think they are going to carry 3 goalies once Rask is healthy enough to play? Who is signing here knowing that Rask is signed and going to play in the 2nd half of the year?
 

kenneycb

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Vladar would have to pass through waivers and would likely get scooped up. There's something that's gonna have to shake out.
 

burstnbloom

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Do you really think they are going to carry 3 goalies once Rask is healthy enough to play? Who is signing here knowing that Rask is signed and going to play in the 2nd half of the year?
All a vet goalie has to do to convince themselves to sign here is that they can beat out a 22 yo kid with 10 games of experience. None of the guys on the FA market are guaranteed a shot anywhere in the NHL. I'd bet $100 that they sign a vet goalie.
 

Haunted

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Swayman also hadn't played in a game in about a month either. To expect him to step on the ice into a high level game like that and perform to that level is a tough ask.
It's an incredibly tough ask, but again. Tuukka was so injured he couldn't practice, had trouble walking, requires surgery pretty much immediately, and his results were awful.
 

Haunted

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Vladar would have to pass through waivers and would likely get scooped up. There's something that's gonna have to shake out.
This is a big thing too. I'd love to see them find a vet willing to take the chance at being cut, and then effectively let Swayman and unnamed vet duke it out for the starting job. If Swayman wins, great. If unnamed vet wins, Swaymen starts in Providence.
 

RedOctober3829

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Highly doubt that. There are only replacement level goaltenders on the UFA market.
Yes I know that, but Rask is not going to be ready to start the season so I go back to this: who is going to sign here knowing if they make the team that they're out of a job come mid-season? I don't think you can both sign a vet UFA and also sign Rask. If you want to bring back Rask, the net is going to have to be split between Swayman and Vladar and then one goes to Providence when Rask is ready.
 

burstnbloom

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Yes I know that, but Rask is not going to be ready to start the season so I go back to this: who is going to sign here knowing if they make the team that they're out of a job come mid-season? I don't think you can both sign a vet UFA and also sign Rask. If you want to bring back Rask, the net is going to have to be split between Swayman and Vladar and then one goes to Providence when Rask is ready.

I understand your point conceptually but I think you overestimate the opportunity for some of these guys to find work. Right now the situations where there are not already 2 veteran or emerging prospect goalies are not as plentiful as you would believe.

Colorado, Carolina (Nedeljkovic is an RFA) and maybe Toronto (Campbell and cap make it less likely) will be looking for a starting caliber goalie. Seattle will as well. The only guys on the market that fit that bill are Grubauer, Ullmark, Rask (when healthy) and maybe Dreidger. Dreidger is rumored to be heading to Seattle. I see the rest of the spots as follows:

Calgary - backup to Markstom

Toronto - backup to Campbell

Colorado - backup to whoever they sign

Sharks - backup to jones/tandem

Carolina - tandem with Ned

Detroit - backup for Greiss

Nashville - backup to Saros

NJD - backup to Blackwood

Flyers - backup to HArt.


That's 9 spots. Holtby, Khudobin, and one of the CBJ goalies are all rumored to be available due to roster crunch or cap issues. So let's assume that leaves 6 open slots in the NHL. The vet goalie UFA market has these names in it:

Tuukka
Anderson
Rinne
Dubnyk
Raanta
Reimer
Grubauer
Mrazek
Bernier
Rittich
Hutton
Ullmark
Halak
Elliot
Lundqvist (maybe? hopefully?)
Mike Smith
Dreidger


There simply are not enough slots for all of these guys to turn down a $1.5 mil payday, even if it means they might lose their job in February. That doesn't even account for the teams that don't see much of a difference between a guy like Brian Eilliot and and Alex Lyon/Scott Wedgewood type and opt to spend $750k instead of $1.5mil. I think you could EASILY entice a Raanta type with a 1 year $3m contract and promise them they can compete with Swaymen to be in the tandem when Rask gets back given the dearth of jobs in the NHL marketplace for these guys. Their other option is to play in Europe for less money.
 

RIFan

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Yes I know that, but Rask is not going to be ready to start the season so I go back to this: who is going to sign here knowing if they make the team that they're out of a job come mid-season? I don't think you can both sign a vet UFA and also sign Rask. If you want to bring back Rask, the net is going to have to be split between Swayman and Vladar and then one goes to Providence when Rask is ready.
Any goalie who's first concern is getting cut mid season is not a guy you want anyway. I think the opportunity to work with Goalie Bob, be on a winning team with decent team defense, and potentially get 10-15 starts is not a bad opportunity for a goalie who figures he just needs a chance to prove his worth. I can't imagine any of those guys believe they are just a journeyman and want to settle to compete in camp for a backup position. Worst case is it's a chance to put up a few stats and position yourself for a better opportunity either at the trade deadline or in the offseason. Best case (and what I'd want a guy coming in to think) is that they feel they can seize the job and don't let it go.
 

jk333

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What are the chances these veteran journeymen goalies are any good?

Rask’s injury is the perfect chance to get a look at both Vladar and Swayman to start the year. Then, if Vladar is great or both are great Swayman can go down to Providence. But if Swayman is great, you can waive or trade Vladar.

This seems like a great chance to get a preview of the future goalie while also having a veteran (Rask) ready to supplement when one or both young goalies inevitably play poorly.

This is contingent on a 1 year deal for reasonable money for Rask.
 

RIFan

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They still need a vet for depth. If Swayman and Vladar are lights out in camp, they only have Keyser in Providence. It is roster malpractice if they go into camp with 3 goalies with a combined 16 games of NHL experience.
 

burstnbloom

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What are the chances these veteran journeymen goalies are any good?

Rask’s injury is the perfect chance to get a look at both Vladar and Swayman to start the year. Then, if Vladar is great or both are great Swayman can go down to Providence. But if Swayman is great, you can waive or trade Vladar.

This seems like a great chance to get a preview of the future goalie while also having a veteran (Rask) ready to supplement when one or both young goalies inevitably play poorly.

This is contingent on a 1 year deal for reasonable money for Rask.
RIFan already answered, but this team can't go into the season with no depth behind Vladar. They absolutely need another goaltender. That list of goalies it not particularly inspiring so they probably won't be all that good. This team really doesn't need a great goaltender to win in the regular season. They play very good defense and limit high danger chances. They just need someone who isn't going to be way worse than league average and get them buried on the nights Swayman doesn't play or turns out to not be ready. They basically need a league average body to take the next for half of the first 40 games or so and see how things shake out.
 

Ferm Sheller

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They still need a vet for depth. If Swayman and Vladar are lights out in camp, they only have Keyser in Providence. It is roster malpractice if they go into camp with 3 goalies with a combined 16 games of NHL experience.
Very likely Booth, as well. Don't see the Kraken taking a Bruins goalie.
 

RedOctober3829

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I understand your point conceptually but I think you overestimate the opportunity for some of these guys to find work. Right now the situations where there are not already 2 veteran or emerging prospect goalies are not as plentiful as you would believe.

Colorado, Carolina (Nedeljkovic is an RFA) and maybe Toronto (Campbell and cap make it less likely) will be looking for a starting caliber goalie. Seattle will as well. The only guys on the market that fit that bill are Grubauer, Ullmark, Rask (when healthy) and maybe Dreidger. Dreidger is rumored to be heading to Seattle. I see the rest of the spots as follows:

Calgary - backup to Markstom

Toronto - backup to Campbell

Colorado - backup to whoever they sign

Sharks - backup to jones/tandem

Carolina - tandem with Ned

Detroit - backup for Greiss

Nashville - backup to Saros

NJD - backup to Blackwood

Flyers - backup to HArt.


That's 9 spots. Holtby, Khudobin, and one of the CBJ goalies are all rumored to be available due to roster crunch or cap issues. So let's assume that leaves 6 open slots in the NHL. The vet goalie UFA market has these names in it:

Tuukka
Anderson
Rinne
Dubnyk
Raanta
Reimer
Grubauer
Mrazek
Bernier
Rittich
Hutton
Ullmark
Halak
Elliot
Lundqvist (maybe? hopefully?)
Mike Smith
Dreidger


There simply are not enough slots for all of these guys to turn down a $1.5 mil payday, even if it means they might lose their job in February. That doesn't even account for the teams that don't see much of a difference between a guy like Brian Eilliot and and Alex Lyon/Scott Wedgewood type and opt to spend $750k instead of $1.5mil. I think you could EASILY entice a Raanta type with a 1 year $3m contract and promise them they can compete with Swaymen to be in the tandem when Rask gets back given the dearth of jobs in the NHL marketplace for these guys. Their other option is to play in Europe for less money.
You’re probably right. I think the big positive in signing Rask is the LTIR space.