clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

This Week Is A Really Good Week To Find A Goaltender

With clubs readying their expansion selections, now’s the time where the Oilers could slip under the radar and grab a goalie.

By Jeff Chapman
Pittsburgh Penguins v Philadelphia Flyers Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images

Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen patrolled the nets for the Oilers in the abbreviated 2021 season. There’s a good chance that one of those names (perhaps both?) might not be in Edmonton come next season.

Clubs are busy preparing for the expansion draft, and they’re doing their best to get their rosters just perfect. Some teams will have multiple goaltenders that are eligible to be selected by Seattle next week on their roster. Instead of running the risk of letting a player be selected and receive no compensation in return, a club might opt to make a deal for something.

Here’s a short list of some goaltenders that the Oilers might be able to snag for a song: (all numbers 2021 season). Each one of these goaltenders are likely to be exposed in the expansion draft coming up next week, and one of them could be picked up by the Seattle Kraken with zero compensation in return.

  • ADIN HILL (Arizona, 9-9-1, .913 SV% / 2.74 GAA / 2 SO, 800K x 1)

Adin Hill played in just nineteen games this past season and has just 49 career games to his resume but could be an inexpensive pickup with Darcy Kuemper the likely protected goaltender in Arizona. Hill’s numbers get better every year, he might be in line for 25 or 30 starts in 2021-22. At just 800K for the 2021-22 season, it might be worth a look.

  • WHICHEVER GOALTENDER ISN’T PROTECTED BY THE DALLAS STARS

Seriously, hear me out. Ben Bishop is in line to be protected by the Dallas Stars due to his NMC. There’s a better than slight chance that he’s bought out this week, which would make Anton Khudobin the protected goaltender. Bishop, 34, put up a lovely .920 SV% in 2019-20, but missed the entire abbreviated season due to a torn meniscus. Anton Khudobin, 35, carries a cap hit of 3.33MM for two more years, he regressed a bit and put up a modest .905 SV% in 32 games played. It’s a fair bet that Khudobin bounces back in 2021-22 after 2 +.920 seasons in Dallas.

  • CAM TALBOT (Minnesota, 19-8-5, .915 SV% / 2.63 GAA / 2 SO, 3.667MM x 2)

The Wild might end up protecting the newly turned 34 year old Cam Talbot over Kappo Kahkonen, but the Oilers could do a lot worse than return to the goaltender that helped get them into the playoffs in 2016-17. Talbot has two years remaining on his deal, he’s worth a look if the Wild aren’t going to protect him.

  • JAKE ALLEN (Montréal, 11-12-5, .907 SV% / 2.68 GAA / 4.35MM x 1)

Allen had a great start to the season, his numbers regressed quite a bit as the year dragged on. Allen’s numbers weren’t spectacular and his cap hit is a little heavy to absorb if you’re looking for a goalie that’s not a number one. I’ve got a feeling that he ends up in Seattle next week.

WHICHEVER GOALTENDER ISN’T PROTECTED BY THE PENGUIINS

Former Oil King Tristian Jarry (25-9-3, .909 SV% / 2.75 GAA / 2 SO, 3.5MM) will probably be protected in Pittsburgh, which would leave Casey DeSmith (11-7-2, .912 SV% / 2.54 GAA / 2 SO) off the protected list. DeSmith has just 70 games played at age 29 but put up decent numbers in 20 games this past season, he comes with a cap hit of just 1.25MM for a year.

It’s unclear what Edmonton’s goaltending situation will look like in 2021-22 just yet. Acquiring a goaltender that would potentially be left off a club’s expansion list could be a less expensive way of helping get the net in order before free agency hits in two weeks.