Over the next day or two, I’m going to take a look at the offseason situation for the three positions - who’s under contract, who’s a free agent and who is out there on the free agent market. I’m not going to even try to predict what will happen this summer; even Francois Giguere has said that much of what happens will depend on the decisions of Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg. But, it’s good to at least know what sort of options are out there.
The goalie position is pretty cut and dry right now. Peter Budaj is the only player under contract, at a bargain price of $800,000 ($700,000 is the cap hit). Jose Theodore is an unrestricted free agent. Tyler Weiman and Michael Wall are both free agents as well. I don’t know the status of Jason Bacashihua, but suspect he may be a free agent too. The latter three, at best, are candidates to be a back up but would more likely be organizational depth if they return.
The question here is whether or not the Avalanche re-sign Theodore. The free agency market is rather slim when it comes to goalies. Theodore is probably the biggest name on the market, which means two things for the Avalanche. One, it should drive up his market value, perhaps pricing him right out of Denver. And two, if he does leave, it means there’s not a lot of other starting-caliber goalies out there. Cristobel Huet is one option in the UFA market, but after that you’re talking about guys with some scattered success like Johan Holmqvist, Alex Auld or Ty Conklin. Denver native John Grahame is an interesting name as well, but really beyond Theodore and Huet we’re probably not talking about guys who would be an upgrade to Budaj. There are likely to be other options on the trade market - Dwayne Roloson, Ray Emery - but I’m not sure that Roloson’s 38-year-old body or Emery’s 8-year-old mentality will be of much help in Denver.
Last summer we were heading into the season fully expecting to have Peter Budaj at the helm with Theodore as a backup, and many of us - myself included - were comfortable with that scenario. If Theodore leaves - a very real possibility - are we still comfortable with Budaj? Is Budaj capable of being a regular starter in the NHL? I’m starting to think that - barring a blockbuster trade - we’re going to find out the answer.
Bacashihua signed his QO last offseason, so he’s a free agent of some sort this offseason. I’m guessing unrestricted. He should be brought back imo, and given a hard look.
How much do you folks think Theo could be had for this offseason? I don’t think I’d want to pay more than 3 million a year for him…
I don’t think Washington is going to let Huet walk without a fight. I see him as the bridge between the Kolzig era and a couple of young goalies still in the system. Huet/Johnson next year isn’t a bad tandem in front of a much-improved Caps team.
Emery could be a steal as he has all the tools to be a top-flight NHL goalie, but he has also shown all the tools of a convicted team-killer. It’s one thing to be an eccentric goalie, it’s another to have your teammates question your work-ethic and desire to play professional hockey.
Avoid Roloson like the plague. He lost his job to Garon for crying out loud…
3 seems too low.
Martin Gerber makes $3.7, Martin Biron makes $3.5. Toskala and Bryzgalov will both make $4 million this year and Manny Fernandez will be making $4.75.
I personally think he’ll in the 4 to 5 million range. Brodeur makes $5.2 and Nabakov $5.5 and I think he should be below those. Then again, Vokoun is averaging $5.5, so perhaps if there’s enough of a bidding war, Theo can creep into the mid-5’s (which I think would certainly price him out of Denver).
I agree, Mike, that Huet is probably staying put. Unless, of course, Washington decides to go after Theodore…
problem is that every one of those goalies you listed has a) better numbers b) been more consistent for the last 3 years. Take Gerber:
05-06: .906 2.78
06-07: .906 2.78
07-08: .910 2.72
or Biron:
05-06: .905 2.88
06-07: .903 3.03
07-08: .918 2.59
vs. Theodore:
05-06: .882 3.40
06-07: .891 3.26
07-08: .910 2.44
I mean, at some level goalies HAVE to be judged on their stats, and Theo’s are terrible. Even his one good year, this past one, his save percentage is pretty nondescript and the low GAA is suspect due to the Q enforced Avs style.
I say 3 per year is pretty fair, especially considering what the organization has done for him the last 3 years, overpaying and still keeping faith.
Theo owes this team and his stats have sucked. He better be thinking of coming back at much less than he made the last two years.
Sauer’s stinker in the Frozen Four puts the Avs in a less than enviable position. There was probably some hope that Sauer would be the man in three years, now the Avs might need more depth at goalie and a three year pro contract might not do it. I’m comfortable with Budaj being the regular starter. However, the Avs need to make a deal for the next prodigy because we don’t have one at the moment.
The real savy deal at this point with Theo would be to implement a sign and trade prior to the free agent deadline if FG could swing it.
Theo and his agent have to know that this could be his final contract so I suspect they go the free agency route and he’s gone to the highest bidder.
If the Avs re-sign Theo, I agree that it will be between 4 and 5 million bucks. He won’t deserve more than 3 but he’ll get more than that. IF he signs with the Avs. You have to think that his January-April resurgence will drive up his value and his second round collapse will encourage him to leave Colorado.
As for Budaj, apart from the atrocious game 4 against Detroit (but really, the whole team had mailed that one in), he didn’t make me worry one bit all season. He’s still solid, as far as I’m concerned—whatever that’s worth. And he’s still young and still doesn’t have a full season as the number 1. Aside from The Streak and a brief stint early this season, he’s still never had the opportunity to anchor the team. I think he should get it.
But, if Theodore comes back, he should be the starter. His performance since January warrants that.
[...] looked at the goalies, and here’s a peak at the [...]
Eh. I think with Theo the most important factor is years. I wouldn’t sign him for more than 2, and if he does well next season negotiate an extension.
I have to admit, as well as he played down the stretch, there’s a big part of me that would just prefer to go in a different direction. As well as he turned out, it took a long time to get there and I’d be loathe to revisit the bad times again
Sign Theo for 2yrs at 6mil (3mil each year) with some kind of bonus if he remains #1 and/or takes us into the playoffs; if deals like that are still possible.
If Theo won’t deal than we let him go and give Budaj the helm…let Bacashua, Wieman and Wall battle it out for backup.
I agree with Americanario 100%. 2 years, $6mil total, throw in some hefty performance-based bonuses. I would say make those bonuses pretty big, like an extra $500k if he gets 30 wins, and another $1mil if he gets to the playoffs. I mean, if he does play that well, then it’s fully worth paying that extra cash, but if he doesn’t, then he won’t get any. It’s a very good idea.
If Theo is willing to return (which would probably mean that Idiot has to go), the Avs will have to re-sign him. They have no other choice. He’s the best goalie available, and the second best, Huet, is not going anywhere. None of the other guys available is by any stretch a starter.
If the Avs were to go with Budaj, that would be an immediate concession that this will be a rebuilding year. I’d imagine that Sakic, Forsberg, Foote and Brunette would leave if Theo weren’t re-signed, as I doubt any of them are willing to sit through a rebuilding process at this stage in their career.
So, Sakic fans, you better pray Theo is ok with returning, and that FG gives him whatever it takes to keep him. Otherwise, I can’t imagine he’d stay.
My two proposed changes to goaltending for next year:
1) Get rid of Coach Q
2) Keep Jeff Hackett at all costs.
When I saw Hackett was signed as our goaltending coach I thought we were doomed. I didn’t think much of him as a goalie, but he was an incredible asset this year as a coach. I don’t believe Theo is the answer (I’d rather have Huet) and I wouldn’t mind giving Budaj a chance as a starter - he’s earned it. If they keep Budaj and Theo, they really should give Peter a chance with another team (he’s young, low cap number, and arguably the best backup in the league - in other words he’s an incredible trade asset).
I trust Hackett and his abilities, while I can’t see coach Q ever having an elite goaltender at any stop in the NHL. His handling of netminders in St Louis was a disaster and it’s spilled over into his stint with the Avs as well.
Budaj was already given his chance, and he failed. That’s why Theo was able to take the job from him. He failed when he was given the starting role, and he failed again in his backup role. Budaj is nothing more than a filler. I like the guy (a lot more than Theodore), but he’s not an NHL starter. Theodore quite clearly is.
Budaj is also 26 years old, so the idea that he’s still got time to develop is wishful thinking. He is what he is - a mediocre NHL backup.
Funny, I can remember Theodore failing when HE was given the starting role, and then failing in his backup role…
Theodore was never given the starting job until Jan of this season. Once it was given to him, he never lost it and he was very successful.
I seem to recall Theo failing for 2 and a half years
Budaj actually had a better win % than Theo this year (16-10 vs. Theo’s 28-21). I thought it was pretty evident that Theo was pushed into the starting role rather than he earned it. Either Q or Giguere was determined to make Theo the starter. I guess we’ll find out the culprit in free agency.