Greetings!
Well with the Chicago Blackhawks being crowned the Stanley Cup champions, the off-season has officially begun and it is sure to be a doozy.
While I have been away from blogging for quite some time, I have always had my eyes on the hockey news. The biggest, most important subject up for discussion has been the debate of who will play between the pipes in Edmonton next season.
I tend not to put much thought into fan postings and God awful Facebook groups like “Hockey Trade Rumours”, and tend to focus my attention to columns from the likes of Bob McKenzie and Elliotte Friedman.
Well, the more and more it seems as if the Oilers are more interested in Cam Talbot and Robin Lehner then they are interested in Craig Anderson and Antti Niemi.
While I find it to be a risky choice to acquire an unproven goaltender once again, it seems that is the way Pete Chiarelli has been leaning towards going according to the said columnists I trust.
Instead of arguing my case for Craig Anderson once again, I decided to look into the market value to acquire such a goaltender. And for everyone’s sake, I believe I found reasonable comparables to the unproven Talbot and Lehner.
COMPARABLES
Anders Lindback was a nobody who played decent in the finnish leagues before singing an NHL contract prior to the 2010-11 NHL season. Lindback used his big size to win the backup job to Pekka Rinne for the Predators.
When Pekka Rinne went down early in the season, it was Anders Lindback who stepped up and carried the team on his back, eventually ensuring they would make the playoffs.
Lindback posted an 11-5-2 record to go along with a 2.60 GAA, .915 SV% and two shutouts.
The following season Lindback found himself, much like Cam Talbot now, behind a bonafide workhorse starter and only found himself play 16 games posting a 5-8-0 record and 2.42 GAA, and a .912 SV%.
The Tampa Bay Lightning were looking to bolster their goaltending and Steve Yzerman decided to take a chance and acquire the unproven Lindback.
The Lightning swapped pending unrestricted AHL goalie Sebastien Caron along with two 2nd round draft picks (37th + 50th) in 2012 and a 3rd round pick in 2013 (64th) to acquire Lindback, AHL centre Kyle Wilson and a 7th round pick in 2012.
Lindback never became a bonafide starter, which prompted Steve Yzerman to acquire Ben Bishop. Lindback’s ghastly playoff performance against the Habs is what bought his ticket out of town, and his performance as Kari Lehtonen’s backup in Dallas this season looked like he would have to seek employment out of the NHL. However, an impressive stint at the end of the season with Buffalo gave him hope.
Lindback represents the negative.
BOBROVSKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, yes, yes, you all read the headline in Jay Onrait’s voice didn’t you????
Prior to becoming the bonafide All-Star, Vezina winner and number one goaltender he is today, Sergei Bobrovsky was a calculated unproven goaltender that (who knows what his position is these days) Scott Howson took that actually paid off.
Bobrovsky stormed onto the scene as a KHL import and due to injuries to Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton, Bobrovsky ended up being the starting goaltender out of the blue.
Bobrovsky played in 54 games, winning 28 of them to go along with a respectable but unspectacular 2.59 GAA and .915 SV%.
The following season, the Flyers spent insane money to bring in Ilya Bryzgalov, and pushed Bobrovsky to the backup role. Neither goalie played well at all, and Bobrovsky’s numbers tumbled to 3.02 and .898.
Nonetheless, the Columbus Blue Jackets, who previously employed Curtis Sanford as their starting goaltender, dealt a 2nd round pick (45th) in the 2012 draft and two 4th round picks from the 2012 (117th) and 2013 drafts (103rd).
Bobrovsky represents a best-case scenario.
Duh!
WHAT WILL IT TAKE?
I read an absurd report that stated it was fair for the Oilers to give the 16th overall pick for Talbot. Noooooooo. No No No No!
This is a deal that may have happened under the Kevin Lowe/Craig MacTavish tandem, but my faith in Chiarelli is higher. Remember, this is the guy who traded Raycroft for Rask. Just saying.
The Oiler’s 33rd overall pick is very much in play, and I believe that pick along with maybe a 3rd or 4th or B-level prospect will get it done.
CONCLUSION
If Cam Talbot or Robin Lehner is the guy the Oilers are seeking, then I can see them making an easy deal. The reason Talbot is the most likely to wear Orange and Blue next year is the fact that his contract well shed cap space that the Rangers need, meaning draft picks and un-contracted players are more valuable and the Oilers have that in spades.
Bryan Murray said he wants a high pick and a young player for one of his goalies. Sorry, but I wouldn’t deal Anton Lander and 33rd for Lehner. Maybe Anderson….I said I wasn’t going to do that.
I’m predicting the Oilers will deal Tyler Vesel and the 33rd overall pick to solidify the goaltending under Cam Talbot.
Now we wait to see if we have a Bobrovsky, or a Lindback….
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