Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman’s Anders Lindback experiment failed miserably. When Yzerman signed Lindback to a two year, $3.6 million contract in June 2012, he hoped the former backup to Pekka Rinne could become the number one man in net for the Bolts.
Given the chance to grab the number one job, Lindback floundered. After Tampa Bay acquired Ben Bishop at the trade deadline in 2013, the competition was on. Soon thereafter, Bishop seized the job and Lindback was relegated to backing him up. (Lindback and Gudlevskis Photos/Susan Ferlita)
While Lindback played very well at the end of the regular season after starter Ben Bishop (2.23 goals against average and .924 save percentage) went down with a dislocated elbow, he failed in the playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens. After going 3-0, with a 0.67 goals against average, a .975 save percentage and a shutout (earning him NHL First Star of the Week honors), the 6’6” Swede reverted back to his previous ineptness. In the four game sweep by the Canadiens, Lindback posted a 3.91 goals against average and a .881 save percentage. He played well in stretches, but his overall numbers are what they are.
Certainly his Game 4 meltdown was his last in a Lightning jersey. The Restricted Free Agent allowed three goals on 20 shots before coach Cooper pulled him 5:42 into the second period, right after he gave up a second soft goal. Many openly stated that Lindback was playing his way into a contract, but it seems he played his way out of town.
Ben Bishop’s injury, coupled with Lindback’s great week, set Jon Cooper and the Lightning up for disaster in the playoffs.
Bishop’s injury shows how important a backup that is capable of starting is to a team.
Bishop has ingrained himself as the starter in net for the Lightning. The Bolts need to go the free agent or trade route to find a capable backup, while Kristers Gudlevskis and the other Bolt prospect netminders develop.
Trade speculation is futile, thus, here is the list of upcoming Unrestricted Free Agent goalies:
| Player | Pos | Team | Age | Cap Hit | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brodeur, Martin » | G | NJD | 41 | $4,500,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Bryzgalov, Ilya » | G | MIN | 33 | $2,266,234 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Clemmensen, Scott » | G | FLA | 36 | $1,200,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Curry, John » | G | MIN | 30 | $550,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Danis, Yann » | G | PHI | 32 | $675,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Desjardins, Cedrick » | G | TBL | 28 | $650,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Dubnyk, Devan » | G | MTL | 27 | $3,500,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Elliott, Brian » | G | STL | 29 | $1,800,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Emery, Ray » | G | PHI | 31 | $1,650,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Giguere, Jean-Sebastien » | G | COL | 36 | $1,500,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Greiss, Thomas » | G | PHX | 28 | $750,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Gustavsson, Jonas » | G | DET | 29 | $1,500,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Halak, Jaroslav » | G | WAS | 28 | $3,750,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Hiller, Jonas » | G | ANA | 32 | $4,500,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Hutton, Carter » | G | NAS | 28 | $550,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Johnson, Chad » | G | BOS | 27 | $600,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Khabibulin, Nikolai » | G | CHI | 41 | $2,000,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Labarbera, Jason » | G | CHI | 34 | $1,000,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Lawson, Nathan » | G | OTT | 30 | $650,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Leggio, David » | G | WAS | 29 | $550,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Leneveu, David » | G | NYR | 30 | $550,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| MacDonald, Joey » | G | CGY | 34 | $925,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| MacIntyre, Drew » | G | TOR | 30 | $600,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| McElhinney, Curtis » | G | CLB | 30 | $600,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| McKenna, Mike » | G | CLB | 31 | $595,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Miller, Ryan » | G | STL | 33 | $6,250,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Montoya, Al » | G | WPG | 29 | $601,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Murphy, Mike » | G | CAR | 25 | $550,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Nabokov, Evgeni » | G | NYI | 38 | $3,250,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Nilstorp, Cristopher » | G | DAL | 30 | $725,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Peters, Justin » | G | CAR | 27 | $537,500 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Reiter, Ken » | G | NYI | 27 | $550,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Thomas, Tim » | G | DAL | 40 | $3,750,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
| Vokoun, Tomas » | G | PIT | 37 | $2,000,000 | 2014 (UFA) |
Based on salary, availability, statistics and fit. the three most interesting candidates for the Bolts are Thomas Greiss (PHX), Al Montoya (WPG) and Justin Peters (CAR).
28 year old Thomas Greiss saw 25 games of action and recorded a 2.25 goals against average, a .920 save percentage and two shutouts this season with the Coyotes. Of the 66 goaltenders that have played 60 games or more since 2009-10, Greiss ranks 15th in save percentage with a .917. It looks like it will take $2 million per year to bring him to Tampa Bay.
Al Montoya, 28, had almost identical numbers as Greiss, playing in 28 games with a 2.30 goals against average, a .920 save percentage and two shutouts with Winnipeg. He’s a journeyman who has had five contracts in six seasons. Montoya will garner offers of up to $2 million per year.
Justin Peters was in the Carolina net a career high 21 times and had a 2.50 goals against average, a .919 save percentage and a shutout. The 27 year old Canadian has more upside than Greiss or Montoya and may be more difficult to tear him away from the Hurricanes or any other team that shows interest. He’s an excellent backup in the prime of his career. The Bolts will need to offer him around $1.3 million per season to get him in a Lightning jersey.
Bringing in a capable backup goalie is a huge priority for the Lightning in the offseason.
What are your thoughts puckheads?
Feature Box Photo/slidingsideways)
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