The Edmonton Oilers traded for Cam Talbot last summer at the NHL draft and labelled him as the starter moving forward. After a tough start to his career in Edmonton, Talbot settled in nicely and clearly won the job moving forward. The Oilers showed faith in their netminder, signing him to an extension mid-season.
The Oilers elected to give prospect Laurent Brossoit an extended look as the team’s backup netminder after the NHL Trade Deadline, but Brossoit simply was not ready. Brossoit was signed to a two-year extension on deadline day, and he has one more year of being exempt from waivers, meaning Edmonton can assign him to the AHL with no risk next season.
The Oilers, it appears, will be looking for a veteran netminder this summer to buy Brossoit time to develop further in Bakersfield. This week, we will look at some options to fill that hole. Our look starts in Buffalo with pending UFA Chad Johnson.
Why Is He Out There?:
Chad Johnson took on a tough job this season and did a very admirable job. The Sabres were arguably the most improved team in hockey this season, but still were young and made many mistakes. The team pegged Johnson as it’s backup, but an early season injury changed things.
Johnson played in 45 games this past season and posted a 22-16-4 record with a 2.36 GAA and .920 SV%. That’s a very solid season for the 29 year old. Problem is, the Sabres gave up multiple assets for Robin Lehner last summer and he is seen as the starter moving forward.
On top of that, Buffalo has prospect Linus Ullmark pushing for an NHL job. As Buffalo looks for veteran improvements on defense, they might look to cut some costs by letting Johnson walk. He’s rumored to be looking for a bigger role and more money. Buffalo might not be willing to budge on either item.
What Does He Do Well?:
Goaltenders are extremely hard to predict/scout, so here is Johnson’s scouting report via The Hockey News:
Assets: Has a good frame for the goaltending position at the National Hockey League level. Is capable of dominating at lower levels. Is also capable of coming into games cold, which adds value as a backup. Flaws: Could stand to fill out his 6-3 frame even more to add more stamina for the National Hockey League level. Also needs more consistency in his game. Might not be good enough to be more than a backup. Career Potential: Solid backup goaltender.
Johnson has had solid seasons in the NHL as of late. His .920 SV% in 45 games was his best season in the NHL, and he did it behind a porous Buffalo defense. Johnson also posted a .925 SV% in Boston back in 2013-14, and was solid for Arizona (.954 in four appearances) in 2012-13.
He’s only been around the NHL for three full seasons, but two of those were very solid. His lone poor season was 2014-15, when he posted a .889 SV% in New York with the Islanders in 19 games.
Johnson is a solid veteran backup netminder who is used to the role mentally and knows how to handle himself in less than ideal situations.
Where Would He Play / Where Should He Play?:
If Chad Johnson signed in Edmonton, he would clearly be the backup to Cam Talbot going into next season. I’d say he can expect roughly between 25-30 starts as well. It’s a step back from his workload of a year ago, but it’s a hefty load for a backup in today’s NHL.
Johnson played 45, as mentioned, games last year and 27 games in 2013-14, so this would be a role he is comfortable with and can handle.
What Will He Cost?:
Chad Johnson is coming off of a deal that paid him $1,300,000 annually per season. It’s safe to say that he will be looking for a raise after his breakout season in 2015-16. That said, Johnson’s market will be limited so his contract shouldn’t be too outrageous.
I’d think an offer at one year and around $1,800,000 would get the job done with this player.
Closing Argument:
There is no doubt that Peter Chiarelli will be looking for a goalie again this summer. The good news is that he won’t need a starter, as Cam Talbot has taken that job and ran with it. However, as we saw from January on, having a reliable backup netminder is a big deal. We saw Anders Nilsson and Laurent Brossoit cost the Oilers points by playing less than stellar hockey.
If Edmonton is going to make another jump in terms of points next season, they will need a solid goaltender behind Talbot. While Chad Johnson might cost a little more than they would like, he’d be a very solid veteran option for the club. The goaltender has proven he can handle the role and played on a similar team last season.
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