NHL Trade Scenarios: Niittymaki, Harding and the 10 Best Available Goaltenders

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On my power rankings for this week, a Blackhawks fan named Steve Nash* expressed concern regarding Chicago’s goaltending.

There were multiple responses to his inquiry and I thought it would be apropos to speculate about goaltender transactions right now, especially with a few contenders needing goaltenders and multiple netminders available.

The following are the 10 best available goalies.

UFA indicates unrestricted free agent. RFA indicates a restricted free agent.

All contracts courtesy of CapGeek.com

 

*Probably not the basketball player.

10. Tuukka Rask

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Contract: $1.25 million; RFA

Any team would love to have this guy.

He has starting experience: in 2009-10, he went 22-12-5 in 45 games.

He’s tall: 6’3”, 169 pounds.

He’s playing well: .938 save percentage and 1.82 goals-against average.

Rask, 24, is a restricted free agent next year; however, the B’s are likely to keep this young goaltender to replace 37-year-old Tim Thomas when his playing days are through.

9. Corey Schneider

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Contract: $900,000; RFA

With Roberto Luongo locked up (12-year, $64 million contract), it’s doubtful that the Canucks will turn to Corey Schneider, 25, as their full-time starter—although nothing is certain with Luongo and Vancouver.

Like Rask in Boston, Schneider may be tough to get because Luongo, 32, is getting older and is always under fire in British Columbia, and the team may want a less expensive option to turn to if things go awry with Luongo.

Additionally, Vancouver does not have any glaring needs—meaning they are not desperate to make a trade.

However, if a team could get their hands on Schneider, they would be set at goaltender for years to come.

8. Steve Mason

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Contract: $1.39 million; RFA

Twenty-three-year-old Steve Mason was once considered an up-and-coming goaltender when he led the Blue Jackets to the franchise’s first-ever playoff appearance as a rookie in 2008-09.

He’s slumped since, however, finishing the 2009-10 and 2010-11 campaigns with a .901 save percentage both years and 3.06 and 3.03 goals-against averages, respectively.

Mason has struggled this year; he’s 5-18-2 with a .882 save percentage and 3.43 goals-against average.

A franchise with a solidified roster, however, may turn him into the player he once was.

It’s doubtful that Columbus will let him go, despite their financial troubles, or that a team interested in a goalie will receive a practical asking price.

7. Carey Price

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Contract: $2.75 million; RFA

Like Roberto Luongo in Vancouver, Carey Price plays in a large hockey market and has been the brunt of his fair share of criticism throughout the years.

Price, 24, has put up good numbers in Montreal. He’s 114-93-0-32 in five years with the Habs and has a career .916 save percentage and 2.57 goals-against average.

He was chased out of the net during the 2009-10 playoffs, however, and there’s some question as to whether he can handle the pressure of playing goaltender for a premier franchise in the NHL.

The Canadiens are not in financial trouble, but they have myriad holes to fill and could move Price if given the right offer.

6. Jonathan Bernier

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Contract: $1.25 million; RFA

Jonathan Quick looks like the guy in L.A., meaning that 23-year-old Jonathan Bernier, who played 25 games last season for the Kings, could be moved.

While the Kings would love to have the one-two punch the have now with the Jonathans, they are an underachieving team that could use some offensive firepower up front.

The former first-round pick (2006) has struggled in his nine appearances this season (3-4-1, .895 save percentage, 2.73 goals-against average), which is concerning because he plays on a team with a strong defensive system.

While his asking price is low, a team looking to take a risk may benefit from adding a netminder with the experience and credentials Bernier has.

5. Anders Lindback

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Contract: $875,000; RFA

With Pekka Rinne locked up in Nashville (seven years, $49 million) and a history of developing great goaltenders (Tomas Vokoun, Dan Ellis, Chris Mason, etc.), the team may be willing to move Anders Lindback, 23, to get some scoring.

Lindback has Rinne’s build (6’6”, 203 pounds) and exposure (31 games played).

Teams near the salary cap would not have to break the bank to pick up Lindback for some goaltending help down the stretch.

4. Dan Ellis

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Contract: $1.5 million; UFA

On the subject of former Nashville goaltenders…

Dan Ellis.

The Dallas draft pick was moved to Nashville in 2007-08 after only one game played—in 2003-04.

That year, Ellis lit it up for the Preds, going 23-10-3 with a .924 save percentage and 2.34 goals-against average.

His production slipped after that and he was shipped to the Lightning in 2010-11 and later flipped to the Ducks that season.

Ellis’ record is poor this year (1-5-0 in 10 appearances), but his stats (.911 save percentage, 2.72 goals-against average) tell another story.

The only thing going against Ellis is his age, 31, but a team may be willing to take a risk on a netminder that has played in over 150 career games.

3. Peter Budaj

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Contract: $1.15 million for two years; UFA

At one point in his career Peter Budaj, 29, was the starting goaltender for the Colorado Avalanche.

He played 57 games in the 2006-07 season and 56 in the 2008-09 campaign and was, well, average (career totals: .902 save percentage, 2.82 goals-against average).

Right now he’s the backup for Carey Price in Montreal.

A team looking to acquire Budaj would have to pay him $1.15 million next year, a reasonable price, and they know that they would be getting a netminder with almost 250 games under his belt.

For some teams, it would be worth the risk.

2. Josh Harding

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Contract: $750,000; UFA

This Wild may consider keeping Josh Harding as the goaltender of the future, but current starter Niklas Backstrom is not as old as his age, 33, indicates.

Backstrom was a late bloomer who is only in his sixth NHL season, and his production has not declined this season. His .921 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average this season are better than his career highs of .918 percent and 2.42.

Furthermore, Harding will demand more return than he would have at any other time in his career. He has played 21 games this season, eight shy of his career high in a season.

1. Antero Niittymaki

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Contract: $2 million; UFA

Sharks GM Doug Wilson just came out and said it.

Antero Niittymaki is healthy and is being shopped in his AHL stint.

Niitty has yet to play a game this season because he sits third on the depth chart behind Antti Niemi and Thomas Greiss in San Jose, but his resume of over 234 games played and a career .902 save percentage and 2.95 goals-against average will be attractive to teams in need of goaltending.

 

Tom Schreier is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report.

Follow him @tschreier3