Yes, It’s that time of year again when all the fun begins with players looking to find a new home for the 2020-21 season. In this article, we’ll break down the top ten free agent goaltenders and what sweaters they might be wearing come October. This list is not generated by just skill alone, but is also based on team needs and what the goaltender could be worth in a trade.
1. Braden Holtby
Holtby is at the top of my list for UFA’s heading into July 1st despite having the worst season of his career. This season, he’s put up a 25-14-6 record with a 3.11 goals-against average and .897 save percentage in 48 games with the Washington Capitals. Holtby had his moments in Washington and led them to their first Stanley Cup Championship back in 2018.
Washington has gotten a lot out of Ilya Samsonov this season as he’s put an impressive 16-6-2 record with a 2.55 goals-against average and .913 save percentage, along with one shutout this season. However, Samsonov has dropped his last five decisions, including his last one where he gave up six goals in an overtime loss to the New York Rangers.
Even with no big contracts to give out this year, the Caps will be giving Nicholas Backstrom a three million dollar raise as his recent extension kicks in next season. With all the uncertainties around Samsonov expect Holtby to stick with Washington next season but I don’t expect it to be on a long-term deal.
2020-21 Team: Washington Capitals
2. Robin Lehner
The comeback story of Robin Lehner continues as he lands second on my list for free agent goaltenders. Lehner recently celebrated his second year of being sober by thanking fans for their support over the past two games. These past two years have not only been a success for the Swedish goaltender off the ice, but on the ice as well.
He led the New York Islanders to the playoffs during the 2018-19 season, winning a career-high 25 games while also recording six shutouts in net. This year, Lehner had a shaky stint after signing with the Chicago Blackhawks in the offseason. He had a 16-10-5 record with a 3.01 goals-against average and .918 save percentage in 33 games with the Blackhawks. Lehner would end up being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights at the deadline and has been lights out for them since joining the club, putting up a 3-0 record along with one shutout so far.
Heading into next season, the Golden Knights do need a backup goaltender as Garret Sparks and Oscar Dansk are both set to be UFA’s at the end of next season. Vegas has a lot of players who are going to be looking for a good size pay raise, including defensemen Deryk Engelland whose currently making only $700,000. However, Lehner, over the course of the last two years, has proved that he deserves to have a starting job and should rightfully get one next season.
Despite having two goaltenders already, Colorado should definitely target Robin Lehner. This gives a true number one to rely on and would give Pavel Francouz another year in the AHL. AHL goaltending could be very slim for the Avs next season with Michael Hutchinson coming off the IR.
2020-21 Team: Colorado Avalanche
3. Jaroslav Halak
Jaroslav Halak is third on my list for some very good reasons. Halak signed with the Bruins back in 2018 and has played very well as the backup to Tuuka Rask after having a rough final year with the Islanders. During that time, he went 20-26-6 with a 3.19 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.
In those two years with Boston, he’s gone 40-17-10 with a 2.36 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and eight shutouts. It would be hard to say that Halak has not been one of the top backup goaltenders in the league, if not, the best in the recent two years.
The big question for Boston is if they look to re-sign Halak at the end of the season. Halak made $2.75 million in the past two years and it wouldn’t be a far-thought idea that he could look to get $3.5 next season. This won’t be an easy decision for Boston now that Rask has mentioned he may retire when his contract ends after next season.
The Bruins don’t have any young goaltenders who are close to being NHL ready, but I think they will look for a cheaper option to back up Rask at the start of next season. Halak has six assists in the last two seasons which are solid numbers for a goaltender.
2020-21 Team: Chicago Blackhawks
4. Matt Murray
The first restricted free-agent to make this list is Matt Murray at number four. Murray bursted on to the scene during the 2015-16 Stanley Cup Championship run after Marc-Andre Fleury went down with a concussion that forced him to miss the season’s last five games. As a result of the injury, Fleury would also miss the first seven playoff games.
Murray would end up going 15-6 with a 2.08 goals-against average and .927 save percentage. The Thunder Bay, Ontario native would follow that up with winning 32 games the next season. During the expansion draft, the Vegas Golden Knights ended up selecting Marc-Andre Fleury who Pittsburgh decided to expose.
Murray has since taken over as the No. 1 starter for the Pittsburgh Penguins. His numbers haven’t been as fantastic as they were in his first few seasons, but he’s been plagued with injuries over that time as well.
There were rumors earlier this season that Murray may be on his way out of Pittsburgh as he’s lost the full-time starter role and his currently splitting time with Tristan Jarry. Murray is currently making $3.75 million and is set to be an RFA with arbitration rights come July 1st. One team that could be interested in the Penguins backstop is the Detroit Red Wings.
It’s safe to say that the Jimmy Howard era is coming to an end in Detroit and they don’t have any strong goalie prospects in the pipeline. They also have a lot of money coming off the books this season, including Howard’s deal at $4 million and another $8 million between retained and guys who are currently on LTIR. Murray made $3.75 million last year, so it isn’t aforethought idea that he could get something in the $4.5 range in Detroit.
2020-21 Team: Detroit Red Wings
5. Jacob Markstrom
Wrapping out our top five is Jacob Markstrom of the Vancouver Canucks. Markstrom took over the starting job for the Canucks after being traded by Florida in exchange for Roberto Luongo in 2014. Markstrom and Thatcher Demko are the future in the Vancouver goal for the foreseeable future.
This season, he was putting up his best year going 23-16-4 with a 2.75 goals-against average, .918 save percentage in 43 games, all of those coming as starts. For reference, Markstrom won 28 games last year in 60 starts.
It comes as no surprise as Markstrom will likely stay a Canuck and sign a deal with them this offseason. The Swedish native signed his last deal in 2016 which was for three-years worth $11 million. I don’t expect Markstrom to get a major raise, but I think you could see him get something around a three-year for a $4 million salary. The 29-year-old goaltender is currently the second youngest free agent, only behind Tampa Bay’s Mike Condon.
2020-21 Team: Vancouver Canucks
6. Linus Ullmark
Linus Ullmark is starting to find his grove in between the pipes for the Buffalo Sabres. In his second year as a full-time starter, Ullmark put up a 17-14-3 record with a 2.69 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and one shutout. He was on pace to put up career numbers this season until a lower-body injury kept him out of 17 games.
Ullmark is one of the few goalies who could be getting a three or four-year deal in the offseason. He’s only 26 and has spent his entire career in a Sabres uniform and will likely end his career with them as well. The only question that will come into play is how much Ullmark will get.
Buffalo has a lot of free agents to sign this season, but seeing that the Swedish goaltender is currently making less than $1.5, expect him to be in for a major payday come July. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get anywhere between $2.5-$3 million per year on his next contract.
2020-21 Team: Buffalo Sabres
7. MacKenzie Blackwood
Blackwood makes this list at number seven after taking over the starting job in New Jersey. In his first year as the starter, he went 22-14-8 with a 2.77 goals-against, .915 save percentage and three shutouts. At 23-years-old, expect the Thunder Bay, Ontario native to have a good hold on that starting job.
The New Jersey Devils goaltending situation is going to be very interesting next year seeing how well Cory Schneider played down the stretch. He would end up putting up a 3-0-1 record with a .952 save percentage and one shootout.
One could argue that the Devils should get themselves an established number one goaltender, but that’s not happening. Blackwood is easily getting a pay raise as he’s coming off his entry-level deal, however, don’t expect it to be a long-term deal as the Devils will look to target goaltender Yaroslav Askarov in the upcoming NHL Draft.
2020-21 Team: New Jersey Devils
8. Cam Talbot
Cam Talbot makes our list at number eight. Talbot is one of the few guys on this list that I expect to find a different home. Over his seven-year career, Talbot has played for the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers and Calgary Flames.
The Caledonia, Ontario native is a reliable backup and will put up acceptable numbers. He’s had one bad season in his career and that came in the 2018-19 season where he went 11-17-3 with a 3.40 goals-against average, .890 save percentage as well as one shutout. Talbot, 32, is one of the under-estimated goaltenders available on the market this year.
However, he doesn’t fit into the Flames plan. Calgary will likely give Jon Gillies a look to back up David Rittich. Gillies has spent the past two years down in the AHL and with Rittich only having a year on his contract, now is the time to see how ready Gillies is.
One team that could land Talbot is the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets will likely be looking for a new backup after Laurent Brossoit had a rough year, going 6-7-1 with a 3.28 goals-against average and .895 save percentage. Talbot would in perfectly there and still probably see around 25 games a year.
2020-21 Team: Winnipeg Jets
9. Anton Khudobin
Khudobin, a native of Kazakhstan, is one of the best backups on the market heading into July 1st. The 34-year-old goaltender put up a 16-8-4 record this past season with a 2.22 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in 30 games with the Dallas Stars. Ben Bishop, however, has been strong since being acquired back in 2017. The goaltending duo has been one of the strongest in the NHL, allowing 2.5 goals per game which were second in the NHL behind the Boston Bruins at 2.39.
I don’t think the financials will change much for Khudobin as he’s currently making $2.5 million on his current deal. If anything, Khudobin could be getting a deal that could be in the low three’s and there’s no question that Dallas would be willing to go a little higher if it was absolutely necessary to keep him.
2020-21 Team: Dallas Stars
10. Brian Elliott
It comes as no surprise that Brian Elliott has been a solid piece for the Flyers over the past three seasons despite what his numbers may tell you. This past season, he went 16-7-4 with a 2.87 goals-against average, .899 save percentage and two shutouts in 31 games. Carter Hart is undoubtedly the future for the Philadelphia Flyers.
There is no doubt that the Flyers are deep in the goaltending department as they have Felix Sandstrom and Krill Ustimenko who will both look to play in the AHL next season after spending last season down in the ECHL.
Philly should undoubtedly look to bring Brian Elliot back, but only if it’s for the same price as the extension at 2×1. The Flyers need someone whose reliable and I don’t quite think you’d bring back Alex Lyon who has only seen 16 NHL games over three years to fill that role. However, Elliot will be a hot commodity this offseason, so he may not be in the Flyers budget for next season. It wouldn’t be a huge shock to see the Flyers roll the dice on a guy like Lyon or call me crazy, Keith Kinkaid.
2020-21 team: Philadelphia Flyers
Notable Mentions:
Thomas Griess
Alexander Georgiev