Chance to improve our goaltending?

It would only be for one year though. Like I said, he played for an elite team, so how much of that plays into his success? I would offer him one year, and if he plays well…consider signing him longer term. I believe in Lehner too, but a year starting in the AHL will do him a world of good. And then we can bring him in slowly as a back-up. At the end of last season, we can choose who we want to start for the year(s) that we need to develop Lehner. This singing would be all about THIS SEASON. Kovalev, Niemi, LeClaire and Elliot would all have their contracts expire at the same time.

Now nobody knows nuthin’ bout me and that’s the way I likes it.

Kuba love/hate aside, there are so many good points being made on all sides of this issue. </brownnosing

I agree with Manthong that the market does not lend itself to Niemi finding anything north of $2M, provided he stays in this league (a big ‘if’). And I agree with GMC that a one-year deal to shore up what many cite as the team’s weak link presents no long-term damage (other than to Lehner’s development, should Elliott find himself in Bingo).

But realistically, I can’t see Melnyk ponying up that much dough for anyone, even Brian Lee, to ride the buses, to say nothing of the issue of where Brodeur would play. Unless GMC is prosposing that we carry three goalies on the 23-man roster, then disregard this whole paragraph.

To synergize this debate with one on a previous thread, why don’t we just wait until someone’s broken composite stick blade flies into the bench area, blinding Leclaire for the season, before committing even $2M to another goaltender. I like being able to laugh at the Isles and Oilers for using cap space and roster spots on third goalies.

I do agree that with the age of the average Sen creeping ever higher towards Detroit levels, that the time to make a run is now. With Kovalev playing for one final NHL contract and Gonchar on the opposite point drawing defenders away from the RW half-boards, I am very optimistic that this team can compete with Washington for powerplay supremecy. All we need now is for Shanahan to implement all his new-fangled rules and we could. Just. Go. All. The. Way.

Next season, who knows?

But is Niemi, or any other new goalie, the best allocation of our limited remaining cap space (Kuba’s departure, not withstanding), or was the whole thing about Niemi and Leighton and Halak that you don’t need to invest in a proven winner to succeed?

Maybe Elliott becomes next Spring’s Niemi. We may not have the shutdown guys like Philly, or the transition guys like Chicago, but I like our current seven-man blueline compared to Montreal’s April/May puckmovers and pointmen. All we need is for these guys to control the puck, Detroit-style, and limit the shots against to less-than-Halakian levels. The key being to keep teams on the perimeter with our plethora of bona fide third-liners, and the loss of Volchenkov should be mitigated.

Anyway, my conclusion is that the current 22-man roster (pending Donovan’s or Bass’s addition) is more than adequate to compete against the suddenly weak-ish Adams Division. Signing Niemi is a luxury that, even if we could afford it, seems extra extravagant. I don’t even favour adding a shutdown defenceman or a Top-6 forward. A minimum wage earning 14th-forward would be my preferred use of that 23rd roster spot.

I know that I give off that impression.

But it’s not hate, he’s just the most easily expendable piece of salary that can be cleared.

I prefer him to Kovalev, but Kuba actually has value. There, see I gave him a compliment!