Devan Dubnyk – McKeen's Hockey

NHL Playoff Preview: Dallas Stars (1) vs. Minnesota Wild (WC2)

Daniel Friedman and Robert Howard — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 21:13:38 +0000

Summary: The Stars are a high octane machine in the offensive zone. Without the puck? Not as much.

Still, they should prove too much for their wildly inconsistent opponent (pun intended) to overcome. It is hard to like Minny's chances in this series, especially if Zach Parise's going to be sidelined for much of it.

It is uncertain how much further Dallas can go, but this is a series it can win.

PREDICTION: Stars in 6

Key injuries: MIN - Zach Parise, Thomas Vanek, Erik Haula DAL – Tyler Seguin (to miss game one)

Critical Factors: The Wild have performed better (15-11-1) under interim coach John Torchetti, fighting their way into the playoffs after a tough year. Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn are one of the deadliest combos in the league and how quickly they re-establish their chemistry after Seguin returns from injury could be a factor early. Devan Dubnyk must find his Vezina-finalist form of a year ago on a nightly basis for the Wild to hold back the NHL’s leading offense, but he has not shown a consistently high level this season. Two capable starters in Dallas means a decision in net needs to be made between Antti Niemi (2.67 GAA, 0.905 SV%) and Kari Lehtonen (2.76 GAA, 0.906 SV%), but neither has distinguished themselves. Having allowed the most goals against amongst teams in the playoffs, defense is a glaring concern if they hope to go to a championship.

Potential Breakout Players: Patrick Sharp brings playoff experience along with Johnny Oduya. He joins Benn on the top line with Seguin out. Jason Spezza has averaged almost point a game through his career in the playoffs (56-17-35-52) and is coming off a 33 goal season, including 12 in the last 17 games (17-12-6-18). Ales Hemsky has been hot as of late with 15 points in 17 games – but remain wary. Ryan Suter is essential to Minnesota’s overall game and will need to produce for them to move on.

Season Matchup: Dallas 4-1 - three of five games decided in OT (Dal 2-1)

Key Stats:

CF% 5v5 (war-on-ice.com): DAL 52.6% (2^nd) 47.9% (23^rd)

PDO (war-on-ice.com): DAL 99.7 (16^th) MIN 100.7 (6^th)

Power Play (NHL.com): DAL 22.1% (4^th) MIN 18.5% (15^th)

Penalty Kill (NHL.com): DAL 82.3% (10^th) MIN 77.9% (27^th)

Goals For per-game (NHL.com): DAL 3.23 (1^st) MIN 2.60 (18^th)

Goals Against per-game (NHL.com): DAL 2.78 (19^th) MIN 2.49 (9^th)

Notes: A clear advantage to Dallas in both special teams and possession.

Fantasy Hockey: Ranking Goalies by Tier

Peter Harling — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 16:35:35 +0000

For most, trying to predict fantasy goalies is a little like trying to predict where lightning is going to strike. If you are like me, you need all the help you can get. One thing you can do to help better prepare for your fantasy draft is to rank goalies by tiers. Depending on your leagues size, format, and scoring mechanism you can have all different kinds of values associated to players. With goalies, there are a few constants which apply to most leagues and situations that you need to take into consideration.

Skill level of the goalie
Situation: is he the sure-fire staring goalie looking at 50 – 60 starts
Strength of the team: Lousy teams usually equals lousy goalie stats

Below I will rank the top 50 goalies and categorize them into groups. Heading into your draft, you should have an idea of how much value you want to place on a goalie. How soon do you draft one, do you want an elite goalie, are you happy with two good goalies. You can put all your eggs in one basket and use a first round pick on a player like Carey Price. You may think that the league elite goalies fluctuates so much each year, and you would be correct, and therefore you wait until mid-draft and pick a goalie who may have a monster year. Once you have an idea of how your draft strategy, you need to look at ranking the goalies into a tier system. I suggest looking at some of the better fantasy hockey predictors such as the McKeens yearbook, and Dobber hockey and then create your own draft tier list like the one I created below.

Tier I: The Elite

These are the best of the best; they play on Stanley Cup contenders and are the undisputed starter, and are Vezina calibre.

1. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens – He won it all last year, Vezina, Hart, Lindsay, and Jennings.

2. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers – King Henrik is arguably the best goalie on the planet.

3. Jonathan Quick, LA Kings – No contest who is the starter with the two time Cup Champion.

4. Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals – New addition to the top five after a breakout year.

5. Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning – Big Ben needs to stay healthy, if so he is elite.

Tier II: The very good

Nothing wrong with this group, they are all capable of being elite but have some question.

6. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators – Re-established himself after an injury lost season.

7. M.A. Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins – Always has strong regular season stats and the Pens have beefed up.

8. Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins – Rask is solid, but what direction are the Bruins headed?

9. Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks – Crawford struggled at times and temporarily lost the crease in playoffs to Scott Darling. A hiccup or a warning sign?

10. Jaroslav Halak, New York Islanders - Was unable to get job done in St. Louis but has looked good on the Island. The Islanders are a team on the rise, can he do for them what he couldn’t do in St. Louis?

Tier III: Good goalies in bad situations

11. Semyon Varlamov, Colorado Avalanche – The Avs had a huge regression but Varly remained solid.

12. Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus – Injuries killed the season last year but Columbus are a team on the rise

13. Roberto Luongo, Florida Panthers – Roberto is getting older, will the Panthers improve while he can still make a difference?

14. Corey Schneider, New Jersey Devils – Entering his prime but desperately needs some run support.

15. Steve Mason, Philadelphia Flyers – Flyers may have finally found their starting goalie

16. Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild – This time last year he was a fantasy after thought, then went on to play in over 40 straight games earning a Vezina nomination. Would the real Dubnyk please stand up?

Tier IV: Should be the starting goalie on a good team…should be!

17. Jonas Hiller, Calgary Flames – Rebound season, Flames projected to regress, contract year, a lot of questions with this player.

18. Frederik Andersen, Anaheim Ducks – With the addition of Khudobin and Gibson pushing, Andersen could lose some starts at the first sign of trouble.

19. Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators – Has elite type stats, but can’t stay healthy. Had the crease burgled late in the season.

20. Ryan Miller, Vancouver Canucks – Jacob Markstrom will push Miller who struggled at times last year.

Tier V: Split starters on good teams

Tandem situations where the team will ride two goalies, ideal for handcuff situations

21. Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings – Lost the starting job in playoffs, but contract says he is the starter

22. Petr Mrazek, Detroit Red Wings – Is younger and arguably better than Howard.

23. Brian Elliott, St. Louis Blues – Like Howard, lost the starting job in the playoffs.

24. Jake Allen, St. Louis Blues – Is the gaolie of the future, which could begin immediately.

25. Kari Lehtonen, Dallas Stars – Brutal season, may flourish with less pressure.

26. Antti Niemi, Dallas Stars – Couldn’t cut it as a starter in San Jose, may work well in tandem.

Tier VI: The Unknown

Potentially great goalies, potentially getting their first crack as a number one.

27. Martin Jones, San Jose Sharks – Sharks could have a good season and Jones could see the lions share of the starts.

28. Robin Lehner, Buffalo Sabres – Tim Murray believes in Lehner, he drafted him in Ottawa, gave up a first to bring him to Buffalo, but has injury history.

29. Cam Talbot, Edmonton Oilers – Talbot was excellent spelling Henrik Lundqvist when he was injured behind a strong New York Rangers defence.

Tier VII: Split starters on bad teams

30. Jonathan Bernier, Toronto Maple Leafs – The Leafs badly want him to be the answer in goal.

31. James Reimer, Toronto Maple Leafs – Clean slate in Toronto with new management, it’s now or never for Optimus Reim.

32. Ondrej Pavelec, Winnipeg Jets – The Jets are not a bad team, but Pavelec has proven to be very inconsistent

33. Michael Hutchinson, Winnipeg Jets – Again, Jets are a good team, but Hutchinson struggled later in the season

34. Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes – Ward has been in steady decline, but is in a UFA contract year.

35. Eddie Lack, Carolina Hurricanes – Lack is a player on the rise. In a better situation he would rank higher. His time may come next year, or as soon as now.

Tier VIII: Boom or Bust

These players need a break to reach their full potential, but I’m saying there is a chance.

36. John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks – If he were not injured last year, he could have been ranked in the top three tiers

37. Andrew Hammond, Ottawa Senators – Count on Anderson being injured, and when that happens, the Sens will look to Hammond. Was his miraculous run an aberration, or is he the next Tim Thomas?

38. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets – As mentioned above, the Jets are a good team and Pavelec and Hutchinson have underwhelmed. Hellebuyck impressed at the World Championship and could steal the show

39. Scott Darling, Chicago Blackhawks – Darling temporarily won the starting job away from Crawford last year and has a slight chance of doing so again and not letting go.

Tier IX: Rookies

These rookies have lots of potential and should be starters one day, maybe not this year…but maybe.

40. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning – A blood clot will keep him out for the first few months otherwise he could push the split with Bishop.

41. Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins – The AHL’s best goalie will be the backup to Fleury this year, all it takes is an injury and Murray will be the starter.

42. Malcolm Subban, Boston Bruins – Was shelled and pulled in his first NHL game last year but is the future starter for the Bruins and could be the backup to Rask this year.

43. Anders Nilsson, Edmonton Oilers – Was dominant in the KHL last year and returns to the NHL after 23 games with the Islanders.

Tier X: The long shots

If you are drafting these guys, they better be your third goalie or you only score one and you have a Tier one goalie.

44. Karri Ramo, Calgary Flames

45. Michael Neuvirth, Philadelphia Flyers

46. Alex Stalock, San Jose Sharks

47. Jacob Markstrom, Vancouver Canucks

48. Ben Scrivens, Edmonton Oilers

49. Thomas Greiss, New York Islanders

50. Jhonas Enroth, LA Kings

Friedman’s Five

Daniel Friedman — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 20:41:35 +0000

This was an extremely (not) boring week around the NHL, and there's a lot to get to. So on that note, here are my five key notes and anecdotes on the week that was:

EVANDER KANE TRADE A GRAND SLAM FOR THE JETS

When looking at it from Winnipeg’s perspective, you must first consider the fact that there was no scenario where Kane was staying with the organization.

What he becomes from this point forward is almost irrelevant to whether or not they win this trade. Now, once you’ve taken that into account, consider that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff found a way to take a horrible, difficult situation and turn it into a potential watershed moment for the franchise.

Forget, for a minute here, about the prospects going to Winnipeg in the deal. Tyler Myers is 25-years-old. That’s it. He’s still pretty young. If the change of scenery was all he needed and he gets back to playing defense at a higher level, you’re looking at a blueline that consists of Myers, Jacob Trouba, Dustin Byfuglien and Tobias Enstrom. That’s not just very good; it’s enviable.

Shift your focus back to youngins Joel Armia and Brendan Lemieux, and the haul looks even better. And don’t forget about Drew Stafford, who’s almost the “throw-in” of this trade. Twice a 20-goal man and once a 31-goal scorer, Stafford’s a quality second or third liner who can certainly chip in offensively.

Everyone and their mother-in-law figured that Kane, while certainly still worth something, would go at a discounted rate because of recent events and that no one was trading for him now while he was injured. Kudos to Cheveldayoff for pulling off one heck of a trade here.

DON’T COUNT OUT THE CATS JUST YET

We’ve had our fair share of surprises this season, but nobody seems to be talking about the Florida Panthers and the job they’ve done so far. This team is just four points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Wild Card spot in the East, and they deserve your attention.

Have they been overachieving? Is their playoff contention simply a byproduct of the slow start Boston got off to? I would say no, because even still there are other teams below them that they’ve had to beat out for their current position. And besides, good teams don’t just take matters into their own hands; they also take advantage of the circumstances and pounce on opportunities they’re handed. The Panthers have done both of those things.

How are they doing it? For one thing, they’re getting excellent goaltending from Roberto Luongo and, for another, they’re developing some offensive depth and it’s showing on the ice. Nick Bjugstad, Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, Brandon Pirri, Jussi Jokinen and Jimmy Hayes are all contributing, and even Vinny Trocheck’s had his moments. Additionally, you can’t give enough credit to Aaron Ekblad who, in his rookie year, is already morphing into one of the best defensemen in the entire NHL and, no, I don’t think that’s an exaggeration.

STUBBORN PREDATORS REFUSE TO FALL DOWN NHL LEADERBOARD

After Pekka Rinne went down, I figured that Nashville’s time atop its own division (and surely, atop the league standings) would come to an end. How wrong I was.

The Preds weathered the storm and, now that they’ve got Rinne back, they’re still winning hockey games and they’re still on top of the NHL. These days, there’s a large emphasis on speed and offense, which is what Peter Laviolette has instilled from behind the bench. And it’s not like Rinne and that defense, which includes the likes of Shea Weber, Seth Jones and Roman Josi, suddenly forgot how to excel at the other end of the rink. To have everything clicking simultaneously, that’s a scary proposition for the rest of the league.

KINGS HEATING UP AT THE RIGHT TIME

No less than a week ago, there was a legitimate concern that the LA Kings might actually miss the playoffs this season. And you know what? They still might. They may very well have woken up to late.

That having been said, they’ve rattled off three-straight wins and are now just three points behind Calgary for a Wild Card spot. We know they’re talented enough, and as much as I like the Jets’ future, I think it’s more likely that they fall out of the race and LA gets in than it is that the Flames burn out (I’ll be here all week).

I think the Kings’ odds of making it have increased exponentially, and in the blink of an eye no less.

DEVAN DUBNYK, LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE?

Let me preface by saying that I like Devan Dubnyk, both as a player and a person. He’s a good guy and, once he got out of Edmonton, he showed that he’s definitely got some game. I think he’s a reliable backup goaltender, a quality goaltender. But, do I think that he’s the heir apparent in Minnesota (or anywhere else for that matter)? No, I don’t. I think he’ll turn back into a pumpkin one of these days, albeit a more ripe pumpkin than the one he was with the Oilers.

Stylistically and talent-wise, I’m just not convinced he has what it takes to live up to his recent performances over an 82-game stretch. Crazier things have happened before, but for now, I’m gonna go ahead and say he’s a textbook example of lightning in a bottle.

Follow Daniel Friedman on Twitter @DFriedmanOnNYI

Goaltending Carousel

Carl Lemelin — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:59:27 +0000

The volatility of the goaltending market is at an all-time high. Every time you think you’ve got it figured out, your crease stud allows a dozen goals in a three-game span. Then when he is benched, he shuts the door in a 35-shot shutout. Yes, goalies are the main source of frustration for all GM’s (NHL and fantasy alike). Just ask Henrik Lundqvist owners how they feel so far this season.

All we can do is monitor their ups and downs and start the right guy; the one that’s embarking on a hot streak. I’ll let you figure out the highs and lows on your own, because your guess is as good as mine. What I hope to help with here is identifying some stoppers whose career outlooks seem to have taken a turn for the better or the worse in this early season. Since forecasting the short term is such a risky proposition I’ll also examine the mid-to-long term outlook for these goalies.

ON THE UPSWING

Kari Lehtonen (DAL):

If you’ve read my postings for the past three years, you already know that I’ve been singing Lehtonen’s praises for a while. I believe he is the most underrated tender in the NHL. Playing in Atlanta and Dallas over an eight-year career doesn’t help much getting you noticed. Although he is coming off a minor injury, his early durability issues have been solved by improving his diet and off-season work habits. Just how good is he? Stars’ GA/G in the 5 games he missed: 4.40; Lehtonen’s GAA in 5 games: 1.69. The competitive and athletic Finn loves facing lots of shots and is well served in Dallas. His .915 career Sv% would be much higher had he ever played behind more structured defensive teams. His .961 Sv% (ranked 2^nd) this season is a sign of things to come from a 29 y/o just entering his prime years.

Steve Mason (PHI):

His Calder Trophy rookie season back in 2008-09 was no fluke. Mason’s natural talent is undeniable. The combination of size, butterfly technique and lateral quickness has always been there. By his own admission, much of the struggles he went through over the next three and a half seasons stemmed from a loss of self-confidence. I would argue that playing for a Columbus organization that lacked any sense of direction played a huge role in destroying an elite talent’s swagger. Philly is struggling this season, but Mason has been their only bright spot. He’s the main reason for their 9^th ranked PK (83.7%) and his .930 Sv% while playing behind a mediocre squad has squashed any discussion concerning the number one job as Ray Emery remains a back-up. Oh yeah, and the kid’s still only 25.

Also keep an eye on: Ben Bishop (TAM).

TAKING A STEP BACK

Braden Holtby (WAS):

For a second straight season, the Caps are off to a lethargic start. They are currently ranked 24^th in the NHL in 5-on-5 play as Adam Oates’ system is once again slow to take hold. Holtby has been pulled from two of his 10 starts this season and has allowed 3 or more goals in half of them. He was seen barking his frustration at his own bench after getting the hook in Calgary on Saturday. It should be mentioned that Holtby and the Caps had an even worse start last season and the then 23 y/o tender finished with a solid .920 Sv%. There is also a bright spot this year as Washington boasts the second best PK efficiency the league at 89.2%. There certainly is no reason to panic for those who own this young super-talented athlete, but he should be benched until his teammates start showing better cohesion in front of him.

Devan Dubnyk (EDM):

The Oilers’s brass may not have been satisfied with the progression rate of their young players under ex-coach Ralph Krueger, but he had them playing a much more structured game than the one displayed through 13 games so far this season under Dallas Eakins. Edmonton ranks dead last in GA/G at 3.77 (compared to 19^th at 2.73 in 2013) and second-to-last in PK efficiency at 75.5% (compared to 9^th at 83.4% in 2013). The addition of captain Andrew Ference should help make Edmonton’s defense better on paper, but the concept of team defense still eludes many of this young team’s dynamic offensive stars. Dubnyk is much better than his .878 Sv% might suggest, but is partly a victim of circumstance at the moment, therefore rendering him a fantasy dud.

Should also warm-up your bench: Ondrej Pavelec (WIN).

Buyer Beware – Don’t Overvalue

Carl Lemelin — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 10:09:18 +0000

DO NOT OVERVALUE

My last posting dealt with players that might be under-valued or underrated fantasy assets going into the 2013-14 season. But what about those players that may be overrated? As a fantasy team owner, identifying overvalued stars is at least as important as trying to find those hidden gems at the draft. In fact, there are probably more championships lost via ill-advised early round picks than won because of later rounds strokes of genius.

There are many reasons why your opponents tend to overrate the pre-season fantasy value of a player: reputation, career stats, projected line-ups, overall team outlook and media hype surrounding the player. Conversely, some critical factors are too often overlooked: age, injury concerns, career trends, actual value versus fantasy value, and chemistry issues as they relate to the type of player.

Here are the players I feel you should think twice before drafting too soon or paying too much for (in the case of salary cap and auction type leagues).

1- Nathan Horton (RW) – CLB: Was viewed as one of the top free agents from this year’s crop and was awarded a huge 7-year deal by the Jackets at a $5.3M cap hit. His career best PPG (0.87) came in his final season in Florida (2009-10), in which he only played 65 games. Horton has never approached that kind of offensive prowess since. He isn’t expected back in the line-up until late-December and will be hard-pressed to find the playmaking centerman help he had in Boston when he does reintegrate the Columbus line-up. Superb playoff performer and key contributor on a contending team, but a risky fantasy proposition.

2- Jay Bouwmeester (D) – STL: Has always been a tantalizing skater and that’s what made him the 3^rd overall pick in the 2002 draft (Florida). Showed signs of an eventual offensive breakout when he averaged 41.75 points per season between 2005-06 and 2008-09; proceeded to average a measly 27.3 over the next three seasons. Jumped back up to approach the 40-point mark (pro-rated 38.4) last year, but an obvious lack of elite vision from the back-end along with a diminishing offensive role within the Blues line-up (Kevin Shattenkirk and Alex Pietrangelo ahead of him) all but guarantee he won’t be able to maintain this kind of pace. Durable, but an unreliable source of offense.

3- Troy Brouwer (RW) – WAS: To the untrained eye, last season was a breakout for Brouwer: entering his prime at 28, he posted career-high numbers (0.70 PPG, pro-rated 33 goals). But that all came in a season where the Caps’ PP was on fire. Brouwer benefitted from the brilliant passing of Mike Ribeiro and Nicklas Backstrom on the man-advantage, where half his points came from. Also played on Ribeiro’s right most of the season. No more Ribeiro, no chance at 30 goals. Let someone else take a flyer on him in the third round.

4- Artem Anisimov (C) – CLB: We just mentioned the lack of elite playmaking skills in Columbus (see Nathan Horton). Anisimov has all the NHL-quality individual skills scouts rave about, but 4 years into his NHL career, it’s clear he lacks the offensive vision to help make his wingers better players. He is likely the Jackets’ no. 1 center yes, but there are no pass-first wingers on the roster that could help bolster his fantasy outlook this season.

5- Ryan Miller (G) – BUF: It may surprise you to learn that Miller has only authored one season with a SV Pct. of .920 or above (.929 in his Vezina Trophy winning season of 2009-10). In every other year, Miller has statistically been a very average goaltender. In leagues that put a premium on wins, he has always had the stamina to collect them in bunches on traditionally good Buffalo squads. But the Sabres are entering a semi-rebuild and will likely be overwhelmed in the newly formed, powerhouse Atlantic Division. Now 33, Miller simply isn’t worth wasting a high pick on anymore.

6- Devan Dubnyk (G) – EDM: Don’t get me wrong, I like Dubnyk as an up-and-coming talent in the crease. He recorded an impressive .920 SV Pct. last season on a weak defensive team (Oilers ranked 19^th with 2.73 GA/G). The problem is that most fantasy formats love the wins. Well, the Oilers have a new coach, are still learning how to win and are now in the toughest division in the league. They will get there, just not quite yet.

7- Jonas Brodin (D) - MIN: Overwhelmingly viewed as a snub when the NHL announced its Calder Trophy nominees last year, the youngest rearguard in the NHL had a stellar rookie campaign. The 10^th overall pick of the Wild two years ago lived up to the hype playing along-side stud Ryan Suter. Taking a closer look at the numbers however, we quickly realize that almost all of his offense came with the help of his All-Star playing partner (9 of his 11 points at ES). Brodin has no track-record for producing significant offense. He will be an NHL workhorse, but likely never become the true PP quarterback that fantasy owners seek.

8- Mike Cammalleri (LW) – CAL: Yes, he is coming off a nice bounce-back season; yes, he is still only 31; yes, he is clearly the offensive leader in Calgary; and yes I believe Cammalleri can repeat that same success. But after last year’s rebound, most will expect a return to the point-a-game player he was in the final season of his last stint in Cow-Town (2008-09). Cammalleri did find his sniper-type game, as we saw his patented one-timer from the RW dot on a more regular basis in 2013, but who will feed him those pin-point passes now that Alex Tanguay has been shipped to Colorado? At best expect 60-70 points, but only if Calder candidate Sven Baertschi proves ready to step in right away as a top PP unit playmaker.

Free Agent Frenzy: The Goalie-Go-Round

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 06 Jul 2013 01:03:08 +0000

The Goaltending Market, just as it was with the other positions, was very active during Friday's Free Agent Frenzy. It kicked off with a few bigger names in Evgeni Nabokov and Ray Emery, then closed out with a number of teams solidifying the backup roles.

You can view the latest version of the NHL Depth Charts to stay updated with every team's movement in goal.

Below are some of my thoughts on all of the goalie movement that transpired on Friday. If you would like more insight or opinions on anything, please feel free to contact me at justin@thegoalieguild.com at any time.

NABOKOV STICKS WITH ISLES

The goalie-go-round started turning when the Islanders signed Evgeni Nabokov to a one-year deal reportedly worth $3.25 million. "Nabby" got hot at the right time for the Isles this past season, going 7-0-4 in April with a 1.76 goals-against average and .928 save percentage. He was a stickler against some decent teams, going 3-0 against Tampa Bay and Florida, 2-0 against Montreal, 2-0-1 against Washington, and 2-0-1 against Toronto.

Photo Copyright: Tom Turk - Piratical Photography

Just a few days after buying out Rick DiPietro, I was not surprised to see Nabokov re-sign. On one hand, I think it's a good fit because it breeds an even higher level of familiarity between the two sides. Paying him over $3 million is a hefty investment, but there is no long-term risk due to this being a one-year deal.

On the other hand, Nabokov turns 38 on July 25, so the risk regarding this deal begins and ends with his durability. If the Islanders feel he shouldn't or can't play more than 62-65 games, they will have to either instill their faith in Kevin Poulin as the team's backup, or spend more money to sign a veteran.

If the Isles don't sign anyone else, there is a chance that Anders Nilsson could win the job, but the odds are in Poulin's favor since he spent a chunk of this past season behind Nabokov. Nilsson also missed a fair amount of time with what was possibly a vitamin B-12 deficiency, but it still remains somewhat of a mystery.

Honestly, I think questions surrounding Nabokov's durability are overblown. You can't go into a season expecting an injury just because he's a year older, and beyond playing in 41 games this season, he arguably saved his best stretch for last. No, he wasn't very good against the Penguins in the playoffs (posted a 4.44 GAA in six games), but he still gave the Islanders a chance to win a few of those games.

Since 2000, for all active and non-active goalies between the ages of 30 and 45, Nabokov is currently third overall in wins with 214 (Brodeur has 345, Kiprusoff has 239). So despite the fact he's in his late-30's, I still think he's reliable. As the driving force behind the team making it back to the playoffs, even though things like rebound control and "timely saves" were questionable at times, he still earned this new deal.

EMERY RETURNS TO FLYERS

The theme of "familiarity" continued when it was announced that Ray Emery signed a one-year, $1.65 million deal with the Flyers. There's never a dull moment in Philly's crease, and you can be rest assured there will be plenty of media commentary and maybe a bit of drama surrounding the tandem with Emery and Steve Mason.

In terms of efficient production, Emery is coming off the best season of his NHL career. He was well-insulated behind a strong Blackhawks team, which certainly played a role in his ability to go 17-1-0 with a 1.96 GAA and .922 SV%. Take nothing away from Emery's accomplishments (Stanley Cup, Jennings Trophy) and his admirable return from Avascular Necrosis, but the major change in atmosphere and scenery will play a major role in his performance next season.

With that in mind, I consider this to be another risky tandem for the Flyers. But at least it's way more cost-efficient, and for way less term.

You will see plenty of feel-good stories coming out of the Philly media as the summer goes along. They'll talk about Emery's improved maturity, his work ethic, and his determination. But when the going gets tough and the Flyers are relying on him every night, I still have to question his durability in a system that hasn't been the kindest to their goaltenders.

Of course this is all contingent on how Mason performs in his early-season opportunities. Both will have chances to run with things, but I'm not seeing a clear-cut "winner" in this battle right now.

------

The Flyers also announced the signing of Yann Danis. Danis is an undersized goalie that can fill in as an NHL backup in an injury situation, but I don't believe he has the skill to stick in the league for a full season.

He does make a perfect starter for Adirondack though. He was the AHL Goaltender of the Year in 2012 and was fifth overall in AHL wins this year with 26. He posted a 2.59 GAA and .911 SV% in the regular season, and then went 10-7 in the AHL playoffs with a 2.41 GAA and .923 SV%.

That signing sets up a really nice battle in training camp for his backup spot between Carsen Chubak and Cal Heeter. Chubak is signed to an AHL with Adirondack after a stellar year with Niagara. He was a Hobey Baker Finalist and led his team to the NCAA Tournament.

GREISS LANDS IN THE DESERT

The Coyotes went against the grain of their prototypical bigger, positionally-based goalie by signing Thomas Greiss. In my most recent viewings of Greiss, I continued to like what I saw. I think he has a very nice athletic blend to his butterfly style, but I always came away feeling like he could be a more stable, consistent performer.

While he clearly has the active hands and feet needed to thrive at the NHL level, I think he over-pursues shots and plays too often. In that regard, I think he will benefit from working with Coyotes goalie coach Sean Burke, who can instill more structure in his positional game. He'll learn how to trust his angles and depth more by possibly having him play on a tighter leash and spending a bit more time in the blue paint.

I love the fact Greiss is not afraid to square up to shots in the white paint and be aggressive, but he has decent size (listed at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds), so I think there is an opportunity for him to use it a bit more effectively.

Smooth laterally and very quick to drop, recover, and rotate, I also think Greiss has the mechanics and quickness to improve on his 1-4-0 record and .915 SV% from last season. It will certainly be bolstered playing within Phoenix's defensive system, but even that's not a guarantee since he won't have the luxury of playing often behind Mike Smith.

That being said, San Jose scored just 2.42 goals-per-game (24th overall) in the regular season, so I just don't anything came easy for Greiss. He also suffered a head/neck injury (may have been a concussion) and missed a fair amount of time, not playing at all from Feb. 11 to March 6.

With only 25 appearances behind Antti Niemi over the past two seasons, I feel like Greiss' game needs to be cleaned up. He's messy at times; over-animated and exhibiting unnecessary excessive movement. I think he tries too hard to make some routine saves, so he seems to expel a lot of energy, and then struggles to play at a composed and controlled manner as the game drags on. Although this sample size is extremely small, he has allowed 15 goals in the first period, 16 in the second period, and then 22 in the third period.

I have no way of knowing whether there's a correlation between that goal-per-period stat and my observations, but it was something I've noticed over the past few seasons.

At the end of the day, Greiss' role essentially stays the same -- he goes from backing up one workhorse to backing up another. The Coyotes' defensive-minded system is a benefit, but whether it translates to a more successful season remains to be seen because he simply may not play more than 10-12 games. I am excited to see what kind of tweaks and adjustments Burke makes to Greiss' game, however.

SHARKS SECURE ALEX STALOCK

The Sharks made a key move by signing St. Paul, MN native Alex Stalock. It appears like he has earned the backup role to Niemi, which is a role I had projected for him a few years ago.

Stalock has a high level of quickness and agility, he's very proficient at moving the puck, and he is very competitive in the crease. He plays with an aggressive edge, challenges shooters very well, and makes excellent compact, tight butterfly saves. He has active hands and a good stick and is not afraid to surprise shooters with a poke check or a full-split save attempt.

The biggest obstacle for him will be the size and consistency factor. He is listed at 6-foot-0 but that is being gracious, and with only three games of NHL experience, he won't shake the questions concerning his readiness. But his NHL debut was memorable. He was thrown into the fire after replacing Niemi on Feb. 1 of 2011. He entered the game down 3-0 to the Coyotes halfway through the second period and stopped all nine shots he faced for the 5-3 win.

But just two days later, Stalock suffered a nasty laceration injury behind his left knee due to an errant skate blade. That ended his season, and in that same game, he was replaced by none other than newly-signed Predators backup Hutton.

It took almost an entire year for Stalock to recover from that injury, so the playing time he missed was significant. Now that he turns 26 on July 28, the injury and rehab experience has made him no worse for wear, and maybe even a bit more prepared to handle what lies ahead.

Stalock established himself as a legit NHL prospect after he spent three years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He turned pro in 2009 as the school's all-time leader in SV% (.910) and GAA (2.48). In 2009, he was the driving force behind the Bulldogs winning the WCHA Final Five.

LABARBERA JOINS THE OILERS

The 33-year-old Jason Labarbera had his ups and downs with the Coyotes last season, going 4-6-2 record with a 2.64 GAA and .923 SV%. He's one of those "perfect backup" guys that earns kudos from guys like myself because he does all the little things in practice and on the bench in order to be labeled a great teammate. His size is a clear-cut asset, and despite the fact the numbers and performances may not be sparkling, his work with Burke during his tenure in Phoenix has enhanced his overall skill-set.

It also helps to play behind a guy like Smith and learn from him since the two are decently comparable in terms of style.

LaBarbera has bounced around a lot in his career, playing with the Kings, Rangers, and Canucks. He has 175 games of NHL experience and has a great friendship with Devan Dubnyk, as they have trained together for many years.

The risk involved in this situation is the fact that LaBarbera will have to win some hockey games in a very different type of system compared to Phoenix. If Dubnyk struggles, can Jason perform at a high level on a consistent basis. Is a .923 SV% possible outside of the insulated Coyotes defensive system?

Over the past four seasons, LaBarbera has tallied just 17, 17, 19, and then 15 appearances. That's only 68 games over the course of four seasons -- a lot of drills and practice work, and not a lot of playing. He has obviously learned how to handle that aspect of being a backup, but it doesn't make things any easier once the workload increases.

So that's the question in my mind -- will his role actually elevate behind Dubnyk, or will the Giraffe reach the next level in his slowly-developing career? Except for Bryzgalov, we don't have any legit NHL goalies coming out of Phoenix's system to use as a comparable for moving out of their warm and cozy defensive shell, so consider me apprehensive right now.

HUTTON GRADUATES TO THE NHL

Carter Hutton was one of the most unlikely candidates to earn a full-time NHL backup gig today. But even though Hutton didn't have the strongest season compared to 2011-12 (named as Rockford's team MVP), he did impress Nashville's scouts enough to earn this opportunity.

Another person he impressed was Predators goalie coach Mitch Korn. I had a brief chat with him shortly after the deal was announced to get his thoughts:

"He has battled for everything he's ever gotten," Korn told me. "He's played in an AHL team that has produced goalies. He handles the puck extremely well and he's the right age [27]. He reminds me so much of when we took Dan Ellis with one NHL game of experience. For all those reasons, we felt we'd go in that direction rather than recycle."

In my lone live viewing of Hutton, which came in November at the Xcel Energy Center against the Houston Aeros, I noted that his puck-handling was very good. At the same time, I also noted that I thought he could play bigger, as he was dropping early on a few shots and not showing great patience on his skates. It was a very average showing in my opinion, as he stopped just 18 of 21 shots total in the 3-2 loss. But hey, that's just one game, and one where he didn't see much action, while Matt Hackett stood on his head that night.

Ultimately, Hutton is being asked to fill a role where he might play 12 games total. As Korn told me, the door is open for Hutton to establish himself as an NHL backup, and they have some goalies to continue developing in Milwaukee.

That means you can expect Sweden's Magnus Hellberg and Czech Republic native Marek Mazanec to be the organization's AHL tandem.

DAN ELLIS RETURNS TO DALLAS

Speaking of Dan Ellis, I was surprised to see the Stars sign him to back up Kari Lehtonen for two years. I knew they would be adding some type of veteran presence to act as a buffer between Lehtonen and Cris Nilstorp, who signed a new one-year, two-way deal back in mid-June.

Ellis was originally drafted by the Stars 60th overall in 2000. He most recently resurrected his career by having a stellar run in the AHL with Charlotte during the NHL Lockout, going 8-7-2 with a 2.46 GAA and .922 SV%. After that, he signed with Carolina for a pro-rated one-year deal, and went 6-8-2 with a 3.13 GAA and .906 SV% while playing with Justin Peters (Cam Ward was injured).

Ellis earned the opportunity to return to the NHL after resurrecting his career following a bad groin injury to end the 2011-12 season. Over the summer, he trained hard with Corey Wogtech from W Goaltending. In February, I had a chance to chat with Wogtech and posted this piece on the adjustments they made to make Ellis a more positionally sound goaltender.

I spoke with Stars goalie coach Mike Valley shortly after Ellis signed, and I know the two have a good relationship and get along very well. So Ellis will step into a familiar role by backing up a workhorse starter and should mesh with his teammates comfortably. Because the Stars will continue to manage Lehtonen's minutes by trying to keep him in the 62-game range, Dan will get a chance to win some games for a team that has a whole new look, a new general manager, and a totally new direction.

KHUDOBIN NOW A HURRICANE

The Bruins lost their solid backup when Anton Khudobin agreed to sign a new one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Personally speaking, this was my favorite deal of the day. Khudobin rarely had an off night with the Bruins this season, going 9-4-1 with a 2.32 GAA and .920 SV%. He brings a ton of energy to the crease, and just like his dynamic and unique style on the ice, he has a similar personality off the ice.

I believe he'll be well-received by the team and successful in a role that has been quite unstable for the Hurricanes. From Michael Leighton to Justin Peters to Brian Boucher (UFA) and Ellis, they finally have someone that has worked hard to get to this point in his career.

Khudobin is 27 and was drafted 206th overall way back in 2004 by the Minnesota Wild.

That age bracket --- between 25 and 27 --- seems to be the sweet spot for a number of these fringe AHL/NHL guys to earn that elusive opportunity to be full-time backups.

Chad Johnson just signed a new one-year, one-way contract with the Bruins to replace Khudobin, and he just turned 27 on June 10. Hutton and Greiss are also 27 years old.