The NHL trade deadline is still more than three months away, but that hasn’t prevented general managers from finding deals to improve their teams. A trio of trades went down in the last week alone, and there are plenty of players available on the market.
The Athletic’s 2023-24 Big Board by Chris Johnston is now out, showcasing 23 of the biggest names that could change teams prior to the March 8 trade deadline. The list includes three goalies — Jake Allen, Kaapo Kähkönen and James Reimer — and with the way the first quarter of the season has gone, there could be even more movement than that in the crease.
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As usual, there are several teams in desperate need of an upgrade in the crease. In some cases, it’s due to injuries. In others, it’s due to underperformance by the current goalies. Here are four teams to watch as the goalie trade market develops, and which potentially available netminders might be the best fit for each.
We might as well get the obvious one out of the way. The Oilers are near the bottom of nearly every measurable save statistic, and their highest-paid goalie is now in the minors. Edmonton has played better of late, with four straight wins, and Stuart Skinner is a big part of that. He has a .931 save percentage during that streak, but the situation in the crease is still far from comfortable.
The Oilers are pressed tight to the salary-cap ceiling, and Jack Campbell is still counting $3.85 million toward that number, even in AHL Bakersfield. Because of that, it’s unlikely Edmonton will add a high-priced goalie, but there are still options to improve the tandem — even if it’s only an upgrade over backup Calvin Pickard.
If Edmonton decides to add a veteran with experience in high-pressure situations to help steady the ship behind Skinner, there are two excellent candidates on Johnston’s big board: Allen and Reimer. Montreal and Detroit are currently rostering three goalies, and could be looking to move one. With Sam Montembeault signing a three-year extension with Montreal on Friday, Allen could be the odd man out for the Canadiens.
Allen would be a nice fit for the Oilers. The 33-year-old is in his 11th NHL season, and at this point, you know exactly what you’re going to get. He’s posting a league-average save percentage (.903) despite playing behind one of the worst defensive teams in the league in Montreal. He’s done that with impressive consistency over the last decade. Prior to last season’s .891 save percentage (playing behind the 30th-ranked defense), Allen had nine straight seasons with a stopping rate of .905 percent or higher.
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He has 29 career playoff appearances, has played on both good and poor defensive teams and, at the very worst, would be an excellent mentor for Skinner. Allen doesn’t have the most precise footwork, drifting off his angle at times, but he plays with excellent feel and can make the type of acrobatic saves that swing games.
Is he a slam dunk to solve all of the Oilers’ goaltending woes? No. Would he improve the goalie room for a reasonable cap hit with another year of term still left on his deal? Unquestionably, yes.
Another potential — outside the box — move for the Oilers could be swapping disappointing goalie contracts with Columbus. Both Campbell and Elvis Merzlikins have three years left on their contracts after this season, at nearly the same cap hit. Neither has lived up to expectations to this point, so perhaps a change of scenery could benefit both. Edmonton would obviously need to include something else in this hypothetical deal, but it’s another option to potentially improve the goaltending without adding a sizable cap hit.
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As bad as things have gone for the Oilers’ goalies, they don’t own the league’s worst save percentage. That distinction goes to the Hurricanes.
It’s even more surprising when you consider that Carolina has allowed the fewest shots (25.04) and scoring chances (23.2) per 60 minutes in the league this season. The Hurricanes are playing some of the best defense, and simply not getting the saves they need. Throw in Frederik Andersen’s health issues, which have forced him out of the lineup, and you have a high-caliber team that could be perusing the goalie market.
One thing that’s been consistent about the Hurricanes organization is that they rarely make the obvious move. If they go that route again, one goalie who may not be on most people’s radars as an upgrade but could be a nice fit in Carolina is San Jose’s Kähkönen.
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A lot has gone wrong for the Sharks, but the goalies are the least to blame. Both Kähkönen and Mackenzie Blackwood have positive goals saved above expected numbers despite playing behind a historically poor defense. Kähkönen has shown improved technique after a hard offseason of work, looking more compact and connected while navigating the crease.
The Hurricanes have played in five straight postseasons, and have used at least two goalies in all five (and three on several occasions). Adding a healthy, athletic goalie to the struggling tandem of Antti Raanta and Pyotr Kochetkov could be wise.
In terms of fit, Carolina and Kähkönen are a good match. Kähkönen’s game is quieter this season, with more efficient movement and better puck-tracking, which would suit him well for the low-volume workload the Hurricanes give their goalies. Add in that he’d be joining fellow Fins Raanta, Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Carolina could be an excellent landing spot to maximize the 27-year-old’s potential.
Just as the veterans, Allen or Reimer, could help solidify Edmonton’s goalie depth, the same could be said for the Avalanche, who will be without backup Pavel Francouz for the rest of the season.
Unlike the other teams on this list, Colorado’s goalies have performed well to this point. Starter Alexandar Georgiev is 16th in the league with 4.5 GSAx, and 24-year-old Ivan Prosvetov has stepped up admirably in the absence of Francouz with a .919 save percentage. However, if the Avalanche aren’t entirely comfortable, it’s possible they add another goalie to the mix.
Allen and Reimer would be good options. Reimer has the smaller cap hit and is on an expiring deal, which could be attractive to the Avalanche. He’s consistently produced above-average numbers behind an assortment of different styles of team over his career. This season, he’s been particularly impressive on high-danger shots close to the net, where he has a top-three save percentage in the league (.903).
New Jersey is banged up at the moment, but checks nearly every box for a true Stanley Cup contender when healthy. As strong as the Devils are from top to bottom, there’s a glaring weakness in net.
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New Jersey has fallen to 31st in team save percentage, ahead of only Carolina. Vítek Vaněček has struggled mightily, with a .879 save percentage and minus-6.6 goals saved above expected. Backup Akira Schmid hasn’t been much better in his eight starts, and the duo’s struggles are the biggest reason the Devils have slipped down the standings.
We’ve touched on all three goalies mentioned on the Big Board. Now it’s time for one who isn’t. The Ducks may not be interested in trading veteran netminder John Gibson, but if there’s even a shred of interest, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald should be calling the Anaheim office until they block his number.
Some questioned if Gibson could still play at an elite level after several down seasons playing behind a horrendous Ducks defense, but this season, he’s shown plenty of signs that he can. Gibson has stopped three goals above expected and is inside the top 10 for save percentage among goalies with at least 15 games. All of that behind an Anaheim team that allows the most high-danger chances of any team in the league.
Gibson’s contract could be an issue. He still has three years left at $6.4 million AAV, but the Devils aren’t heavily committed financially to the position at the moment. Behind a strong team, Gibson has the potential to make that cap figure look like a steal.
There’s risk, but championships aren’t won by playing it safe. If the Ducks are willing to offload a big contract as they continue to rebuild, Gibson could make the Devils a terrifying matchup at every position on the ice.
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(Photo of Oilers’ Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard: Josh Lavallee / NHLI via Getty Images)
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