NHL free agency: 3 teams that need to take advantage of the goalie market
By Jasmine Yen
This year’s NHL free agency class features a number of options as far as goaltenders.
Goaltending is the position that can make or break your hockey team and there are so many teams in the NHL that will become legitimate threats once they solve their goalie issue. For a long time, good goalies were so hard to find and once a team got one, they weren’t going to let them go. This year’s NHL free agency class is different.
There are so many high-profile goaltenders hitting the open market as well as good goalies from teams that need to offload salaries. Robin Lehner, Braden Holtby, and Darcy Kuemper are just some of the many names that could be available this fall. Here are three teams that need to take advantage of this situation.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs
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While Frederik Andersen has been the number one guy for the last four years, it seems like the Toronto Maple Leafs are considering moving on.
With one year left on his contract and being 30 years old, there is no way the Leafs re-sign him. With his value high right now, he could be a good piece to trade with to get the defenceman that they so desperately need.
If a team were to ever trade their starter, this would be the year. Here’s Elliotte Friedman in his latest 31 Thoughts.
"The Carolina Hurricanes have interest in Frederik Andersen, but Toronto’s made it clear it has no desire to make a move just for the sake of change. If it happens, it’s for an upgrade, which means the Maple Leafs could wait to see how a loaded group of goaltending free agents shakes out."
Since becoming the general manager in 2018, Kyle Dubas has made it clear that he is unafraid to make bold moves to improve his hockey team. Last summer, he dealt fan-favourite Nazem Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche to try and fix the defence issue so trading Andersen would not be an abstract idea.
He acquired Jack Campbell at this year’s trade deadline and Campbell has earned the trust of management with is play. A goalie tandem is what the Leafs will be going for and this year has plenty of good options.