NHL free agency: Top 3 teams who should sign Anton Khudobin
Anton Khudobin will be one of the most interesting goalies in NHL free agency. Which teams should sign him?
The Dallas Stars will likely not be re-signing goaltender Anton Khudobin, according to Sean Shapiro of The Athletic. It sounds like he wants to test the free agent market, as the Stars aren’t giving him the deal he wants.
To be fair, if anyone’s earned a big deal, it’s Khudobin. He has spent most of his NHL career as a backup journeyman goalie. But in Dallas, Khudobin has proven to be more than that. This is likely his last chance at securing a big deal, something he’s never really had in his career.
Khudobin will be one of the most fascinating goalies on the market tomorrow. Not only that, he’ll also be one of the best. His performance during the Stanley Cup Playoffs will likely get him a multi-year deal that could be worth over $4 million annually.
Let’s take a look at which three teams would be the best fit for him.
3. Calgary Flames
For the second straight offseason, the Calgary Flames will be looking to add a goalie in free agency. They had good luck with Cam Talbot last summer, as he wound up being surprisingly effective for them as a backup to David Rittich.
If the Flames want to add a backup again, Anton Khudobin would make a lot of sense for them. He’s capable of giving Rittich a spell of rest. And if Rittich struggles, Khudobin has proven he can handle the load for a short period of time.
Khudobin’s price will likely be out of the Flames price range, but in these troubling times, it’s hard to predict what kind of contract players will get. Also, the Flames might be trading a big-name player, which could open up some more cap space for them. If that happens, Khudobin to the Flames could become a reality.
2. Edmonton Oilers
Much like their Albertan enemies, the Edmonton Oilers are looking to upgrade in goal. The only problem is they don’t have too much cap space. But if Khudobin wants a chance to be a backup goalie for a contender with a possibility to be a starter, the Oilers would make sense.
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While Edmonton also has Mikko Koskinen signed, he has struggled when asked to be a number one goalie. He did well last season with a .917% save percentage in 38 games, but struggled in 2018-19 when he had to make 55 appearances.
Koskinen and Khudobin would be an expensive tandem (most likely), but they could also be a very good one. The Oilers defense isn’t great, especially without Oscar Klefbom, which means they’ll be relying on their goalies to bail them out on a fairly regular basis.
While the goaltending market will likely provide better bargains than Khudobin for the Oilers, Klefbom’s cap hit going to the LTIR could free up quite a bit of space. That might be enough for Edmonton to bring in someone like Khudobin.
Playing for the Oilers could be enticing for Khudobin, as he’d be joining a very talented team who could make a run at the Stanley Cup next season with the right tweaks. Khudobin could be one of those tweaks.
1. Vancouver Canucks
If I were a betting man (and I am not one), I would bet my house on Anton Khudobin going to the Pacific Division. Three talented teams who need a backup goalie. All three are likely going to be very interested in Khudobin. But I think the best fit for him is with the Vancouver Canucks.
If the Canucks don’t re-sign Jacob Markstrom, they’ll be in the market for a veteran goaltender to split the net with young goaltender Thatcher Demko. Demko proved during the postseason that he’s ready for a larger role with the team, but the Canucks would be wise to bring in someone like Khudobin as insurance.
Adjusting to a starting role in the NHL can be hard on goalies. Plenty of goalies are great backups, but can’t be starters. Demko probably isn’t among them because of his track record of success, but having a veteran like Khudobin could do wonders for him.
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Khudobin and Demko could split the net next season. After that, Demko could slowly take on more games while still having a very good backup behind him ready to step in. Khudobin might be willing to take a discount to play on the Canucks if they can sell him on how talented and young their team is.