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'19 Winter Classic - CHI vs BOS :Will the trade market be hot for backups?? |
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The 2019 NHL Winter Classic will be between the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins on Jan. 1, 2019 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, the National Hockey League announced today.
It will be fourth NHL Winter Classic appearance for the Blackhawks and third for the Bruins.
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With the NHL reaching the quarter mark of their schedule, clubs begin to evaluate and determine whether certain areas of need can be resolved internally or if they have to go outside the organization to address them.
Nowhere is that need more apparent than in goal, where a subpar backup or an injury to a starter can cost a team a playoff spot. It is very rare that a team can lose as many goalies as Vegas has and stay competitive, but there are other teams that could be looking to upgrade behind their #1.
Calgary may have adequately addressed their starter by adding Mike Smith, but a short-term injury to the veteran showed the vulnerability of their backup situation, as Eddie Lack has a 5.29 GAA and a save percentage of .813 in four games and rookie Jon Gillies needs more time in the AHL.
Pittsburgh signed Antti Niemi to back up Matt Murray in the summer, but waived him after losing three starts. Pens GM Jim Rutherford does not want rookie Tristian Jarry backing up Murray and is likely looking for someone who will allow Jarry to go back to Wilkes Barre and play regularly.
Juuse Saros was more than adequate for Nashville last season (winning 10 games with a 2.35 GAA), but the diminutive netminder was demoted to the AHL last week in favor of journeyman Anders Lindback.
There are only a few teams that have extra goaltending depth (such as Winnipeg with Steve Mason and Michael Hutchinson or Colorado with Andrew Hammond) that teams can go to for a backup with experience and former starters (Kari Lehtonen, Cam Ward) that are pending UFA’s carry a hefty price tag.
Will this make the backup market a pricey proposition??
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