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Goalie Vasili Demchenko under contract


JoeLassister

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I had heard him linked to the Habs a few weeks ago and I didn't believe it.  (I figured he'd stay in the KHL one more year to rebuild some value.)  If the Habs were going the international route, I thought they'd go after someone that could realistically contend to be Price's backup next year.  I expect he'll get a chance but I think they still need to sign a proven veteran backup.

 

http://www.habsworld.net/2020/04/habs-sign-vasili-demchenko/

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  • dlbalr changed the title to Goalie Vasili Demchenko under contract

Not sure where he fits. I do not like the idea of starting next season with an unproven NHL rookie as back up and I also was hoping they would give McNiven a real shot in the AHL.

I do not like green backup goalies here; I do not like green backups there. I do not like them anywhere,  Berge- I- am!

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.925 career KHL save percentage.

 

Was a 1a/1b with Pavel Francouz until Francouz signed in Colorado.

 

If hes close to as good as Francouz they have a player here.

 

That said, i doubt this is the last goalie they sign.

 

I also think this means that Lindgren is done though.  I expect he will be a throw in to some kind of trade.

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I was thinking the same, they have UFA goalies in Kincaid and McNiven

 

and now it is probable they will send Lindren out. Once they sign the NHL backup

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47 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

I was thinking the same, they have UFA goalies in Kincaid and McNiven

 

and now it is probable they will send Lindren out. Once they sign the NHL backup

 

McNiven is RFA

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5 hours ago, Commandant said:

 

McNiven is RFA

Ok, wasn’t sure and didn’t check. Thanks 

 

that makes it more obvious that a trade is coming .... post pandemic 

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15 hours ago, Commandant said:

I also think this means that Lindgren is done though.  I expect he will be a throw in to some kind of trade.

 

I was actually pretty pleased with how Lindgren played toward the end of the season, once he started getting some starts. Much better than I expected. And better than Kinkaid for sure, and probably good enough for a backup for at least some NHL teams. But what he doesn't have is a track record showing that he can do that over a whole season. Which might make him a throw-in, yes ...

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On 4/21/2020 at 11:42 PM, Commandant said:

McNiven is RFA

 

I wouldn't be shocked if McNiven becomes a UFA this offseason.  I don't see a spot for him.  I could see Lindgren being dealt if they bring in another veteran but if not, they'll probably want to keep him around as insurance for Demchenko.  With Primeau still around, that would make McNiven the third-stringer.  (And if they do bring another goalie in and move Lindgren, Demchenko and Primeau are the two AHL goalies with McNiven as number three.)  He'd be able to veto an ECHL assignment and given his nomadic journey in search of playing time this season, he would probably use that.  A three-headed goalie situation in Laval isn't ideal for anyone so for everyone's sake, it'd make more sense to cut bait and then sign someone like LaCouvee as the insurance netminder.

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3 hours ago, dlbalr said:

At worst, the Rocket will have an internationally renowned DJ *<:0) 

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I like his attitude. He says he needs a fresh start, and he's willing to do what it takes to succeed, even if it means playing in the ECHL at first.

 

Some of the nuances of what he's saying are surely lost with Google Translate, though.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

So, do we expect Demchenko to be in the AHL next season, along with Primeau, Lindgren and McNiven -- and a UFA backup for Price? We don't have an ECHL affiliate for another year so it looks like it will be a goalie logjam in Laval.

 

And we do need to make a goalie available for the expansion draft, too.

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We will need to sign another goalie (or re-sign Lindgren) to have a goalie available for the expansion draft. 

Primeau and Demchenko won't be eligible as they will have less than 2 years pro. 

 

Lindgren and McNiven's contracts will be up and McNiven won't have enough NHL experience. 

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So, we extend Lindgren to 2022 (he's already under contract until 2021) -- he'll know that he will be draft bait for Seattle but I expect that's OK -- and count on some combination of Demchenko, Lindgren and Primeau as a backup. In 2021-22, either Demchenko or Primeau should be ready.

 

Or we sign a UFA goalie for two years (to 2022) as a backup, and if Seattle doesn't pick him up, he backs up Price for another year, and then it's Demchenko (if we extend him, and if he's willing to accept a second year in the AHL) or Primeau in 2022-23.

 

First option is higher risk (is Demchenko able to step in (almost) immediately?) but also higher reward (conserve cap space, enable Primeau to step up one year earlier). And with the second option we might lose Demchenko if he's good and we have no room for him in the big leagues. I would personally go with the first one, but I suspect Bergevin will take door number two.

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Seems like a good signing on its own terms, but (as others are noting) if this is "it" for NHL backup then it represents yet another of MB's endless round of bargain-basement, cross-the-fingers-and-pray backup G. We need a guy who can play a solid second fiddle and reliably give the team a chance to win, not an experiment or a project.

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2 hours ago, Commandant said:

Lindgren and McNiven's contracts will be up and McNiven won't have enough NHL experience. 

 

McNiven will be 4 years pro (assuming he's signed for next season) so he'll be eligible as long as he's tendered a qualifying offer before the Seattle draft.

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17 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

 

McNiven will be 4 years pro (assuming he's signed for next season) so he'll be eligible as long as he's tendered a qualifying offer before the Seattle draft.

 

That is good to know. I'll add this to my draft proposal with Arizona :) 

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3 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

Seems like a good signing on its own terms, but (as others are noting) if this is "it" for NHL backup then it represents yet another of MB's endless round of bargain-basement, cross-the-fingers-and-pray backup G. We need a guy who can play a solid second fiddle and reliably give the team a chance to win, not an experiment or a project.

 

Well, yes. And a guy who's willing to play backup. We don't know yet whether Demchenko fits those criteria. If he's 90% of Francouz (as he arguably was in the KHL) then I think he would be a great backup choice.

 

We don't know yet what Bergevin's plan is, though.

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1 minute ago, DON said:

Who is most likely goalie(s) Habs will make available for Seattle? 

 

My guesses, in order of probability:

 

1. Lindgren

2. UFA backup to be signed

3. McNiven

4. Nobody

5. Nobody at all

6. No, nobody

7. Santa Claus

8. Mrs Claus

9. Rudolf the Red-nose Reindeer

10. Price

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