Blackhawks walk away from Niemi, sign Turco
It is not often that a team gets rid of its goaltender the year after winning a Stanley Cup. The Chicago Blackhawks will be doing just that, as they will now have a new No. 1 goalie to start off the 2010-11 season.
The Blackhawks confirmed on Monday that they will not be matching the arbitration award given to goalkeeper Antti Niemi, who was in between the pipes throughout the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup-winning 2009-10 campaign.
Instead, the Blackhawks have signed veteran goalie Marty Turco to a one-year deal. This means that Niemi instantly becomes an unrestricted free agent, and by far the most sought after netminder now available.
Turco’s contract is confidential in accordance with Blackhawks team policy, but the Chicago Tribune reports the deal is worth between one and $1.5 million. Given that on Sunday, the arbitrator ruled that Niemi’s salary should be $2.75 million, this is a slightly baffling decision.
Last season, the 26-year-old Niemi had an impressive 26-7-4 regular-season record with goals against average of 2.25 and a .912 save percentage. In the play-offs, he was 16-6 with a 2.63 GAA and .912 save percentage. Is $2.75 million really that much to ask for a goalie who did all this while playing a strong role in leading the team to Stanley Cup Finals supremacy?
Instead, the Blackhawks have decided to just over a million dollars by signing a 35-year-old veteran to a single-year deal. Turco was once considered to be part of the NHL’s most elite goaltenders, but the wears and tears of age are starting to show.
Turco has spent the last of his nine seasons with the Dallas Stars, where he has amassed a record of 262-154-26. Last season, Turco only managed to go 22-20-11 with a GAA of 2.72. He did, however, maintain a save percentage of .913.
The Dallas Stars acquired Kari Lehtonen in February and worked Turco out of their future plans. Turco then reportedly turned down a deal with the Philadelphia Flyers that was worth $2 million, even though they were in the Stanley Cup Finals last season as well.
According to Turco’s agent, Kurt Overhardt: “Our priority [...] was to put him with a club where he had a chance to play a role to win the Stanley Cup." In that case, Turco’s signing definitely works for Turco, though it’s difficult to understand exactly what the Chicago Blackhawks feel like they got out of it.
Even if the Blackhawks could not afford to keep Niemi after the arbitration award, they should have then decided to rely on their other goalie, Cristobal Huet. Huet has a massive $5.625 million cap hit for the Blackhawks and is the reason they can’t retain Niemi. They should at least try to use him. The Blackhawks could have also sent Huet to the American Hockey League, which would have removed his contract from the salary cap, yet for some reason opted not to.
Aside from Huet, the Blackhawks have another solid goalie prospect in Corey Crawford. Crawford has spent the last four years playing well in the AHL for four seasons but has only made eight appearances for the Blackhawks.
Turco is very deep in the decline of his career and it is strange to think that the Blackhawks would get rid of an up-and-coming goalie who has shown himself able to win the Stanley Cup in favour of a one-year veteran on the skids. Chicago has been wise with salary cap management and general player management and development over the years. In fact, that was the main reason they won the Cup. This move goes entirely against that smart developmental notion, and the Blackhawks could pay for it dearly.
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