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Charlie Lindgren can be the next Peter Budaj for the Montreal Canadiens

By Omar L

MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 6: Charlie Lindgren #39 and Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrate after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on April 6, 2019 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 6: Charlie Lindgren #39 and Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrate after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on April 6, 2019 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Montreal Canadiens
BUFFALO, NY – APRIL 11: Carey Price Charlie Lindgren Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) /

The stage is set for Charlie Lindgren to be a full-time backup for the Montreal Canadiens and the tandem with Carey Price could be one of the NHL’s best.

The Montreal Canadiens have an advantage over a number of teams in the NHL. Dating back to the 2010-11 season, the Habs never had to worry who the number one goaltender was. That title was and will be for the next seven years belong to Carey Price. However, what has been in question since then is who is the best candidate to back him up.

The list of players to hold the mantle is decently sized. Teams don’t necessarily commit long term to backups but what the Habs are doing with Charlie Lindgren could change that narrative. The players who have been the main back up for the Montreal Canadiens (playing in at least 10 games save for the 2015-16 season when backup Mike Condon took the reigns) over the last nine years include:

  • 2010-11: Alex Auld – 16 games played (6-2-2) /.914 save percentage
  • 2011-12: Peter Budaj – 17 games played (5-7-5) /.913 save percentage
  • 2012-13: Peter Budaj – 13 games played (8-1-1) /.908 save percentage
  • 2013-14: Peter Budaj – 24 games played (10-8-3) /.909 save percentage
  • 2014-15: Dustin Tokarski – 17 games played (6-6-4) /.910 save percentage
  • 2016-17: Al Montoya – 19 games played (8-6-4) /.912 save percentage
  • 2017-18: Antti Niemi – 19 games played (7-5-4) /.929 save percentage
  • 2018-19: Antti Niemi – 17 games played (8-6-2) /.881 save percentage

If you had any doubts about Niemi’s numbers this season, this list puts it into perspective well. Price did say at the recent end-of-season interviews that Niemi was the best backup he’s had in his career which can be broken down in different ways.

He could’ve possibly been talking about it from a personal/support level which is completely fair. What isn’t talked about much is how important the dynamic between a starter and their backup is. There could sometimes be internal competition for the starter job, but there’s always a respectable atmosphere of pushing trying to get each other to improve after every performance.

Perhaps that’s what Price meant. If we’re looking at the numbers, and most importantly the number of games played, Budaj is likely the best.

He was a member of the Montreal Canadiens for three seasons playing in 54 games. Niemi would be next up as far as games played goes but his stat line this past year is a massive anchor. However, with Marc Bergevin announcing the veteran wouldn’t be returning and with Niemi signing in the KHL, it looks as if the backup role is in Lindgren’s hands.

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