5 Goalies Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin Should Pursue In Free Agency
By Teddy Elliot
Anton Khudobin
2019-2020 season stats: 30 GP – 16 W – 8 L – 4 OTL – 0 SO – 2.22 GAA – 0.930 SV%
Ever since Anton Khudobin was drafted in 2004, he’s been a stalwart backup goalie and has an overall winning record in his career. Known primarily for his work with the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes and the Dallas Stars, Khudobin is an intriguing option as Price’s backup in more ways than one.
As part of the Dallas Stars tandem with Ben Bishop, Khudobin has proven himself to be capable of winning games both in-season and in the playoffs.
Though sometimes criticized for being an inconsistent performer, Khudobin’s past two NHL seasons have been quite spectacular considering his usage.
At his age, Khudobin would be the perfect stop-gap solution until Primeau is ready to pick up the mantle behind Price. His capability to win more than he loses would also be a huge boon to a team that hasn’t had a reliable backup option in years.
His current two-year/$5-million dollar cap hit would be a good starting point and can be easily accommodated by the Montreal Canadiens.
Aaron Dell
2019-2020 season stats: 33 GP – 12 W – 15 L – 3 OTL – O SO – 3.01 GAA – 0.907 SV%
Aaron Dell has been with the San Jose Sharks his entire career and has provided them with steady backup goaltending, especially with the questionable play of starter Martin Jones.
Dell is an undrafted journeyman, having spent time in both the ECHL and the AHL. While never a stand-out performer, Dell has the capability to win games and make key saves.
Though he won’t “wow” you with any particular skillset, the Habs would be greatly improved by his presence on the bench.
Dell is, in fact, the youngest option on this list and would probably be seeking a multi-year deal.
He’s also likely to be looking for a raise after earning $3.8-million over two years with the Sharks, but the Montreal Canadiens have more than enough cap room for him.