Stop me if you have heard this one before - the Nashville Predators will start this season with a different number one goaltender than the previous season. If, as expected, Pekka Rinne gets the nod as Nashville's number one netminder for 2009-2010, he will be the fourth different goaltender in as many seasons to claim that distinction. Following in the skate marks of Tomas Vokoun, Chris Mason, and Dan Ellis, Rinne will be the latest to be the number one goaltender in what has been a revolving Predator crease. .jpg)
Rinne, who finished fourth last season in the voting for the Calder Trophy given to the NHL's top rookie, had a 29-15-4 record in 2008-09. In addition to the normal pressure on Rinne to perform well is the fact that he is fighting for a spot as one of the three goaltenders for the Finnish Olympic team. A spot on that team will not be a given, considering the Finns have several outstanding goaltenders competing for those three spots on the Olympic team. Rinne will be battling other top Finnish-born NHL goaltenders like Miikka Kiprusoff, Niklas Backstrom, Vesa Toskala, and Kari Lehtonen.
Ellis came seemingly out of nowhere in 2007-08 to post a 23-10-3 record, leading the Predators to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. He struggled to find consistency last season, and Rinne surpassed him as the team’s number one.
As of now, the Predators will go into the 2009-2010 season with both of their goaltenders eligible to become unrestricted free agents at season's end. Ellis will be in the second year of his two-year, $3.5 million contract. Rinne will make a bargain-basement $725,000 for 2009-2010.
Having both goaltenders eligible to leave following this season presents an interesting challenge for Predators general manager David Poile. Players who are in contract years obviously have a lot riding on their performance, but their teams do as well. Big results will equal big dollars, and for the Predators, this could pose a challenge, especially considering the likelihood of a shrinking salary cap in 2010-2011.
Poile could look to trade Ellis at some point this season, but that may prove to be a difficult task. Ellis has just one solid season under his belt, and he concluded last season with a record of 11-19-4. His salary cap number of $1.75 million for this season also might present a roadblock to another team wishing to acquire a goaltender.
With the Predators again likely to struggle to score goals, and with a very talented but very young defense corps, the goaltenders are going to need to be good for the team to have any measure of success this season.
The Predators have some strong goaltending prospects in the system, but those prospects are young and lack NHL experience. Other than Rinne and Ellis, the remainder of the goaltenders in the system have a combined zero games of NHL experience.
Mark Dekanich and Chet Pickard are expected to be the goaltenders for the Predators top minor league affiliate the Milwaukee Admirals this season. After a successful collegiate career at Colgate University, Dekanich had a strong first professional season last season with the Admirals. In 2008-09, Dekanich was 15-10-2 with a 2.09 goals against average and a .923 save percentage.
Pickard, a first round selection (15th overall) in 2008, is entering his first professional season. He just completed a successful four year junior career with the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League. He was given the Del Wilson Trophy as the WHL Goaltender of the Year for 2008-09.
Also in the Predators goaltending pipeline are Jeremy Smith, Atte Engren, and Anders Lindback.
Like Rinne, Lindback is another giant Nordic. At, 6'6" the Swede is actually an inch taller than Rinne. When Poile speaks of Lindback, he feels as though they found another late-round gem. The Predators selected him in the seventh round (207th overall) in the 2008 Entry Draft. He will remain in Europe for the upcoming season.
Comments