The Ottawa Senators are in the market for a goaltender. Whether they got one through a trade or through free agency, everyone knows an upgrade is in order.
This list is about to enter their qualifying window. After missing the post-season this season, General Manager Pierre Dorion will want to make sure there are no holes in his squad in 2023-24. When it comes to the unrestricted free agent (UFA) market, there is no shortage of capable goaltenders the organization can look to.
Frederick Andersen
Frederick Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes is a prime choice for the Senators, as they will be in the market for a veteran goaltender who has the talent to be a sure player. Andersen is 33 years old and has been in a fight injury this seasonbut when he was healthy, he did everything the Hurricanes asked of him and more.
During the regular season, he posted a 21-11-1 record, with a save percentage (SV%). 903% and a goals against average (GAA) of 2.48. Those numbers don’t break the game, but he raised them during the playoffs. He posted a 5-0-1 record to go along with a 0.936 SV% and 1.65 GAA. Those are elite numbers, and the Senators may be willing to target him in hopes that he can carry that momentum into next season.
Given Andersen’s age, both the player and the team will likely be looking for a short-term deal. The two-year deal will be a neat job for the organization, supporting its young core over the next two seasons with a veteran. Hopefully, by then, Sens will have a clearer picture of who the goalkeeper will be in the future.
Tristan Gary
Tristan Garry, along with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a whole, fell behind in 2022-23. Gary is 28 years old, but he is not a 28-year-old goalkeeper. He has only played four full seasons in the NHL and has had the workload as a starter for the past two seasons.
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If the Sens pursues my neighbor, it will have to be their response both in the short and long term, as it is likely that he will be looking to cash in on a big contract. He earned a 0.909 SV% and a 2.90 GAA this season to go along with his record of 24-13-7.
Gary’s market may be plentiful, but the Sans need a goalkeeper like any other team. Are they going to have a bidding war? I doubt it, but if they want to find the goalkeeper in the future, Gary could be the man. He is the youngest player on this list and one of the youngest rookie-caliber goalies in free agency.
Semyon Varlamov
Semyon Varlamov is a similar option to Andersen. At 35, he won’t solve any long-term wrinkle problems, but he’s been a solid option on the New York Islanders for four seasons now. He also comes off a campaign in which he posted a 0.913 SV%, a 2.70 GAA, and an 11-9-2 record.
Related: Islanders: 3 potential free agent destinations for Semyon Varlamov
Another thing to watch is how many games he started over those four seasons. It slowly fell from 45th to 36th, to 31st, to 23rd in 2022-23. However, a lot of that has to do with the appearance of Ilya Sorokin, who has been named A.J Finalist for the Vezina Cup this chapter.
If Ottawa decides to pursue Varlamov in free agency, they will likely deal with one of the younger goaltender who is developing into a “1B” role to lighten the workload of the 35-year-old. It wouldn’t be wise to count him starting anywhere north of 40 games in 2023-24, no matter where he plays.
Jonas Corbesalo
Joonas Korpisalo also deserves attention, as the 29-year-old is coming off one of his best seasons as a pro. After being traded to the Los Angeles Kings at the trade deadline, Korpisalo posted a stellar 7-3-1 record to go along with a 0.921 SV% and a 2.13 GAA. The Kings were in dire need of a goaltender at the time, and he provided them with numbers above the league average.
The Kings have been tied to Cal Petersen for the next two seasons at $5 million each, so it will be difficult for them to allocate more money to the Curls next season. They won’t have much space to begin with, and may be looking to commit what they have to Gabriel Vilardi and Vladislav Gavrikov instead. If Corbesalo becomes available, the Senators should view it as another stopping point while they figure out a long-term solution.
Several goal setting options for the next three months
While all four UFA goaltenders are solid options to consider, the Senators can also look into the restricted free agent (RFA) market. Jeremy Swaiman and Ilya Samsonov may be worth trading, as well The biggest name in the market: Conor Hellbwick. Hellebuyck is under contract for another season, and while there’s no guarantee he’ll re-sign with the organisation, he’s undoubtedly the best net manager available.
With no draft picks until the fourth round in the 2023 NHL Draft, the franchise may not be in the best place to move assets for a goaltender, especially with the rise of goaltenders like Mads Sogaard. They are likely to find a short-term solution to push the playoffs in 2023-24.