Since 2003-04, the Ottawa Senators have had six different goalies lead them in games started each season. Some were quick fixes (Dominik Hasek, Alex Auld), others were "solutions" to their goaltending problems that instead became part of the problem (Ray Emery).
If things go according to plan, they'll have a seventh next season … and then the inconsistency ends.
GM Bryan Murray announced that goalie and ice girls aficionado Craig Anderson has been signed to a 4-year deal; TSN is reporting Anderson "will earn $12.75 million over the course of his contract, averaging $3.187 million per season. The club takes a cap hit of $3.18 million in the deal."
Said Bryan Murray, who doesn't seem to be making decisions for the next Sens GM (sorry, Pierre):
"Goaltending is and will be one of the important building blocks consistent with our plan to improve the team moving forward," said general manager Bryan Murray.
"Craig has provided a level of confidence to this team and this organization that was lacking early in the season, and we feel he is the type of person and player that will be a big part of our organization's future success."
That cap hit puts him just outside the top 15 for goalies; right behind Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators ($3.4 million) and ahead of Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets ($2.9 million). For comparison's sake, Antti Niemi just inked a 4-year deal with a $3.8 million cap hit with the San Jose Sharks.
Interesting trend in the NHL now, as two goalies entering their prime (and unrestricted free agency) sign 4-year deals with, basically, two regular seasons as starters under their belts. (In Niemi's case, there's obviously a ring involved, and Anderson showed his playoff mettle against San Jose last postseason.) Michael Leighton's run with the Flyers was supposed to be the harbinger of the era of disposable goalies, and yet here are four-season investments from the Sharks and Senators.
Battle of Ontario sees this as an overpayment, but Jeremy Milks disagrees:
Already I'm hearing a negative reaction from fans on the call-in shows due to the length of the deal, but it's not like Murray was going into this negotiation from a position of strength. Anderson doesn't owe Ottawa a thing and he could have simply said that if he didn't get that fourth year, he'd just go to July 1 and see what the market offered. Smartly, Murray didn't balk and got Anderson under contract for very little money when you look at what other starting goalies are getting in this league.
It's not a huge financial risk for Ottawa, and the reward could be significant. And if Anderson isn't the fix between the pipes … well, then, just add another tombstone to the goalie graveyard.