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Colorado's crease conundrum Roy's retirement leaves Avs' goaltending situation in limboPosted: Wednesday May 28, 2003 1:51 PMUpdated: Wednesday May 28, 2003 5:51 PM
No matter who takes the ice on opening night for the Colorado Avalanche, it's safe to say he will be a downgrade from Patrick Roy. Despite his 37-year-old ailing hips, Roy still had another good year or two left in him. But now the Avalanche turn their attention to finding Roy's replacement in the hopes that first-round exits don't become an annual occurrence. With all the talent in Colorado, the Avs likely would like to go out and get a proven NHL goaltender. David Aebischer has been backing up Roy for three seasons, but the thought is that he isn't good enough to take over the No. 1 job. Promoting Aebischer to the starting job probably wouldn't be disastrous, but nothing short of the Stanley Cup is acceptable in Denver, and the 25-year-old Swiss goalie isn't Cup-quality yet. The most likely scenario for Colorado is to sign a veteran for two or three years, allowing the Avs to bring along Phil Sauve slowly, much like it did Aebischer. Of course, this would make Aebischer trade bait, since the Avs also have 2001 second-round pick Peter Budaj at Hershey. Sauve is more highly regarded within the organization than Aebischer as a long-term No. 1 netminder, but he has been stuck at AHL Hershey for three seasons. Sauve's father, Bob, is a former NHL goalie -- as well as Roy's current agent -- so he will have a unique perspective on things, as Bob is losing his most profitable NHL client while perhaps gaining an NHL job for his son.
Khabibulin may ask for a trade after the Lightning opted to play John Grahame in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. If Tampa Bay is prepared to go with Grahame as a starter, perhaps the Avs would be willing to deal Aebischer and a prospect to the Lightning for The Bulin Wall. Biron isn't necessarily on the market, but the Sabres have a crowded depth chart at goalie, with Mika Noronen and Ryan Miller both deserving NHL minutes. Biron has posted solid numbers (75-85-20, 2.42 GAA, .910 save pct.) in his four-plus years in Buffalo, and his best years are still in front of him. But don't discount the possibility that Avs general manager Pierre Lacroix may make a big splash by trying to sign Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Giguere is a restricted free agent who will surely hit the jackpot this summer after his second consecutive quality regular season and his breakthrough postseason. Considering that Jose Theodore got $5.1 million last offseason, it isn't unrealistic to think that Jiggy -- who made just $900,000 this season -- will ask for upward of $6 million or $7 million in the hopes of getting a big payday locked in before the potential labor strife in 2004. The Avs suddenly have an $8.5 million salary slot available -- or $7.5 million, technically, after they pay Roy a $1 million parting gift bonus -- so Lacroix might be willing to ink Giguere to an offer sheet that the budget-conscious Ducks wouldn't be able to match. Such a move would be an unbelievably bold statement by Lacroix, who has made his mark by shocking his peers with quiet, calculated big deals. With the Ducks' ownership future in limbo, it would be hard for Disney to pony up $6 million per season and match an offer by a deep-pocketed team like the Avs. No restricted free-agent offer sheets have been signed since the Hurricanes tried to steal Sergei Fedorov away from the Red Wings by offering him a bonus-heavy six-year, $38 million deal, which the Wings grudingly matched. The Avs' track record is such that Lacroix will get the benefit of the doubt with whatever decision he makes. Colorado is still a likely playoff team no matter who patrols the crease at the Pepsi Center next season. But that isn't nearly as comforting as having an old security blanket like Roy between the pipes. Jon A. Dolezar covers the NHL for SI.com. |
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