Boston Bruins: 3 free agent goalies to consider signing for 2021-22
The Boston Bruins are in an interesting situation going into this offseason. Both Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak are unrestricted free agents, leaving them with rookie goaltenders Jeremy Swayman and Dan Vladar.
To make things even more interesting, Rask will be getting surgery during the offseason to repair a torn hip labrum and won’t be available until January or February. However, he made it known that he wants to continue playing but only if it’s for Boston, while Halak hasn’t been very vocal about his future.
So, even if Rask is re-signed, the Bruins will still have to roll with the tandem of Swayman and Vladar for around half the season. In a recent article, I wrote that comments made by team president Cam Neely suggested that this scenario is unlikely.
However, a reader commented that comments by general manager Don Sweeney contradicted Neely’s comments as he said the team would be comfortable with Swayman and Vladar in 2021-22. I cannot find evidence of these comments as they’re in the Providence Journal, which I do not have a subscription for.
In my opinion, if the Black and Gold are trying to win a cup next season, they’re best option is to sign a veteran goaltender to pair with either Swayman or Vladar — whether or not Rask is re-signed.
Both Swayman and Vladar are inexperienced when it comes to the NHL. Yeah, Swayman was great, but he only played in 10 games. Vladar looked good when the team’s defense was healthy and playing well, but he couldn’t help out the team when the defense was depleted.
So, going with Swayman and Vladar would be a huge risk, especially if you’re trying to win a cup. The B’s need to sign a veteran in free agency this offseason and also re-sign Rask. Once Rask is healthy again, he can take over as the starter with the backup being decided on how the other three options played throughout the season.
Luckily, this year’s free agent class for goaltenders looks to be quite strong. Here are three options that I think the B’s should consider signing.
3 free agent goalies the Bruins should consider signing for 2021-22.
3. James Reimer
Once considered the goaltender of the future for the Toronto Maple Leafs, James Reimer never panned out and has become one of the better platoon/backup options in the NHL.
Now 33 years old, Reimer has played on four different teams throughout his 11-year NHL career. Over these 11 seasons, Reimer has played in 385 games (351 starts) posting .913 save percentage (SV%), 2.79 goals-against average (GAA), .507 quality start percentage (QS%), and 24 shutouts.
For 2020-21, Reimer was a part of the Carolina Hurricanes. He played in 22 games (21 starts) recording a .906 SV%, 2.66 GAA, and .476 QS%. While these numbers aren’t necessarily bad, his -1.2 goals saved above average (GSAA) is concerning.
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However, when looking closer at Reimer’s career stats, he appears to be an every-other-year player, playing quite well one year, then poorly the next, then well again the season after that. This year was the down year for Reimer.
With this in mind, if Reimer continues his pattern, he’ll play well next season — which would be perfect for the B’s.
Reimer would also fit as he probably would be open to playing behind Rask when Rask returns if Rask is re-signed. Reimer has been a career backup or platoon goalie, he won’t be looking to be a team’s starter as he was actually the Canes’ third option in net this past season.
However, with Reimer’s lack of history in being a starter for a team, he’s a bit risky as he would most likely get most of the starts during the first half of the season when he’s most likely paired with either Swayman or Vladar.
To be honest, I would rather re-sign Halak than sign Reimer. Reimer had a higher cap hit than Halak last season, and it’ll probably be the same for 2021-22. But, Halak has a history of being the No. 1 goalie for a team. The issue is that Halak probably won’t want to re-sign with the Bruins after being beaten out by a rookie goaltender for a playoff depth chart.
3 free agent goalies the Bruins should consider signing for 2021-22.
2. Antti Raanta
After starting his career with the Chicago Blackhawks, Antti Raanta was acquired by the New York Rangers in June of 2015. The Rangers would then trade Raanta to the Arizona Coyotes two seasons later in June of 2017. Raanta has spent the last four seasons with the ‘Yotes.
Raanta only spent two seasons with the ‘Hawks as a backup to Corey Crawford. His first season was a struggle, but he excelled in his second with a 1.89 GAA, .936 SV%, .667 QS%, and two shutouts in 14 games (12 starts).
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In both seasons with the Rangers, Raanta was one of the best backup goaltenders in the NHL. Over 55 games (44 starts), Raanta posted a .921 SV%, 2.25 GAA, .680 QS%, and five shutouts.
With Arizona, things started off well as he recorded a .930 SV%, 2.24 GAA, .696 QS%, and three shutouts in 47 games (46 starts). However, things haven’t been so nice for Raanta over the previous three seasons. In this time, Raanta has only played in 57 games (55 starts) posting a .914 SV% (two seasons under .910), 2.96 GAA, .546 QS%, and two shutouts.
Raanta’s struggles to stay on the ice are due to injuries. His struggles on the ice could be attributed to the Coyotes’ shotty defense and overall team. His good QS% shows that, when he does start, he gives his team a chance to win.
With this in mind, I think Raanta would be an excellent choice to pair with either Swayman or Vladar until Rask returns from injury (if he’s re-signed). While he only has two seasons starting more than 30 games, these two seasons happen to be Raanta’s best statistical seasons.
Additionally, with Raanta basically being a career backup and having a down year this past season, he should be open to the idea of falling to the 1B option behind Rask when he returns. This is a huge thing when considering who the Black and Gold should bring in.
So while Raanta has been injured quite a bit over the last three seasons, he still has played quite well when healthy. If he can stay healthy, he would be a great backup/1B option to Rask, or if Rask isn’t re-signed, a platoon option with Vladar or Swayman. After all, he does have a 2.46 GAA, .919 SV%, .631 QS%, and 13 shutouts in 198 career games (179 starts) over eight seasons.
3 free agent goalies the Bruins should consider signing for 2021-22.
1. Pekka Rinne
A career Nashville Predator and once considered one of the best goaltenders in the league, Pekka Rinne has fallen off a bit over the last two seasons. In 60 games (56 starts), Rinne has recorded just a .900 SV%, 3.01 GAA, .514 QS%, and five shutouts.
However, with Rinne getting up there in age (will be 39 in November) and Nashville not being the defensive juggernaut they were a few years ago, a decline in Rinne’s performance isn’t very surprising.
2019-20 was Rinne’s worst season in his career. It’s the only season in his career where he had a SV% under .900 and a GAA above 3.00 (not counting 2005-06 where he only played two games). However, this season could be blamed on several things. The Preds were middle-of-the-pack when it came to defense, but Rinne’s abysmal GSAA of -14.2 and QS% of .457 don’t do him any justice.
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This season, however, now in a backup role to Juuse Saros, Rinne had a much better season. His SV% was a .907, GAA a 2.84, QS% a .571, and GSAA just slightly below average at -0.8.
While I think Rinne could still thrive in an elite defensive system like Boston has, it’s more of a matter in what Rinne wants to do.
After finishing the season with a shutout, Rinne said he doesn’t want to retire just yet. However, he also made it sound like he doesn’t want to play for anyone but Nashville, except maybe a team in his home country of Finland.
But, with that said, I think if the B’s offered Rinne a one-year contract to platoon with either Swayman or Vladar then fall behind Rask, he would gladly accept it. Rinne has had a hall-of-fame career, but has yet to win a Stanley Cup. Boston could give a much better chance at winning a Cup than Nashville. Although he most likely wouldn’t be the starter, he would still win a Cup.
I think his situation is similar to Henrik Lundqvist’s, expect for the fact that Lundqvist was bought out by the Rangers and didn’t have an option to return to the team that he spent his entire career on. But, they’re both hall-of-fame goaltenders without a Cup at the ends of their careers that could be playing for a different team for the first time in their career.
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Overall, I truly think that going with two rookie goaltenders for half the season (if Rask is re-signed) is too much of a risk if the Bruins are trying to win the Cup next season. A veteran free agent should be brought in, unless Halak is re-signed.