Recrutes: Hockey scouting from a professional perspective from Grant McCagg and Habs coverage from a 33 year veteran covering the NHL from Brian Wilde.
November 14, 2017
By Brian Wilde
The Montreal Canadiens have picked up off the waiver wire from the Florida Panthers Antti Niemi. In three games in Pittsburgh this year where he started the season, he had a 7.49 GAA and a save percentage of .797. He then had a slight improvement in save percentage in Florida at .872. Overall, Niemi has a 6.74 GAA and .832 save percentage.
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This is Montoya insurance, they want a vet who can back up and spot start. If the back up needs to play for a run, they will go to Lindgren. Short term Lindgren plays in Montreal and Fucale plays in Laval. I expect, not that I think its fair, that when (if?) Price returns to health that it will be Price/Niemi in Montreal and Lindgren/Fucale in Laval if Montoya is still out.
I don’t like this move at all. How did Scrivens work out as an insurance policy? This smells the same. Let Fucale get a game or two if Lindgren tires. Makes no sense at all to me. It isn’t like the habs are a cup contender