NHL Rumors: Colorado Avalanche trade Reto Berra to Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers have traded Rocco Grimaldi to the Colorado Avalanche for goaltender Reto Berra.

The Florida Panthers had a need for a backup goaltender with starting goalie Roberto Luongo beginning to age. Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche needed to get rid of a goaltender with Semyon Varlamov, Calvin Pickering, and Reto Berra all proving to be NHL caliber goaltenders.

In a move that benefits both teams, the Panthers have traded forward Rocco Grimaldi to the Avalanche in exchange for goaltender Reto Berra.

Florida is getting an upgrade over Al Montoya in net, who will likely be leaving the Panthers in free agency. Berra has proven that he can handle a backup role with 53 career starts over three seasons. He has a career save percentage of .906, though his save percentage during his time with the Avalanche was a much more respectable .915.

Berra is coming off his best NHL season with a .922 save percentage and a career best 2.41 GAA. He has a cap hit of $1.45 million and will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2016-17 season.

Colorado will be getting a solid bottom six forward. Grimaldi likely didn’t have a spot on the Panthers’ NHL roster and Florida likely would not have been able to sneak him through waivers. The Avalanche were in a very similar situation with Berra, especially with Pickering’s AHL success. Grimaldi has a $925,000 cap hit and will be a restricted free agent after the 2016-17 season. He had five points in 20 games with the Panthers last season.

Both teams get something for a player who they would have had to risk losing for nothing in a few months.

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