NHL Free Agency: Grading the Stars’ signings

4. Anton Khudobin, Goaltender

Former team: Boston Bruins

Contract: 2 years/$2.5 million per

Time for an honesty session: Dallas’ struggle to find and maintain quality netminding, especially in a backup role, has been real for years. We’re talking the better part of a decade. For every Cristopher Nilstorp, there’s been an Andrew Raycroft, a Richard Bachman, a Jussi Rynnas, Jhonas Enroth or an Anttii Niemi circling along the ski lift. The ride has been akin to climbing aboard a wooden rollercoaster with a fractured vertebra. Sound fun? Not fun on any planet ever.

The one constant through it all has been Kari Lehtonen, whose career as a starter with Dallas finally came to a close in 2017 after the addition of Ben Bishop. Lehtonen thrived in the role of second fiddle, for a while. That is, once Bishop went down for the season to injury, the thriving turned to writhing in pain for Stars’ fans. In the final 11 games, he surrendered 33 goals with a save percentage over .900 in only four of those contests. Puke.

So with his contract now up and with the Lehts-em-in era now officially over, it was time to bring in fresh blood. Boy did they.

The Stars got their man in Anton Khudobin, and at a price that isn’t breaking the bank. Lawd above let’s holla’. This is the best signing Dallas has made in the current offseason and it’s not close.

The two most viable options in net during the free agency period were Carter Hutton, who went to the Buffalo Sabres, and Khudobin who comes from Boston having posted a .913 save percentage and 2.56 goals against average in 31 games behind Tuukka Rask. At one point, Bruins fans were even clamoring for him to start over Rask, but we could always take that as simple overreaction.

It’s a move not only of necessity, but one clearly coupled again with youth and the prospect pool.

We mentioned this but it’s worth bringing up again here. Right now the biggest assets Nill has as far as goaltending in the farm is ’17 first-round pick Jake Oettinger and fifth rounder Colton Point. Signing Khudobin to two years, instead of say four or more, along with signing Point to a three-year entry-level deal the same day, signals an expectation that Khudobin will come in, give quality minutes as a backup, then move on if need be in the hopes that one of the others mentioned is ready to take some form of the reigns in the NHL.

If that happens? Great. No harm, no foul, deal ends in two seasons and see what the kids are made of. Dallas isn’t tied up in the long-term. If neither one is ready? You test the market waters again when talent is still going to be out there. Ride the goalie carousel once more, you could say. It’s a calculated risk for sure, but one that Nill is taking on his word that at some point the kids need to play and you have to take off the training wheels.

For the contract, the thought process in regards to the future and for the overall signing of a quality player at a prime position of need, this gets a total thumbs up.

Grade: A

Minor notes: the Stars also signed Right Wing Erik Condra to a two-way contract and Joel L’Esperance to a two-year entry-level deal on Day 1.

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