Examining the Coyotes’ options for a backup goaltender

Through four games of the preseason, Coyotes goaltending has stopped 92 of 107 shots for an .860 save percentage. That is not enough evidence to suggest that the Coyotes have a problem in the net. This is, after all, the preseason where kinks have to be worked out and rhythms have to be found.

On the other hand, nobody believed that the Coyotes goaltending situation was settled when training camp began. Beyond Karel Vejmelka, who showed some promise in his first NHL season but struggled overall under a heavy workload, the Coyotes had little to no proven NHL experience.

The internal belief is that Ivan Prosvetov needs another season in the AHL to develop and prove that he is still the franchise’s goalie of the future.

Jon Gillies has a whopping 32 games under his belt and couldn’t even land an AHL offer at the start of the 2021-22 season.

Anson Thonrton isn’t close to ready and has already been shipped back to the OHL’s Barrie Colts.

David Tendeck is still listed behind Prosvetov on the prospect depth chart and Chris Gibson has 16 NHL games under his belt; just two in the past three seasons. 

You might think that having an unsettled goaltending situation would be beneficial to a team trying to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and you’d be right, but we saw just how much Carter Hutton’s early-season struggles impacted the psyche of the team last season. Nobody in the organization wants to see that happen again. GM Bill Armstrong admitted that uneven goaltending took its toll on the team and coach André Tourigny noted how stable the team felt after claiming Scott Wedgewood off of waivers.

The waiver wire is likely to produce some interesting goaltending names over the next week or so as teams trim their rosters to the permissible number before the start of the regular season.

To get a sense of the Coyotes’ potential options beyond what’s in camp, I reached out to Kevin Woodley of InGoal Magazine, whose knowledge and sources I trust more than any goaltending expert in hockey media. Here are some names to consider, along with a bit of background.

Woodley’s top options

Connor Ingram
Age: 25
Contract status: Under contract with Nashville for one more year ($733,000 cap hit; $787,500 salary); will be a restricted free agent (RFA) after the season.
NHL stats: 3 games, 3.71 goals against average (GAA), .871 save percentage (SP), -2.5 goals saved above average (GSAA).
Link to overall stats
Woodley’s quick thought: “The number one goalie I’d be looking at, in regards to upside, who is likely to be on the waiver wire would be Connor Ingram. I can’t believe they didn’t give him a shot, to be honest.”

Troy Grosenick
Age: 33
Contract status: Under contract with Philadelphia for one more year ($750,000); will be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after this season.
NHL stats: 4 NHL games, 2.27 GAA, .933 SP, 2.9 GSAA.
Link to overall stats
Woodley’s quick thought: “He quietly took a big step the past few years, and his numbers show it, too.”

Zach Fucale
Age: 27
Contract status: Under contract with Washington for one more year ($750,000); will be a UFA after this season
NHL stats: 4 games, 1.74 GAA, .924 SP, 1.1 GSAA.
Link to overall stats
Woodley’s quick thought: “He also figured things out two years ago.”

Cory Schneider
Age: 36
Contract status: Under contract with the New York Islanders for one more year ($750,000); will be a UFA after this season.
NHL stats: 410 games, 2.43 GAA, .918 SP., 73.2 GSAA.
Link to overall stats
Woodley’s quick thought: “Schneider is an interesting as a guy who could also be a mentor but he might just retire. His situation needs to match his family at this point.”
Note: Former Coyotes hockey ops executive Brian Daccord, who works with Schneider at Stop It Goaltending, said that Schneider wants to keep playing.

Anton Khudobin
Age: 36
Contract status: Under contract with Dallas for one more year ($333,333 cap hit; $3,750,000 salary); will be a UFA after this season.
NHL stats: 259 games, 2.50 GAA, .916 SP, 30.7 GSAA
Link to overall stats
Woodley’s quick thought: “He looks better and healthy early in camp,” but the contract could be a problem.

Collin Delia
Age: 28
Contract status: Under contract with Vancouver for one more year ($767,500 cap hit; $792,500 salary); will be a UFA after this season.
NHL stats: 32 games, 3.68 GAA, .904 SP, -5.6 GSAA
Link to overall stats
Woodley’s quick thought: “Delia is another name I’d look at, but the changes he needs to make and is making right now need a little more time to percolate in Vancouver.”

Other options

Joey Daccord, 26, Seattle: Under contract for one more year ($750,000 cap; $800,000 salary); will be an RFA after this season.
Magnus Hellberg, 31, Seattle: Under contract for one more year ($750,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Oskar Dansk, 28, Calgary: Under contract for one more year ($750,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Calvin Pickard, 30, Edmonton: The former Coyote is under contract for two more years ($762,500 cap; $750,000 this season, $775,000 next season); will be a UFA after that.
Pheonix Copley, 30, Los Angeles: Under contract for one more season ($825,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Aaron Dell, 33, San Jose: Under contract for one year ($775,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Michael Hutchinson, 32, Vegas: Under contract for one more year ($750,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Adin Hill, 26, Vegas: The former Coyote is under contract for one more year ($2,175,000 cap; $2,675,000 salary); will be a UFA after this season.
Jonas Johansson, 27, Colorado: Under contract for one more year ($750,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Zane McIntyre, 30, Minnesota: The former Roadrunner is under contract for one more year ($750,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Mikhail Berdin, 24, Winnipeg: Under contract for one more year ($750,000); will be an RFA after this season.
Ken Appleby, 27, New York Islanders: Under contract for two more years ($762,500 cap; $750,000 salary this season, $775,000 next season); will be a UFA after that.
Louis Domingue, 30, New York Rangers: Under contract for two more years ($775,000 cap; $750,000 salary this season, $800,000 next season); will be a UFA after that.
Dustin Tokarski, 33, Pittsburgh: Under contract for one more year ($775,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Keith Kincaid, 33, Boston: Under contract for one more year ($750,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Malcolm Subban, 28, Buffalo: Under contract for one more year ($850,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Alex Lyon, 29, Florida: Under contract for one more year ($750,000); will be a UFA after this season.
JF Berube, 31, Florida: On a PTO.
Antoine Bibeau, 28, Ottawa: Under contract for one more year ($750,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Max Lagace, 29, Tampa: Under contract for one more year ($750,000); will be a UFA after this season.
Sam Montembault, 25, Montréal: Under contract for two more years ($1,000,000); will be a UFA after that. Could be available if Cayden Primeau makes the roster.

Top photo of Connor Ingram via Getty Images

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