this is the best and probably easiest time to trade for an elite or at least a reliable goalie. with the expansion draft coming up and all the goalies that are potentially available thru trade and fa (Fleury, Bishop, Andersen, Howard, Ward, Johnson, Allen, Pavelec, Riemer, etc) goalie value, as hard as it is to judge their value, is at a low point.

Well done. This is well thought out. I've seen a lot of people get Yandle on the Stars, but much fewer move away from Goligoski. I'm a big supporter of moving away from Goligoski so good job!

Agreed, it is a great time to get a goalie, but Niemi's value went down after his first season with the stars and he is not a solid #1 goalie worth the 4.5 million cap hit that another NHL team would want. Nill won't be able to spend another 7 million on a proven #1 free agent goalie this off season because the Stars are stuck with Niemi's 4.5 million contract and a Lehtonen buyout is going hurt the owners pocket book as well as count against the cap.

Thanks for the feedback! I definitely think there will be goalies available for trade with several teams, like Pittsburgh, up against the cap either near the draft or near the trade deadline. The question is if Nill would have to retain salary if they moved Niemi and stomach that cap hit as well as Lehtonen's potential buyout. I can't see a team wanting to take on all of Niemi's contract.

With all the goalies available you aint moving Neimi UNLESS you eat 50% of his cap hit, and that still makes him a $2.25M expense for another team. If for some reason Dallas can't create cap space, Benn is going to receive lots of interest next year if he pulls a Stamkos, I know Benning would easily be prepared to drop 10M/year for him and he wouldn't be the only GM. Move Niemi now for anything and eat as much cap, the savings is worth it as there is a glut of cheaper and better alternatives.

Which leads me into that trade for Pit, they would rather loose Fluery to expansion draft team Vegas than have to take a 4th rounder, Niemi and a C+ type prospect in Ully, its a terrible offer. If and most likely Murray will regress a bit next year, Fluery has to pick up the slack, he's the ultimate safety net. This isn't the Lou+Schneids problem we had here in vancouver, we had no cap space, a falling cap and 2 elite goalies eating up 10M. Murray is still on ELC, they dont need to trade fluery unless the deal is good, they aint just gonna give him away.

Target Bishop because STL wont move Allen/Eliot to you, and same with Andersen. Pay the first rounder get Bishop, lock him up 6 years at 7M/.
Howard, Ward, Johnson, Pavelec, are all downgrades over both Niemi and Kari, the most cost effective option is get the ReimeMinster of Defense, he has shown he can play in front of poorous defenses, 3 years at 3M/ for Riemer is the best option if Nill cant get a true elite goalie.