NHL Free Agency: Top 5 Goalie UFAs This Summer


After 12 goaltender contract extensions were handed out this season for a whopping $437.95 million, it leaves a sparse list of options for teams looking to add help between the pipes this offseason. We'll take a look at the top 5 goalie UFAs this summer, though the pickings are slim. 

Per Jesse Granger in The Athletic, here are the names that will hit the open market on July 1:

  • Frederik Andersen
  • Jake Allen
  • Alexandar Georgiev
  • Ilya Samsonov
  • Dan Vladar

For teams looking for a bona fide starter, as you can see, there are not any great options. 

Andersen, who will be entering his age-36 season, has been a legit starter in the league and is a two-time All-Star. And he's still putting up solid numbers—when he plays. Therein lies the problem with Andersen. Injuries and other health issues have severely limited his availability over the past couple of seasons, with just 16 games last year for the Hurricanes, and only 14 this campaign. But with a career .916 save percentage and a 2.55 goals-against average, maybe there's a team willing to gamble on Andersen's health... at the age of 36...?

Allen, 34, is a legitimate NHL backup and would be a fine signing for any team wanting to use him as a 1B or simply as a backup. Vladar is only 27 and was on the rumor mill much of the season as a trade candidate, but hasn't been able to crack the .900 Sv% mark in the past three seasons with Calgary.

As for Georgiev, 29, there's a reason he was dealt away by the contending Colorado Avalanche, and he's sporting a dreadful .875 Sv% overall this season. Samsonov, 28, has been reasonably okay as a backup for the Vegas Golden Knights this year with a 15-8-3 mark, but we know from his time in Toronto that he cannot be counted on as a No. 1 option when it comes to playoff time. 

Photo: © Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images