Niemi signs with Sharks, Price finally puts pen to paper

This is a day late, as most of you know by now, former Blackhawk goalie Antti Niemi singed a 2 yr 4 mill deal with the Sharks.

Good news for the Sharks, who needed a top goalie after they didn't resign Nabokov, who fled to Russia.  Wait, they had a top goalie didn't they..what was his name again..oh right..

Antero Niittymaki. Who just might be screwed.

Why? put yourself in Nitty's shoes. You signed a similar deal (the exact same) as Niemi, you were all but guaranteed as the starter between the pipes, is that in doubt now?

As for back up Thomas Greiss, there is a very real possibility that you're pushed further down the depth chart.

Do we have the dreaded THREE HEADED GOALIE MONSTER in San Jose? It'll be interesting to watch the goings-on between the pipes this season.

Will having a goalie fresh off a cup win propel the Sharks any further in the playoffs? We're still months away from that, but remember, Niemi only has 64 NHL games under his belt, and we saw in the playoffs, consistency is an issue. Will he be able to handle playing 60 games this season?

*****

In other goalie news, Carey Price, who threatened to strike if he didn't get 'Halak money' (a.k.a 3 million a season) has finally signed with the Canadiens. From RDS via the Montreal Gazette

RDS is reporting that the amount is $5.5 million for two seasons, with $2.5 million for 2010-11, and $3 million in the second year of the deal

That results in a cap hit of $2.75 million per year, leaving the Canadiens with about $2 million of breathing room.

Once again we see Price thrown under the microscope. No doubt he'll be compared to his former teammate, Jaroslav Halak over the season.

UPDATE: Thanks to the always on the ball Greg Wyshynski over at Puck Daddy, we now have this from Price:

"I didn't know what to expect. I thought it was 50/50," he said of the Habs' goaltending decision this summer.

Price acknowledged last season was a learning experience. Talking about how he shouldn't have been "down" emotionally as often as he was. Saying things like "ice time isn't given to you. It's earned."

"There's always going to be challenges playing in Montreal, but the only challenges are the ones I put on myself,"

Price is just learning that he has to 'earn' his ice? How long has he been in the league again?

We seem to be missing the signings of a couple of Avs forwards named Stewart and Muller..someone want to tell me when that happens?

 

- Jaye