Goaltender Anders Lindback has made his decision on where he’ll be playing for the time being, signing a 1 year deal with the Arizona Coyotes, worth 0.875 million per season.
One year, $875 k for Lindback in Arizona
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) July 1, 2015
In our Top 10 NHL UFA Goaltenders 2015 article, written by Senior Editor Ken Hill, here’s what you need to know about Lindback:
Lindback is a very intriguing player with outstanding size (6’6”), which makes modern goalie coaches drool. However, as with all tall goalies, it’s taken some time for Lindback to learn how to use his frame effectively. He mentored under one of the best tall goalies in the league in Pekka Rinne while a member of the Predators, where his early career success may have been more attributed to the quality defensive team in front of him.
After two underwhelming seasons in Tampa Bay (in which he posted a .897 SV% in 47 appearances), he signed with the Dallas Stars last summer, hoping to turn things around. This did not happen, as he regressed even further in Texas, which caught the eye of Sabres General Manager Tim Murray, who saw an opportunity to bring aboard a goaltender that would aid his aspirations to finish last in the NHL.
However, unlike other goalies on this list who suffered at the hands of the likes of the Oilers or Sabres, Lindback flourished in Buffalo. In 16 games (which, to be fair, is a small sample size), the lanky Swede posted very impressive numbers, driving Sabres fans up the wall in the process. The question now is: Has Lindback really turned things around?
It’s worth noting that Ben Bishop, one of the tallest goalies in the NHL, took a similar path to Lindback before breaking out in a big way on a new team in his age 27 season. Could Lindback follow suit? Whichever team signs Lindback has an opportunity to potentially pick up the best return on their investment this July 1st.
