Goaltender Michal Neuvirth has made his decision on where he’ll be playing for the time being, signing a 2-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers, worth $1.5 million in year one and $1.75 million in year two.
In our Top 10 NHL UFA Goaltenders 2015 article, written by Senior Editor Ken Hill, here’s what you need to know about Neuvirth:
There was a time not too long ago where it looked like Neuvirth might be the heir to the crease in Washington, but the promise he showed in his rookie season (picking up 27 wins with a .914 SV%) quickly fell away, and he found himself traded to the Buffalo Sabres at the 2014 trade deadline.
Buffalo isn’t exactly the ideal landing spot for a goalie looking to turn his game around, but Neuvirth managed to buck the trend, improving his even-strength save percentage (.936) and actually stealing some games for the Sabres. In fact, he played so well (compared to the lackluster goaltending Buffalo was hoping to get for their tank job), that the Sabres shipped him out of town, and he finished the year with the New York Islanders, though he made little impact on Long Island.
At 27 years old, Neuvirth should be entering his prime as an NHL goaltender, but his uneven career so far may scare some teams off. Still, in all likelihood the Czech could play a solid 1-b role on a team with an established starter and he could also be had for relatively cheap. He might be one of the most intriguing names among goaltenders available in free agency this year.
