Dallas Stars Goalies: How Antti Niemi Solves Stars Problems

On June 27th, 2015, as the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft wore on, a trade was announced. This trade sent veteran goaltender Antti Niemi from the San Jose Sharks to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a seventh-round pick.

In the end, it looks as though the Stars just may have won that trade (sarcasm implied).

Though the Dallas Stars traded with a bit of a gamble considering that Niemi was set to become an unrestricted free agent. But GM Jim Nill was confident that a deal would be reached, and just 48 hours later it was announced.

With the addition of Niemi, the Stars now have $10.4 million invested in goaltenders. While this is an unusual value in regards to goalies, the Stars have two goaltenders with a starter’s mindset. This may seem like a controversy at first, but indeed it is a beneficial scenario for Dallas.

The Dallas Stars did many things right in their 2014-2015 season. But they were not perfect, and their faults ended up being the reason they missed out on an NHL postseason bid.

Though there were different faults and underlying factors resting at different magnitudes, most can agree that one of the main problems was goaltending. While starting goaltender Kari Lehtonen had one of his most awkward seasons, one in which he tied a new career high in wins yet hit a career low in save percentage, the backup was no shining light either.

Jim Nill had to endure another season of filling the backup spot with a player that was promising in the preseason but ended up being a fluke. So necessary changes had to be made mid-season, which ended up setting the group back at square one, ceasing progress and officially pinning the Stars outside the playoff bubble. That is not what needs to happen with a team that already has a top-tier offense trying to carry the rest of the group on their backs. So he decided to fix the problem.

Bringing in Antti Niemi ends up filling a few different weak points in the Dallas Stars scheme. Now some of these have already been stressed in multiple other articles and pieces, and some are just common sense. But there are a few other points that have yet to reach the spotlight.

Overall, there are two main words that come into focus in Niemi’s case: reassurance and consistency. In his time with the San Jose Sharks, Niemi was a consistent force in the crease. Through his five year career with SJ, he started in 78% of their games. He finished with an average save percentage of .917. This performance was enough to take the Sharks to the playoffs in four of his five years.

Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen will clearly have a battle on their hands for dominancy of the crease. This battle may not be outright and shown to the world, but it will be happening. The Stars have showed support that they would like to try the “two-goalie” system. That is, start one goalie in one game, and start the other in the following game.

This is certainly a viable option. But as the season rolls on, a frontrunner will more than likely emerge. When this happens, the two starter philosophy is weakened a bit, yet still stands strong.

While the Stars would be spending a lot of money for a goalie who warms the bench, they are still in the driver seat. Mainly because they have managed their cap well and have the space to deal both goalies generous contracts. Both have a lot to live up to, but they have each other to look at while they are working to be their very best. There is always someone to outdo, and that means constant improvement.

Also, with two veteran goaltenders making up the crease, injuries could be more of a relevant factor. With both being 31 years of age, they will need to be there to support each other. If one takes the first night of a back-to-back and ends up taking 40 shots, the reassurance of there being a competent substitute is a great factor in the overall scheme. Having two starting goaltenders running a tag team scheme is a brilliant idea, and Antti Niemi is the reason this is now a possibility for Dallas.

In the end, Antti Niemi may be the saving grace the Dallas Stars could have used last season. In a recent poll we put out regarding who the fans thought was the biggest offseason pickup, Antti Niemi took first place. He finished with a total of 43 votes, with second place being Patrick Sharp with 34. Johnny Oduya rested in third with 23, and Stephen Johns took last place with 17. So apparently the Stars fans think highly of what Niemi is bringing to the table. A veteran resume with a consistent track record, Niemi is still one of the strongest net-minders in the entire league. Jim Nill’s comment about it not getting much better than having two number one goalies is pretty much on point, wouldn’t you agree?

Now we wait and see how it unfolds.

Next: Stars Top Game Of 14-15: Chicago Or Washington? VOTE

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