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Dallas Stars: Six Candidates For Backup Goaltender

By Josh Clark

DALLAS, TX - MARCH 03: St. Louis Blues goaltender Carter Hutton (40) blocks a shot from Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) during the game between the Dallas Stars and the St. Louis Blues on March 3, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Dallas defeats St. Louis 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 03: St. Louis Blues goaltender Carter Hutton (40) blocks a shot from Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) during the game between the Dallas Stars and the St. Louis Blues on March 3, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Dallas defeats St. Louis 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 22: Goaltender Jonathan Bernier #45 of the Colorado Avalanche warms up prior to the game against the Dallas Stars at the Pepsi Center on November 22, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Stars 3-0. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 22: Goaltender Jonathan Bernier #45 of the Colorado Avalanche warms up prior to the game against the Dallas Stars at the Pepsi Center on November 22, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Stars 3-0. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /

1. Jonathan Bernier, Colorado Avalanche

The first goalie on the backup candidate list (though it’s in no particular order) is Jonathan Bernier.

The 29-year-old is just now hitting his prime and has already enjoyed quite an extensive journey through the NHL. In his 10 seasons, he’s played for four different teams, including three in the past three seasons.

He served as the starter for Toronto in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and had a varying role with Anaheim and Colorado over the past two seasons.

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Detroit Red Wings: Former netminder Jonathan Bernier retires
Detroit Red Wings: Former netminder Jonathan Bernier retires /

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    • In this most recent season, he played in 37 games, posting a record of 19-13-3 along with a .913 save percentage and 2.85 GAA. While Semyon Varlamov was on the mends, Bernier stepped in and filled the void rather impressively.

    His performance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs didn’t yield the best results, going 1-3-0 against a powerful Nashville Predators team. But still, his regular season performance cannot be overlooked.

    And that’s why he could be a perfect fit for the Dallas Stars. The most lacking area of Lehtonen’s play last season was his inability to step in and take on the full-time starting role when Bishop was sidelined. With Bernier, the Stars could potentially have a reliable option as their next backup.

    This past season, Bernier’s contract owned a cap hit of $2,750,000. And when you combine his young age and his success in playing almost half of the year, there is a good chance that he could be in for a pay raise this summer.

    The UFA may be looking for a starting gig, and there are a few teams that would likely come knocking.

    But there are also reports that the Avalanche are attempting to re-sign him. If they negotiate a deal and can promise him extended time in the crease, he may decide to stick around. After all, the Avalanche seem to be trending upward at the moment. Re-signing with the Avs could offer him another chance to better his resume and build up his argument to be a full-time NHL starter.

    But Bernier could be a solid bet for the Stars. Though he may cost a bit more than other options, he’s just now entering his prime and has proven to be a competent no. 2 option. If he is still inclined to serve as a backup and be ready to step in if Bishop goes down, he could fit the bill perfectly. Will Dallas steal him away and lock in a promising goaltending duo for 2018-19?

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