Islanders Former Goalie Jarosalv Halak Proves Goalie Market Is Broken

Former New York Islanders goalie, Jaroslav Halak, signed a new deal with the Boston Bruins at a $2.25 million cap hit. The goalie market is broken.

Yesterday, Jaroslav Halak signed a one-year extension with the Boston Bruins. After back to back very good seasons as Tuukka Rask’s backup, the former New York Islanders goalie got himself a new contract.

For context, Halak’s first deal was a two-year deal with a $2.75 million cap hit. He signed the deal coming off a .908 save percentage and a 3.19 goals against average season with the Isles.

In his first year, he started 37 games and put up a .922 save percentage and a 2.34 goals against average. This past year, in 29 starts he had a .919 save percentage and a 2.39 goals against average.

Now, at 34-years-old, I can see the term not being very long. Like the one-year makes sense, it’s the AAV that is a head-scratcher. How does Halak’s cap figure drop to $2.25 million?

Let’s take a look at some other recent goalie contracts that were given out and how Halak compares to them.

This past summer, Cam Talbot got a one-year $2.75 million contract after putting up a .892 save percentage and a 3.40 goals against average. It’s worked out for Calgary but how can Talbot, get $500,000 more than what Halak got after back to back down years.

The Islanders are also to blame here in the preposterous goalie market. They gave Semyon Varlamov four-years $20 million but wouldn’t give Robin Lehner a one-year $5 million deal. Was it really just to get Sorokin here? How Lehner got the same cap hit and less years than Varly after both of their 2019 seasons is beyond me.

What about the Oilers and Mikko Koskinen? He had 32 career starts under his belt in the NHL as a 30-year-old and he got a three-year deal with a $4.5 million cap hit? It doesn’t make any sense!

Even Mike Smith, as a 36-year-old coming off a .898 save percentage and a 2.72 goals against average was able to get a one-year $2 million deal. The moral of the story, the Bruins got a very good goalie who can spot start for $2.25 million.

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How someone like Jaro is getting paid like that while Sergei Bobrovsky is getting $10 million a year really makes you think. I genuinely don’t understand the goalie market in the NHL, and I don’t think the GM’s do either.