Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Major goaltending decisions looming for Stars

Kari Lehtonen

Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen (32) deflects a Chicago Blackhawks shot during the second period of an NHL hockey game on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Andrew A. Nelles)

AP

Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill has some big decisions to make when it comes to his team’s goaltending.

Does he try and trade Kari Lehtonen?

If yes, who will be the starter?

If yes or no, who will be the backup?

According to the Dallas Morning News, Nill is in the process of answering those questions.

Only the Edmonton Oilers had a lower team save percentage than the Stars did in 2014-15. Goaltending was a major reason that Dallas missed the playoffs.

As we wrote last week, there’s no shortage of options for teams in need of a goalie.

All that supply may hurt the Stars’ chances of trading Lehtonen, a 31-year-old who comes with a cap hit of $5.9 million for three more seasons.

Perhaps partly because of that, Nill seems to be preparing for Lehtonen to remain with the Stars.

“What’s impressed me is the fact Kari feels he didn’t do a good enough job and he wants to do everything he can to fix it,” Nill said. “So we have to look at how he prepares himself and how we support him, and how he can be better, and how we can help him be better.”

A better backup would be a good start.

Related: Stars’ Jussi Rynnas to sign in the KHL, per report