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4 goalies to replace Pavel Francouz if he has to miss time

By Sean McKenna

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 12: Pavel Francouz #39 of the Colorado Avalanche tends the net against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at United Center on January 12, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 12: Pavel Francouz #39 of the Colorado Avalanche tends the net against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at United Center on January 12, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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Could Jaroslav Halak be an option for the Colorado Avalanche?
May 1, 2023; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Jaroslav Halak (41) makes a save against the New Jersey Devils during the third period in game seven of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

4 goaltender replacements for Colorado Avalanche: Jaroslav Halak

If the Avalanche choose to go the free agency route, like they recently did with the signing of Tomas Tatar, they could make a phone call to Halak. The 38-year-old Slovakian most recently played for the New York Rangers last season, but he’s got plenty of overall experience, playing parts of 18 NHL seasons with 7 different teams.

A serviceable netminder who has been useful to teams in spot duty or shorter stretches of time, Halak could be useful for the Avalanche as a stop-gap early in the season. Jaro stands 5-foot-11 and weighs about 190 pounds, which may be an issue for Colorado depending on their goaltending philosophy, but Halak has proven his worthiness over the years, regardless of his stature.

Halak is not as old as Anderson and believes he can still play in the NHL. Being able to agree to a contract that suits both the player and the team in this instance may be tricky, but it also may be worth the reward if Halak plays like his old self again. Like Anderson, Halak has played a limited number of games over the past few seasons, with no more than 40 in one season since 2018-19.

Last season for the Rangers, Halak played 25 games, slightly more than Francouz played for Colorado, and the two had similar numbers. Halak had a goals-against average of 2.72 and a save percentage of .903. Francouz’s numbers were a bit better than Halak’s, however, and he’s also younger.

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