The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed soon-to-be RFA Calvin Pickard, 26, to a one-year one-way deal contract extension. Pickard, who was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights mid-season and served as the AHL Calder Cup winning Toronto Marlies backup for the majority of the season, will make $800,000 next season. Pickard will be a UFA at the conclusion of the contract.
The @MapleLeafs announced today that the hockey club has signed goaltender Calvin Pickard to a one-year contract worth $800,000. #TMLtalk
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) June 20, 2018
In 33 games with the Marlies, Pickard posted a .918 save percentage, good for 12th in the league among qualified goalies. He also finished seventh in the league in goals against average (2.31). In one game with the Maple Leafs this year, Pickard gave up four goals on 28 shots in an overtime loss to one of his former teams, the Colorado Avalanche. In 87 career NHL games, that included playing in 50 games for the 48-point 2016-17 Avalanche. Despite that .904 season, Pickard has posted a .913 career save percentage. Excluding that terrible season, he is a .925 save percentage goalie in the NHL.
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Calvin Pickard: my un-objective view
With all of Garret Sparks, Curtis McElhinney, Kasimir Kaskisuo and now Pickard signed to contracts next season, there will be a three-way fight for the positions of backing up Frederik Andersen next season. One of the losers should end up on the Marlies with Kaskisuo.
