So now we will see whether goaltender coach extraordinaire Benoit Allaire can have the same impact working with Ondrej Pavelec as he has over the last four years with backups of disparate backgrounds and experience named Antti Raanta and Cam Talbot.
After trading Raanta to the Coyotes on June 24 as part of the Derek Stepan deal, the Blueshirts signed Pavelec, who will turn 30 at the end of August, to a one-year contract for $1.3 million at the opening of Saturday’s free-agent market.
Pavelec, a Thrashers second-round, 41st-overall selection in 2005, had spent his entire 10-year career with the Atlanta/Winnipeg organization and served as the franchise’s No. 1 goaltender for the five-year period from 2010-11 through 2014-15.
The Czech native, a career 152-158-47/.907/2.87, was sent to AHL Manitoba at the conclusion of last year’s training camp as the Jets decided to go with the younger and cheaper duo of Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson.
Pavelec, who carried a $3.9 million cap hit last season, was recalled on Jan. 18 and went 4-4/.888/3.05 in eight starts before suffering first a leg injury and then a concussion that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
The Blueshirts ideally would like for Henrik Lundqvist to make no more than 60 starts this season, leaving up to perhaps 25 starts for the backup. Raanta went 16-6-2 in 26 starts last year and 27-10-4 in 44 starts over his two decisions on Broadway. Talbot went 33-15-5 in 53 starts over the preceding two seasons.