by Bob Herpen
The Phanatic Magazine
If you thought the Philadelphia Flyers were the only playoff club facing goaltending questions, think again.
According to several sources, including NHL.com and the Chicago Tribune, the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks have walked away from an arbitrator's award to goaler Antti Niemi and apparently signed veteran netminder Marty Turco.
Late Saturday, an arbitrator granted Niemi, a rookie goaltender who was strong throughout the 'Hawks' Cup run, a one-year deal worth $2.75 million. Under the current rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the team had 48 hours to honor the deal or walk away - which the Blackhawks did Monday morning.
This makes Niemi an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team that wants him.
The Tribune reports Turco was brought in on a deal somewhere between $1 and 1.5 million for next season, a steal for Chicago, which has unloaded roughly one-third of their Cup-winning roster due to salary cap concerns. Gone from the team which captured the Blackhawks' first title since 1961 are Niemi, defenseman Brent Sopel, forwards Kris Versteeg, Ben Eager and Dustin Byfuglien. Three-time Cup champion John Madden was also not re-signed.
Niemi, 26, wrested the starting job away from Cristobal Huet in 2009-10, going 26-7-4 with a 2.25 goals-against average and seven shutouts in the regular season, and followed up with 16 wins in the playoffs. He was seeking a deal worth $3 million while the Blackhawks sought a $2 million award.
Turco, who will be 35 later this month, was 22-20-11 with a 2.72 GAA and four shutouts for a Dallas club that missed the playoffs for the second straight year.
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