One way or another, the Senators need to address their goaltending

Article content

Goaltending was supposed to be the least of the Ottawa Senators’ worries this season.

Article content

It was viewed as a position of strength in camp with the Senators hoping to make the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

Article content

Fifty-six games into the season and 16 points out of the final wild-card spot in the East, the Senators were reminded — again — in their 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday night that Anton Forsberg and Joonas Korpisalo are still searching for that elusive consistency.

With the NHL trade deadline approaching on March 8 at 3 p.m. EST, it’s an area the Senators are likely taking a serious look at as they study the various options to try to strengthen the roster.

The decision was made to start Forsberg on Tuesday vs. Washington after he picked up his fourth straight win with 26 stops in a 4-3 victory over Vegas on Saturday but, as has been the case too many times, he couldn’t carry over the performance and was pulled after allowing four goals on 10 shots against the Caps.

Article content

To make matters worse, Joonas Korpisalo allowed two goals on 10 shots during his 40 minutes of work against the Caps.

You’re just not going to have a chance if you give up six goals on 20 shots and it didn’t help that the club made several defensive miscues.

The Senators went into Tuesday night’s game against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena ranked No. 32 in the league with an .881 save-percentage. The combined 3.52 goals-against average had Ottawa sitting at No. 29 in the NHL.

Before coach D.J. Smith was fired on Dec. 18, many experts made the point that it wasn’t goaltending that was the biggest issue for the Senators, it was the way the club played in front of them. The argument was made that if the Senators cleaned up their act, they’d get more saves.

Article content

Fair enough, it’s not all on the goaltenders because they’re only one piece of the machinery. But if you don’t get the saves, then it’s costly and, after battling back from a 2-0 deficit in the first against the Caps, the Senators found themselves down 4-2 after 20 minutes.

The situation didn’t improve much early in interim coach Jacques Martin’s return, so goalie coach Zac Bierk was fired and Justin Peters was promoted from the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville to work with the Ottawa netminders on Jan. 15.

Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, was hoping a new voice would help Korpisalo and Forsberg — who was out for a month with groin injury when the change was made — find their games down the stretch.

Article content

In the 18 games the Senators had played with Peters in his new role before facing the Predators, the club had posted a 10-5-3 record with a 3.28 GAA. That had Ottawa ranked No. 22 and, it should be noted, both goalies have had nights where they passed the eye test.

But Monday wasn’t one of those and that kind of goaltending can suck the life out of a team.

When the Senators signed Korpisalo to a five-year, $20-million US deal on July 1, he was supposed to help form a strong tandem with Forsberg. It just hasn’t worked out that way and it’s a mystery as to why because Korpisalo was strong down the stretch for the Kings last season.

Korpisalo has posted a 13-18-3 record in 38 appearances this season with a 3.39 GAA and an .887 save-percentage. Forsberg, who is making $2.75 million on a deal that runs through next season, has been a bit better with an 11-9-0 record, a 3.25 GAA and an .889 save-percentage.

Article content

The Senators were linked to Nashville goalie Juuse Saros last week, which had the good people on social media abuzz, and they’ve likely kicked tires there. The 28-year-old Saros hasn’t been at his best this season, but he has a 23-21-2 record with a .904 save-percentage and 2.95 GAA.

Saros has only one year left on his deal at $5 million and Nashville GM Barry Trotz has publicly dismissed the possibility of making a deal. That hasn’t stopped teams from calling the Predators, but it would be a mountainous task for the Senators to make that happen.

The asking price would be sky high and the Senators would also have to find somebody willing to take Korpisalo’s contract off their hands.

It was speculated recently that the best bet for the Senators is just to buy out the final four years of Korpisalo’s contract. A check of the calculator on capfriendly.com says it will cost $10.6 million to buy out the $16 million in cash remaining on Korpisalo’s deal after this season.

Article content

Not only is that a lot to pay a guy not to play, it would also mean the organization will carry a cap hit for the next eight years. Owner Michael Andlauer is passionate about having success, but he became a billionaire because he has made smart business decisions.

Buying out Korpisalo feels like a pipe dream.

Since goaltending is such a big decision, it might make sense for the club to revisit this in the off-season and hope the answers can come from within the rest of the way.

One way or another, the Senators need to get better in the net if they want to make the next step.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

Article content