Gerber signs with KHL club

by James Mirtle on Jul 21, 2009 2:38 PM CDT in Free Agency Comment 9 comments

More photos » by H. Rumph, Jr. - AP

According to Russian publication Sovetsky Sport, netminder Martin Gerber has taken former teammate Ray Emery's old KHL job with Atlant Mytishchi on a one-year contract.

You know, I think Gerber got a bit of a bum rap last season in Ottawa when he was waived and then demoted to the minors, something that came as a result more of his team's struggles and his bloated salary than truly awful play. There were plenty of netminders who had worse seasons last year — look at what Vesa Toskala did in Toronto — and besides, Ottawa's biggest issue was scoring goals.

In any event, Gerber turns 35 in September and we may have seen the last of him in North America. He leaves with a 110-78-14 career record and a .910 career save percentage, as well as a lot of Senators owner Eugene Melnyk's loot.

It's a tough gig being a goalie in the NHL — one day you're worth $3-million plus in free agency, a few years later, you're off to the KHL without any similar offers to play in the best league in the world. (Tough being a relative term here.)

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2008-09 - Martin Gerber (TOR)	12	706	6	5	0	1	38	3.23	402	364	.905	0
2008-09 - Martin Gerber (OTT)	14	839	4	9	1	3	40	2.86	397	357	.899	1

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The important thing is that he and Boyd Devereaux helped prevent the Leafs from uniting the Schenn brothers with their uncharacteristically great preformances in Game 82 of the regular season.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Jul 21, 2009 3:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

There seems to be an overabundance of goaltenders in the NHL. Biron, Fernandez and Gerber strike me as the big names who would be stuck without a chair when the music stops. On top of that, you have young guys like Cory Schneider, Jaroslav Halak and Josh Harding waiting for their opportunity. Then you have guys like Clemmenson and Anderson who prove they can be starters.

Is this indicative of anything?

I think we can agree goaltending is getting better in the NHL, but is this a sign that the NHL is ready for expansion (in terms of quantity of quality players)? Or are so-so backup goalies like Raycroft and Sandford more important than so-so starters.

My take is that, in a cap world, the minimum wage backup is more valuable than the borderline starter – who will ultimately price himself out of the NHL.

by Gusinabox on Jul 21, 2009 3:34 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Your final point is probably close to the truth. The nature of goaltending is pretty unpredictable from year to year… only a handful of guys are pretty safe bets to be good to great starters. It’s tricky because it’s such an important position, so it warrants strong compensation, but handing out big money and term to goalies in a cap system can have terrible results.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Jul 21, 2009 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Isn’t Fernandez supposed to retire due to injury?

SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there)

by Doogie2K on Jul 22, 2009 12:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just ask Calgary…

Matchsticks and Gasoline

by Kent Wilson on Jul 21, 2009 4:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Glad to see Gerber off to Russia!!! its about time, he should have gone years ago….whats with the KHL taking washed-up old goalies?? whatever they can have em

by wingsfanforlife on Jul 21, 2009 4:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

According to Russian publication Sovetsky Sport, netminder Martin Gerber has taken former teammate Ray Emery’s old KHL job with Atlant Mytishchi on a one-year contract.

Does this mean he will be the Flyers netminder in 2010-2011?

Is it October yet?

by floridaLEAF on Jul 22, 2009 8:38 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs