With Tomas Vokoun on the outs, the Panthers have a new goalie. The question remains; will he be the starter?
Theodore, a member of the Minnesota Wild last season, signed a two-year contract with the Panthers Friday. The deal is reportedly worth $3 million ($1.5 per season).
Theodore, 34, played back-up for starter Nicklas Backstrom last season. Appearing in 32 games, the Laval, Quebec native posted a 2.71 GAA, .916 save percentage and also had one shutout. He had a 15-11-3 record.
Just the season before, Theodore was the starting goaltender for the Washington Capitals. He posted an amazing 30-7-7 record, including a 2.81 GAA and a .911 save percentage.
The Panthers also have Scott Clemmenson under contract, who played in 25 games last season as the back-up to Vokoun. Rumors circulated earlier in the week that Clemmenson will be given a chance to be the starting net-minder in Florida.
Chances are that Theodore and Clemmenson will be splitting time this season. Both are capable goaltenders who can be a show-stopper at times. This will be a slight downgrade from Vokoun, but don’t forget that Panthers GM Dale Tallon brought in defenseman Brian Campbell at the draft. This should help balance-out not having a veteran all-star like Vokoun between the pipes.
Follow Jeff Ponder on Twitter (@jponder94) for all the latest updates on free-agent signings today.
Keywords: brian campbell, dale tallon, florida panthers, jose theodore, nicklas backstrom, scott clemmenson, tomas vokoun
