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The Colorado Avalanche landed a new No. 1 goalie yesterday, but it isn’t Swedish superstar Jonas Gustavsson.
Instead, the Avs signed Craig Anderson, a 28-year-old who most recently played backup for the Florida Panthers. He put up some good numbers last season, posting 15 wins, seven losses, and five ties, The Denver Post notes. Anderson (pictured) also put up a 2.71 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage, which was good enough for third-best in the National Hockey League. He’ll be the starter next season, ahead of Peter Budaj, who may never start again after his poor performance for the Avs last time around.
NHL free agency hasn’t been all peaches and cream for the Avs, though. Fan favorite Ian Laperriere, known as much for his bruising fights on the ice as his giant heart in the community, is now a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported yesterday that Laperriere signed a three-year, $3.5 million contract. The Avalanche had offered him much less, which is understandable considering they are pushing up against the salary cap. Nevertheless, it’s a tough loss for Avs fans.